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Public Relations / Communications Officer

Stable

Creative

Manages an organisation's public image — media releases, crisis communication and stakeholder engagement. Mass comm graduates; every ministry, GLC and brand needs one.

Mass Communication & MediaMarketing

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Respond to requests for information from the media or designate an appropriate spokesperson or information source.
  2. 2Plan or direct development or communication of programs to maintain favorable public or stockholder perceptions of an organization's accomplishments, agenda, or environmental responsibility.
  3. 3Post and update content on the company's Web site and social media outlets.
  4. 4Write press releases or other media communications to promote clients.
  5. 5Establish or maintain cooperative relationships with representatives of community, consumer, employee, or public interest groups.
  6. 6Confer with other managers to identify trends or key group interests or concerns or to provide advice on business decisions.
  7. 7Coach client representatives in effective communication with the public or with employees.
  8. 8Study the objectives, promotional policies, or needs of organizations to develop public relations strategies that will influence public opinion or promote ideas, products, or services.
  9. 9Prepare or edit organizational publications, such as employee newsletters or stockholders' reports, for internal or external audiences.
  10. 10Arrange public appearances, lectures, contests, or exhibits for clients to increase product or service awareness or to promote goodwill.
  11. 11Plan or conduct market or public opinion research to test products or determine potential for product success, communicating results to client or management.
  12. 12Develop plans or materials to communicate organizational activities that are beneficial to the environment, public safety, or other important social issues.
  13. 13Coordinate public responses to environmental management incidents or conflicts.
  14. 14Confer with production or support personnel to produce or coordinate production of advertisements or promotions.
  15. 15Consult with advertising agencies or staff to arrange promotional campaigns in all types of media for products, organizations, or individuals.
  16. 16Prepare or deliver speeches to further public relations objectives.
  17. 17Develop marketing campaigns for environmental technologies or services.
  18. 18Purchase advertising space or time as required to promote client's product or agenda.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • PR Rep
  • Lobbyist
  • Publicist
  • PR Officer
  • Media Buyer
  • Press Agent
  • PR Counselor
  • Media Planner
  • PR Consultant
  • PR Specialist

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. Typical entry

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

EnglishDraws directly on Communications and Media — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Bahasa MelayuDraws directly on Communications and Media — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
BusinessDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EconomicsDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Computer Science / ICTDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Communications and Media98%

    EnglishBahasa Melayu

  • English Language95%

    English

  • Customer and Personal Service79%
  • Administration and Management79%

    BusinessEconomics

  • Sales and Marketing78%

    BusinessEconomics

  • Computers and Electronics70%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

Skills to build

CreativityCommunicationMeeting deadlines

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Leading or coordinating othersHigh
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherRarely
  • Noisy environmentRarely
  • Time spent sittingMost of the time
  • Time spent standingA little

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

64%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

0.37%

Of Malaysian Claude conversations, about this kind of work

Measures how much people use Claude for this work, not how many Malaysians do this job — and more AI use can mean people relying on it, not that it's replacing them.

Growing role in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.

Pay in the private market

Monthly pay from fresh grad to mid-career, from the salary guide cited on this page.

Entry

Private
RM2,600 – RM3,800

Mid-career

Private
RM4,800 – RM8,000

Government pay isn't shown: we haven't yet sourced the SSPA civil-service salary tables, and we won't estimate them.

Job demand outlook

Stable

Steady, reliable demand: a consistent number of openings.

Your readiness

How your current SPM subjects line up with this career.

Add your SPM grades to see how ready you are for this career.

Add my grades

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Public Relations Specialists

Source: JobStreet Salary Guide · as of Jan 2025

Check the salary figures yourself:JobStreet

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue