Government and Politics are Good Options for PR Majors, Say Professors
By Sinead Hultman, public relations junior
Fragmented sunlight filters through the live oaks lining West Mall, a complement to the variety of viewpoints on campus.
On this day during election season, some students wear sandwich-boards promoting College Republicans or University Democrats, while others denounce the use of child soldiers as part of a global campaign to end the practice.
Political activism may be a passion for students while in school, but it can also lead to job opportunities and a fulfilling career, particularly for those with the skill set of public relations majors.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for public relations specialists in the government is expected to grow faster than average, and college graduates with degrees in public relations or journalism have the best opportunity for being hired.
Terry Hemeyer, a senior lecturer in public relations at The University of Texas at Austin, says most students may not be aware of this option.
"I think it's a well kept secret from our students that there are numerous careers and jobs in public relations within all parts of the government," he says.
Hemeyer has 20 years experience of government work, from the U.S. Air Force to the Pentagon, and has worked in both the government and civilian sides of public relations. He says the government is a good place to start for public relations majors.
"The government was more forgiving if you made a mistake," he says. "The same mistake in the civilian job would have gotten me fired. As a young person, you make mistakes, and you can recover easier than in a civilian job."
Hemeyer became a public affairs officer in the Air Force, which paved the way for his career. He says students who want to work in public relations in government need to be aware that there are jobs out there that offer as great a variety of experience as anywhere else.
"Typical day?" he says with a laugh. "A typical day is the same in government as it is in the civilian side, if you are good at it. I have never had a day where something exciting didn't happen. It was something different every day."
Caitlin Carson, a second-year public relations major, says this is one of the reasons she wants to work in government after graduating.
"I expect government work to be very hectic, with different things being thrown at me constantly," Carson says. "I know that government work is not static and it is constantly changing, but I look forward to that challenge."
Students who wish to work in government, or civilian public relations, need to be able to write, problem solve, be flexible and be able to sell their ideas, Hemeyer says, in addition to having people skills.
"In both cases, you will work for the same number of jerks and the same number of good people. There is no difference," he says. "One of the abilities we need to have is to work in different situations with different people."
Tamara Bell, an advertising lecturer, has a doctorate in journalism and 15 years experience working in government. She says public relations majors who are interested in working in government should start networking in political circles and volunteering with campaigns, since campaign workers fill many staff positions. Above all else, though, she says knowledge of government is essential.
"You absolutely must know how government works," Bell says. " How can you expect to explain to reporters or the general public what happened on the House floor to an amendment, or why your boss voted for a bill in committee and then didn't on the floor, if you don't understand the process?"
She also says that patience and an agreeable disposition are skills that will make a public relations job in government easier in the long run.
"Nothing moves quickly in government," Bell says. "You have to be tenacious and willing to work hard to see your project through to completion. You need to be pleasant to people-make them feel special. Yelling and demanding your way may get you what you want in the short term, but in the end it only hurts you."
In spring 2008, Bell started a news organization called Y Gen Out Loud that she says provides a platform for Generation Y to discuss national politics and public policy issues. She also says it will provide students interested in getting involved with government a good starting point.
"Well, Y Gen is a news site," Bell says. "So, public relations students interested in journalism, or getting journalism experience, could write for the site. We focus on national politics and public policy issues, so students would be writing about the issues of the day, which inevitably involve government in some form."
Carson has wanted to work in the government ever since she became interested in public relations, and says she is open to any option that will help her get started.
"I want to broaden my understanding of how public relations works," Carson says, "[and] I feel that public affairs and government would be a perfect place to do so because politicians are constantly in the public eye. It is an area where you have to constantly be on your toes."