How To Become A Public Relations (PR) Manager In Australia?

Are you interested in working with public figures and celebrities in a dynamic environment? If yes, a career as a celebrity manager might be perfect for you.

Public Relations Managers formulate and implement communication strategies to manage clients' social interactions with consumers, investors, and media outlets.

To become a Public Relations (PR) Manager in Australia, you need a bachelor's degree in public relations, communication, business, media, marketing, journalism, or another related field.

You will learn in this article the PR manager's expectations and prospects, what they do, their skills, responsibilities, qualifications, courses, salary, career opportunities, and steps to launch this career.

1. What Is Public Relations?

Public relations is a strategic communication process aiming at building mutually beneficial relationships between the public and an organisation.

It includes preparing a long contact list of media professionals and sending press releases to their clients.

Public relations officers or managers organise promotional events and activities, including developing plans to get the client's public attention.

2. Who Is A PR Manager?

Public relations (PR) managers maintain and enhance an organisation's public image. They design and execute various campaigns to boost their client's awareness.

Public relations managers work with other departments to ensure the accuracy of publicity content and determine its success and efficiency.

They represent the company on various social media platforms and in front of media groups.

3. Who Is A Celebrity PR Manager?

PR managers for celebrities represent high-profile individuals to promote their work and help them progress. They may work for one or many celebrities simultaneously.

Based on the role, there are three celebrity PR manager categories:

• Personal managers 

• Tour managers

• Business managers

4. Celebrity Public Relations Manager Responsibilities

• Write press release statements for their celebrity client.

• Network with media, corporate sponsors, clients, and companies to discuss a celebrity's participation in projects and negotiate work contracts

• Manage client's media relations and maintain a good public figure's image

• Increase media coverage of the celebrity

• Handle damage control 

• Generate favourable media and press exposure for their clients 

• Accompany clients on red carpets

• Attend press junkets

• Liaise between the journalists, celebrities, and the public

• Pitch story ideas about their clients to radio shows, newspapers, and magazines 

• Plan and manage the celebrity's schedule

• Book travel, tours, and promotional appearances for events

• Develop marketing and promoting strategies the celebrity

• Offer financial and tax advice and collect payments on behalf of the client.

5. Public Relations Officer Roles And Responsibilities

• Identify target groups and audiences of clients.

• Research public opinion and evaluate results

• Oversee and anticipate public trends and opinions

• Draft and execute communication strategies, publicity campaigns, sponsorships, and press releases to media outlets.

• Prepare and monitor the issuance of news press releases and visual, electronic, and audio media materials.

• Organise special events, entertainment, seminars, competitions, and social functions for favourable publicity

• Represent organisations and arrange interviews with advertising media

• Attend business, social, and other gatherings to advertise the organisation

• Assign assignments, and select, assemble, assess, and revise publicity material provided by publicity writers, illustrators, graphic designers, news agencies, and photographers 

• Organise, lead, and manage advertising, PR, sales, and marketing activities.

• Lead the development and execution of strategies to develop and maintain an organisation's brand image to generate greater demand for its goods and services

• Write media statements and speeches to generate favourable public opinion and goodwill for a celebrity, company, or organisation.

• Communicate with department heads and executives concerning the impact of programs and policies on public image.

• Monitor activities of competitors.

• Manage queries from the media and the public.

• Develop crisis management plans to maintain the organisation's reputation.

• Enhance brand reputation by commissioning photographs and hosting conferences, social events, exhibitions, special promotional events, and open days.

6. Relevant PR Manager Skills For Success

PR officers or managers must interact daily with clients, media members, agents, sponsors, managers, employers, stylists, and publicists. 

To succeed in this role, you need excellent soft skills and technical competencies such as:

• Interest in current affairs and working with people

• Strong social and interpersonal skills

• Organisational skills

• Good analytical skills

• Good oral and written communication skills

• Able to write concisely

• Problem-solving skills

• Good organisational skills

• Able to work under pressure

• Responsiveness

• Outgoing

• Creativity

• Adaptability

• Emotional control

• Administrative skills

• Negotiation

• Persuasion

• Confidence

• Able to multitask

• Good time management skills

• Strong computer skills 

• Event planning skills

7. Qualifications To Become A PR Officer In Australia

Though there is no need for specific qualifications, employers usually prefer candidates with qualifications in public relations or communication.

