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OVERVIEW Public relations (PR) specialists employed in the automotive industry develop and maintain programs that present a favor able public image for an automotive manufacturer, automobile dealer, or professional automotive association. PR specialists may be employed by corporations, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, or almost any type of organization. Many PR specialists hold positions in public relations consulting firms or work for advertising agencies. Of the approximately 243,000 public relations specialists in the United States, a small percentage are employed in the automotive industry. HISTORY The first public relations counsel was a reporter named Ivy Ledbetter Lee, who in 1906 was named press representative for a group of coalmine operators. Labor disputes were becoming a large concern of the operators, and they had run into problems because of their continual refusal to talk to the press and the hired miners. Lee convinced the mine operators to start responding to press questions and supply the press with information on the mine activities. During and after World War II, the rapid advancement of communications techniques prompted firms to realize they needed professional help to ensure their messages were given proper public attention. Manufacturing firms that had converted their production facilities to the war effort returned to the manufacture of peacetime products and enlisted the aid of public relations professionals to forcefully and convincingly bring products and the company name before the buying public. Large business firms, labor unions, and service organizations, such as the American Red Cross, Boy Scouts of America, and the YMCA, began to recognize the value of establishing positive, healthy relationships with the public that they served and depended on for support. The need for effective public relations was often emphasized when circumstances beyond a company’s or institution’s control created unfavorable reactions from the public. Public relations specialists must be experts at representing their clients before the media. The rapid growth of the public relations field since 1945 is testimony to the increased awareness in all industries of the need for professional attention to the proper use of media and the proper public relations approach to the many publics of a firm or an organization—customers, employees, stockholders, contributors, and competitors. Public relations specialists play an important role in the automotive industry by presenting it in the best manner to potential customers, stockholders, lawmakers, and others in the industry. Some examples of good public relations might include touting an auto motive company’s community outreach programs or efforts to create environmentally friendly vehicles and manufacturing processes. Public relations specialists also conduct damage control in the wake of bad news such as financial problems, performance issues with vehicles, and other potentially negative situations. In 1974, the Automotive Public Relations Council was founded to represent the professional interests of public relations specialists in the automotive industry. THE JOB Public relations specialists are employed to do a variety of tasks. They may be employed primarily as writers, creating reports, news releases, and booklet texts. Others write speeches or create copy for radio, TV, or film sequences. These workers often spend much of their time contacting the press, radio, and TV as well as magazines on behalf of the employer. Some PR specialists work more as editors than writers, fact-checking and rewriting employee publications, newsletters, shareholder reports, and other management communications. Specialists may choose to concentrate in graphic design, using their background knowledge of art and layout for developing brochures, booklets, and photographic communications. Other PR workers handle special events, such as press parties, convention exhibits, open houses, or anniversary celebrations. PR specialists must be alert to any and all company or institutional events that are newsworthy. They prepare news releases and direct them toward the proper media. Specialists working for manufacturers and retailers are concerned with efforts that will promote sales and create goodwill for the firm’s products. They work closely with the marketing and sales departments in announcing new products (such as a new car model or feature), preparing displays, and attending occasional dealers’ conventions and automobile shows. A large firm may have a director of public relations who is a vice president of the company and in charge of a staff that includes writers, artists, researchers, and other specialists. Publicity for an individual or a small company may involve many of the same areas of expertise but may be carried out by a few people or possibly even one person. Many PR workers act as consultants (rather than staff) of an automotive manufacturer or dealer, association, college, hospital, or other institution. These workers have the advantage of being able to operate independently, state opinions objectively, and work with more than one type of business or association. PR specialists are called upon to work with the public opinion aspects of almost every corporate or institutional problem. These can range from the opening of a new manufacturing plant, to the introduction of a new eco-friendly automotive hybrid, to a merger or sale of a company. Public relations professionals may specialize. Lobbyists try to persuade legislators and other office holders to pass laws favoring the