Are you considering a career in public relations or marketing?

Public relations (PR) is a great subset of Marketing to get into. Personally, after earning a BS in Marketing with a minor in communications, I started my career in product marketing, but then was recruited by a PR firm. I worked at an agency and in-house in a PR role for about 10 years. I would encourage PR as a career, but a broader degree in marketing with some PR classes would keep your options open.

One way to think of it is that Marketing is the broader umbrella, and PR is one practice area within marketing. Other marketing roles can range from product marketing to advertising to social media to communications to demand gen roles. Sales and channel professionals often have marketing backgrounds as well.

Yo empecé haciendo un descarte de lo que "no quiero" en mi vida laboral y personal, y a partir de ahí el camino me ha ido llevando al marketing. Si no tienes claridad en lo que quieres, empezar por descartar lo que no quieres puede ser un buen inicio.

I didn’t choose communications. It - through a CEO and mentor - chose me. This CEO (of an insurance company, where I spent 21 mostly fruitful years) told me I had what he called “a second set of eyes” - an ability to see things through others’ eyes. That, he said, translated really well to working in communications and public affairs. I had no idea what he was talking about, but I trusted him. I’m a word guy; I write clearly and speak persuasively. But it took that nudge to start down a career path that led me from lobbyist to flak to e-commerce marketer to brand steward to crisis counselor to leader of comms teams at 5 colleges and universities. Can you write? Are you curious? Can you accept ruthless editing and coaching? Welcome!

If you are currently earning a degree, I'd recommend focusing on Marketing and taking PR courses. An MBA is another excellent degree to have, but not required. The more strategically you can think the more value you will be able to provide. In addition, a lot of free webinars and online courses may even be more up-to-date with current practices than what you learn from a textbook. There is a lot to learn without going back to school if you are changing career paths.

Actualmente existe una gran cantidad de cursos en on Line que permiten desarrollar las habilidades requeridas en el trabajo de interés. Pero también existen los puestos de nivel de entrada (entry level) que no requieren experiencia previa, y te permiten adquirir las habilidades y conocimientos que para desarrollarte en el sector que te interesa.

Stay curious. Some of the best PR pros are people from non-traditional backgrounds, because one of the most important traits being a good communicator is being a good listener. Ask questions, then listen before providing a solution. And, you might just learn something new too.

If you are looking for a career in PR, two of the main routes are to work in an agency (that services multiple clients), or to work in-house at a company. I joke that working in an agency is sort of like boot camp … it is typically tougher and high pressure, but you learn a lot. Both are great experiences.

Dedicarte al marketing, cuando vienes de otro giro completamente diferente (como es mi caso) puede ser desafiante e intimidante. Sin embargo, nuestra experiencia en otros sectores nos ha dotado de habilidades transferibles que podemos utilizar en este giro, por lo que tenerlas muy bien identificadas será de gran ayuda al momento de solicitar un empleo.