| Important Core Job Duties (in order of importance) For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Plan or direct development or communication of programs to maintain favorable public or stockholder perceptions of an organization's accomplishments, agenda, or environmental responsibility. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Prepare or deliver speeches to further public relations objectives. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Arrange public appearances, lectures, contests, or exhibits for clients to increase product or service awareness or to promote goodwill. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Confer with other managers to identify trends or key group interests or concerns or to provide advice on business decisions. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Establish or maintain cooperative relationships with representatives of community, consumer, employee, or public interest groups. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Post and update content on the company's Web site and social media outlets. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Respond to requests for information from the media or designate an appropriate spokesperson or information source. |
| Importance: 95 (%) | Description: Write press releases or other media communications to promote clients. |
| Importance: 95 (%) | Description: Coach client representatives in effective communication with the public or with employees. |
| Importance: 95 (%) | Description: Study the objectives, promotional policies, or needs of organizations to develop public relations strategies that will influence public opinion or promote ideas, products, or services. |
| Importance: 95 (%) | Description: Develop plans or materials to communicate organizational activities that are beneficial to the environment, public safety, or other important social issues. |
| Importance: 95 (%) | Description: Confer with production or support personnel to produce or coordinate production of advertisements or promotions. |
| Importance: 91 (%) | Description: Prepare or edit organizational publications, such as employee newsletters or stockholders' reports, for internal or external audiences. |
| Importance: 91 (%) | Description: Consult with advertising agencies or staff to arrange promotional campaigns in all types of media for products, organizations, or individuals. |
| Importance: 77 (%) | Description: Plan or conduct market or public opinion research to test products or determine potential for product success, communicating results to client or management. |
Bachelor Degree Careers and Jobs (jobs after undergraduate degree)
Explore Careers and Jobs Predominantly Filled by Those with a Bachelor's Degree with or without Certificates - All On One Page
Sorted by median annual U.S. salary and including percentage of job holders with Bachelor's Degree.
A bachelor's degree qualifies graduates for a wide range of professional, technical, and management-track careers across nearly every industry. For people who want to compare where a four-year degree can lead before choosing a major or job. Compare careers ranked by salary, review degree-holder and experience percentages, and access preparation resources for each role.
Here is a short Helper Video 
.
This page will take you through 4 steps, relative to an Bachelor's Degree, to (1) Select a career, (2) Find active job listings, (3) Prepare for the career you chose, and (4) Provide web resources specific to the career you chose.
Step 1: Select a Career: You will be presented with a listing of Bachelor's Degree careers. The list may be quite long. There are two ways you might like to use this list:
1) Filter - As you enter a word, you will filter (limit) the list of careers below
2) Browse the list (Don't Filter) - You can simply browse the list of careers. There may be many that you might never have considered. This may help you to discover careers that might be of interest.
Once you have identified a career of interest, simply click on it.
Step 2: Find a Job: After you have selected a career/job title above, you will see a form asking for your location. You will see several radio selection choices to utilize the job search site of your choice.
Step 3: Prepare For a Career: In this section you will gain access to detailed information to help you prepare for the career you selected. Information includes core and supplemental duties, general and specific work activities, knowledge required, essential and transferable skills required, day-in-the-life summaries, knowledge required, software skills required, preparation required, educational requirements, training and work experience required, local salary information, certifications, professional associations, current job listings for the job selected along with multiple similar job titles, and related careers (related to what they do, what they know, and what they're called).
Step 4: Career-Specific Resources (detailed and constantly updated): Continue to scroll down the page and you will find tabs that will provide detailed (updated) links to occupational information specific to the career you selected. This information includes:
Videos: Provides a listing of video links related to this career. A great way to get a quick overview of the occupation.
Resumes: Sources for resume materials and techniques. This can help to get you started.
Job Description: Sources that provide job descriptions, which are vital to resume and interview preparation.
Interviews: Provides links that can help you to prepare for and successfully complete the job interview.
Step by Step: Provides links to resources that can help to organize the career search process.
LinkedIn: One of the best professional social media sites that provides links, opportunities, and networking specifically for careers and career development.
