re you an expert at sweet-talking everyone, right from the paanwala to the principal of your college?
Do you manage to weasel out of the toughest situations thanks to your gift of the gab?
Then a career in public relations beckons. Should you answer? Read on to find out.
Do you have it in you?
A career in PR is not as much about qualifications as it is about knowledge, soft skills and presentation.
i. Do you have these soft skills?
These include:
~ A liking for meeting people from different walks of life
~ An extrovert nature
~ The ability to absorb information about various topics
~ Good organising skills.
"What's really important in a PR professional is a thirst for knowledge. Everyday, you are learning something different. Today you are talking about a certain sport, tomorrow it is a corporate, the day after it is lifestyle, on the fourth day it is about food and wine," says Pooja Chaudhari, co-founder of Zzebra, the PR agency that handles the Lakme Fashion Week.
ii. Do you have a flair for writing?
This skill, combined with strong command over languages, adds to the skill set of an ideal candidate.
iii. Are you willing to put in crazy work hours?
A PR professional is generally required to be present at conferences, parties, interviews and events organised by his or her company.
This could stretch to late evenings and sometimes even nights.
If you need to hit the bed at 10.30 every night, PR is not for you; you should opt for a 9 to 5 job!
iv. Are you willing to travel?
Willingness to travel is another characteristic required of the PR professional because a large-scale event might drag you to different places in and outside India.
v. Are you well-groomed?
Physical attributes do matter to a certain extent as does good grooming; remember, this is a people-related job.
So scruffy hair, bohemian attire and sneakers are NOT acceptable at the workplace at all.
vi. Are you good at maintaining contacts?
The ability to get in touch and stay in touch is probably the greatest skill required of a PR associate.
If you are bad at remembering names, saving telephone numbers and writing e-mails, look elsewhere.
vii. Are you flexible?
Flexibility is an absolute prerequisite.
"You should be able to adapt to anything. I was part of a team that was into marketing, entertainment and healthcare. Later, I was shifted to lifestyle," says Chaudhari.
Are you eligible?
Fresh graduates from any discipline can make a career as PR associates. PR is a mass media field and is best learnt on the job.
There are many courses available that impart formal training and prepare you for a career in PR.
However, there's only so much that a PR course can teach you.
Like journalism, most of the tricks of this trade are learnt on the job and through interactions with people.
Getting the education
"PR is very closely linked with journalism. So any college offering journalism will offer courses in PR as well," says Chaudhari.
The recent mass media boom has resulted in several colleges introducing courses in public relations under the collective Bachelor in Mass Media umbrella.
~ This three year degree, recognised by major universities in India, is offered by many graduate colleges.
~ If you missed the bus earlier, you needn't fret just because you opted to graduate in another discipline. Various diploma courses are available to teach you the basics of a public relations job.
~ Most colleges offering PR courses put their students on an internship with PR companies or consultancies for anything between two months to six months.
~ The cost involved for a course? It varies between Rs 8,000 per year for a three-year BMM degree to around Rs 12,000 to 15,000 for a year-long diploma.
However, the more reputed institutions might charge a higher amount.
Study options
Courses:
- Diploma in Public Relations and Corporate Communications
- Bachelor of Mass Media
St Xavier's College
Mahapalika Marg
Mumbai -- 400 001
Phones: (022) 2262 1366, 22621639, 2262 2877
Web site: www.xaviers.edu
***
Course: Post graduation in Social Communications Media (Corporate Communications)
Sophia College
Sophia College lane
Near Breach Candy
Mumbai -- 400 026
Phone: (022) 23631642
Web site: www.sophiacampus.com
***
Course: Post Graduate Diploma in Advertising & Public Relations
Indian Institute of Mass Communication
JNU campus
New Delhi -- 110 067
Phone: (011) 26109268
Web site: www.iimc.nic.in
***
Course: PG Diploma in Public Relations and Advertising
Mass Communication Research Centre
Jamia Malia Islamia
Jamianagar
New Delhi -- 110 025
Phone: (011) 26987285, 26982263, 26986812, 26986810
Web site: www.jmi.nic.in
***
Course: Bachelor of Mass Communication
Amity University
Amity Campus
Sector 44
Noida -- 201 303
Phone: 1600.11.00.00 ( toll-free)
Web site: www.amity.edu
***
Course: Post-Graduate Diploma in Communication Management
Symbiosis Institute of Journalism and Communication
Senapati Bapat Marg
Pune -- 411 004
Web site: www.simc.edu
***
Course: Postgraduate programme in Public Relations & Event Management
Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad
Shela
Ahmedabad -- 380 058
Phones: (02717) 237946/ 47/ 48/ 49/ 50/ 51
Web site: www.mica-india.net
More from rediff