5 reasons PR careers rock

This article originally appeared on PR Daily in October of 2017.

The migration from journalism to PR has accelerated of late amid changing economics.

There are pros and cons to making such a move, but let’s focus on the pros—five to be precise:

1. PR pros are in a growing, changing field.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), “employment of public relations specialists is projected to grow 6 percent from 2014 to 2024.” The BLS projects an 8 percent decline in the print journalism category for that period. Although the two skillsets are not exactly the same, solid journalistic skills provide a good foundation for PR success.

Some key drivers for PR growth are the evolving needs of digital media: social media, content creation and curation, traditional media relations, and crisis and issues management.

2. You get to be creative.

Journalists must work with stories as they come. PR pros can shape a story—even a product or service itself—from its inception.

If there’s a community relations development, PR pros might be in the boardroom offering counsel to decision makers, helping to ensure the best possible outcome for everyone. That all requires a creative approach to marketing and problem-solving.