Step 1 of 4: Select a Career
Leading Books About Bachelor's Degree Jobs
What jobs can you get with a Bachelor's Degree? Scroll through the picklist (below). These are careers related to the Bachelor's Degree level, with at least 30% of job holders having a Bachelor's Degree. - 255 specific careers are listed, with matching jobs currently available. Select those careers that may be of interest - you will then get links to matching active job listings, and detailed resources to help you prepare.
You can use this form two ways:
1) Enter a Keyword - As you enter a keyword, you will filter (limit) the listing to those careers that contain the keyword entered
2) Browse the list (Don't enter a keyword) - You can simply browse the list of careers. There may be many that you might never have considered. This may help you to discover jobs that might be of interest.
OR - leave blank and scroll through the choices:
Select a Job Title - Sorted by Annual Salary -(scroll and Select) :
Legend: Career Title Link / (% having Bachelor's Degree) / (Median Annual U.S. Salary)
Step 2 of 4: Find a Job
Job Listings for: Public Relations Specialists.
Step 3 of 4: Prepare For a Career
Prepare for the "Public Relations Specialists" Career
The details below will provide a pathway to your specific job goal and help you to identify an appropriate career ladder.
Public Relations Specialists
Description: Promote or create an intended public image for individuals, groups, or organizations. May write or select material for release to various communications media. May specialize in using social media.
Please click on a section below to expand and see detailed occupational information related to "Public Relations Specialists":
U.S. Total Employment (2023):
272,300U.S. Total Employment (2033 est.):
303,400
Employment Change (2023-2033 est.):
31,200 (11.4%) Average Annual Job Openings (2023-2033 est.):
29,200
Core Duties
Supplemental Duties
| Important Supplemental Job Duties (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 86 (%) | Description: Purchase advertising space or time as required to promote client's product or agenda. |
| Importance: 64 (%) | Description: Coordinate public responses to environmental management incidents or conflicts. |
| Importance: 55 (%) | Description: Develop marketing campaigns for environmental technologies or services. |
Work Activities
| Important General Work Activities (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 95 (%) | Description: Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. |
| Importance: 95 (%) | Description: Communicating with People Outside the Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail. |
| Importance: 95 (%) | Description: Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
| Importance: 92 (%) | Description: Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. |
| Importance: 90 (%) | Description: Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them. |
| Importance: 89 (%) | Description: Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. |
| Importance: 88 (%) | Description: Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. |
| Importance: 88 (%) | Description: Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. |
| Importance: 85 (%) | Description: Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. |
| Importance: 85 (%) | Description: Working with Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. |
| Importance: 84 (%) | Description: Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests. |
| Importance: 83 (%) | Description: Providing Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics. |
| Importance: 81 (%) | Description: Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used. |
| Importance: 79 (%) | Description: Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks. |
| Importance: 79 (%) | Description: Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. |
| Importance: 78 (%) | Description: Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members. |
| Importance: 77 (%) | Description: Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions. |
| Importance: 73 (%) | Description: Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others. |
| Importance: 73 (%) | Description: Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others. |
| Importance: 72 (%) | Description: Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills. |
| Importance: 69 (%) | Description: Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts. |
| Importance: 68 (%) | Description: Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance. |
| Importance: 67 (%) | Description: Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. |
| Importance: 65 (%) | Description: Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money. |
| Importance: 64 (%) | Description: Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others. |
| Importance: 61 (%) | Description: Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. |
Specific Work Activities
| Important Specific Work Activities
How can you begin to build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. Specific Work Activities appear below: |
|
| Coach others. | |
| Collaborate with others in marketing activities. | |
| Communicate with management or other staff to resolve problems. | |
| Conduct market research. | |
| Coordinate logistics for productions or events. | |
| Develop business relationships. | |
| Develop collaborative relationships between departments or with external organizations. | |
| Develop promotional strategies or plans. | |
| Edit written materials. | |
| Inform viewers, listeners, or audiences. | |
| Maintain contingency plans for disaster recovery. | |
| Promote products, activities, or organizations. | |
| Provide educational information to the public. | |
| Write advertising or promotional material. | |
| Write informational material. | |
Knowledge Required
