Associates: 1 – 3 years experience
Professional starters/technicians

Specific initial knowledge and skills essential for those to develop their public relations and communication management careers, from assistants to junior practitioners.

Knowledge

• Media Channels – print, radio, TV, Web, WAP, Kiosk, Games/interactive devices (Sony Playstation2, e-books, electronic organisers), BT’s Smart Space.
• The nature of on-line richness, reach, transparency, porosity and Internet agency
• Media communications – Press, e-mail, bulleting boards, Usenet, Chat, Instant Messaging, web cast, sound, video and graphics
• Tools – PC (modem/Internet uses inc.: e-mail, browser, search engine, Usenet), word processing, data bases, Web site building, Voice recognition, Digital still movie imaging
• Relationship communication, interactivity off-line/on-line
• Constituencies (communities, publics, stakeholders)
• Nature of data, information, knowledge and its management
• Management of information (including management of e-mail and news/information feeds)
• Off-line/on-line information flow
• Off-line/on-line monitoring
• Understanding the Web site traffic
• Virtual and non-virtual relationships
• Maintaining client relationships
• Creativity – understanding its role in public relations activities e.g. know how to run a brainstorm session and the roles and involvement of other participants. Knowledge of other creative techniques
• Understanding marketing communications disciplines
• Relationship management – traditional and on-line marketing disciplines
• Understanding the business context
• Financial awareness
• Codes of conduct – PRISA/PRCC

• Database management
• Research techniques (off-line/on-line)
• Maintaining research and information databases
• Web site/database integration
• Presentation techniques (off-line/on-line)
• Meeting practices (off-line/on-line)
• Team working (off-line/on-line)
• Accounting
• Networking
• Carrying out desk research/application of search/monitoring and analysis software tools
• Understanding how Investors in People impacts on employees
• Time management

• Briefing a photographer (including digital, movie, graphics and editing)
• Briefing designers (off-line/on-line)
• Maintaining content databases
• Media liaison techniques (off-line/on-line and Web site owners)
• Negotiating editorial features and interviews (off-line/on-line and Web site owners)
• Event planning and management (off-line/on-line)
• Selecting media to reach identified publics/to create interactive relationships
• Writing for the media and media channels
• Writing for the interactive channels
• Handling editorial enquiries, promotions interactive requests and e-mails
• Editorial planning database management – use of planning softwares
• Applications for use of web site traffic
• Off-line/on-line editorial monitoring
• Off-line/on-line editorial promotions
• TV, radio, web-cast and interactive production and placement
• Print selection, briefing and production management
• Compiling off-line and on-line contact databases
• Making databases interactive
• Interview techniques
• Writing internal publications/intranets
• Staffing exhibitions
• Assisting at conferences
• Creativity – taking part as an effective member of a brainstorm