This article originally appeared on PR Daily in October of 2017.
The migration from journalism to PR has accelerated of late amid changing economics.
There are pros and cons to making such a move, but let’s focus on the pros—five to be precise:
1. PR pros are in a growing, changing field.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), “employment of public relations specialists is projected to grow 6 percent from 2014 to 2024.” The BLS projects an 8 percent decline in the print journalism category for that period. Although the two skillsets are not exactly the same, solid journalistic skills provide a good foundation for PR success.
Some key drivers for PR growth are the evolving needs of digital media: social media, content creation and curation, traditional media relations, and crisis and issues management.
2. You get to be creative.
Journalists must work with stories as they come. PR pros can shape a story—even a product or service itself—from its inception.
If there’s a community relations development, PR pros might be in the boardroom offering counsel to decision makers, helping to ensure the best possible outcome for everyone. That all requires a creative approach to marketing and problem-solving.
3. PR pros can ameliorate crises.
I asked an emergency room physician how she coped after a long day when not every patient survived or when other outcomes were far from great.
She said she continually reminds herself that her job is to do her best and to be there for patients and their families, who may be going through the toughest times in their lives. She found comfort in that.
On a lesser scale, PR pros are there when organizations and their people endure trying periods. We may not always deliver perfect outcomes, but we can help influence the best possible result.
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4. You can see the results of your work everywhere.
Journalists know that their work influences many people’s lives and their thinking.
In PR, the work spans multiple traditional and digital media channels every day.
We can make a difference in peoples’ lives simply by doing our jobs right. If you get satisfaction knowing people might read your article, imagine how you’ll feel when your work is amplified on television, social media and a wide range of specialty channels.
5. You can go big or small.
In PR, you can work in a small nonprofit or as part of a large governmental agency. You can work in-house on the corporate side or for a big agency, or you could work for a startup or a small boutique firm. PR has something for everyone.
The good news is “small” doesn’t necessitate a drop in earnings potential. People choose the PR environment that works for them, and they can earn the same, if not more, as if they had stayed on their original journalism career track.
Many former journalists working in PR have said they get the same job satisfaction that they sought when they entered the news business.
What are some of your favorite things about working in PR? Please offer your thoughts in the comments section.
Tim O’Brien is owner of Pittsburgh-based O’Brien Communications, a corporate communications consultancy. A version of this article originally appeared on Muck Rack, a service that enables you to find journalists to pitch, build media lists, get press alerts and create coverage reports with social media data.
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