In life, some tend to choose a field or career path based on a class they took in school when they were younger. Others choose a field of interest based on a passion that they have. Others pick a major to study in college, fall in love with it, and choose to build their career around that. Some people even have just a passion or talent that leads them to the career in which they belong. An example of that could be a love of writing. That passion can lead you down the path of having a career in communications. Communications has many different avenues to explore; one career path for someone interested in communications is Public Relations.
What exactly is Public Relations? According to the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Public Relations is “The formal practice of what is now commonly referred to as “public relations” which dates back to the early 20th century. Since then, public relations has been defined in myriad ways, the definition often evolving alongside public relations’ changing roles and technological advances.”
Usually, someone who majors in communications later goes into a career related to that field, like reporting, broadcasting, event planning, or public relations. Others major in something completely different compared to what their job is later down the line. Take my mom, Joanna Puglisi-Barley, for example; when I asked her if she wanted to go into public relations, she said, “No, I originally wanted to go to law school, and then I took a class my senior year of college called Intro to Public Relations, and I loved it. I also took a public speaking class and enjoyed it. I felt more comfortable in those classes than I did in my law classes. My law classes bored me. However, when I entered my communications classes, I loved them and enjoyed the work.” Joanna has worked in Public Relations for the last 32 years. Two classes in college completely changed her career path.
Another reason most go into a particular career is because they were told that they would be good in that field, or if the person accidentally falls in love with it instead, “It was kind of an accident. I had a degree in English Literature, so I applied for a job as a copywriter at an ad agency. I was turned down for that position but was offered the opportunity to help the firm build its PR department. I figured it was a good chance for me to try it out and see if I liked it,” Beth Smith stated, one of the two owners of The Simon Group in Sellersville, Pennsylvania, stated. Beth originally wanted to be a teacher but accidentally stumbled across Public Relations and is now working in the field to this day.
However, in contrast, sometimes someone would want to pursue a different career at one point in their life before going into the field that their career is in, “I started college pursuing a degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Special Education, but I realized that was not what I wanted to do for a career, so I switched to Secondary Education, with a concentration in English Literature, but wound up dropping education altogether, because my year abroad in Ireland precluded me getting the education credits I needed unless I went another semester,” Smith said. This shows that you must find what you are best at and pursue a career in it, even if it takes time, and even if it means switching your college major from one thing to another, and that path leading to your career path and your future for the next 40 to 50 years.
While working in a particular career such as Public Relations, those who work in it for a long period deal with both positive and negative experiences, “All of my experience in Public Relations is working for marketing firms, versus in a corporate Public Relations department solely dedicated to one company. I have always worked with multiple companies simultaneously, which has helped me continue to be interested in Public Relations for many years. I am always learning new things about new companies; each company has different strategies and communication needs, so it keeps things fresh. I would not have had as much exposure to different companies and technologies working in a singular corporate department. Also, because the agencies I have been at are smaller, I have learned about other aspects of marketing that are influenced by Public Relations, enabling me to strengthen how I utilize Public Relations for my clients about the larger marketing picture.” Smith expressed this feeling because she has been in the field for an extended period.
In the last few decades, public relations jobs have been impacted for the better because of the evolution of technology. Technology has allowed practitioners to work from a home office, which was especially helpful during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has given those in Public Relations flexibility in their schedules. stated by Puglisi-Barley, there was no email, internet, or work-from-home when she first started. She had to go into the office five days a week. “When I started in the industry, there was no internet, and the way you did public relations was very different. There was no social media, no email. I used to have these thick books called Bacon’s Books where I could look up information about editors and send them news releases through the mail. Now, everything goes through email. Technology over the past 32 years has completely changed my job. I used to use paper, pencil, mailing, calling, and everything was done via email. There are fewer photocopies now, too; nothing is mailed now. It is all done via email, social media channels, company websites, publication websites,” Puglisi-Barley stated, who has been in Public Relations for the last three decades and has seen firsthand what the evolution of many different things such as technology and shifting from working from home and the office has had an impact in her career.
As a result, working in this field for an extended period can either lead to believing that the career you are in is rewarding or not, while in Public Relations it can be either rewarding or not fulfilling at all, “It depends on what kind of public relations you are in. It can be rewarding. However, other careers are more rewarding. Working at Dorney was exciting because I saw what I did in newspapers and TV, but now I am a ghostwriter. I write for my clients; their names are attributed to my articles. I see my writing in print, but my name is not attached. The way I have worked is rewarding because I was able to raise my three kids, be there when they needed me, and not miss school events. That is what is important to me. I have been lucky to have the best of both worlds,” Puglisi-Barley expressed.
A job in Public Relations can ultimately lead to a career that can last for an extended period. It can be rewarding and fun as long as you are passionate about it and seeing more depth into it truly shows that.
Sources:
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