10 Yetis Insight Blog - Why You Don't Need To Have a PR Degree To Work In The Industry

I work in PR and I didn't go to university; there are plenty of others like me out there, but sometimes I feel that I'm in the minority. I find myself explaining in pitches with potential new clients why I didn't go to university and unnecessarily reassuring them that I've got loads of experience, even if they don't seem fazed by the degree I'm lacking.

Here's the thing though; everyone I've spoken to who went to uni and got a PR degree doesn't speak very highly of the experience. I'm not referring to the endless party nights and student life, of course, but more the knowledge, theory and practice they picked up from their lectures, assignments and exams. Some tell me that what they learnt was outdated, that they wished they'd had more hands-on experience instead and others tell me that they view their time at university as wasted years.

All of this makes me really glad that I didn't go and, whilst there are loads of PR professionals out there who highly value their degrees, here's why I think you don't need to have one to work in PR

Nothing Beats Experience

I don't feel like not having a degree has held me back in my PR career. Most of the knowledge I've acquired over the years has come direct from my boss Andy Barr. He knows his stuff and has therefore taught me to know my stuff. There's also a lot to be said for learning on the job (not like that, you smutty bunch), because getting thrown in at the deep end means you pick things up quickly. By working on campaigns, press releases, sell-ins, client events, reports and everything in between from the age of 18, I was quite clued up by the time I was 21 (the age I would've been when I left university). Now, at 26, I've got tonnes of experience but the ever-changing nature of the job means I'm constantly learning; whether that's about the latest developments in PR for SEO, new video campaign tactics or where journalists are moving to from their previous roles in which I'd got to know them.

A Degree Doesn't Necessary = Job

A lot of agencies won't really care if you have a degree in PR or another subject, however closely related to marketing it may be. If you turn up to an interview and you've got some PR internships under your belt, even just a week's work experience here or there, it's going to make you stand out compared to someone with a degree but no experience. CVs that land in my inbox that demonstrate experience always have a bit more sparkle about them.

There's More To PR Than... PR

Public Relations is about much, much more than getting stories in the papers for clients. It's learning about Search Engine Optimisation and how to positively affect your client's search rankings. It's weaving video into your campaigns to make a bigger impact. It's tying together your activity with social media elements. Not all of this is covered in some university PR courses. What's more, you can't learn how to deal with an angry journalist or a demanding client from a text book; you just have to get on and do it.

Sometimes You're Just Made For PR

Just for the record, I'm not claiming that I am one of these people. I definitely had to work at it, being more of the shy and retiring type than a ballsy go-getter with the gift of the gab to match. However, some people just naturally have what it takes to work in PR and they don't need a three year course to train them how to best get the job done. A lot of it really is common sense and if you're naturally gifted with confidence, determination and creativity, you'll go far in this industry.

Degrees Can Be Limiting

...and even the big agencies realise that. You may have been taught a certain way of doing things at university that just doesn't fit or work at the agencies you're applying to work within. Whether you wind up working in an agency role or in-house, your employer is going to prefer it if you can mould to working their way, which could be totally different to the way you did things during university.

Now, I'm not anti-university by any means. These are just five reasons why I feel that you really don't need a PR degree to work in this wonderful industry. I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below, so share with us what you think!

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