I'm a college student going into public relations, but I know that human resources make a lot more money.?

Question

Are the two career paths interchangeable at all?

I mean, theoretically, could a publicist eventually go into HR without earning a degree specifically in HR?

Answer 1

From where I sit (in HR with a master's in HRD), I'm not seeing that we are making a lot more than the PR folks (and I know exactly what people get paid). In fact, they're usually way above us.

There are some HR functions that are more than suitable to the PR generalist. The most valuable skill a PR pro would have of value to HR is that ability to write well. If you were to make sure that you covered technical writing in that PR program then you might find some HR work as a writer of manuals.

A PR program isn't going to give you the background in labor law, org behavior, or training and development that the HR people demand though. You'd be looking at a very entry level generalist HR position and the pay there would be pretty low in comparison to the typical entry level professional communication position.

If it's all about the money, the business field is finance.

Answer 2

I think it would be very difficult for a publicist to make a shift into HR, since the skills required for the two jobs are significantly different, and I've never heard of anyone making this change. However, Human Resources is one of the lowest-paid areas of business, so if all you are looking for is money, this isn't the way to get there.

Answer 3

I think everyone can go to HR without a HR degree. Because HR is mainly about "people" and if a person is good at understand people and its employees .. they are tend to do good at HR.

I know this because I've worked in HR field for 4 years and I've met a lot of good HR persons who didn't have HR degrees, some of them are even engineers or marketer before.

I think when it comes to jobs. it's about what do you want to do and love to do most. Not about what job offer more money. Because you will need to work for many years ! So, it'll be better to follow your bliss.