I am so excited to write this post! On Feb. 27, 2012, PR Specialist was named one the Best Jobs in 2012! To me, this is a great feat. People often times take the job of a PR person as a joke. They do not realize the hard work, time and energy that goes in to this field. The fact that it is being recognized as a job that will see significant growth over the next few years is absolutely amazing to me.  My hope is that more and more people become intrigued by what we do. The world needs publicists to help disseminate information that it wants and needs. Whether you are interested in corporate, fashion, sports, entertainment or lifestyle, the duties remain the same: to cultivate relationships with media and maintain them in order to gain exposure for your clients.

Below is information posted on: http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2012/02/27/best-jobs-2012-public-relations-specialist

The Rundown:

Whether you’re the press secretary for the President of the United States, a communications director for Google, or a media specialist for a small nonprofit, your main goal is to generate positive publicity for your client and improve their reputation. As a PR specialist, it’s your job to cultivate and maintain close and productive relationships with journalists, bloggers, and opinion leaders. You’ll be asked to create print and Web-based communications materials—which may include story pitches, press releases, Q&As, presentations, video scripts, and speeches—ensuring they are consistent with your client’s image and message. Other responsibilities range from acting as a company spokesperson for a wider variety of media inquiries and speaking directly to the press on behalf of your client (sometimes deflecting negative criticism) to preparing your client for press conferences, media interviews, and speeches. Social media outreach has become an integral part of a PR specialist’s job in recent years. “With the onset of social infrastructure such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Pinterest, combined with the versatility of Web tools, the jobs of public relations specialists are growing at a fast clip,” says Gerard Corbett, chair and CEO of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

[See The Best Jobs of 2012.]

The Outlook:

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects public relations specialists employment growth of 22.5 percent between 2010 and 2020. During that time period, an additional 58,200 jobs will need to be filled. Because of its promising outlook, the public relations specialist profession has claimed the No. 41 spot on the 2012 list of Best Jobs, right behind marketing manager.

Money:

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the median annual wage for public relations specialists was $52,090 in 2010. The best-paid 10 percent in the field made approximately $95,200, while the bottom 10 percent made approximately $30,560. The highest paid in the profession work in the metropolitan areas of Victoria, Texas, San Jose, Calif., and Washington, D.C.

[See a list of The Best Creative Services Jobs.]

Public Relations Specialist Salary Range:

75th Percentile Wage: $71,820

Median Wage: $52,090

25th Percentile Wage: $38,960