Your Public Relations and Communications Community
FAQ
Find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about PRSA ...
About PRSA
About PRSA Membership
About the Public Relations Industry
For Job Seekers
For College Students
| About PRSA | |
| Q. | What are PRSA’s core areas of focus? |
| A. | PRSA is the world’s leading advocate for public relations and communications professionals. We advance the careers of our members by facilitating lifelong learning; building vibrant, diverse and welcoming professional communities; offering recognition of capabilities and accomplishments; providing thought leadership and ethical guidance; and setting standards of excellence. As a leading voice in our profession and the embodiment of ethical and measurable public relations, PRSA also helps to advance the industry by fostering more accurate and better-informed perceptions of the value and role of public relations in the diverse organizations it serves. |
| Q. | Does PRSA provide public relations counsel? |
| A. | PRSA does not provide public relations counsel. PRSA also does not provide legal advice on matters involving mass media and the public relations industry. |
| Q. | Where can I find information on the PRSA Chapters in my area? |
| A. | Individuals can use the “Find a Chapter” feature on PRSA’s website to locate information on their local PRSA Chapter(s). |
| Q. | How can I volunteer? |
| A. | PRSA volunteer opportunities exist at the National and Chapter levels. Please visit the Volunteer Connection page of our website to learn more about National volunteer opportunities and to complete our volunteer interests form. To discuss local volunteer opportunities, please contact your Chapter president. |
| Q. | Does PRSA offer an accreditation program? |
| A. | The Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) program is a voluntary certification program for public relations professionals, who have demonstrated their expertise and commitment to the profession and its ethical practice. The Accreditation process includes preparing and submitting an application, advancing through a “Readiness Review” and passing a computer-based Examination. The APR program is overseen by the Universal Accreditation Board, a consortium of public relations organizations that includes the PRSA and the Agricultural Relations Council, Florida Public Relations Association, Maine Public Relations Council, National School Public Relations Association, Religion Communicators Council, Southern Public Relations Federation, Texas Public Relations Association and Asociación de Relacionistas Profesionales de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Public Relations Association). The UAB is responsible for developing and implementing policy for the program, developing and maintaining the accreditation exam, reviewing appeal cases and granting Accreditation. The day-to-day operations of the UAB are administered at PRSA headquarters. Please visit the APR page of the PRSA website for more information. |
| Q. | Do I have to be a PRSA member to become accredited? |
| A. | In order to earn and maintain the APR credential, an individual must be a member in good standing of an organization participating in the UAB, and earn maintenance points every three years. Individuals who are Accredited, but whose membership in these organizations lapse for any reason, cannot use the Accreditation mark until being reinstated. Please visit the APR page of the PRSA website for more information. |
| Q. | Is advertising permitted on the PRSA website or in PRSA publications? |
| A. | PRSA accepts advertising on our website, in our publications and at our conferences and events. PRSA reserves the right to review and reject advertising that is offensive or inappropriate, poses a conflict of interest or raises other competitive issues. For more information, please contact PRSA’s Corporate Development and Industry Partnerships department at advertising@prsa.org or (212) 460-1418. |
| Q. | Is PRSA an international organization? |
| A. | PRSA’s membership and operations are primarily focused on the United States. However, PRSA is a member of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, an international organization that provides a framework for collaboration with a mission to enhance the public relations profession and its practitioners throughout the world. |
| Q. | Does PRSA recommend public relations firms? |
| A. | PRSA does not recommend specific firms for particular assignments. However, the members of the PRSA Counselors Academy have created a free guide to use in selecting a public relations firm or consultant. Organizations seeking public relations counsel can find public relations agencies and independent practitioners in their geographic locale or desired area of specialization using the “Find a Firm” feature on PRSA’s website. |
| Q. | Does PRSA recommend vendors for particular projects? |
| A. | PRSA does not recommend nor endorse the services of any one particular vendor. However, if you are looking for a vendor for a particular project, we invite you to consult our list of PRSA Corporate Partners. |
| Q. | Can individuals or groups visit PRSA headquarters? |
| A. | PRSA members, industry professionals, students and others are welcome to visit PRSA’s headquarters at 33 Maiden Lane in New York. Please call prior to your arrival, so that we can plan for your visit and obtain the appropriate security clearances from our building manager. |
| Q. | Where do I go to specify the types of email communications I wish to receive from PRSA, or to opt-out altogether? |
| A. | You can access Email Preferences from yourMyPRSA Profile (login required), or you can go directly to http://www.prsa.org/emailprefs to change your settings without logging in to MyPRSA. |
| Q. | What should I do if I have a technical problem or question using the PRSA website? |
| A. | If you’re experiencing technical difficulties with either MyPRSA or the PRSA website, contact our Technical Help Desk at helpdesk@prsa.org or (212) 460-1484. Technicians are available between 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Monday - Friday. |
| Q. | What should I do if I can't find the resources I am looking for on the PRSA website? |
| A. | If you cannot find the resource you are looking for, contact us at SearchHelp@prsa.org. Available articles from Public Relations Tactics, Public Relations Strategist and Public Relations Journal can be found using in the Find box on the top of each page or selecting categories from the Intelligence search page. Case profiles from PRSA's Silver Anvil programs can be found using the Silver Anvil Search. Members have free access to these electronic resources and will need to sign into MyPRSA to download the PDFs. |
| Q: | Can I survey a sample of the PRSA membership for an academic study? |
| A. | PRSA has a detailed policy and procedure for granting academic research requests. Members of the PRSA Research Committee evaluate submissions and approve or deny requests on a quarterly basis. At least one member of the research team must be a member in good standing of PRSA for an application to be approved. |
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| About PRSA Membership | |
| Q. | Who is the typical PRSA member? |
