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7 tips for starting a career in PR

AuthorDarcy Nathan, editor
Posted on
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Discover how to launch a career in public relations, explore routes into agencies, in-house teams and public affairs, and learn how to stand out in the UK's competitive communications industry

Public relations (PR) is the strategic communication between an organisation and the public to build and maintain a positive reputation. PR professionals build relationships with journalists, influencers, and other stakeholders to promote positive coverage. In times of crisis, PR helps organisations manage negative publicity and restore their reputation. 

What is PR?

Whether you work for a global brand, a charity, or a government department, public relations (PR) is about ensuring the organisation is seen in the best possible light and that its messaging reaches the right audiences effectively.

Before applying for roles, take time to understand what PR looks like in practice.

The latest UK PRCA Census, reports over 108,000 public relations and communications professionals across the UK, underscoring the size and diversity of the industry. With around 44% of practitioners aged 16 to 34, it's clear that PR continues to attract early career talent.

The work is varied, fast paced and often deadline driven. On any given day, you might:

  • draft statements for spokespeople
  • pitch story ideas to journalists
  • respond to negative publicity
  • write and distribute press releases.

While these tasks sit at the core of most roles, your day to day responsibilities will depend on the specialism you choose.

Discover what you can do with a public relations degree.

1. Understand the different areas of PR

Corporate communications

This side of PR focuses on managing the reputation of an entire organisation rather than promoting individual products. You'll concentrate on long term positioning, leadership messaging and stakeholder trust. Your work may include:

  • ESG (environmental, social and governance) reporting
  • executive profiling
  • financial announcements
  • internal communications
  • stakeholder engagement.

For example, when HSBC announces its annual financial results, its corporate communications team prepares statements, investor presentations and Regulatory News Service (RNS) announcements. Messaging must be precise, legally compliant and aligned with the organisation's wider strategy.

Common entry-level job titles include:

  • account executive (corporate team)
  • corporate affairs executive
  • internal communications officer
  • investor relations executive
  • policy communications officer.

Accuracy, discretion and strategic awareness are essential. If you're interested in business strategy and senior level messaging, corporate communications may suit you.

Crisis communications

Crisis management in PR is intense and decisions are often made under scrutiny. It involves responding to unexpected events that could threaten an organisation's reputation, such as:

  • data breaches
  • legal investigations
  • product recalls.

Clarity, speed and sound judgement are critical. During a cyber attack on a retail brand, for example, you might:

  • adjust messaging as social media sentiment shifts in real time
  • brief senior leaders ahead of live media interviews
  • draft a holding statement within hours.

Large agencies and corporations operate dedicated crisis and issues teams. Specialist crisis and strategic advisory firms include:

At graduate level, you're unlikely to enter with 'crisis communications' in your job title. Instead, look for broader roles such as:

  • corporate affairs officer
  • issues management executive
  • media relations officer
  • reputation management executive
  • strategic communications executive.

Focus on whether the role includes risk monitoring, stakeholder briefings or reactive media handling.

The work can be high pressure, but if you remain calm under scrutiny and enjoy solving complex reputational challenges, crisis communications can offer a fast paced and influential career path.

Consumer and brand PR

Consumer PR centres on promoting products and services directly to the public. Campaigns are typically creative and closely aligned with marketing activity. At its core is an 'earned first' approach - generating organic coverage through press, word of mouth and social media conversation, rather than relying on paid advertising.

As a junior executive, you might:

  • compile influencer shortlists
  • coordinate product send outs
  • draft tailored pitches to national journalists
  • support the logistics of a launch event.

You'll quickly learn how media relationships, timing and cultural relevance can determine whether a campaign lands or disappears.

When searching for roles, broaden your terms beyond 'consumer PR'. Employers may advertise under titles such as:

  • brand communications
  • integrated communications
  • influencer marketing
  • lifestyle PR executive
  • public relations officer
  • retail communications.

Focus on whether the role involves campaign delivery, media outreach and brand storytelling.

You'll find consumer focused opportunities at creative agencies such as:

  • Mischief - for culturally driven campaigns
  • The Romans - specialises in earned first ideas
  • Hope&Glory - focuses on high impact consumer and lifestyle work.

If you're commercially minded, trend aware and energised by fast paced campaigns, consumer and brand PR could be a strong fit.

Public affairs and government relations

In these roles, you'll work to influence policy and engage political stakeholders. You'll help organisations understand, anticipate and respond to political and regulatory change. Your work might involve:

  • advising on how decisions could affect strategy
  • drafting policy briefings
  • monitoring legislation
  • preparing consultation responses.

Data from the latest PRCA census shows that strategy and planning are now among the fastest growing areas of PR work, overtaking traditional media relations as priorities shift. If you enjoy research, analysis and shaping debate, public affairs may be a strong fit.

Many public affairs professionals begin their careers in specialist consultancies, where you'll support multiple clients and advise on political risk, stakeholder engagement, and policy positioning. Examples include:

Public affairs opportunities also exist in trade bodies and membership organisations, such as the Confederation of British Industry and British Retail Consortium, where teams brief members, engage ministers, and respond to consultations.

In government and parliamentary roles, you may draft ministerial briefings, prepare consultation documents, or coordinate stakeholder engagement. You'll find positions at:

Entry level public affairs titles typically reflect policy engagement and stakeholder management, such as:

The term 'public affairs' may not always appear in the title, so focus on the responsibilities listed in the job description.

Discover more about working in marketing and PR with our sector overview.

2. Decide between agency and in-house PR

In-house PR

In-house teams work directly for one organisation. You'll develop a deep understanding of its culture, strategy and long term goals. You may collaborate closely with marketing and leadership teams, manage internal communications and contribute to reputational risk planning.

