Most of us have heard the terms public relations and corporate communications used quite a bit in our daily lives. And many of us have even used them interchangeably too.
There are quite a few similarities between the two terms and that is the reason why people use them interchangeably.
- For excelling in both the fields, you need to have an understanding of the ways in which media works.
- One must possess the power to communicate properly whether it is verbally or through their writing.
- Be skilful at making strategic communications and knowing how to execute them.
- Be very proficient at solving problems and facing crisis with confidence.
These are some of the basic similarities between the two fields. However there are a few key differences between the two fields as well.
Corporate communications
This field mainly deals essentially with internal communications. The candidates who work in this sector have to connect the different departments in a company with the help of communication methods like blogs, internal websites or employee newsletters. The internal audiences are the employees of the company, the investors and the executive team. Candidates who want to make a name in this field must also be ready for organizing interdepartmental meetings. The person must be aware of the priorities of the executive team and they must have good insider knowledge so as to reach out to the target audience.
Public relations
The professionals who work in this field deal with those information that have to be shared with the public. The PR professionals have the duty for maintaining the good reputation of a company. They accomplish this task by making good stories about the companies and sharing them with the journalists via press releases, conducting events, social media posts and so on. They also are responsible for handling any negative stories about the organization.
In many occasions, the PR professionals also act as the spokesperson for the company. Hence these professionals have to be prepared to speak in front of the media or in front of a large gathering of people.
For a candidate who is working in this field, the person must be ready to face the changes happening in the external news cycle. It is better for someone who keeps track of the news at hand. They must also be aware of the current trends and the competition in the market.
Keeping track of how the public perceive your company and brand is also part of their job as a PR Professional.
In conclusion, one thing needs to be mentioned. For candidates working as PR Professionals and in the field of Corporate Communications, team work is the main key for success.
Read also : Career Scopes at a Glance In Mass Communication
