PR Account Manager careers guide and job profile

PR stands for public relations – in other words, making sure a business comes across well to the public. Viral campaigns are a yes please, and business scandals are a no-no.

You’ll handle a portfolio (range) of clients and promote them to their target audiences. You’ll influence public opinion, help drive sales, and help a brand grow until it’s the name on everyone’s lips.

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Useful skills to put in your CV:

• Communication skills (written and verbal) – as well as making your press releases sing you will need to have a great rapport with people, quickly building up trust in working relationships
• Problem solving skills and an ability to think in a creative way – if your client is selling the same stuff as everyone else, how can you use your PR knowhow to make them stand out?
• Organisation skills – you will need to handle several clients, not just one. You will also be at one with your daily planner and your mobile phone will be ringing off the hook. You’ll never miss a meeting or a tight deadline, that’s for sure.
• Teamwork skills – you’ll often be working as part of a team of accounts professionals. You will need to inspire any junior account executives, and work well with senior professionals and clients.
• Self-management skills – you will need to work without supervision and use your initiative when it comes to promoting your clients in an eye-catching way
• Self-belief skills – the word ‘no’ doesn’t exist in your vocabulary. Where there’s a will, there’s a way! This is a high-energy job and you always approach clients and tasks with a positive attitude.

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School, College and Training

It may be useful to do a relevant subject like a Foundation Certificate in Marketing.

You can also study higher level qualifications if you’re working in a marketing or communications department.

You could do qualifications through professional bodies like the Institute of Data and Marketing and The Chartered Institute of Marketing to build your skills, knowledge and experience in marketing.

BTECs

As an alternative to A-Levels, you can do BTECs from the age of 16. There are a number of BTEC subjects you might want to consider if you are interested in becoming a PR Account Manager. Courses available could include:

• BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Marketing
• BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Business (Marketing)

Courses available can vary across schools, colleges and sixth forms and across training providers.

You’ll normally need 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9-3 (A*-D) or equivalent for a Level 2 or 3 course. If your qualifications are lower than this, you’ll most likely start on a Level 1 course.

University degrees and graduates

Public relations roles are open to graduates of most subjects, though you could study for a more specialist degree or postgraduate award recognised by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.

Courses include:

• Public Relations
• Marketing Communications with PR
• Public Relations and Corporate Communications

UCAS has more information on degree courses and entry requirements.

Apprenticeships

An apprenticeship is a scheme where you train while earning a starting salary. With an apprenticeship (or advanced apprenticeship) you’ll have a paid job with an employer that includes structured training and learning. This training leads to an official qualification that’s recognised by employers as an industry standard.

You can work towards this role by doing a public relations assistant higher apprenticeship.

Anyone over 16 can study for an apprenticeship. You will normally need at least 5 GCSEs at grades 4-9 (A*-C) to study for an apprenticeship, including English and Maths.

A-Levels

A Levels are academic qualifications that come after GCSEs. A Levels can be an ideal stepping stone to an advanced apprenticeship, a degree, a job, or going straight into a freelance career.

Any A Levels relating to Business, English, or Media and Journalism will be useful.

You’ll normally need GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above in English and Maths. 2 to 3 relevant A levels, or equivalent, are usually required to complete a degree.

T-Levels

T-Levels are a choice for learners after GCSEs alongside apprenticeships and A-levels.

T Levels, an alternative to A-Levels, are qualifications in vocational, technical and hands-on subjects that you can choose to do after GCSEs instead of traditional academic qualifications.

They include a mixture of classroom-based learning and industry placements where you can put your new skills into practice in real-world scenarios.

You may need 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for T Levels.

With time and experience you could become a senior accounts manager, head of department or even operations director if you have a flair for management.

You could also go freelance or move into advertising, marketing or journalism.

Work Experience Tips

It can help you decide if this is the right career for you if you have previously done work experience in marketing. Work experience in a marketing environment can help you build useful skills.

Examples of relevant work experience include:

• Work shadowing (even if it’s just for a day)
• Work placements in a company
• Work experience placements on a college or university course

You could contact PR departments and consultancies for work experience.

Work experience tips

Volunteering Tips

You could get volunteering experience by:

• volunteer to promote local charities
• write for student magazines, newspapers, blogs or social media
• work on student or volunteer radio services

Volunteering tips

Some example daily responsibilities include:

• Building client relationships based on trust and positive energy
• Coming up with news angles, stories and pitches to boost the products and services of your clients
• Monitoring key performance indicators for any PR activity and reporting on them, so that clients know how well your campaigns are doing
• Being involved in pitching for new business and clients
• Managing and supporting junior team members such as marketing executives and account executives.

 

• Networking with media contacts including journalists and industry spokespeople
• Creating PR campaigns for any product, sector or industry you are asked to handle
• Managing the account needs of your clients
• Attending meetings and updating your clients on any PR activities
• Keeping up with the latest PR trends and tools
• Managing social media activity to promote clients

To find jobs for young people in this role, search on jobs boards for early career roles and opportunities with keywords such as:

• PR account executive
• Marketing executive
• Advertising account executive
• PR account manager (once you’re experienced)

You can take a look at our database of local opportunities to see if there are any relevant jobs, work placements, or careers events and workshops to help you get started. Create Your Future!

Local Opportunities

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Click on an employer to find out more about them and the youth-friendly opportunities they offer, from work experience and apprenticeships through to graduate schemes.