How to Become a Public Relations Administrative Assistant

Administrative assistants are the backbones of most companies. Answering phones, greeting visitors and general-office tasks are a few of the things the assistant does. A public relations (PR) assistant performs these and other tasks that keep the office running efficiently. If you want to become a PR administrative assistant, you should have some general skills and training. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Associate's or bachelor's degree in an English or communications-related field

Become a Public Relations Administrative Assistant

1. Earn your associate's or bachelor's degree in writing or a related field. Many entry-level administrative positions require only a high school diploma and general computer skills but the PR industry is a bit more demanding.
2. Work on your organizational skills. Due to the many clients that work with a PR firm, an administrative assistant will often be asked to handle several tasks at once. You'll need to be able to keep yourself focused and on task because the rest of the office is usually on a tight deadline.
3. Take a typing class. Assistants will often be asked to help write communications to a PR firm's clients. You'll need to know how to type accurately and quickly in case someone needs to dictate a letter to you.
4. Learn how to use general-office computer applications. In addition to word processing, you should be familiar with spreadsheet and presentation-creating programs. If you didn't get this kind of computer training in school, you should be able to take a general computer class at a community college.
5. Make contacts in the PR business. Most firms will want to hire administrative assistants that have some familiarity with the industry. Try to network with friends and family members who have connections to the PR industry.
6. Build your resume by working as an administrative assistant in another field. As you get more experience and professional references, your choices for employment begin to expand. You may have to work for 2 to 3 years in a different industry in order to get the experience needed to become a public relations administrative assistant.

Tips & Warnings

• Many colleges are beginning to offer administrative assistant certification programs. Seek these programs, as they are often shorter and less expensive than an associate's or bachelor's degree track.
• Working as an administrative assistant in the public relations industry requires very strong communication skills. Be sure that you are able to communicate well with people over the phone, in writing and in person.
• Once you have some experience, know that a professional-staffing group can help you find a job as a public relations administrative assistant. There is usually no cost to work with these groups because they are paid by the companies to find employees.

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