More and more, managements expect research and evaluation from their public relations advisers or staffs. The junior employee may answer calls for information from the press and public, work on invitation lists and details for a press conference, escort visitors and clients, help with research, write brochures, deliver releases to editorial offices, and compile media distribution lists. Employees will brief their management on upcoming meetings, help write reports, speeches, presentations and letters, research case histories, help produce displays and other audiovisual materials, proofread copy, select photographs for publication, arrange for holiday and other remembrances, conduct surveys and tabulate questionnaires, and work with letter shops and printers. Public relations programs operate against deadlines. Public relations executives are not tied to their desks for long periods.
Most people think of public relations executives as highly articulate and imaginative individuals.
Yet, public relations executives themselves stress judgement as the most important single qualification needed in their field. Therefore, it is important to develop the capacity to think analytically under pressure, to draw out necessary information, and to express persuasive practical solutions. Though public relations is a relatively new field, many colleges and universities offer a public relations sequence or degree program. In addition, there are more than 200 Public Relations Student Society of America chapters on college campuses nationwide. Most public relations programs are administered by journalism or mass communications schools or departments.