You’ve probably heard the terms “corporate communications” and “public relations” thrown around quite a bit. Perhaps you’ve seen them used interchangeably.
And sure, corporate communications and PR are similar in many ways. Both roles must:
- Have a deep understanding of the role of the reporters and how the media works.
- The ability to communicate effectively, whether verbally or through writing.
- Be adept at crafting strategic communications plans and knowing how to effectively execute them is also crucial to both positions, although you may be targeting very different audiences.
- Be proficient at problem-solving and confident when confronted with a crisis, although the type, size and scope of that crisis may differ depending on the role.
While some of the skills required and job responsibilities may overlap for these two communications-based professions, they also have a few key differences.
It’s important to understand how each type of role functions and how they differ, especially if you’re planning to break into the industry and struggling to figure out where you fit.
Corporate communications
Corporate communicators generally deal with internal communications.
People working in this field are responsible for connecting the various departments within an organization through targeted communications such as employee newsletters, internal websites and/or blogs.
Internal audiences can vary, but typically include employees, investors/stockholders, and the executive team.
If you’re planning to dive into the corporate communications sphere, be prepared for interdepartmental meetings — potentially a lot of them.
“A typical day means a full calendar with a lot of meetings, which can be super time-intensive. My teams are really involved in different corporate initiatives, so we try to make sure we’re several moves ahead on the chessboard with programs we’re working on.” -Jay Andrew, director of corporate communications, SCI
Knowing the executive team’s priorities and being able to communicate them effectively (and tactfully) to different audiences with varying degrees of insider knowledge is crucial to excelling in this type of role.
“In corporate communications, you have to have your finger on the pulse of everything that’s happening in the company. You’re constantly juggling different things. You think you have a game plan, but in reality that could be thrown out the window at any moment.” -Pierce White, corporate communications director, Group Nine Media
Public relations
On the other hand, public relations professionals deal with information being shared with the public.
The world of PR encapsulates a wide variety of roles, all with varying day-to-day responsibilities and skills required. We dive further into the definition of PR and where the profession may be heading next in this post.
But there are a few commonalities that can be found within the industry, regardless of the type of work being done.
PR pros are responsible for managing an organization’s reputation by crafting newsworthy stories to share with journalists via press releases, pitches, social media posts, events and more.
“If you want to grow in your career, you’ve got to think of yourself as a brand builder and marketer. At the end of the day, we’re building the reputation of a company and growing its customer base. You can’t silo yourself. It’s limiting. Think much bigger. How are you building a brand?” -Sarah Tatone, head of communications & PR, Vacasa
They also may be responsible for dealing with backlash when a company faces a crisis of reputation.
In many cases, public relations professionals may act as a company’s spokesperson, so it’s important to be prepared to speak with the media and potentially be on-camera or in front of large audiences.
The external news cycle changes quickly, so someone working in PR must be prepared for a fast-paced environment and quickly shifting priorities.
“Sometimes I’m meeting with the marketing team to align on priorities, other times I’m meeting with the design team to discuss visual assets for a campaign or our website. If it’s an external conversation, it’s typically chatting with reporters for potential stories or a call with our partners (customers) to discuss potential collaboration opportunities for case studies or joint press announcements.” -Stephanie Tan, senior communications manager, Button
Additionally, if you’re working in PR, it certainly helps to be a news junkie.
Besides keeping up with current trends and what the competition is up to, you’re responsible for keeping a pulse on what the public is saying about your brand and communicating that internally.
“My mornings are mostly spent going through coverage and reading the news as a whole. I like to see what’s going on in the world. I’ll check my Google Alerts and my Muck Rack Alerts, and flag anything noteworthy that mentions Nextdoor to the team. We get a lot of small mentions in articles, so I try to find what’s most relevant for our leadership team to know.” -Nick Brinkerhoff, communications manager, NextDoor
Teamwork is key
In many cases, those working in corporate communications and PR need to work closely together in order to achieve success in their roles.
Since corporate communicators have a constant pulse on what’s happening within an organization, they can be an invaluable resource for PR pros looking to gather information quickly for a story they’re crafting for the media or external publics.
Haddad is Director General, Service Excellence on temporary promotion from April 2019.
By Muck Rack
