Media Relations in the Public Relations Profession

Jill Harrison is the manager of Public Relations and Image Development at the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber in downtown Oklahoma City. At a young age she has accomplished a successful career in the field of Public Relations. She is APR certified and she has received many awards in her field.

Jill Harrison, Manager of Public Relations and Image Development

Photo e-mailed to me by Jill Harrison

She received her degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with an emphasis in Public Relations and a minor in Spanish from the University of Kansas. In April of her senior year she began to look for a job for after graduation. She sent out her resume and other information to potential employees looking for a job. She also sent information to her advisor. One day her advisor received an e-mail about a job and recommended Jill for it, and that is how she found her first job.

I asked Jill what they hardest part about her job is and she laughed and said it depends on the day.

“For the most part working in media relations I have had difficulty because reporters have become so busy with covering so many different stories,” said Harrison. “Even when you send them newsworthy stories they do not always have time to cover it. I know they are very busy with so many stories, but they tend to be very short with you and are difficult to work with.”

I asked Jill what she would recommend to future Public Relations professionals such as myself and she was very passionate about her answer. She strongly recommended the following things:

1. Show up
2. Be on time
3. Have a good attitude
4. Never say something isn't your job
5. Try
6. Ask Questions

Find tips on being a successful intern

“There are some things they are not able to teach you in school,” said Harrison. “These tips are all things you should know before going in to a job interview. Some things come from learning and experience, but there is nothing more important that good work ethic.”

Meeting with such a successful Public Relations professional such as Jill was such an amazing opportunity. I enjoyed getting to know her and she is definitely someone I would love to be my mentor as I enter the professional world.

A Job in Entertainment PR- Getting One Toe in the Door

A career in public relations is difficult.  PR by nature is a very competitive industry. As the industry grows however (Department of Labor description concerning growing industry) garnering an entry-level job in a PR firm, company or position has become increasingly more competitive as well. Add to this the desire to work in Entertainment PR and the goal is almost unattainable.  Well, ALMOST means there is still a chance, right?

The most important element for acquiring a job in entertainment PR is networking (who you know). Sad to say, but its true. I applied for numerous jobs in the PR division of magazines and—through an inside connect of my own—learned that the jobs went to people who did not even place an application, but rather, knew someone. You can’t get angry because it’s the nature of the game.

The second most important element is knowing your craft. Once you get your foot in the door you must know what your doing and be confident in your skill-set. I once watched of video of a prominent PR practitioner working at Ogilvy and she commented that ‘who you know will only help you get in but after a few months it becomes very obvious if your qualified or not.’  Entertainment PR is very busy and sometimes you are thrown into the mix without much direction. You have to know what you are doing and do it well to survive.

One day I will trudge through the heavy Manhattan traffic, skyscrapers dwarfing my body.  Before entering one of the tall structures myself, I will head to the coffee shop at the bottom of the Time-Warner building, a daily ritual of mine.  While eating my buttery croissant on the way, I enter the elevator and head to the 34^th floor.  I sit down behind my desk and clear a place for my hot chocolate; I never drink coffee.  I sigh, the media advisory and consumer research is due today but all I want to work on is my insider piece for Rolling Stone.  I guess that will just have to wait until after work.  I look over at the caller I.D. as the phone rings.  It’s my boss asking me to meet in her office for a new assignment on top of the ones I already have.  I take one last bite of my croissant before I head down the hall.  I’m going to be very busy today but instead of getting upset I smile.  This is what I’ve always wanted.  Welcome to the life of an entertainment publicist. 

My dream job as an entertainment publicist or entertainment PR practitioner takes determination and drive. I just need to get one foot, scratch that, one toe in the door and the rest will be up to me.

The Jungle: Looking for my first REAL job!

The Jungle: Looking for my first REAL job!

by: Dana Brantley

As future public relations practitioners, we hold the balance scales of journalism and business. In fact, the ability to be in the corporate realm while utilizing my journalism skills has inspired me to major in public relations.

My dream job is in corporate communications. According to workinpr.com, one of the differences between agency work and corporate communications is that the latter typically works on improving or maintaining the organizations brand, while the former works for several different organizations. It has been my desire to work for a set company in their communications department.

Of course, a career in corporate communications requires some prerequisites. According to Ben Silverman in his article, PR Fuel: What It Takes to Be a PR Person , a career in public relations entails both professional and personal skills. We all know that the ideal candidate will possess a Bachelor’s degree but what are some skills that will set you apart from the pack? Silverman suggests that you should have strong oral and written skills, possess research skills, seize the opportunity to think outside the box while being ethical; just to name a few.

Of course, I do not want to remain entry level for the entirety of my career, so when looking at a potential organization, I research current staff demographics. Being that I am an African-American woman, I look for a company that embraces diversity. Since our capstone is made up of women, diversity should be important to us all.

According to, John Gabarro, UPS Foundation professor of Human Resource Management, Emeritus, at Harvard Business School and David Thomas, the H. Naylor Fitzhugh professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, minorities should get a mentor in their desired field, appreciate a slower track process and ensure before employment that the company embraces diversity. The slower process can ensure long-term success.

So, what makes me continue to strive for a career in public relations, besides my passion for communications? According to the US Department of Labor, the amount of employment is rising above average, however, that same article projected that there will be a rise in competition among entry level positions.

So, set yourself apart. Let the company know that they will continue to reach success if you are an integral part of their company. According to D.A. Hayden and Michael Wilder, founding partners of Hayden-Wilder, a one-on-one counseling firm specializing in preparing recent college graduates for the real world job market, suggest that college graduates should set themselves apart by doing the following: 1.) Read publication pieces about the organization. 2.) Define the public’s opinion about the organization. 3.) Make sure that you are showing initiative!

Best of luck job hunting. I am sure that we are the cream of the crop!