Public relations officer
Create and maintain a good public image for a business or organisation.
Also known as: press officer, PR officer, media relations officer, communications officer
About the job
What it's like
You would create and maintain a good public image for a business or organisation. You’d make sure that it has a good reputation with the public and the media.
You could work for one company or organisation in its communications department. Or you could work as an account executive at a public relations consultancy which provides services to a number of clients.
First of all you would find out how the organisation would like to be seen. Then you would come up with ideas to create that image and maintain the reputation in the future.
You would:
Plan public relations campaigns
Monitor the public and media's opinion of your employer or client
Write and edit press releases, speeches, newsletters, leaflets, brochures, websites and social media
Arrange events like press launches, news conferences, exhibitions and open days
Set up sponsorship deals, for example of sports teams or arts events
Develop good working relationships with the media
Commission adverts or promotional films
Get the organisation or business to raise funds for charity
Represent your employer or client at presentations and conferences or in radio and TV interviews
You would also deal with bad publicity. You’d try to explain the situation to the media and the public and find ways to repair any damage to the business or organisation’s image and reputation. It can be a busy job with tight deadlines, so you’d need to be flexible and able to multi-task.
"I could be working on a social media campaign one minute, then the next minute I’m presenting to chief executives. Sometimes my job doesn’t even feel like work because it's so enjoyable."
Daniel Waddell
Stakeholder Engagement, Communications and Events Lead, Scottish Government
Hours
You would usually work 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Hours could be more irregular and may involve early starts, late finishes and working at the weekend if you are meeting a deadline or reacting to a crisis.
Environment
You would normally work in an office.
Travel
You may travel to attend PR events and conferences, and to meet clients.
Explore more information about this job
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Top specialised skills
These are the top specialised skills that have been found in job vacancies across Scotland. From March 2024 to March 2025.
- press releases
- media relations
- journalism
- digital communications
- media coverage
- web content accessibility guidelines
- crisis communications
- umbraco
- public relations
- web graphics
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- time management
- developing a plan
- attention to detail
- researching
- creative
- written communication
- verbal communication
- cooperating
- building relationships
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
English
English and Communication
Media
Entry is very competitive.
Most entrants have degrees (SCQF level 9/10) in areas such as:
Advertising
Marketing
Communication
Media
Business marketing
To enter a degree (SCQF level 9/10) usually requires National 5 qualifications and a minimum of four Highers or a relevant HNC/HND.
You can enter an Advertising and Public Relations Higher National Certificate (SCQF level 7) or Higher National Diploma courses (SCQF level 8) with National 4/5 qualifications and one to two Highers or equivalent qualifications.
Public Relations is a competitive field. Employers look for candidates with work experience in journalism, marketing or advertising.
Some degree courses offer work placements, or you could approach a company yourself.
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