The Results-Oriented Public Relations Workplace

Public relations jobs, whether writing, contacting media or monitoring publications, are involved in a lot of detail. When public relations people are so engrossed in the details of their jobs, it's easy for them, for anyone actually, to lose sight of the job's major contribution.

A Results-Oriented Public Relations Job Description is different from a traditional job description because it focuses an employee on the several job results that answer the question: What results must this public relations affairs job accomplish for the organization?

Public Relations Job Standards added to job expectations tighten management controls by clarifying how well and when results must be accomplished.

Public Relations Job Objectives establish management and employee plans by highlighting important current and future results needed.

Job-specific Public Relations Employee Management Forms maintain consistent and public relationsly sound management actions by basing manager-employee interactions on job results.

The Purpose of Public Relations Jobs

Stated in a results-oriented, three-line style, public relations affairs jobs--

CREATE A POSITIVE PUBLIC IMAGE by

anticipating and examining issues; planning, designing, writing, editing, proofreading, and distributing information; controlling publications channels; monitoring publications to evaluate content; securing speaking engagements; and managing press announcements and answer sessions at conferences and conventions.

Types of Public Relations Jobs

Some public relations jobs prepare information to inform the public about organization activities. Other jobs anticipate situations that may cause a negative image and prepare communications to reduce the impact.

Still other jobs design communication pieces and get them printed or presented through various media. Somebody needs to track the results of previous campaigns. And, of course, somebody has to manage and supervise the public relations people and processes.

Public Relations Job Management Tools

Here are actual job examples of how public relations affairs job actions can be focused on results and kept on track using each of our job management tools:

Results-Oriented Public Relations Job Descriptions form the foundation of all job management tools. Our uniquely structured job descriptions focus on the result to be accomplished first and prominently, followed by the duties performed in order to accomplish the result. For example,

RECOMMENDS PUBLIC RELATIONS ACTIONS by

analyzing system controls.

Public Relations Job Standards sharpen employee attention and management control by defining and communicating how well the public relations affairs results must be accomplished and what benchmarks will be used to measure job results. For example, for the job result above, the job standards might be:

• Public Relations situations are correctly understood.
• All options are identified and evaluated.
• Public Relations recommendations are ready when needed.

Public Relations Job Objectives point the direction for employee actions by focusing job efforts on current and future public relations affairs issues. Job objectives are written in the three-line, results-oriented structure. For example, for the job result above, a job objective might be:

SPEED-UP DECISION MAKING by

reducing time to deliver public relations affairs recommendations by 10% by (date).

Public Relations Employee Management Forms tied specifically to each public relations affairs job description are more helpful (and public relations) than generic forms used for all different kinds of jobs. Job-specific forms are used to state job qualifications, guide job interview questions, orient new employees, plan job training, and appraise job performance.

Public Relations Job Qualifications are stated in the same terms used in the job description. They are not translated into generic (typically behavioral) terms. For example:

RECOMMENDS PUBLIC RELATIONS ACTIONS by

analyzing system controls.

Public Relations Job Interview guide questions are inserted directly below each job result in the job description: For example:

• "What specific job responsibilities have you had in this area?"
• "Where did you have these job responsibilities?"
• "When did you have these job responsibilities?"
• "How did you go about accomplishing these responsibilities?"
• "What accomplishment in this area gave you the most pride?"
• "In this area, what were some of your biggest challenges?"
• "How did you overcome the challenges?"

The Public Relations Job Orientation guide reformats the job description sequence so that job explanations, policies, protocols, processes, and procedures are logical and complete and can easily be checked off. For example:

RECOMMENDS PUBLIC RELATIONS ACTIONS by

analyzing system controls.

The manager might say: "Here's the procedure and format we use to analyze and present public relations affairs recommendations."

The Public Relations Job Training plan guides a thorough examination of actual job knowledge, skills, and abilities as described in the job description that need improvement or that might be enhanced. For example:

RECOMMENDS PUBLIC RELATIONS ACTIONS by

analyzing system controls.

The manager might say: "Analytical skills would be improved by enrolling in a statistical analysis class."

The Public Relations Job Performance Appraisal guide is a job-specific form. It is not a universal form used for all jobs. The guide adds an appraisal scale below each job result in the job description so that attention can be drawn to each job requirement and expectation. For example:

RECOMMENDS PUBLIC RELATIONS ACTIONS by

analyzing system controls.

__ Great! Just want we wanted.
__ We have a problem.
__ Improvement is needed.
__ Much, much more than we asked for.

Comments: _________________

Public Relations Résumé Template

Potential employers want to know what a job applicant has accomplished in his/her public relations affairs work career. They don't want to be bored with minor details. Our Résumé Template provides:

• an outline to help assemble personal background information.
• a Results-Oriented Job Description to provide the public relations affairs job language-focused on results-needed to write an effective résumé.
• Public Relations Job Objectives to orient thinking in terms of accomplishments.
• instructions on how to use a Results-Oriented Public Relations Job Description and Public Relations Job Objectives to express job accomplishments.

Use the public relations affairs job description responsibility statement as a base:

RECOMMENDS PUBLIC RELATIONS ACTIONS by

analyzing system controls.

Select the public relations affairs job objective that fits your experience:

REDUCE COSTS 10% by

improving public relations affairs processes.

Combine the two into a résumé statement:

Reduced costs 10% by analyzing, identifying, and recommending new public relations affairs system controls.

Public Relations Career Links

Northern Illinois University, Public Relations Careers

Information on jobs in public relations.

All About Public Relations, Job in Public Relations

Employment and career development, career guides, internships.

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Public Relations Specialists

Learn about the training and education needed for public relations specialist jobs, earnings, expected job prospects, what public relations specialists do on the job, and working conditions.

Public Relations Student Society of America, Job Center

Careers in public relations, job search campaign strategies, cover letters, résumés, salary, skills inventory, networking 101, career resources, internships, interviewing, portfolios.

Council of Public Relations Firms, Career Center

Public relations career information, opportunities, services.

About.com, Public Relations Resources

Articles.

Princeton University, The Princeton Review, Career Profiles: Public Relations

A day in the life, paying your dues, associated careers.

Vault.com, Career Information, Public Relations

Articles, surveys, agencies, employer guide.

Indiana University, Career Reference Collection, Public Relations

Online resources.