One of the most exciting and important aspects of the role of the public relations officer is known as crisis reaction management. Crisis reaction management happens when a problem occurs for the clients company and is about to be made public or has just been made public, or, at any rate, is about to effect the client’s brand. It is here the role of the public relations officer tries to spot the information that might cause the problem, or is causing the problem and is counteracted with a public relations campaign, or blitz with the aim to minimize any potential damage.

There is a strong history of broadcasters, for example, making on air mistakes – this is often fought by the client’s publicity people by deciding to handle it first by having the broadcaster announce his resignation from the employer. From there the publicity officer is then controlling the situation.

Public relations is well-known as a stressful yet fulfilling field, but it is moments like this that a public relations officer can make his or her name. Many broadcasters who find themselves in situations like this often carry on their careers, thanks in large to a good public relations officer. It is a time when the foundation is laid for the public to receive information in a way that they will accept the person in a positive light.

The actual act of public relations and publicity is to sculpt an attitude not to make a sale. There are some examples of current proactive planning including the current PR campaigns by certain cigarette companies, abroad, in which they advertise on websites that they support all efforts to quit smoking and direct the public to its site to gain information on how to do so.

The global trend is to depend more on modern technology and less on the carefully planned public relations conference and print ads of years past. This makes the role of the public relations officer a more complex one, but it is generally regarded that those who work in it have the power to make or break careers.

Source: Bristol Jobs link