For example, in a communications role at the BBC, you might coordinate press screenings for new series, respond to journalist enquiries and brief senior producers ahead of interviews. In-house roles can offer greater strategic influence and, at senior level, competitive salaries. Typical UK salary ranges include:

  • communications assistant: £22,000 to £28,000
  • communications officer: £30,000 to £45,000
  • head of communications: £50,000 or more.

London salaries tend to sit at the higher end of these ranges. Progression often follows a path from communications assistant to manager, then head or director level, depending on the size of the organisation.

See jobs in marketing for more salary information and progression in the sector.

PR agency

Working in a PR agency means supporting multiple clients across different sectors, often juggling several accounts at once. This fast paced environment gives you exposure to diverse industries, develops client management skills, and builds your campaign experience quickly.

Starting salaries may be slightly lower than in-house roles, but you gain a broad skill set, work on varied campaigns, and expand your professional network.

UK headquartered firms include Freuds and Lansons, alongside large global agencies operating in the UK such as:

For example, as an account executive at Edelman, you might draft press materials in the morning, pitch journalists over lunch, and prepare performance reports for client meetings in the afternoon.

A typical career path might see a PR assistant advance to account executive, then senior account executive, and eventually to account manager.

3. Build relevant skills

Strong communication skills are central to PR. You'll need to practice writing for different audiences. Try drafting a press release, social media post and an internal memo on the same topic and practice explaining how your language, formality, and messaging differ.

Digital literacy is also essential. Knowledge of search engine optimisation (SEO), social media analytics, and content strategy will strengthen your applications. You can build these skills through short courses from providers such as:

Commercial awareness is equally important. Keep up with industry news and observe how brands respond to controversies so you can discuss real world examples confidently in interviews.

Understanding ethics is crucial in public relations, as it underpins trust between brands, audiences, and the media. In the UK, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) regulates advertising and sponsored content, which means that all influencer partnerships and paid promotions must be clearly disclosed to avoid misleading the public. Failing to do so can damage a brand's reputation and result in regulatory penalties.

To build your ethical awareness in PR, make it a habit to review media controversies, advertising complaints, and high profile campaigns. Analyse how brands handled ethical challenges and consider alternative approaches that could have maintained transparency, honesty, and public trust.

You could also consider microcredentials or professional qualifications covering PR ethics, social media compliance, or advertising standards, such as:

PR also demands resilience. Journalists may ignore your pitches, deadlines can shift, and drafts may be rewritten multiple times. Employers value candidates who handle these challenges professionally, showing persistence, emotional intelligence, and calm under pressure.

See our marketing in PR job profiles to discover skills for specific roles

4. Gain PR work experience

Hands on experience is often the key to landing your first PR role. Employers want to see that you can apply PR skills in real situations. You could:

Even a short placement can give exposure to client campaigns, media outreach, and event coordination. For example, managing communications for a regional branch of a charity could involve drafting press releases, responding to local media enquiries, and promoting fundraising events.

Read all aboutmarketing internships.

As you gain experience, create an online portfolio or blog to showcase your work including:

  • media monitoring reports
  • media pitches
  • press releases
  • social media campaigns.

This highlights your writing, campaign analysis, and critical thinking, giving you practical examples to reference in applications and interviews.

5. Consider a PR qualification

Postgraduate study can help you develop practical skills and expand your network. Look for courses that combine theory with hands-on campaign work, for example:

To strengthen your credibility, consider professional qualifications from the CIPR, such as:

These are especially useful if you're changing careers or targeting corporate or public affairs roles. Achieving Chartered status also signals senior level expertise and a commitment to professional standards to employers.

To explore your options, search postgraduate public relations courses.

While they can help, you don't need a PR specific degree to enter the industry. Many professionals come from backgrounds such as:

What matters most is your ability to write clearly, demonstrate commercial awareness, and understand how the media operates.

Discover marketing courses for practical training and expanded career options.

6. Build your online presence

PR is about reputation - including your own. A strong LinkedIn profile can showcase your expertise and help you build a professional presence. Follow media outlets such as The Guardian and BBC News to understand how stories are framed and which angles attract coverage. You can also:

  • engage with journalists and PR professionals
  • post opinion pieces analysing brand campaigns
  • share regular commentary on industry news.

Networking is vital for career progression. Connect with organisations that offer mentoring, events, and professional development, such as:

Learn how to network online.

Attend webinars, join online discussions, and seek mentorship - early engagement in the sector can open doors to work experience and even junior roles.

7. Tailor every application

PR is a competitive field, so every CV should be carefully crafted to show your understanding of the industry and the employer.

Start by researching the organisation's recent campaigns, clients, and tone of voice. Look at press releases, social media activity, and media coverage to understand how the company communicates and what kinds of campaigns it prioritises.

In your cover letter, reference a specific example and explain why it was effective - or how you might have approached it differently.

For instance, if applying to Weber Shandwick, you could mention a recent UK consumer health campaign, analysing the messaging strategy and highlighting what impressed you. Be ready to discuss these examples in interviews, demonstrating both commercial awareness and critical thinking.

Quantify your achievements wherever possible to show impact, as PR employers respond well to measurable results. You could include examples like:

  • drafted and distributed a press release picked up by two national outlets
  • increased Instagram engagement by 25% in three months
  • secured 10 media placements across regional publications.

PR is built on precise messaging, so spelling mistakes, poorly formatted documents, or inconsistencies in tone can undermine your credibility.

Attention to detail is vital, so be sure to check your application materials carefully.

When describing your experience, be sure to include practical examples and reference your transferable skills to make yourself stand. Discover how to excel in a strength-based interview.

Find out more

Written by Darcy Nathan, editor

Prospects · February 2026