This article was first published in The Guardian online, 18 May 2015. Read the original article here.
The PR industry might have a reputation as one long party, but there’s a lot more to a career in communications than champagne and lunches. Competition for jobs can be fierce, particularly in the graduate market where getting that first foot on the career ladder can be a daunting prospect. Here is what a panel of industry experts had to say about standing out from the crowd.
Hone your writing skills If you want a career in communications, you need to be able to get your point across quickly and concisely. You’ll need to be adaptable, able to write for different audiences and aware of appropriate tones, messaging and mediums. Michael Rosen, PR and communications director for FTI Consulting, describes it as “telling stories.”
“You may be writing press stories and articles, or creating content for blogs and social media. You need to be imaginative and be able to persuade people to come with you on your journey,” he explains.
Promote yourself “There is no better PR you can do in this industry than PR for yourself,” says Sam Holl, client service director at Kindred Agency. If you want to get paid for promoting brands, the best way to prove your worth is to perfect your own brand.
“Be confident in your ability, be bold with your CV and get out there and make sure people know who you are,” Holl concludes.
Your online presence is important, but so is your offline activity. “Make sure you are networking as much as possible, attending talks and events,” says Lisa McCabe, PR manager for the British Red Cross. “You never know where you might meet that useful contact.”
Be careful on social networks “People do check it – especially LinkedIn and Facebook,” says Rosen. “Make sure it presents you in a positive light. It’s hard enough to get a job in the first place, so don’t give an employer any reason to have doubts about you.”
“PR is all about reputation building and in current times social media is a huge part of that,” agrees Katy Foster from the Public Relations Consultants Association’s (PRCA) PR Apprenticeship Scheme. “Like it or not a personal social media account can reflect badly on you professionally, so be conscious of what is associated with you online.”
Immerse yourself in the media “An understanding of the media landscape, both off and online is key, as these are the people you’ll be pitching your stories and ideas to,” McCabe emphasises. You’ll be