| A. | PRSA members include professionals from public relations agencies, corporations, government, health care institutions, military, professional services firms, associations, and nonprofit organizations; and academics. Our Members specialize in a myriad of disciplines, including media relations (71 percent), writer/editor (57 percent), marketing communications (53 percent), corporate communications (53 percent), community relations (49 percent), employee communications (43 percent) and public relations counseling (43 percent). Nine in 10 PRSA members are employed full time, and three quarters hold positions with significant levels of managerial responsibility. |
| Q. | Who is eligible to join PRSA? |
| A. | Answers to this and similar questions about becoming a PRSA member, including eligibility requirements, membership classes, dues costs, payment options and plans, benefits and Chapter and Section membership, can be found on our Membership Frequently Asked Questions page. PRSA membership requires that individual members adhere to the principles of the Society’s Member Code of Ethics. The level of public trust PRSA members seek, as they serve the public good, means that they have a special obligation to operate ethically. |
| Q. | Are PRSA resources available to non-members? |
| A. | PRSA makes a variety of resources available to non-members, including select articles from Public Relations Tactics and Public Relations Strategist, public relations research from our peer-reviewed electronic journal Public Relations Journal, recent Silver Anvil case histories, blogs, podcasts and diversity and advocacy information. Material on our website that is intended exclusively for PRSA members is indicated with a lock icon. |
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| About the Public Relations Industry | |
| Q. | How does PRSA define “public relations?” |
| A. | PRSA has adopted the following definition of public relations: “Public relations helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other.” For additional context surrounding this definition, please visit the “Public Relations Defined” page on our website. |
| Q. | Where can I find industry statistics, best practices and case studies? |
| A. | PRSA has recently improved the search functionality of our website, making it easier than ever before for users to find helpful industry information. Please visit the Intelligence page of our website, where you can search PRSA’s case studies, white papers, blog posts, podcasts, publications and news releases by keyword. To locate Silver Anvil case studies by entry category, campaign outcome, topic and/or industry, use Silver Anvil Search. To locate case studies in public relations ethics, visit Ethics Resources. Some basic facts and figures on the public relations industry also may be found in the PRSA Overview section of the PRSA Newsroom. In addition, there are a variety of trade associations, universities and vendors who publish meaningful industry data and benchmarks. |
| Q. | Has PRSA taken a public stance on the use of advertising value equivalencies (AVEs) or audience multipliers? |
| A. | Today, much of the industry discussion concerning measurement is shifting away from the use of volume of clips, social media activity, AVEs, multipliers, etc., as barometers of public relations’ effectiveness, and toward outcome measures that show how public relations is driving business performance. That said, PRSA neither encourages nor discourages the use of AVEs or audience multipliers. |
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| For Job Seekers | |
| Q. | Does PRSA provide job counseling for public relations professionals? |
| A. | PRSA’s Jobcenter provides a variety of practical tools for job seekers, including: • Job descriptions for communications, public relations, community relations and media relations jobs; • Career tips and tactics on topics including networking, résumé and cover letter writing, personal branding and job interview preparation; • Resources for professionals organized by career level (entry level, mid-career and senior professionals); • Advice for transitioning into public relations, including information for professionals changing careers from journalism to public relations and • The Ask the Experts electronic forum, where professionals can ask career development questions. PRSA’s Jobcenter also allows job seekers to: • Search 1,000+ communications and public relations job postings. • Create a detailed, anonymous candidate profile. • Find job opportunities immediately via emailed job alerts. • Locate entry-level jobs easily below the “states” field on the “View Jobs” page. • Sign up for a RSS job feed. • Obtain tips on job hunting. • Subscribe to the most recent career newsletter, with valuable job tips. |
| Q. | Do you have any advice for professionals who are new to the public relations field? |
| A. | An excellent place to begin acclimating yourself to the public relations field is PRQuickStart.org, a free Web-based training program developed by PRSA’s Counselors Academy Professional Interest Section in partnership with the Council of Public Relations Firms. It provides a basic overview of public relations and the public relations agency business for those new to the public relations field, or veteran practitioners looking to refresh their skills. |
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| For College Students | |
| Q. | Are college students eligible to join PRSA? |
| A. | College students may join the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), a student organization established by PRSA to cultivate favorable and mutually advantageous relationships between students and professional public relations practitioners. As a member, you can get involved in PRSA’s national programs, participate in professional development opportunities, hone your leadership skills and take advantage of networking opportunities. |
| Q. | How can I join PRSSA? |
| A. | If your college or university has an established PRSSA Chapter, get in touch with the Chapter President, who can explain when and where Chapter recruitment will take place. If your college or university doesn’t have an established PRSSA chapter, you can see if it qualifies for one by visiting our Establishing a New Chapter page. This page not only describes the qualifications necessary, but the process for establishing a new Chapter on your campus. |
| Q. | Where can I find information about colleges and universities that offer public relations courses? |
| A. | “Where to Study Public Relations,” a listing of the over 300 colleges and universities throughout the United States and Argentina that offer noteworthy public relations undergraduate programs, is available in the Chapter section of the PRSSA website. These colleges and universities have met the criteria established by PRSA for chartering a PRSSA Chapter. PRSSA also provides a list of universities with undergraduate programs that have been Certified in Public Relations by PRSA’s Educational Affairs Committee. |
| Q. | Does PRSA offer scholarships? |
| A. | PRSSA and its sponsors give away nearly $20,000 annually in national scholarships and awards competitions. Visit PRSSA’s Resources page for a complete listing of scholarships and awards. In addition, the PRSA Foundation, a philanthropic patron of the public relations industry, sponsors several awards and scholarships each year, including the J. Carroll Bateman Case Study Competition, Multicultural Affairs Scholarships and the Betsy Ann Plank/PRSSA Scholarships. |
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