THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT AS A PRESS

RELATION OFFICER

GROUP IV

MEMBERS:
ALO, CARL ANTHONY
BAUTISTA, JUSTINE
PEREZ, RONAGEN
TALLA, ANDREA
UBAS, JANINE
VILLANUEVA, JENNIE
 PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGERS
- are usually the head of a PR firm or of a company’s PR department. They
are charged with all the different aspects of creating and maintaining the
public image of their customer. They coordinate and organize all the teams
and professionals working towards the promotion of the image their
customer wants the public to perceive of them.

- The public relations manager job is a mid-level management role for

someone with 6-8 years of experience in the field. PR managers create and
maintain a favorable public image for their employer or client by
communicating programs, accomplishments and/or points of view.

- Public relations managers are tasked with fielding media questions and
pitching stories to the media, preparing media kits and organizing press
conferences. In addition to writing press releases, they write speeches for
organizational leaders, develop advertising and marketing communications
material and prepare articles for corporate newsletters. Public relations
managers also release information to counter negative publicity and handle
crisis and emergency communications.

SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS OF A PR MANAGER'S

 Must be a confident communicator and presenter
 Must possess excellent verbal and written communication skills
 Must possess excellent organizational and planning skills
 Have a full understanding of media needs and media relationships
 Be proactive, reliable, responsible and accurate with an attention to detail
 Possess the ability to keep information confidential
 Tactical understanding of all primary social media platforms
 Ability to work in high-stress environments, often for long hours
 A wide degree of creativity and latitude
 Self motivated with a positive and professional approach to management
 RESPONSIBILITIES

 Develop a marketing communications plan including strategy, goals, budget and

tactics
 Develop media relations strategy, seeking high-level placements in print,
broadcast and online media
 Coordinate all public relations activities
 Direct social media team to engage audiences across traditional and new media
 Leverage existing media relationships and cultivate new contacts within business
and industry media
 Manage media inquiries and interview requests
 Create content for press releases, byline articles and keynote presentations
 Monitor, analyze and communicate PR results on a quarterly basis
 Evaluate opportunities for partnerships, sponsorships and advertising on an on-
going basis.
 Build relationships with thought leaders to grow industry awareness.

Maintain a keen understanding of industry trends affecting clients and make

appropriate recommendations regarding communication strategy surrounding them.

ESSENTIAL QUALITIES NEEDED AS A PR OFFICER

1. Honesty
PR, frequently misrepresented as “spin,” is about putting the best light on a situation
and portraying issues, companies, and organizations, in a positive way. That
doesn’t mean lying. A good PR person never lies, and in fact, helps a client tell the
truth even when it’s not so pleasant.

2. Audience Minded
PR pros have to know the customer base in order to determine the best types of
stories to tell. Even so, not every tale will do. Having a nose for news and what
consumers want to hear will help drive client coverage.

Even when pitching journalists, keeping the audience in mind is key. The news
hook should be clearly stated. If the journalist can’t determine what your news is,
how can you expect her to want to cover it? Your pitch should also be
conversational. Don't use jargon, it will prevent you from connecting with the
journalist your targeting and the audience you hope to reach.
3. Great Storyteller
This is one tenant of PR that will always ring true. Fantastic stories draw people in
and stick with them long after they’ve moved on to something else. It is great to
have a tale to tell, but a great storyteller can make almost any narrative seem
interesting.

4. Persuasive Prowess
PR experts have to be able to do more than find interesting tales and tell them well,
they have to be able to sell the narrative. The best PR pros can define a story, write
it and present it in such a way that news agencies and other communications
organizations pick it up and distribute it to a wider audience.

5. Clarity
A good PR person is an excellent writer and speaker who knows how to get ideas
across in a variety of media. Clear writing is clear thinking. A great public
relations representative also keeps these clearly voiced ideas in mind when
interviewed. The ability to reframe an answer with the key message in mind is
prized by politicians. It also serves PR clients well.

