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The findings for this section are listed below.

Public relations scholars have documented the contributions of multicultural public relations practitioners back to the 1880’s and have explained how their combined experiences have presented challenges leaving them feeling undervalued and pigeonholed. This study builds upon previous studies to understand their experiences in public relations. This section is divided into three sections: (1) general PR
experiences, (2) experiences with racism within the public relations industry, and (3) comparisons between the experiences and perceptions of US Hispanics and Blacks working in public relations. Note that some frequency percentage tables do not equate to exactly 100% because of rounding.

General PR Experiences

In this study, most of the practitioners were college educated; with 28% having master’s degrees. Most practitioners learned about public relations as a career option when they were about 21 years-old. Nearly two thirds agree or strongly agree that they had been mentored by one or more PR practitioners, who helped make a difference in their success; nearly 84% had at least one white male as a mentor and 87% had at least one white female mentor. This inter-racial interaction is common among the majority of the respondents.

Highest level of formal education:

Majors

Age of respondents when they learned about public relations as a career option.

Mean age for learning about public relations as a career option was 21.52 (sd = 9.67).

Respondent Comments:

“Many young minorities don’t know PR exists as an option. We know blue collar and professional (law, medicine); nothing in between. I learned about it during a Home Economics career aptitude survey. Many people don’t have that opportunity. “

“We need to reach out to students at an early age, even before high school.”

“Hire more people of color to do the outreach and begin earlier in the process.”

Number of respondents who say that being mentored by one or more PR practitioners made a difference in their success.

This was one area where discussion group respondents were the most vocal about the importance and value of seeking out a good mentor. Most respondents indicated that it was the practitioner’s responsibility to find an appropriate and genuinely supportive mentor to whom they could turn, either within their organization, or from an affinity professional organization.

Respondent Comments:

“Your first point of contact is to find a champion. You have to seek out the mentor you want.”

“While going to HR may not always be the best solution, it’s one possible way to find someone to be supportive of you.”

“There was literally no one for me to go to, going into one of the largest PR agencies in the world.”

“You have no one to help you, but yourself. You have to seek out information. Talk to colleagues.”

Race and gender of respondents’ mentors

Frequently interact professionally with professionals outside the respondents’ ethnic group.

Black respondents were more likely to interact professionally with professionals outsides of their racial/ethnic group (mean = 4.19; sd = 1.01); whereas Hispanics were somewhat less likely to do so (mean =3.15; sd = 1.21; t = 3.4).

Willingness to oscillate between the respondents’ culture and another to work in public relations

Black respondents were more willing to oscillate between their culture and another to work in public relations (mean = 4.23; sd = 1.05); whereas Hispanics were somewhat less likely to do so (mean = 3.05; sd = 1.12; t = 4.05).

Frequently interact socially with Caucasian Americans.

Black respondents interact socially more with Caucasian Americans (mean = 4.20; sd = 1.01); than Hispanics do (mean = 3.16; sd = 1.20; t = 1.21).

Experiences with Racism

Overall, respondents consistently reported experiencing various incidences of racism in their careers. This section is subdivided into three: (1) Overall Treatment, (2) Recruitment, Retention and Promotion, (3) Professional Interactions and Perceptions. Each of these items were based on overall experiences in the profession, not on any one particular position. Also the items forced the respondents to think solely about the impact of their personal race and ethnicity regarding the statements. The study’s researchers recognize that other factors could have contributed to their perceptions, but the statements focus on race and ethnicity.

Overall Treatment

Nearly half of all respondents feel they are treated unfairly in the workplace.

• 40% felt they had experienced overt discrimination by employers and employees.

• 53.4% felt they had experienced subtle discrimination.

Subtle Discrimination

Because of respondent’s race/ethnicity, in their public relations experience, they have experienced subtle discrimination by their employer and / or fellow employees.

Overt Discrimination

Because of their race/ethnicity, in their public relations experience, respondents have experienced overt discrimination by their employer and / or fellow employees

Respondent Comments:

“This is the quintessential ‘Catch 22.’ How do you address your concerns about racism in the workplace without appearing too sensitive. You can’t show your real feelings.”

“How do you confront the baggage people bring with them? You can’t solve race problems on your own. “

“Most diversity workshops don’t work. People think it’s just another thing to do to address cultural sensitivity.”

“We’re always going to have to adapt. People of color just deal with it. It’s our reality.”

“Multicultural practitioners do not want to wear their race on their sleeve and be seen as overly sensitive to race issues. But, people of color must be careful what questions they ask and who they ask.”

“People of color can’t be too aggressive, or you’ll be shown the door.”

Fairness

Because of their race/ethnicity, in their public relations experience, respondents have been treated unfairly by one or more of their current or past employers.

Language

Currently respondents feel their language / accent has been a barrier to success in their career.

Disassociation (Sell-out)

Because of respondents’ race/ethnicity, in their public relations experience, they have had to disassociate themselves from their culture.

Recruitment, Retention and Promotion

The most common problem was the perception of having to be more qualified for positions than their Caucasian American counterparts (62% agreed). However, respondents were nearly split regarding receiving salary increases and the need for additional formal training to be promoted.

• 45% feel they must spend more time in entry-level positions

• 48% agree they have been overlooked for promotions

• 55% feel they are not afforded the same opportunities in the PR field as their Caucasian counterparts.

Qualifications

Because of respondents’ race/ethnicity, in their public relations experience, they have had to be more qualified than a Caucasian American.

Respondent Comments:

“People of color must be careful what questions they ask and who you ask.”

“You have to do your own PR. Seek out information that may not be clear until you ask about it.”

“You have to understand that you have a responsibility to fit into the company’s culture and do it their way. You have to play by their rules.”

