33 Key Attributes Public Relations Managers Need To Succeed In Their Career

by Alex Garcia

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Public relations managers plan, direct, or coordinate activities designed to create or maintain a favorable public image or raise issue awareness for their organization or client; or if engaged in fundraising, plan, direct, or coordinate activities to solicit and maintain funds for special projects or nonprofit organizations.

The core tasks that public relations managers are likely to carry out include:

Establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, government officials, and media representatives and use these relationships to develop new business opportunities.
Write interesting and effective press releases, prepare information for media kits and develop and maintain company internet or intranet web pages.
Identify main client groups and audiences, determine the best way to communicate publicity information to them, and develop and implement a communication plan.
Assign, supervise and review the activities of public relations staff.
Develop and maintain the company's corporate image and identity, which includes the use of logos and signage.
Respond to requests for information about employers' activities or status.

In order to successfully forge ahead with their careers, analysts in a survey carried out by U.S. Department of Labor (via O*NET) have marked out the following as important attributes that public relations managers would need. These attributes have been selected from characteristics and requirements strongly associated with the occupation. They are

Abilities: Enduring attributes of the individual that influence performance
Interests: Preferences for work environments. Occupational Interest Profiles (OIPs) are compatible with Holland's (1985, 1997) model of personality types and work environments. Six interest categories are used to describe the work environment of occupations: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. An OIP consists of six numerical scores indicating how descriptive and characteristic each work environment (or interest area) is for an occupation
Knowledge: Organized sets of principles and facts applying in general domains
Skills: These include basic skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate learning or the more rapid acquisition of knowledge. Plus cross-functional skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate performance of activities that occur across jobs
Style: Personal characteristics that can affect how well someone performs a job

We have listed out attributes which were scored 80% or more in terms of importance by the analysts.

Having a strong preference for enterprising work environments. Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Attribute Type: Interests Score: 100%

Being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 92.4%

Being honest and ethical.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 91.4%

Being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 91.4%

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 91.2%

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 90%

Accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 89.4%

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 88.4%

Being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 88.4%

Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 87.8%

Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Attribute Type: Skills Score: 87.6%

A willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 87.6%

Establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 87.2%

Being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 87%

A willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 86.6%

Being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 86.2%

Developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 86.2%

Persistence in the face of obstacles.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 86%

Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 85.6%

Preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 85.2%

Maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 85.2%

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 85%

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Attribute Type: Skills Score: 85%

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 85%

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 84.2%

Creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 84.2%

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 82.4%

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 82.4%

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Attribute Type: Skills Score: 82.4%

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Attribute Type: Skills Score: 82.4%

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Attribute Type: Skills Score: 82.4%

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 80%

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 80%