6. Punctuality Matter
The media world is driven by deadlines, deadlines, deadlines! Being late can mean
the difference between flying through the window of opportunity and crashing into
the glass. Once PR pros agree to a deadline, they must move heaven and earth to
meet it.

7. Willing to Learn
PR pros who don’t make it a point to learn how the public relations world is
advancing can expect to find their phone ringing less and less often. Today’s best
PR people not only grasp the importance of social media strategies and mobile web,
they are always looking towards the horizon to see the newest ways of reaching
their audiences.

8. Detail Oriented
In this field, accuracy means everything. Good PR pros have developed methods to
ensure their stories portray a positive image, while also containing accurate
information. Don’t spread fake news by pitching a half-baked story! Make sure your
own sources are reliable before you pitch journalists.

9. Adventurous Attitude
PR pros are confident. They don’t just seek out the same handful of media outlets,
they also think outside the box. They take calculated risks in order to launch the
organizations they represent into greatness. Consider other opportunities beyond
traditional sources.

Podcasts, blogs, social media influencers and YouTubers are all new areas worth
exploring for new PR opportunities.

RIGHT ATTITUDE
 Positive Attitude-It means that keeping a positive mindset and thinking
about the greater good, no matter whatever the circumstances are. A positive
attitude has many benefits which affect out other kinds of behavior in a good
way.
 Confidence-Confidence is good attitude and one of the basic things in the
list of positive attitudes. Generally, people with a plus or positive mindset
are rewarded with this automatically. Confidence is necessary to approach
life with zest. Looking at things confidently and saying “I’m up for this’, is
enough to reflect your attitude towards life in general and attitude in
particular. Confidence in other elements in the world will start with being
confident with self.
 Happiness-Happiness is the next type of attitude in the list of positive
attitudes and behaviors. A happy mind is an abode for all the good things to
self. Confident people are quite happy as they are not worried about results,
interviews, etc. and other similar things in life that are meant to test us. Look
within yourself; you will find happiness.
 Sincerity-An individual with a positive mindset is often found to be quite
sincere. He or she is aware of the work to be done, and they know that the
only way out of a situation is through it. Sincerity is one trait that you should
never let go off or compromise.
 Determination-A determination is one of the primary rewarding points for a
person with a positive attitude. A right dose of hard work, effort and
determination are essential to get things the way you want. A person who is
driven and properly determined will overcome all impossibilities.
SKILLS COMPETENCIES
1. Adept in Technology - Having the technological skills necessary to perform
data entry, manage team calendars, and create company reports are highly sought
after admin skills in assistants. It’s important to be familiar with Microsoft Office
software like Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more. It’s also not
uncommon for admin assistants to help input data into a customer relationship
management (CRM) system, customer service platform, or virtual help desk. This
means you need to have a thorough understanding of computer software, browsers,
and operating systems in order to perform the job.

2. Verbal & Written Communication - One of the most important administrative

skills you can exhibit as an admin assistant are your communication abilities. The
company needs to know they can trust you to be the face and voice of other
employees and even the company. This includes handling incoming
correspondence from customers, suppliers, or partners in a timely and professional
manner. In addition, it’s important admin assistants or clerks have a friendly and
positive attitude when they interact with customers, guests, and other employees.

3. Organization - Not only are strong organization skills needed to keep yourself
organized as an administrative assistant, they are also needed so you can keep the
whole office organized as well. This includes organizing team schedules, events,
and files with a system that makes sense for everyone. This ensures that your
fellow team members in the organization can easily follow your filing systems
without misplacing items. Find a job near you today.

4. Time Management - Because admin assistants are a resource for the whole
company, it can feel like your time is stretched across several departments. To
make sure your time is properly allocated and planned, it’s crucial that you have
good time management. Otherwise, you will potentially stretch yourself too thin.
To be the best resource for your team, you need to accurately plan your tasks and
the time they will take.

