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11-2032.00 · Learning planner

Public Relations Managers: a task-based learning plan

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities designed to create or maintain a favorable public image or raise issue awareness for their organization or client.

Explore the complete task inventory first →

Understand the profile before choosing priorities

The table shows the ten highest importance ratings among 28 skills with usable ratings. Skills tied on importance can share a rank. Importance (1–5) and level (0–7) describe different dimensions. A level of 4 is not 4/7 of a course, and neither scale is your personal score. Source dates refer to the underlying rating, not the database release date.

SkillImportance / 5Level / 7Rating date
Speaking4.254.0008/2026 · Analyst
Reading Comprehension4.124.1208/2026 · Analyst
Active Listening4.124.1208/2026 · Analyst
Writing4.003.8808/2026 · Analyst
Social Perceptiveness4.003.8808/2026 · Analyst
Persuasion3.884.0008/2026 · Analyst
Critical Thinking3.883.8808/2026 · Analyst
Complex Problem Solving3.883.8808/2026 · Analyst
Coordination3.753.7508/2026 · Analyst
Judgment and Decision Making3.623.8808/2026 · Analyst

Anchor the plan in an actual task

Choose one reported task you want to understand better. Then choose one to three skills and describe an appropriate learning activity, evidence you will review and a date. For practical work requiring authorization, choose relevant coursework, observation or supervised training.

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Read the scale examples

These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for public relations managers.

Level 4: Interview applicants to obtain personal and work history

Level 2: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions

How would you explain the task, audience needs and next step in a short conversation?

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Read the scale examples

These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for public relations managers.

Level 4: Understand an email from management describing new personnel policies

Level 6: Read a scientific journal article describing surgical procedures

Which instruction, constraint or exception in a document would you need to explain accurately?

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Read the scale examples

These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for public relations managers.

Level 4: Answer inquiries regarding credit references

Level 6: Serve as a judge in a complex legal disagreement

What would you ask the other person to clarify, and how would you confirm you understood?

Writing

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Read the scale examples

These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for public relations managers.

Level 4: Write an email to staff outlining new directives

Level 2: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant

What document would another person need, and how would you check that they could act on it?

Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Read the scale examples

These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for public relations managers.

Level 4: Be aware of how a coworker's promotion will affect a work group

Level 2: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long

What perspective or concern might another person bring to this task?

Persuasion

Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

Read the scale examples

These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for public relations managers.

Level 4: Convince a supervisor to purchase new office equipment

Level 2: Solicit donations for a charity

What evidence would help an audience evaluate your proposal without hiding its tradeoffs?

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Read the scale examples

These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for public relations managers.

Level 4: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses

Level 2: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late

What assumption could change your conclusion, and what evidence would you check first?

Complex Problem Solving

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Read the scale examples

These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for public relations managers.

Level 4: Redesign a floor layout to take advantage of new manufacturing techniques

Level 2: Lay out tools to complete a job

How would you separate the problem into parts and compare possible explanations?

Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Read the scale examples

These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for public relations managers.

Level 4: Work with others to put a new roof on a house

Level 2: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic

Who would need what information, and at which handoff would timing matter?

Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Read the scale examples

These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for public relations managers.

Level 4: Evaluate a loan application for degree of risk

Level 2: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow

Which options, constraints and consequences would you compare, and what could change the choice?

Review the result

Your plan should explain why the selected skills matter for your chosen task, what you will do next and what evidence you will examine. Revisit the plan after that activity. Completing a worksheet or matching an occupation’s ratings does not establish professional competence.

Keep your worksheet

Download before leaving this page. Unsaved writing remains only in the page and is cleared on refresh. Notes and learning actions are not sent to a server. This guide describes an occupation and supports study planning; it does not provide clinical, legal or equipment-operating procedures.

Source and practice material

Occupational context uses the O*NET® 31.0 Database from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. View the occupation.

Skill Workbench selected and adapted the occupational information and added its own fictional cases, calculations, guidance and worksheets. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these additions. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.