| Knowledge Required (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 96 (%) | Description: Communications and Media: Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media. |
| Importance: 93 (%) | Description: English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar. |
| Importance: 77 (%) | Description: Administration and Management: Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources. |
| Importance: 77 (%) | Description: Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. |
| Importance: 77 (%) | Description: Sales and Marketing: Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems. |
| Importance: 69 (%) | Description: Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming. |
Essential Skills
| Essential Skills (in order of importance)
These are the foundational skills most central to success in this occupation. For the Top 5 most important, how can you begin building experience and confidence using these skills now? |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 68 (%) | Description: Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. |
| Importance: 68 (%) | Description: Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. |
| Importance: 64 (%) | Description: Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems. |
| Importance: 56 (%) | Description: Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making. |
Transferable Skills
| Transferable Skills (in order of importance)
These are skills that can transfer across occupations and industries. For the Top 5 most important, how can you strengthen these skills now so they support both this career and future career flexibility? |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do. |
| Importance: 64 (%) | Description: Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions. |
| Importance: 64 (%) | Description: Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior. |
| Importance: 58 (%) | Description: Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. |
| Importance: 56 (%) | Description: Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions. |
| Importance: 54 (%) | Description: Negotiation: Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences. |
| Importance: 54 (%) | Description: Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes. |
Day-in-the-Life Summaries
| Day-in-the-Life Summaries These summaries show the main types of activities you are likely to perform on a regular basis in this occupation. How can you imagine your typical workday — using these examples to see if this type of work fits you? |
| Activity: Coach others. |
| Activity: Collect data about consumer needs or opinions. |
| Activity: Communicate with others about business strategies. |
| Activity: Coordinate with others to resolve problems. |
| Activity: Develop business or marketing plans. |
| Activity: Develop contingency or emergency response plans. |
| Activity: Develop professional relationships or networks. |
| Activity: Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures. |
| Activity: Edit written materials or documents. |
| Activity: Prepare informational or instructional materials. |
| Activity: Promote products, services, or programs. |
| Activity: Provide information or assistance to the public. |
| Activity: Write material for artistic or commercial purposes. |
Software Skills
|
Software Skills These are examples of software tools commonly used in this occupation, organized from most to least important for your career preparation. How can you start learning or practicing the highest-priority tools so that you feel confident using them on the job? |
|||||||
| High-Priority Tech Skills | |||||||
| Desktop publishing software: | |||||||
| Adobe InDesign | |||||||
| Document management software: | |||||||
| Microsoft SharePoint | |||||||
| Electronic mail software: | |||||||
| Microsoft Outlook | |||||||
| Graphics or photo imaging software: | |||||||
| Adobe Creative Cloud software Adobe Photoshop Canva | |||||||
| Office suite software: | |||||||
| Microsoft Office software | |||||||
| Presentation software: | |||||||
| Microsoft PowerPoint | |||||||
| Spreadsheet software: | |||||||
| Microsoft Excel | |||||||
| Web page creation and editing software: | |||||||
| WordPress | |||||||
| Emerging Tech Skills | |||||||
| Customer relationship management CRM software: | |||||||
| Salesforce software | |||||||
| Data mining software: | |||||||
| Google Analytics | |||||||
| Document management software: | |||||||
| Adobe Acrobat | |||||||
| Graphics or photo imaging software: | |||||||
| Adobe Illustrator | |||||||
| Operating system software: | |||||||
| Apple macOS | |||||||
| Project management software: | |||||||
| Microsoft Project | |||||||
| Sales and marketing software: | |||||||
| HubSpot software Marketo Marketing Automation | |||||||
| Video conferencing software: | |||||||
| Cisco Webex | |||||||
| Video creation and editing software: | |||||||
| Adobe After Effects | |||||||
| Web page creation and editing software: | |||||||
| Web platform development software: | |||||||
| Cascading style sheets CSS Hypertext markup language HTML JavaScript | |||||||
| Word processing software: | |||||||
| Google Docs Microsoft Word | |||||||
| General Software Tools | |||||||
| Cloud-based data access and sharing software: | |||||||
| Google Drive | |||||||
| Customer relationship management CRM software: | |||||||
| Blackbaud The Raiser's Edge Microsoft Dynamics Oracle Eloqua | |||||||
| Data base reporting software: | |||||||
| Oracle Business Intelligence Discoverer | |||||||
| Data base user interface and query software (scroll table below): | |||||||
| |||||||
| Desktop communications software: | |||||||
| ParentSquare | |||||||
| Desktop publishing software: | |||||||
| Microsoft Publisher | |||||||
| Development environment software: | |||||||
| Adobe ActionScript | |||||||
| Document management software: | |||||||
| Adobe Acrobat Reader | |||||||
| Graphics or photo imaging software: | |||||||
| Apple iPhoto JamBoard SmugMug Flickr | |||||||
