Public Relations -- Among Most Stressful Jobs in 2010

Public relations is considered by many to be a glamorous career field in which practitioners rub elbows with corporate executives, political leaders, professional athletes, fashion elite, film stars and television personalities, prominent journalists, and other famous glitterati.

This is often true. Opportunities abound for public relations professionals to serve as a liaison between news media and prominent figures in business, government, politics, sports, fashion, and entertainment. While public relations is an exciting and rewarding career filed, the demands of the field can make public relations a stressful occupation. Students and young professionals should consider this as they prepare for a public relations career.

CareerCast.com's 2010 Report

According to CareerCast.com, the public relations profession ranked #8 among the 10 most stressful jobs of 2010 -- right behind surgeons, commercial airline pilots, and police officers.


1) Firefighter
2) Corporate Executive (Senior)
3) Taxi Driver
4) Surgeon
5) Police Officer
6) Commercial Pilot
7) Highway Patrol Officer
8) Public Relations Officer
9) Advertising Account Executive
10) Real Estate Agent

Here's what CareerCast.com had to say about public relations jobs:

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Stress Rank: 193
Stress Score: 78.523
Unemployment: Low
Hours Per Day: 9
Time Pressure: High

Public relations specialists make speeches and give presentations, often in front of large crowds. Because it is a highly competitive field, specialists must work quickly and creatively to meet deadlines. In addition, some PR officers are required to interact with potentially hostile members of the media.

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Other Considerations

Public relations jobs can be even more stressful when they are situated in stressful professional sectors. Imagine, for instance, specializing as a public affairs officer in the U.S. military. Military PAOs often deploy with combat troops to front-line positions, where they escort journalists and provide public information about current operations.

Here's an example from my experience as a PAO in the U.S. Navy. I was assigned in 1988 as the public affairs representative for the U.S. Navy's forces in the Persian Gulf and Middle East region. Following a mine attack by the Iranian Navy against one of our ships in the Persian Gulf, President Reagan ordered the U.S. Navy to launch retaliatory strikes against Iranian military and Revolutionary Guard forces in the Gulf. The following report summarizes the ensuing military action. Most of the images of combat operations in this report came from a group of U.S. journalists being escorted into the the operations aboard USS Jack Williams (FFG 24). I was one of the escorts, the other was a U.S. Army PAO.

Of particular interest, the ship that the Iranians nearly sank was the USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG 58), commanded by U.S. Navy Commander Paul X. Rinn, a Marist College alumnus ('68).

The following video, produced from footage recorded during operations in the Persian Gulf in 1988, depicts some of the conditions that both journalists and military public relations specialists operated in for months at a time.

Operation Earnest Will Video

The point of my post is to encourage anyone aspiring to a public relations career to conduct a broad assessment of the public relations field. Of course, few public relations practitioners will experience combat in their careers. However, the career field involves much more than rubbing elbows with famous people and seeing your face or name in the news.

As the CareerCast.com report pointed out, public relations also requires practitioners to put in long hours, juggle many projects at once, deal with rapidly-emerging crises, meet demanding deadlines, and interact with sometimes hostile journalists. Furthermore, public relations professionals who serve as spokespersons must communicate honestly, accurately, fully, and rapidly without making mistakes. One inappropriate or inaccurate statement can often end even a veteran public relations professional's career.

Don't be discouraged, though. If you are looking for a rewarding, stimulating, and exciting job that offers an opportunity to advance rapidly and produce results that benefit organizations and society then the public relations field is for you.