<p>It means I bookmarked this thread so I can come back and read it. I would have written more but I was very tired after reading the posts from the people who are actually in advertising. They have so much energy it made me tired.</p>
<p>Well yes that, Pea LOL it’s not a career generally for terribly laid back or shy people LOL.</p>
<p>I’m confused on what the difference really is between corporate communications and advertising and which is more lucrative</p>
<p>My sister is a PR exec who makes seven figures a year running a medium sized agency. She flew through large intnl agencies making six figures at 26. Se was an Enlish major at a top school. She doesn’t hire anyone with PR degrees, she hires very smart good writers.</p>
<p>Well I would be going to the top journalism school in the country. If I have an emphasis in something like public relations would I be able to have a lucrative career?</p>
<p>If you’re driven and work very, very hard it is possible (as Waverly points out) to have a lucrative career in PR. Whether that will happen to you is anyone’s guess and kind of a silly question to ask.</p>
<p>uniman, you keep asking the same question, in this thread and in others. The answer continues to be: you can have a lucrative career in any of the fields mentioned - pr, advertising, or corporate communication -** IF **you work hard, make opportunities for yourself, and take the inititative to do your own background research (like checking google for definitions of things rather than just asking the first person to come along). </p>
<p>Once you get to college, you need to immediately start networking with people, which means joining the campus chapters of PRSSA, AAF and any other communication professional organizations your school offers.</p>
<p>Starting salaries are pretty similar whether you join a corporate group or join an advertising or PR agency. Mostly you’re going to go where you can get a job and figure out if you like the agency side or the corporate side on the fly. They are both customer service jobs: agencies have customers that are people who work for their clients and in corporate communications all the other departments are “your customers.”</p>
<p>Here’s the job qualifications from a random PR entry level job on Indeed:</p>
<ul>
<li>Ability to prioritize work assignments</li>
<li>Knowledge of technology and passionate about media</li>
<li>High energy and ambitious</li>
<li>Self-motivated with proactive attitude</li>
<li>Strong work ethic</li>
<li>Outstanding written and verbal communication skills</li>
<li>Team-oriented with strong sense of humor</li>
</ul>
<p>Here’s the job description from a random communications entry level job also from Indeed:</p>
<p>Successful candidate must have excellent oral and written communication skills. Position will require frequent preparation and delivery of detailed plans and proposals. Strong communication/interpersonal skills with emphasis on decision-making, conflict management, team building and teamwork. Must have ability to develop work plans, work effectively as a member of a team, report on status of projects, and represent the team in meetings
Ability to utilize the available time to organize and complete work within given deadlines.
Ability to plan, organize, measure and coordinate multiple tasks to deliver the budget for product line, revenue and profit.
Ability to pay attention to the minute details of a project or task.
Ability to demonstrate conduct conforming to a set of values and accepted standards.
Ability to work at a sustained pace and produce quality work.
Ability to be truthful and be seen as credible in the workplace.</p>
<p>Lucrative is going to depend on you. Basically you need to be able to write well, manage multiple projects, meet deadlines, be outgoing, be intuitive about other people and play well with other people, be proactive (since no one holds your hand) and think before you open your mouth. Many people switch jobs to advance their careers and salaries.</p>
<p>I don’t mind questions as kids in high school have zero understanding of communications/marketing/advertising and I’ve spent my free time either mentoring interns or teaching at a local college. I cringe when I hear kids ask over and over if a particular industry is “lucrative.” Any industry is lucrative to some degree for the people that work in that industry or they would be doing something else. CSR people have strong quant backgrounds. PR and copywriters have strong writing backgrounds. Marketing people are strong strategists etc. etc. I knew a college grad that wanted desperately to work in communications but was shy and introverted and physically did not have much presence. Consequently he interviewed horribly…he persevered and found work in the non-profit sector where the pace is slightly different and it’s a tad easier to gain entry because the salaries are lower, starting in PR and is now running a regional office for a national non-profit. OP if you love the industry you will eventually find your place and that place will be lucrative FOR YOU.</p>
<p>I just read some of the best industry’s to go into is advertising/pr in 2012. So some of you may be wrong about how hard it is to get a job</p>
<p>^^^which is a good reason to stop asking random people on a message board. I don’t think you will be successful at PR/advertising as you never once mentioned that you like the work. Of course you don’t know if you like the work because you haven’t done it. Take 11/2 years and study broadly. Again, find your passion. S found his passion in advertising but didn’t “find” it till second semester sophmore year. He is also at a top J school but you can’t apply till second semester sophmore year which I think is great. Take some time off this “lucrative” bandwagon you’re on and enjoy college. People who love their work are much more likely to prosper than those who are going through the motions.</p>
<p>“some of you may be wrong about how hard it is to get a job”</p>
<p>LOL</p>
<p>Starting salaries are low average for a recent college grad in a non technical/professional major and depend on what city you are in.</p>
<p>My sister’s agency hired 8 people graduating in June at $55K/yr, which I don’t think is bad although NY is expensive. None are advertising, PR, journalism or communications majors. All went to colleges that do not have these majors. Like so many, she hires from ivies and top LACs.</p>
<p>^Does she have an opening for an intelligent English/Photo major from Bard with office experience? 
D2 graduates in a month…</p>