Connections are Key: Organizations to help you meet other Public Relations professionals

When working in an industry heavily influenced by networking, knowing other public relations professionals is a non-negotiable. Here are a few organizations that can help broaden your connections.

Courtesy of Public Relations Society of America

Public Relations Society of America

Public Relations Society of America or PRSA is America’s leading public relations organization with over 30,000 members in all 50 states. This organization has been active for over 70 years, and aims to provide public relations professionals with extensive knowledge and support throughout their profession.

Features

PRSA is a highly-respected organization due to the professional and personal benefits it provides. This organization has an accreditation in public relations or APR which allows them to provide the most current knowledge and practices to its members.

• Ethics

  If you are involved in any type of public relations, you have heard of the PRSA Code of Ethics. Many public relations professionals base their high-standards of ethics off of this. These guidelines help navigate professionals to following the best practices and better help identify malpractice.

• PRSA Foundation

  The PRSA foundation is a charitable foundation with support from many of the PRSA members. This foundation aims to promoting diversity among public relations professionals and companies to ensure the utmost for the public wellbeing.

• PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society for America)

PRSSA is PRSA’s campus organization which helps promote and teach students on college campuses the highest standards of public relations. It was established in 1967 and is on 375 different college campuses. It also has helped promote the organization in Latin American countries, such as Argentina, Columbia and Peru.

Membership for PRSA is $260 annually with a $65 initiation fee.

Courtesy of International Association of Business Communicators

International Association for Business Communicators 

The International Association for Business Communicators or IABC is a broader organization which includes public relations. Since 1970, IABC has been helping members network, learn more about business communication, and broaden your skillset to be the strongest communicator.

Features

IABC is a large network, with connections spanning globally. Members in the organization hold different jobs and positions from public relations, human resources, graphic design, leadership coaching and many more.

• Accessibility

  IABC offers a multitude of member-only communication platforms. They have “The Hub” which is a private online platform that connects you with thousands of other members around the world. You can ask questions, answer questions posed by other members, and find potential clients.

• World Conference

  Every month, IABC holds a three-day World Conference, which offers webinars and online courses to help sharpen your communication skills. All of these resources are members-only, so the content you are receiving is exclusive to IABC.

• Extensive Online Library

  IABC’s online library offers thousands of resources to help answer or solve any questions you may have in your professional communication field. These resources vary from case studies, podcasts, webinars and much more. This information can help you in your day-to-day career and with job searching.

Membership dues vary depending on where you are located, but in the United States, all memberships are under $400 for the year.

Courtesy of Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication

The Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management

The Global Alliance for Public Relation and Communication Management or GA is a non-profit confederation of public relations practitioners from across the world, which includes over 300,000 members. Based in Switzerland, GA aims to uphold the highest standards of public relations and connect practitioners globally.

Features

• Events
  GA offers a wide range of events for its members, including but not limited to, the World Public Relations Forum, GA COMM PRIX awards, and online and in-person workshops. These workshops help connect members and empower them to promote their best work. They also offer free webinars for potential members to see their organization.

• Diversity

  GA offers numerous diversity and inclusion resources for its members. June & July is their Diversity & Inclusion month in which they promote GA member’s work to improve diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Some of these resources include organizations and guides that span from all the various locations of this organization.

• Monthly Campaigns

  Each month, GA has a dedicated standard that they aim to promote. For example, February is #EthicsMatter, in which members work to promote their views on why ethics matter in the public relations industry. Some members works have been promoted across platforms due to the high level of integrity and ethics.

For one member, dues start at around $545 US dollars, and with groups, such as companies, the cost lessens.

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In a profession where connections and networking are crucial, all of these organizations can help you build a community of professionals that you can rely on and support.