5. Strategic Planning - Similar to time management, admin assistants need the

skill of being able to plan strategically. This means prioritizing your tasks in order
of importance or planning out processes for the entire office to follow. Planning
skills also come into play when arranging employee and executive calendars when
unexpected cancellations or changes arise.

6. Resourcefulness - If you already have experience working as an administrative

professional, you already know that you need to be able to adapt. In business,
things can change at a rapid pace and you need to be able to adapt quickly to get
the job done and assist your teammates. To do this, admins need to be resourceful
in getting their tasks done through multi-tasking and creative thinking skills. This
is especially important when your boss is unavailable during a crisis—as an
assistant you need to be resourceful in exploring other avenues to reach a solution.

7. Detail-Oriented - In handling sensitive client or partner communications,

assistants need to be detail-oriented to catch potential typos and grammatical
errors. Furthermore, having an eye for detail helps with data entry tasks and
reporting to ensure that your work is accurate and trustworthy. Missing small
details in a report or memo leaves a less than stellar impression on the recipient
and leaves room for further mistakes.

8. Anticipates Needs - The difference between a good assistant and a great

assistant is their ability to anticipate needs and complete important tasks without
needing to be asked. An amazing assistant will take initiative to support the
business instead of waiting around for approval or direction. Think the company
contact list is out of date? Update it to show your bosses that you can take care of
the business without needing constant supervision.

1. Industry knowledge
Knowing the three T's of the industry — terminology, trends and technology —
and being able to articulate them on your administrative resume means that even as
a new hire, you will begin to contribute immediately. A savvy admin professional
is not only familiar with these concepts, but also knows how to use them to full
advantage on the job.

Terminology — Knowing the language of a particular business sector means an

administrative assistant new to the company can keep up with and contribute to
conversations in the workplace right from the start.
Trends — Today's administrative professionals should be knowledgeable about
industry wide trends, whether it's healthcare or manufacturing. They should also be
thinking proactively about how these trends could potentially impact the company.

Training — Employers prefer administrative professionals who are not only tech-
savvy but also well-versed in the company's most-used tools. They look for
individuals who proactively update their administrative assistant skills through
training.

2. Expertise in software and social media

Knowing how to use Microsoft Word, Outlook and Excel is a given for any
administrative assistant’s career. Knowing how to run virtual meetings, organize
newsletters and create PowerPoint presentations puts you a cut above the rest.
Managers and executives also value assistants who know how to use accounting,
payroll and HR applications. An administrative assistant with a working
knowledge of the ins and outs of social media is a huge asset for an employer, too.
Small and midsize companies, in particular, sometimes need help managing a
Facebook page or Twitter feed and may not have the resources to hire a social
media specialist for the office. These skills can help the company or executive
build an online presence, which is essential to staying in the game in today's
market.
DISCOVER ADMINISTRATIVE ROLES
3. Artful articulation
Good communication skills are crucial for a successful admin assistant. Most
often, you're the first point of contact in the office for clients, customers and
vendors. You may also be the go-to person internally. The ability to communicate
clearly, concisely and persuasively, both verbally and in writing, is something
hiring managers seek when evaluating top administrative assistant skills.

4. Budget perceptiveness
Companies are always on the lookout for an administrative assistant who can find
ways to save money and help the business become more efficient. You're on the
front lines every day — overseeing day-to-day operations, selecting vendors and
negotiating contracts — putting you in the perfect position to look for
opportunities to cut office expenses. Proposing cost-cutting solutions to those
within the company is a good way to make yourself indispensable to the
organization.

5. Ability to display grace under pressure

Managers appreciate administrative assistants who can think on their feet. Every
day, new situations arise in the office requiring quick decisions and immediate
action. Stretching your skills beyond your job description to tackle the unexpected
shows you're well-positioned to handle the complexities of today's workplace. You
effectively communicate with colleagues and clients in an even tone, exemplifying
emotional intelligence at work.