Marketing and public relations (PR) officer

How to become a marketing and public relations (PR) officer

There are no set entry requirements to become a marketing and PR officer, however you could complete a university or college course, an apprenticeship, or on-the-job training to help you prepare for your career.

You should explore these routes to find out which is the right one for you. Although some of these options have certain qualification requirements, many employers are more interested in people who are enthusiastic, willing to learn and can follow instructions.

You may need a Construction Skills Certification Scheme card to go on to an active construction site.

University

Some employers will require you to have an undergraduate degree to become a marketing and PR officer. Relevant subjects include: 

• English
• Marketing and communications
• Public relations
• Advertising
• Business and management
• Psychology.

You could also study a subject relevant to an industry you would like to specialise in, such as construction or IT.

Find out what the entry requirements are where you live.

College/training provider

You could complete a college course to help you on your journey to becoming a marketing and PR officer, in a relevant subject such as marketing, public relations, business studies or psychology. 

It’s also possible to gain PR qualifications from professional bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) or the Communication Advertising and Marketing Education Foundation (CAM). 

Find out what the entry requirements are where you live.

• Equivalent entry requirements explained
• Find a course near you
• Funding advice

Apprenticeship

You could complete an apprenticeship as a marketing assistant or an administrator with a construction company, to help you become a marketing and PR officer.

Alternatively, you could go through the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) to find professional apprenticeships that will provide you with the skills to progress in this career.

Apprenticeships are open to anyone over the age of 16. As an apprentice, you’ll be fully employed by your company and expected to work a minimum of 30 hours a week. Your time will be split between on-the-job experience and a college or training provider.

Find out what the entry requirements are where you live.

• Find an apprenticeship near you
• Guide to apprenticeships

Work experience

Work experience is essential to gaining employment within the construction industry. You could gain this at school, or by working weekends and holidays with a company or relative who works as a marketing and PR officer. Potential employers will always be pleased to see work experience listed on your CV.

You may also be able to gain marketing and PR work experience by:

• Contacting PR departments and marketing agencies for work experience
• Volunteering to promote local charities or businesses
• Writing for student magazines, newspapers or radio stations
• Writing blogs or contributing to a business or charity’s social media feeds.
  
  
• Find out more about work experience

Work

If you have some basic experience, you could apply directly to a company to gain experience as a marketing and PR officer. You might start out as an assistant or junior to a more experienced marketing and PR officer and progress as your abilities improve.

Skills 

Additional skills which may benefit anyone considering a job as a marketing and PR officer include: 

• Knowledge of media production and communication
• Excellent grasp of the English language
• To be thorough and pay attention to detail
• Persistence and determination
• Ability to work well with others
• Ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• Ability to use your initiative
• Ability to sell products and services
• Good computer skills.

Qualifications

England

To become a marketing and public relations (PR) officer:

• You can work towards this role by doing a public relations assistant higher apprenticeship.

You'll usually need:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
• a degree in any subject for a postgraduate course

What does a marketing and public relations (PR) officer do?

As a marketing and PR officer you will be responsible for communicating key messages and promoting a positive image of a company. Day-to-day duties may include writing press releases, liaising with local and national press and coordinating messaging going out on website, social media and in print. 

The role of a marketing and PR officer may involve the following duties: 

• Planning and carrying out PR campaigns and strategies
• Monitoring the public and media's opinion of your client or employer
• Writing and editing press releases, leaflets, brochures, speeches, newsletters, websites and social media content
• Utilising all forms of media, including national, regional and trade press, to build, maintain and manage the portrayal of a business
• Representing your company at events
• Acting as a spokesperson for the company’s brand
• Training employees on how to handle media enquiries and press interviews
• Developing good working relationships with the media and liaising with the press on potential news stories
• Writing and editing in-house magazines, case studies and annual reports
• Managing and updating a client’s social media posts
• Devising and coordinating photo opportunities
• Managing, arranging and overseeing events
• Monitoring publicity and press coverage
• Commissioning market research
• Coordinating paid and unpaid advertising.

How much could you earn as a marketing and public relations (PR) officer?

The expected salary for a marketing and PR officer varies as you become more experienced.

• Newly trained marketing and PR officers can earn £20,000 - £25,000
• Trained marketing and PR officers with some experience can earn £25,000 - £45,000
• Senior, chartered or master marketing or PR managers can earn in the region of £80,000 - £100,000.*

Hours and salary depend on location, employer and any overtime you may do.

* Salaries have been collected from multiple industry sources

Check out the latest marketing and PR officer vacancies:

• MarketingWeek
• Indeed

As these are external websites, the number of vacancies related to your preferred role may vary. New opportunities will be posted as they come up.

Career path and progression

As a marketing and PR officer, you could progress to become a marketing or PR manager or director. 

You could also transfer your skills to become a business development manager or a digital marketing executive. 

Alternatively, you could set up as self-employed and work as a freelance marketing or PR consultant.