Join these PR groups to advance your career
A career in public relations (PR) is tough. A career in PR by yourself is even tougher. Nobody to bounce ideas off of, or get that second set of eyes. There’s nobody to ask about billing questions, or simply get a gut check on if a pitch is good or not. On top of all of this, you have to make sure you’re filling the pipeline and sourcing jobs as client contracts end.
The good news is that there are support and resources everywhere if you know where to look. Where do the top PR and Communications professionals go when they need support? Or, when they need contract work?
The top PR resources
You might be surprised to learn how many social media platforms cater to journalists and PR groups. Popular platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn may seem like obvious picks, but did you know that Reddit also has media relations communities?
Facebook Groups
Facebook groups are a great place for professionals to connect, share their experiences, and network together. Some of the best Facebook communities for journalism and PR include:
PR Divas
PR Divas is a Facebook group founded in 2007 by Diana Haven. The community now has around 1250 members, and specifically caters to women professionals in PR based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The group is an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow women in PR and network!
Women in PR
Women in PR is another great Facebook community for the female PR industry. Unlike PR Divas, Women in PR caters to a broader audience, which includes:
- San Francisco, California
- Los Angeles, California
- Miami Beach, Florida
- Las Vegas, Nevada
The group currently stands at 5.4k members, making it an ideal opportunity for you to interact with a diverse pool of professionals in PR.
PRSA Silicon Valley
The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) is the largest organization for PR professionals in the world, with a number of local chapters. The Silicon Valley chapter’s Facebook group currently hosts upwards of 1000 members and is a public group. The community is a great place to network, discover recruitment opportunities, and learn more about PR strategy.
Women In Public Relations *Official Group*
Women in Public Relations’ Official Facebook Group is a collaborative effort between Women in PR USA™ and The Organization of Canadian Women in Public Relations. With over 2000 members, Women in PR is a platform to get career advice from fellow professionals, involve yourself in PR activities, and get detailed information about the latest industry trends.
Reddit is another free resource for interacting with fellow pr pros and keeping up with the latest trends.
r/PublicRelations
r/PublicRelations is a massive subreddit community with over 10,000 members! Great for keeping up with industry news and building community relations, the subreddit also has a designated thread for student and early career help. Regardless of what stage of career you are at, the Public Relations subreddit is a great resource for all PR professionals!
Membership Communities
Digital PR platforms aren’t just limited to social media – there are many public relations services that host their own community forums to help you form beneficial relationships.
PRSA
PRSA is among the world’s leading public relations agencies and plays host to a community of over 21,000 professionals. PRSA members gain access to useful pr tools for successful content marketing and establishing a strategic communication process. Membership includes access to free monthly webinars, workshops at a discounted rate, and on-demand training opportunities.
Due to the coronavirus outbreak, webinars have picked up in popularity, making them a great opportunity to network with a diverse pool of professionals. If you’re searching for an established, serious platform with PR professionals, then PRSA is definitely worth looking into.
Solo PR Pro
Solo PR Pro is another major PR membership community, founded in 2008, that provides pr professionals with various networking and learning opportunities. You can take advantage of resources that Solo PR Pro has put up for free, including their public blog and various community resources. If you’re looking to get involved more seriously, then check out their PR Pro Premium membership. The premium membership gets you access to useful PR materials and tools and puts you in touch with better opportunities.
Slack Channels
Slack is an excellent communication platform that many businesses are now using for inter-office messaging, file sharing, and project management. With Slack, communication executives can have meaningful exchanges conveniently and quickly.
PRNews
PRNews is a leading media company that specializes in professional development and community building for the public relations industry and provides many communication resources to achieve this.
In an effort to connect their readership and professionals, PRNews created a Slack
channel that currently has over 700 members. To join their channel, all you have to do is fill out this form and wait for an invitation.
LinkedIn Groups
LinkedIn is a popular social media platform for professionals, so it’s no surprise that they have some well-established groups for PR professionals.
PR Daily
PR Daily is a popular group by the famous Daily website. With over 70k members, PR Daily is the place to go for all things PR. The group helps professionals keep up with the latest trends, events, and communication tools.
Public Relations and Communications Professionals
Public Relations and Communications Professionals is one of the largest communities for PR professionals, boasting over 300k members. The group was set up by a managing member of Lighthouse Public Affairs, Alex Clemens, and is a must-join for professionals looking to discover new opportunities and broaden their networking horizons.
News
When it comes to keeping yourself informed and up-to-date with the latest trends, a reliable news source is something you can’t replace! Here are some favorite sources of PR news for professionals.
PR Week
PR Week is an industry-leading media outlet for Public Relations related news, analysis, job opportunities, and more. The organization’s blog is extremely popular amongst PR professionals, as it keeps readers up-to-date with the latest trends, news, and tools in an engaging, interesting manner.
PRsay
PRsay considers itself to be ‘The Voice of Public Relations’. Have they earned that title? We certainly think so! PRsay is a monthly publication that helps professionals improve their job skills and stay ahead of the competition. PRsay provides its readership with recaps of special events, opportunities to develop leadership skills, PR training opportunities, and more! You can find a delightful variety of content, from detailed analysis on how COVID-19 has affected PR, to some light, everyday writing tips.
O’Dwyer’s email newsletter
O’Dwyer’s email newsletter has been described as the ‘Bible of PR’, and provides subscribers with a raw, transparent view of PR. The newsletter has been around for decades, and you can sign up for it for free. Don’t pass this one up!
Conclusion
These communities and resources are gold. Make sure that you engage, participate, and add value! Get involved and see how you can help others. And of course, for contract, full time and part-time PR/Communications jobs, sign up for a free trial at RemotePRJobs.com to get 30+ job leads delivered to your inbox every week.
What other resources are helpful to you? Let us know at [email protected] and we’ll update the list.