• Gain your Senior Secondary Certificate of Education with English 

• Study a vocational qualification in public relations or communication like Certificate IV in Marketing and Communication (BSB42415).

• Complete a Bachelor of Communications/Marketing with Public Relations or complete a Diploma of Marketing and Communication (BSB52415) to progress your career to senior or managerial roles

8. Steps To Become A Public Relations Officer In Australia

Step 1: Get Qualified

To get an entry role in public relations, complete an undergraduate degree in public relations, journalism, communications, or another related field. 

The degree courses incorporate coursework on persuasive speech and writing for mass media, PR fundamentals, ethics and professionalism, visual communication techniques, and media organisation (digital, broadcast, and print).

The Recommended Degree Options Include:

• Bachelor of Communications (Public Relations)

• Bachelor of Marketing (Public Relations)

Alternatively, consider studying for a certification/diploma qualification in public relations or communication. Some of the good options to consider are:

• Certificate IV in Marketing and Communication

• Diploma of Marketing and Communication

• Graduate Diploma Of Communication

• Graduate Certificate Of Communication

Step 2: Develop Practical Skills

Aspiring public relations officers should learn how to use the Internet, spreadsheets, email programs, web design software, scheduling software, and other computer software to research, design, and implement communications plans.

You can find many videos and tutorials available online.

Step 3: Find Internship Opportunities

While studying for a PR role, look for internship opportunities to gain real-world industry experience and job-related skills and build professional contacts.

Public relations firms, local schools, hospitals, sports teams, and museums are good places to find traineeship opportunities.

Consider joining the PR student society and attending professional PR organisation events to obtain access to internships, scholarships, industry information, and necessary job knowledge and skills.

Step 4: Search for Jobs

Once qualified, you can seek entry-level PR manager jobs in companies, government, non-profit organisations, and other related work settings.

Attending networking events, applying for online and print PR job advertisements, and contacting PR placement agencies can speed up your chances of landing an entry role in this profession.

9. Skills Assessment Requirements For Skilled Visa Application In Australia

Overseas PR professionals wishing to work in Australia must undergo a Skills Assessment to obtain a skilled visa. 

For a positive Skills Assessment, they need to fulfil the following criteria:

Have A Bachelor's or Master's Degree Equivalent To an AQF Qualification and Possesses The Following Experience:

• In a PR-related role for a minimum of 3 years; and

• In the PR Manager role for a minimum of 2 years out of the three years

No Related Bachelor's or Master's Degree Equivalent To an AQF Qualification But Has The Following Experience:

• In a PR-related role for a minimum of 5 years; AND

• In PR Manager for a minimum of 2 years out of the five years

To Work as a PR Manager, an Applicant Must Meet The Requirements:

• Specified at the strategic level

• Specified by the concerned decision-making authority in public relations-related matters

• Should be capable of directing employee activity and supervising their performance and development

The Applicant Must Mention Their Three Key Competencies In 300-words Across The Three Areas of The IML Management Competency Framework:

• Self Management 

• Administer and direct others

• Administer and direct the business

Method To Calculate Points for Skilled Visas

The minimum score to apply for a skilled visa is 65 points. However, your occupation, competitiveness, and the states you are applying to can increase scores.

Points are calculated based on the following:

• Age

• Educational Qualifications

• Professional Year

• English Knowledge

• NAATI- Credentialled Community Language

• Regional Study

• 2 Year Study

• Specialist Educational Qualifications

• Work Experience

• Points for Partner

10. How To Become A PR Manager For Celebrities In Australia?

The following steps will help you become a celebrity publicist in Australia:

Step 1: Get Qualified

Complete a four-year university majoring in public relations, communications, journalism, or a related field.

Step 2: Gain Work Experience

Gaining hands-on experience is beneficial to launch a celebrity PR career. You can either start working in a public relations firm or for a celebrity publicist to form a client base.