| Information retrieval or search software: | |||||||
| LexisNexis | |||||||
| Instant messaging software: | |||||||
| Internet browser software: | |||||||
| Web browser software | |||||||
| Multi-media educational software: | |||||||
| Nearpod | |||||||
| Network conferencing software: | |||||||
| LogMeIn GoToWebinar Slido interaction software | |||||||
| Network monitoring software: | |||||||
| Wireshark | |||||||
| Presentation software: | |||||||
| Apple Keynote Google Slides Mentimeter | |||||||
| Sales and marketing software: | |||||||
| Google Ads | |||||||
| Video creation and editing software: | |||||||
| Apple Final Cut Express Apple Final Cut Pro Apple QuickTime YouTube | |||||||
| Web page creation and editing software (scroll table below): | |||||||
| |||||||
| Web platform development software: | |||||||
| Drupal Dynamic hypertext markup language DHTML Extensible hypertext markup language XHTML | |||||||
| Word processing software: | |||||||
| 3M Post-it App Adobe Acrobat Writer |
Preparation Required
| Preparation Required - How much preparation is needed to obtain this type of job? |
| Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed |
| A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified. |
| Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. |
| Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training. |
| Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, conservation scientists, art directors, and cost estimators. |
Education Required
| Education Required - by frequency of educational attainment This shows you details about the level of education most commonly held by workers in this occupation. How can you begin planning the educational pathway that will prepare you best for this type of work? |
|
| Frequency of Attainment (%) | Level of Education |
| Frequency of Attainment: 90.9 (%) | Level of Education: Bachelor's Degree |
| Frequency of Attainment: 9.1 (%) | Level of Education: Master's Degree |
Training and Experience Required
| Training and Experience Required - by frequency of training and work experience attainment This section shows you how often different types of training and work experience are required for this occupation. How can you start gaining the kinds of experience and training that are most common for this type of work? |
|
| Frequency of Attainment (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience |
| Frequency of Attainment: 31.8 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 22.7 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year |
| Frequency of Attainment: 22.7 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 13.6 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 4.6 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: None |
| Frequency of Attainment: 4.6 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 6 years, up to and including 8 years |
Local Salary Information
Select a State (scroll and Select) :
Please select a State to see State and National Salaries
Certifications
| Certifications These are examples of certifications that may be important for this occupation. How can you begin exploring which certifications fit your goals and what steps you would need to take to earn them? |
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Communication Management Professional
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Strategic Communication Management Professional
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Telecommunications Technologies
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Professional Associations
| Professional Associations These associations connect people who work in this occupation or related fields. How can you start using these associations to learn more, build your network, or find mentoring opportunities? |
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American Press Institute (API)
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Association of Image Consultants International (AICI)
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Council of Public Relations Firms (CPRF)
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Institute for Public Relations (IPR)
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National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA)
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Public Relations Society of America
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Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals in Business (SOCAP)
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The Association for Women in Communications (AWC)
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Job Listings
Related Careers to Consider
Step 4 of 4: Career-Specific Resources (detailed and constantly updated)
This section contains detailed resources appropriate to "Public Relations Specialists". Explore these resources to start learning more. Links are constantly updated, so bookmark this page.
Videos
Here is a listing of videos related to this career. A great way to get a quick overview of the occupation.
Resumes
Here are resources that allow you to see example resumes for this occupation. It may be helpful to see examples from others who have this type of experience.
Job Description
Here are resources that provide job descriptions, which are vital for resume and interview preparation.
Interviews
There are many great resources that can help guide you through the interview process. These links provide help in preparing and performing an effective interview, specific to this occupation.
Step-by-Step
Here are links to help guide you, step-by-step, to become a(n): Public Relations Specialists
LinkedIn®
Here are links to various posts and groups from LinkedIn ® that relate to this occupation. Great way to start building professional contacts in the field that might be most appropriate for you.
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