Misunderstoood.

I work in an advising office for the University Of North Texas Mayborn School Of Journalism. I interact with high school students and their parents on a daily basis, whether they are coming for a tour or are at one of our many recruitment events. When I say my major is Public relations there is usually a weird look and a quick change of subject. At first I was a little taken aback, but after seeing the same reaction time after time it became a normal thing to see. I have come to the conclusion that people react the way they do for 2 reasons.

1. They don’t have any clue what public relations means
2. They think they know what PR means, but actually have the wrong idea.

After getting questions from prospective students such as “what do you actually do in PR” and “is there even a demand for people in that field” along with the disgusting looks from parents, I realized that Public Relations professionals are misconstrued in the public’s eye.

I am not going to school for four years in order to lie through my teeth to you. I am also not learning how to be deceitful to the public, say no comment on TV or to make up information on behalf of my client.

I am learning how to write clearly and concisely (AP style of course), create communication plans and uphold the PRSA code of ethics. It is not just speaking in front of a camera. You write the speech, brief the media even get the media interested in your product.

After answering the students questions and explaining that PR is not just a corrupt profession and yes, every company really either has in-house PR or it is outsourced, the parents usually zone back in.

The parents usually try and shoe their kids away, while the kids seem really interested in what we have to offer. More times than not I slip them a business card and they contact us later.

Don’t get me wrong, some parents are not that clueless. Some have a great understanding of PR and what it entails: long hours, practice makes perfect attitude and a commitment to bettering your client. Those parents, the ones who encourage their kids to do what they want well, your kids will make great PR professionals.

I really hope that this generation,the ones who are getting taught the correct way to be a PR professional, can change the perception of some people and help them understand Public Relations is not a propaganda driven career.