SEATTLE, October 1, 2001 - Workinpr.com, the leading PR recruiting and career site, today announced the results of its survey targeted at public relations professionals and journalists. The survey garnered feedback from over 1,600 public relations professionals and journalists on the current state of the PR industry and the relationship between the media and PR professionals.

One of the key findings revealed the majority of PR professionals believe the hardest part of their job is the strategic direction of their business, versus client management, tactical work or managing internal staff.

"PR professionals have had a tumultuous ride over the last eighteen months - and most are still recovering," says Renee Dunn, President of Workinpr.com. "The survey data reinforces that despite growing signs of stability, the process of drastically ramping up for new business, then severely cutting back, then slowly building the business up again has left scars on our industry," Dunn continued. "As a result, now PR leaders need more help with strategic planning, allocation and new business development."

General Findings - PR Survey:

• Struggling to lead
  The majority of PR professionals (36%) reported that strategic direction of the business is the hardest part of their job (versus client management, tactical work or managing staff).
• Lack of employee training
  Only 8.9% of respondents received formal training from their company. 54% received informal training from managers or peers, while nearly 37% received no training at all - left to "sink or swim".
• Deficiencies of entry-level employees
  According to respondents, the top two skills lacking in entry-level PR professionals today are: 1) knowledge of the industry/business issues and 2) strong written/verbal skills.
• Personal relationship with media is critical
  When asked about their relationship with the media, 73% of PR professionals believe having a personal relationship receives the best response from the press. 10% felt that direct emails receive good response, while only 7% believe press releases are effective. Only 24% believe journalists are receptive to PR pitches.
• The dot-com hangover - only temporary
  The majority of PR respondents (44%) do not feel that the dot-com shakeout damaged PR's credibility.
• As an industry, PR is still going strong
  The majority of respondents (47%) believe the PR industry as a whole has improved over the last five years.

General Findings - Journalist/Media Survey:

• Journalists view PR pros as 'gatekeepers'
  When asked about their relationship with PR professionals, the majority of journalists (36%) believe they are gatekeepers of information; 29% believe that PR professionals are cooperative, but not very valuable.
• Demands facing journalists at an all-time high
  The majority of journalists (56%) believe that the demands of their job have increased significantly over the last year, while 35% feel their demands have increased 'somewhat'.
• So little time
  When it comes to researching a story, 58% of journalists feel they 'sometimes' have adequate time to source and research a story.
• The dot-com hangover - only temporary
  Similar to PR respondents, the majority of journalists (53%) do not feel that the dot-com shakeout damaged PR's credibility.
• Expert sources found via 'little black books'
  The majority of journalists (43%) say they find expert sources from their own 'little black book'; 26% said they find expert sources from 'industry groups'.

The Majority of Journalists View PR Professionals as 'Gatekeepers' of Information
When asked their general impression of PR professionals, the majority of journalists (36%) say PR professionals are 'gatekeepers of information', while 29% believe they are 'cooperative, but not very valuable'.

When asked about their relationship with the media, 73% of PR professionals believe having a personal relationship receives the best response from the press. Yet, only 24% believe journalists are receptive to PR pitches.

Survey Participants
Survey respondents included 586 PR professionals and 1,030 journalists. Public relations professional survey participants were garnered from the Workinpr.com opt-in subscriber list, including professionals of all levels from top global PR firms and corporate communication departments of Fortune 500 companies.

Top-tier journalists participated in the survey via MediaMap, the leading information resource provider for the public relations industry and Workinpr.com content partner.

About Workinpr.com
Workinpr.com (www.workinpr.com), a product of Futureworkplace, Inc., is the premiere jobsite for current and future PR professionals. Workinpr.com is dedicated to providing global PR professionals with strategic career resources and industry information. As the only jobsite endorsed by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and the Council of Public Relations Firms, Workinpr.com is working to advance the PR profession by giving employers all over the world access to the most qualified PR talent.