Assistant jobs in PR are easy to get because every PR person needs an assistant. There is so much work involved in PR; everyone working in the industry is working around the clock, even with an assistant. They often need more than one assistant, but the pay is not high enough to cover it, so oftentimes they will hire one assistant to work two full-time jobs for minimum wage. It is not easy work, but it gets your foot in the door and will introduce you to potential clients as well as help you establish the right relationships. Your job will basically entail whatever your boss wants you to do that day. It might be getting coffee, or it might involve organizing certain files, or it could be contacting your boss’s contacts via email or phone. There are all kinds of little jobs and tasks you may be asked to do.
Requirements for a job like this are minimal. If you have great organizational skills, show up on time, and can handle multiple tasks at once, you are qualified. Employers might need a letter of recommendation letting them know that you can take care of all these things. It might also be helpful to have a degree in PR or communications so they can see that you are serious about your position. If you do not have a degree, they might think you are not really that into this career and you are just wasting their time and yours. If you can convince them that you are serious about it, then you might still be able to pull it off without a degree.
Salaries vary, but they are usually on the lower end. You cannot expect much for an assistant position. If you are working for a huge PR firm, you will get an actual salary that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 per year. If you are working for a freelance PR firm or a smaller company, you will most likely be paid an hourly wage. You might only get minimum wage for your work. So when you take a job like this, you are doing it more for the experience than for the money.
Assistant jobs do not pay much, but it gets your foot in the door and helps you begin your own PR career. If you develop many contacts and relationships from your assistant job, you will have a great head start when you begin your own PR firm or when you move up the corporate ladder and take on your own clients. It is a difficult and low-paying position, but it has its rewards if you are looking for a full-time career in public relations.
