Public Relations has always been dominated by women, but it’s still a man’s world at the top

WOMEN WORK

The portrayal of PR Experts or PR Consultants in Film and TV are normally played by women in their mid 30’s

Going to lavish events, drinking champagne, networking in one of the worlds famous cities and on the odd occasion, talking to a journalist.

The brand-new drama, Flack, on the W Channel shows this. Why? Women make up an astonishing 66% of the PR industry according to the 2018 PRCA Census. To put that into perspective, women in other business and financial sectors only make up 43.6%.

Matthew Alexander, Director of Matthew Group Limited who specialise in Personal and Entertainment Publicity, recently hired a new member of staff. When posting the job advertisement, he was inundated with over 100 applications from women and only 16 applications from men.

“There isn’t anything wrong with it however It has always struck a chord with me. Is it because PR is a naturally feminine industry? Or are women influenced by the media’s portrayal of PR?”

“I feel there is a lot of encouragement and guidance for women to go into men-led fields however there notably fewer programs that encourage men to build a career in female-led fields like PR and nursing which I believe is a separate issue.”

It is believed that PR attracts many women because it requires them to listen and empathise with their clients, work well with others, and be fierce advocates for their clients. These are skills that come naturally to a lot of women.

“Unfortunately, this still doesn’t mean that women are being treated equal in the PR industry. Look a little closer and you will find that there is a clear imbalance when it comes to senior roles. About four of every five leadership positions are held by men”

“It almost feels hypocritical for me to comment however my business is a small self-built agency. If the time came in the future for someone to take my place, I sincerely hope society will be in a position where women are given the same opportunities as men”