A press secretary serves as a liaison between the media, the public, and the government, whether the government is depicted by the President of the USA, a member of Congress, a governor, a county commissioner, or even a small town mayor. Nearly every local, state and federal agency uses press secretaries, and certain larger corporations do as well. Press secretaries manage press releases and requests from newspaper, radio and television reporters.

They sometimes write guest columns and speeches, and they schedule events such as press conferences.

If you amuse the working with people and love the spoken or written word, this could be the career for you. But being a press secretary can bring its own unique challenges. One challenge that’s often mentioned involves the tactical dilemmas caused by policy setbacks.

Salary Range of Press Secretary

Press secretary salaries can cover a broad range relying on whether you are working with the federal or a regional government. The national average was about $55,800 in the year of 2017. This jumps to more than $65,000 yearly if you happen to land a job with the U.S. Senate. State-level governmental jobs run in the same range, but can be considerably less – only about $32,000 in Indiana. The best paying positions tend to be in the private sector with large corporations such as Airbnb.

Special Skills

You will require excellent writing skills, as well as superior editing and speaking abilities, to work as a press secretary.

You will be called upon to produce text rapidly and accurately under deadline. You will require a firm knowledge of the press and what reporters are typically looking for. Research and fact-finding skills are a must, and you’ll need the poise and temperament to deal with high-stress conditions and long hours.

Education and Training

Most press secretaries have bachelor’s degrees in communications, journalism or public relations. They have worked in print or broadcast journalism for two or more years.

A Typical Day

You might start out by clipping the morning newspapers and checking television, radio and news blogs for stories that relate to the office you work for. You will distribute those stories and prepare others for likely press queries that will come up that day.

You will field requests from reporters for information and interviews, and draft statements, press releases, guest columns or other material. You might talk to radio and television producers about requests for interviews or appearances on news and talk shows. You’re charged with developing media strategies to inform the public about key problems for the office.

Press secretaries aren’t always part of a large team. They often work alone as a one-person shop.

Getting Started

Many press secretaries get their starts as newspaper or television reporters. If you are in college, an internship at a newspaper, radio or TV station would be helpful. You can also take a more direct route and get an internship at a government agency or with an elected official.

If you do not have a college degree, it is possible to work your way up the ladder by getting a support job and working closely with other press secretaries.

The fame and usefulness of social media and the web give people another way to enter the field because social media like Facebook and Twitter are free, and government officials and agencies are increasingly putting them to use.