TO: Dr. Moneysmith, Professor FROM: Ashley Harvey, Student DATE: September 9, 2015 SUBJECT: Writing Assignment 1 During the time I have spent at Kent State University, I have explored various career options. At the end of my sophomore year, I decided to major in communication studies with a concentration in applied communication. Through studying communications, I have come to the conclusion that the public relations field is where I see myself after graduation. Throughout this memo, I will explain what being in the public relations field entitles—highlighting skills, duties, and the importance of understanding a press release. You will find that I have gathered information about the field from an online occupational handbook and a scholarly …show more content…
Interpersonal skills are crucial for a public relations specialist, as they communicate with the public on a regular basis. Speaking skills come into play with communicating with the public, coworkers, and bosses. Organizational skills are also important. Sometimes I could find myself being in charge of managing a number of events and will need to keep all of the information straight. Problem-solving skills are essential whine comes to having good judgement and being ethical when it comes to reporting. The last set of skills that are important to have are writing skills. You must remember to write ethically. Kolin (2015) states, “Words, like actions, have implications and consequences” (p. …show more content…
Some may find them challenging to write because they are intended for different audiences (Bremner, 2014, p. 260). The press release is described as “a news style that requires little or no reworking on the part of the journalists who receive them” (Bremner, 2014, p. 260). Construction of the release by the specialist is crucial—especially if they want the journalist to use the release. I learned that there is a lifecycle of a press release. According to Bremner (2014), the lifecycle is as stated—“client briefing, process of writing, sending out into media, relationship with journalist, and how it appears in the media” (p. 261). Bremner also pointed out the steps to successfully pitch a press release. Bremner (2014) states, “1) Search relevant media plus contact information 2) send in information to those relevant media i.e, email, fax, calls 3) follow up by calling those relevant media again (highlighting key promotional messages/selling points) (p.