“While it may seem like everyone else has a clear career path, you may not. You have to know how to negotiate.”

“Observe what makes other people successful, and try to emulate the positive qualities—dress, verbal, interpersonal and professional presentation. Think about every aspect of yourself in a professional light. Recognize that you may well be judged more critically than a white counterpart.“

Entry-level Position

Because of respondents’ race/ethnicity, in their public relations experience, they have had to spend more time in an entry-level position.

Respondent Comments:

“Talk to people when you accept a job to find out what their career track was. That way you can set some reasonable expectations. If you find yourself moving more slowly than your colleagues, it’s a sign you’re on a slow track. But you have to realize that there may be other factors for this besides your race.”

“Find people who value you, and know that it’s important to walk away when you don’t feel valued.”

“Ask about a review process before you take the job. Find out how long it takes to advance to senior vice president and what are the expectations along the way.”

“You have no one to help you but yourself.”

Promotion

Because of respondents’ race/ethnicity, in their public relations experience, they have been overlooked for promotion.

Respondent Comments:

“It’s a fact of life. You must constantly show your value beyond doing menial tasks. It’s not just about doing the job at hand, but showing what else you can bring to the table.”

“You have to consistently demonstrate your value to the company through your professionalism and productivity.”

“Part of the industry is doing your own PR. You have to know this before you even set foot in the workplace. You’re going to have to pull yourself up. And you can’t count on a person of color being there to help you.”

“My experience involved starting as an intern and moving up to senior vice president of a major agency. Ethnicity had little to do with it. Promotion has to do more with what you bring to the table. It has everything to do with understanding the corporate culture and showing your value, even in the menial tasks.”

“Find every opportunity to talk with a senior vice president or senior account advisor about an account. Take the initiative to show your value beyond what you’ve been asked to do. “

“Success is not just about doing the task. It’s about taking the opportunity to show how terrific you are and to develop some kind of relationship with those around you. They may not like you as a person, but they’ll want you at the table because of the value you bring. Keeping to yourself is not smart.”

“You can’t look down on menial tasks. Do them efficiently and quickly, whether its compiling media list or client binders. And if you have to complain, don’t complain to a colleague or a supervisor in the work place, even if you feel comfortable with them. Save it for home.”

Formal Training

Because of respondents’ race/ethnicity, in their public relations experience, they have had to get extra formal training to be promoted.

“The industry needs to be committed to professional development for everyone. It should be part of a business paradigm.”

Salary

Because of respondents’ race/ethnicity, in their public relations experience, they have not been awarded a pay / salary increase.

Opportunities

Because of respondents’ race/ethnicity, in their public relations experience, they are afforded the same opportunities in the PR field as Caucasian counterparts.

Professional Interactions and Perceptions

Overall, nearly half of the respondents felt genuinely respected by their employers, colleagues and clients. However, a significant percentage of respondents believe that employers and clients do not desire to have multicultural practitioners working for them.

• 55.7% of respondents felt that some employers did not want diverse practitioners working for them.

• 41.2% felt that agencies use client’s alleged prejudices against multicultural practitioners as an excuse to keep them from playing a more substantive business role.

• 37.9% felt that clients did not want a multicultural professional working on their account.

Employer’s Diversity Desires

Because of respondents’ race/ethnicity, in their public relations experience, they feel some employers do not want multicultural practitioners working for them.

Management Commitment to Success

Because of respondents’ race/ethnicity, in their public relations experience, they feel management is not committed to helping them advance within their organization.

Although this item measured overall PR experiences, respondents working for male-owned/managed organizations felt their management was not as committed to helping them succeed within their organizations (mean 3.30). Respondents within female-owned/managed organizations felt management was more committed to helping them succeed within the organization (mean 2.66). Note that the scale was from 1 strongly disagree to 5 strongly agree. The overall mean for this item was 3.04 (sd = 1.22).

Supervisor’s Respect

Because of respondents’ race/ethnicity, in their public relations experience, they are treated with genuine respect by their immediate supervisor.

Respondent Comments:

“Respect and support for multiculturalism comes from the top down.”

“Often, senior people have the worst management and people skills. This problem affects everyone in the industry, not just multicultural practitioners.”

“This is the kind of thing that just falls by the wayside, unless someone makes it a priority for everyone to act upon.”

Colleague’s Respect

Because of respondents’ race/ethnicity, in their public relations experience, they are treated with genuine respect by their colleagues.

Clients’ Respect

Because of respondents’ race/ethnicity, in their public relations experience, they are treated with genuine respect by their internal / external clients.

Client’s diversity desires

Because of respondents’ race/ethnicity, in their public relations experience, they feel some clients do not want multicultural practitioners on their account.

Alleged Prejudices

Because of respondents’ race/ethnicity, in their public relations experience, they feel that PR agencies use clients' alleged prejudices against multicultural practitioners as an excuse to keep them from playing a more substantive business role.

Hispanic and Black Comparisons

Hispanics reported significantly higher levels on 9 of the 18 racism measures as compared to Blacks. These measures included experiencing greater overt discrimination, language barriers inhibiting success, a greater necessity to dissociate oneself from their culture to work in PR, the necessity to be more qualified than Caucasian Americans, spending more time in entry-level positions, not being awarded a salary increase, not being afforded the same opportunities as Caucasian counterparts, and being treated with less respect from immediate supervisors and from external and internal clients. However Blacks felt a greater need to get more formal training in order to be promoted.

This chart compares the means of the 18 racism items in the survey.

On a scale from 1 strongly disagree to 5 strongly agree. Note that ns. indicates an insignificant difference between the means of Hispanics and Blacks.