PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER Job Description
First thing’s first... What is Public Relations? A good, simple definition of Public Relations (PR) is found on dictionary.com's Public Relations entry. PUBLIC RELATIONS —n 1. a. the practice of creating, promoting, or maintaining goodwill and a favourable image among the public towards an institution, public body, etc b. the methods and techniques employed c. ( as modifier ): the public relations industry 2. the condition of the relationship between an organization and the public 3. the professional staff employed to create, promote, or maintain a favourable relationship between an organization and the public
What is Public Relations in Wurm? In a Wurm context, PR fundamentally means looking after the game’s reputation by making sure the lines of communication between the staff and the public (players) are open and actively maintained. This can involve occasionally acting as a mouthpiece for the moderation team (CA, CM, GM and Head GM), keeping players updated with game development news (Rolf, Client, Server, Art) and keeping players updated in times of crisis. It also involves keeping the staff informed about what the players (our customers and the public) want, and also about what other staff are doing. Another aspect of Public Relations includes keeping the wider world informed about what Wurm Online is doing. This will involve forging and maintaining press contacts, and issuing press releases to achieve good communication and interest in what we do.
How can you help? As you can see, the task of bringing effective PR to Wurm is very large, and it’s simply not something that a single person (the Public Relations Manager) can do alone. This is why the new Public Relations Officer position has been created, and it’s where you come in and may be able to help us out!
What does a PR Officer do? In Wurm, Public Relations Officers are tasked with assisting the PR Manager in his or her work. This may include:
Finding and publishing useful, informative content on the Wurm Online communication channels (Facebook, Twitter, Forum, Blog, IRC, In-game)
Talking to staff members (Rolf, Developers, Moderators) and finding out what they are doing so the public (players) can be kept informed.
Talking to players and conducting research into what players want, and what they would like to know.
Monitoring and publicising community events, and potentially planning and running official events (in the future).
Proactively conducting reviews into various aspects of staff policy where they have a relationship with the public to improve reputations.
Dealing with emerging crises, such as server crashes and severe bugs, by gathering concrete information on the issue at hand and effectively spreading the information.
Talking to the press and writing press releases (in the future).
What is required of a PR Officer? A PR officer must:
Be over the age of 18 (but we can make exceptions in special cases).
Be mature enough to be trusted with the game’s reputation.
Be open and approachable enough that players feel at ease to ask questions etc.
Be active enough (ingame, forum, Irc) that they can keep on top of what is required of them. PR is sometimes fast-paced and can involve a lot of pressure.
Display a significant understanding of how the game works, and it’s current problems and limitations.
Be a strong communicator and problem-solver.
What are the rewards? At this time, PR Officers are volunteer staff much in the same way as the PR Manager. After taking on the role and showing strong commitment, PR Officers will receive recognition for their work in the game credits and other rewards based on performance. The PR Officer role is perfect for anyone interested in the PR / Journalism / Communications industry, and experience earned volunteering for Wurm will prove helpful.
How do I apply? To apply for the role of Public Relations Officer, send an email to Poseidon@wurmonline.com or send a forum message to our PR Manager Wossoo. You should clearly tell us why you would be a good candidate for the position.