Public relations professionals expect a growing demand for PR positions in the future, according to the Hong Kong Public Relations Professionals Association.
Despite the weak economy and corporate downsizing in almost all sectors, a large number of respondents to an association survey have not experienced downsizing either in their functional department or organisations. About a quarter of respondents did see their companies downsize last year.
Respondents came from 'PR services' and 'corporate in-house PR/corporate communications/advertising/marketing departments'.
The association received replies from 257 practitioners, about 12 per cent of an estimated population of more than 2,000 practitioners.
Two-thirds of respondents were from industries, including the government and public sectors, financial services, transportation, education, utilities, manufacturing, retail/distribution, non-profit, and professional services. The remaining third were professionals working in PR consultancy.
Though the profession might be perceived as a glamorous one from the outside, practitioners needed to put in a lot of hard work and time into their job, with stress an important factor.