interests of the firms or people they represent (such as arguing against the implementation of fuel efficiency standards or lobbying legislators for approval of a new automotive plant despite opposition by certain public interest groups). Early in their careers, public relations specialists become accustomed to having others receive credit for their behind-the-scenes work. The speeches they draft will be delivered by company officers, the magazine articles they prepare may be credited to the president of the company, and they may be consulted to prepare the message to stockholders from the chairman of the board that appears in the annual report. REQUIREMENTS High School While in high school, take courses in English, journalism, public speaking, humanities, and languages because public relations is based on effective communication with others. Courses such as these will develop your skills in written and oral communication as well as provide a better understanding of different fields and industries to be publicized. Postsecondary Training Most people employed in public relations service have a college degree. Major fields of study most beneficial to developing the proper skills are public relations, English, and journalism. Some employers feel that majoring in the area in which the public relations person will eventually work is the best training. For example, those interested in working in the automotive industry might consider taking classes or even pursuing a degree in automotive engineering, design, technology, or a related field. A knowledge of business administration is most helpful as is a native talent for selling. A graduate degree may be required for managerial positions. People with a bachelor’s degree in public relations can find staff positions with either an organization or a public relations firm. More than 200 colleges and about 100 graduate schools offer degree programs or special courses in public relations. In addition, many other colleges offer at least courses in the field. Public relations programs are sometimes administered by the journalism or communication departments of schools. In addition to courses in theory and techniques of public relations, interested individuals may study organization, management and administration, and practical applications and often specialize in areas such as business, government, and nonprofit organizations. Other preparation includes courses in creative writing, psychology, communications, advertising, and journalism. Certification or Licensing The Public Relations Society of America and the International Association of Business Communicators accredit public relations workers who have at least five years of experience in the field and pass a comprehensive examination. Such accreditation is a sign of competence in this field, although it is not a requirement for employment. Other Requirements Today’s public relations specialist must be a businessperson first, both to understand how to perform successfully in business and to comprehend the needs and goals of the organization or client. Additionally, the public relations specialist needs to be a strong writer and speaker, with good interpersonal, leadership, and organizational skills. EXPLORING Almost any experience in working with other people will help you to develop strong interpersonal skills, which are crucial in public relations. The possibilities are almost endless. Summer work on a newspaper or trade paper or with a radio or television station may give insight into communications media. Working as a volunteer on a political campaign can help you to understand the ways in which people can be persuaded. Being selected as a page for the U.S. Congress or a state legislature will help you grasp the fundamentals of government processes. A job in retail will help you to understand some of the principles of product presentation. A teaching job will develop your organization and presentation skills. These are just some of the jobs that will let you explore areas of public relations. If you are interested in working in the automotive industry, try to land a part-time job in the public relations department of an automotive manufacturer. You should also visit the Web sites of major auto motive manufacturers such as Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler to read press releases and other material prepared by public relations specialists. You could even contact a public relations specialist at one of these Web sites to see if he or she would be interested in participating in an information interview. EMPLOYERS Public relations specialists hold about 243,000 jobs, but only a small percentage of this number are employed in the automotive industry. Workers may be paid employees of the organization they represent or they may be part of a public relations firm that works for organizations on a contract basis. Some major employers of PR specialists in the automotive industry include General Motors, Ford Motor Company, Chrysler LLC, Honda, Nissan, Toyota, Hyundai, Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. Other PR specialists work for large automobile dealers or for industry organizations such as the National Automobile Dealers Association or the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association. STARTING OUT No clear-cut formula exists for getting a job in public relations. Individuals often enter the field after gaining preliminary experience in another occupation closely allied to the field, usually some segment of communications, and frequently, in journalism. Coming into public relations from newspaper work is still a recommended route. Another good method is to gain initial employment as a public relations trainee or intern, or as a clerk, secretary, or research assistant in a public relations department or a counseling firm. If you are interested in working in the automotive industry, visit the Web sites of large companies such as Ford to learn more job openings. You can also learn more about jobs through the career services office at your college. ADVANCEMENT In some large companies, an entry-level public relations specialist may start as a trainee in a formal training program for new employees. In others, new employees may expect to be assigned to work that has a minimum of responsibility. They may assemble clippings or do rewrites on material that has already been accepted. They may make posters or assist in conducting polls or surveys, or compile reports from data submitted by others. As workers acquire experience, they are typically given more responsibility. They write news releases, direct polls or surveys, or advance to writing speeches for company officials. Progress may seem to be slow, because some skills take a long time to master. Some advance in responsibility and salary in the same firm in which they started. Others find that the path to advancement is to accept a more rewarding position in another firm or at a larger automotive company. The goal of many public relations specialists is to open an independent office or to join an established consulting firm. To start an independent office requires a large outlay of capital and an established reputation in the field. However, those who are successful in operating their own consulting firms probably attain the greatest financial success in the public relations field. EARNINGS Public relations specialists employed in all fields had median annual earnings of $47,350 in 2006, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Salaries ranged from less than $28,080 to more than $89,220. Many PR workers receive a range of fringe benefits from corporations and agencies employing them, including bonus/incentive compensation, stock options, profit sharing/pension plans/401(k) programs, medical benefits, life insurance, financial planning, maternity/paternity leave, paid vacations, and family college tuition. Bonuses can range from 5 to 100 percent of base compensation and often are based on individual and/or company performance. WORK ENVIRONMENT Public relations specialists generally work in offices with adequate secretarial help, regular salary increases, and expense accounts. They are expected to make a good appearance in tasteful, conservative clothing. They must have social poise, and their conduct in their personal life is important to their firms or their clients. The public relations specialist may have to entertain business associates. The PR specialist seldom works conventional office hours for many weeks at a time; although the workweek may consist of 35 to 40 hours, these hours may be supplemented by evenings and even weekends when meetings must be attended and other special events covered. Time behind the desk may represent only a small part of the total working schedule. Travel is often an important and necessary part of the job. The life of the PR worker is so greatly determined by the job that many consider this a disadvantage. Because the work is concerned with public opinion, it is often difficult to measure the results of performance and to sell the worth of a public relations program to an employer or client. Competition in the consulting field is keen, and if a firm loses an account, some of its personnel may be affected. The demands it makes for anonymity will be considered by some as one of the profession’s less inviting aspects. Public relations involves much more hard work and a great deal less glamour than is popularly supposed. OUTLOOK Overall employment in the motor vehicle and parts manufacturing industry is predicted to decline by 14 percent through 2016, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Despite this prediction, employment opportunities should continue to be available at automotive companies and dealerships. With competition extremely strong in this industry, it is extremely important for companies to have effective public relations workers so that the public continues to have a positive opinion of the company—and continues to purchase vehicles. All automotive companies have some sort of public relations resource, either through their own staff or through the use of a firm of consultants. Most are expected to expand their public relations activities, creating many new jobs. Employment of public relations professionals in all fields is expected to grow faster than average for all other occupations through 2016, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Competition will be keen for beginning jobs in public relations because so many job seekers are enticed by the perceived glamour and appeal of the field; those with both education and experience will have an advantage. FOR MORE INFORMATION For industry information, contact Automotive Public Relations Council 10 Laboratory Drive Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 Tel: 919-406-8828 For information on accreditation, contact International Association of Business Communicators One Hallidie Plaza, Suite 600 San Francisco, CA 94102-2842 Tel: 415-544-4700 For statistics, salary surveys, and information on accreditation and student membership, contact: Public Relations Society of America 33 Maiden Lane, 11th Floor New York, NY 1003 8-5150 Tel: 212-460-1400 Email: prssa@prsa.org (student membership) http://www.prsa.orgNext: Teachers, Automotive Training |