PR firms, talent agencies, non-profit organisations, and literary agencies usually provide internship opportunities. This valuable experience helps trainees handle different responsibilities and write engaging press releases.

Step 3: Build Media Contacts

Employers look for candidates with an extensive contact list of media personalities such as bloggers and authors. Thus, you must start attending networking events, seminars, and social media groups to build and expand your professional contact base.

Step 4: Gain Proficiency In Social Media Marketing

A celebrity PR uses social media to maximise media coverage of the celebrity to keep them in the public eye. You must maintain and update their videos, work history, biographical information, and upcoming appearances on their website.

To succeed in this role, you must gain expertise using popular social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, etc. 

Next, learn the art of writing compelling posts, videos, and tweets that garner instant attention. Look for techniques and strategies that generate a huge fan following.

Step 5: Learn About The Celebrity Brand

To work as a PR celebrity manager, you must learn about the online presence of the celebrity and its intended audience. Identify what message their marketing team wants to convey to the public. 

Once you know this, you can use your PR skills to push this message.

Step 6: Understand How To Deal With Negative Publicity

To become a Celebrity publicist, you must learn how to handle negative attacks and scandals such as divorce, suspension, arrest, or firing. 

Become proficient in writing the celebrity's responses to explanations, denials, or apologies and turn them into press releases, tweets, videos, and website posts.

Step 7: Learn How To Create Corporate Relationships

You should learn how to work with clients' corporate sponsors to get more ad sponsors and assignments. 

This is especially important when your client has just started and needs a better base of corporate sponsors.

Step 8: Apply For Celebrity Publicists Jobs

With good experience in the public relations or entertainment industry, you are all set to apply for celebrity manager roles with public relations firms, talent hiring agencies, and entertainment agencies. 

You can also begin your business as a private celebrity manager for a celebrity you know is looking for your talent.

11. PR Officer Relevant Courses In Australia

PR courses are beneficial for students to kickstart an exciting career. These include public relations, media, journalism, communications, advertising, digital marketing, research, or even setting up and expanding their business. 

The courses equip them with the foundation skills to advance their knowledge.

Graduate Diploma Of Communication

This course helps students develop interpersonal, confidence, and public speaking skills and work with clients across diverse industries.

Students gain specialised knowledge to create persuasive ads for online and print mediums and design and implement a unified marketing communications plan.

They also learn about the following: pitch advertising concepts, find, and exploit market opportunities, conduct customer research, understand customer behaviour, design websites, and develop marketing plans.

Graduate Certificate Of Communication

The intensive course content is designed based on the latest technological advancements, market conditions, and industry demands.

It provides theoretical concepts and frameworks in public relations, TV production, journalism, visual communication design, and digital media and ways to apply them in a practical setting.

On completion of the course, you gain the competency to work in various industries in market research, marketing coordination, or promotions.

Certificate IV In Marketing And Communication

Certificate IV in Marketing and Communication helps students develop a sound theoretical knowledge base in marketing. 

The course focuses on critical areas of PR, such as visual design, market research, communication skills, digital marketing, consumer behaviour, and e-marketing. It prepares students for a range of entry-level roles in this ever-growing industry.

Diploma Of Marketing And Communication

The Diploma of Marketing and Communication lets you expand the practical skills, knowledge, and real-world experience you gained in the Certificate IV course.

The course provides up-to-date knowledge and skills to gain expertise in the dynamic and quick-evolving marketing management sector. The diploma course exposes you to formal marketing environments where you interact with local clients to build creative marketing solutions.

12. Working Conditions For A Public Relations Officer/Manager

A typical day of a public relations officer comprises facilitating relations between the public and organisations.

They work for corporations, government agencies, and non-profit groups providing information about organisational activities to journalists, engaging in marketing activities, and managing public appearances for business representatives.

Public relations managers work closely with managers, artists, and creative writers, to maintain a positive opinion about their clients. They may require reporting to executives and departments.

