Evolution of PR: the skills needed for practitioners in nowadays

Abstract

This paper will be focused on the evolution of the profession of the public relations, identifying the skills needed by practitioners to provide their professional experience or to be a potential candidate to be employed in this profession. Through the analysis of 60 job vacancies of various agencies the paper addresses the following questions: How did the development of technology and social media have influenced the traditional practices of public relations?; What is the role of PR in social media?; What are the skills and abilities the practitioners of PR must have? Using the theories of communication and public relations intertwined with empirical evidences, the paper suggests that social media have affected the evolution of the profession, but did not reduce the importance of traditional practices of public relations. Growing demands of qualifying criteria for the PR practitioners encourages discussion of the acquisition of multi qualities and skills of pros, as well as about their role in the integration and strategic decision making.