Public relations officers usually work 43 hours per week. Still, they may require working on weekends or late evenings and travel for business purposes. A celebrity publicist works 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They work late hours and travel with their client to different locations as required.

Around 74% of PR officers work full-time, which is higher than the industry's average of 66%.

The average age of the employed workforce is 34 years. Females occupy a 73% share of this profession's working population.

13. Career Opportunities For A PR Officer In Australia

Public relations Officers are also called public relations specialists, communications specialists, or public affairs officers. The employment scope of a PR officer depends on the organisation's size.

In larger organisations, they primarily work with news media. In smaller firms, they are majorly involved in writing press releases and supervising employee communications.

PR officers can work in various settings, including non-profit groups, government organisations, commercial firms, corporations, industries, tertiary institutions, financial institutions, industry associations, and retailers. The profession offers flexibility to work as a PR consultant or freelancer.

Qualified PR officers can work in the following positions in different industries:

• Public Relations Officer

• Marketing Coordinator

• Market Research Assistant

• Communications Officer

• Publicity Officer

• Communications and Events Coordinator

• Digital Marketing and Communications Officer

• Brand Manager

• Account Manager (Advertising)

• Marketing Specialist

• Marketing Manager

• Market Research Analyst

With Experience, Some PR Officers Also Choose To Specialise In Specific Fields:

• Public Relations Officer 

• Media Liaison Officer

• Promotions Officer 

• Publicity Agent 

• Community Relations Manager

• Public Affairs Officer 

• Press Officer 

• Public Relations Consultant

• External Relations Manager

• Media Relations Manager

• Fashion PR 

• Promotions assistant managers

• Marketing coordinators

• Marketing assistants

• Media planners

• Social Media Coordinator

• Market researcher

14. Job Prospects For PR Officers/Managers In Australia

Public Relations is an evolving and creative industry. The Australian Government's Job Outlook service has shown robust demand for marketing and advertising professionals over the past five years.

The government also projects a promising future in this medium-sized occupation. It expects to create around 53,000 new public relations officer job openings over the next five years.

The top recruiting sectors for public relations professionals are Education and Training, Public Administration and Safety, Food, Hospitality, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services.

15. How much does a Public Relations Officer Earn In Australia?

The public relations officer's salary in Australia varies based on qualification, experience, type of industry, size of the organisation, and work location. The average public relations officer's salary is AU$ 59,575.

Let us look at their salary at different levels of experience:

• Early career PR Officers (1 to 4 years of experience) earn AU$56,258 

• Mid-career PR Officers (5 to 9 years of experience) make AU$69,000

• Experienced PR Officers (10 to 19 years of experience) make AU$73,555

16. How Much Does A Public Relations Manager Earn In Australia?

The average public relations manager's salary is AU$79,480, or a weekly equivalent of $7,075 per month.

Average PR Manager Salary Based on Experience

• Entry-level Public Relations Managers earn AU$52,029 

• Early career Public Relations Managers earn AU$64,507 

• Mid-career Public Relations Managers earn AU$84,539 

• Experienced Public Relations Manager make AU$102,936

Top Paying Australian Cities For PR Managers

• Joondalup WA: $121,465 per year

• Brisbane QLD: $96,926 per year

• Sydney NSW: $94,122 per year

• Melbourne VIC: $77,283 per year

• Millers Point NSW: $70,209 per year

• Illawarra NSW: $39,092 per year

• Grafton NSW: $38,787 per year

17. Conclusion

Working as a PR manager gives you a rewarding chance to help ambitious public figures and organisations develop a favourable social image and advance in their profession.

PR courses provide you with contemporary and industry-relevant business and marketing skills to kickstart a successful career.

Useful Links to Explore:

• English Language Requirements for Australia
• Cultural differences you may experience in Australia
• How to find Part-Time work as a Student in Australia
• Seven Tips for Students on a Budget in Australia
• How to get a Scholarship to Study in Australia
• Driving in Australia as an International Student
• How to change your Course or Institute in Australia
• The Benefits of a Professional Year Program (PYP)
• A Complete Guide to Study in Australia
• Types of Education in Australia
• What to Study in Australia?