Job Hunting 101 for PR Students
We often meet with public relations students who will soon be entering the workforce, and of course, the million-dollar question always is, “How do I get a job in this economy?” While the economy has made it more competitive to get a job in PR, the good news is that there are still jobs out there and more employers who are hiring all the time. The landscape has changed, but the rules for landing your first PR job are still the same. Given that you already have a stellar resume put together, here’s a few tips we often give students for landing that first job in PR:
1. Network, Network, Network!
The number one rule for job searching these days is NETWORKING – getting out there and meeting the PR professionals who are hiring, know people who are hiring or could be hiring down the line. There are a number of ways to get plugged in to the industry, specifically: 1) Research the agencies, corporations, nonprofits or other organizations that you’re interested in joining. Find out who does the hiring and see if you can set up an informational interview with this person. Even if they’re not hiring, that’s okay – you’ll meet the person who makes those decisions. SCORE! 2) Attend industry events. Go to PRSA, IABC and other professional organization events and get involved. There’s no better way to meet the people you hope to someday work for or with. 3) Use social media to stay in touch. Once you’ve met these people, connect with them on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook (if they use it for professional reasons). Don’t be a stalker, but use these tools to listen, better understand the opportunities out there, and connect when appropriate.
2. Go Where the Jobs Are
PR students often ask, “So, where are most PR jobs listed?” This is a tough one because they are posted everywhere! Some of the best tools we’ve found are Andrew Hudsons Jobs List (of course), PRSA Colorado’s Job Bank and Indeed.com. We also recommend regularly visiting the Web sites of the companies on your short list to see if they have posted new positions.
3. The Cover Letter
In the PR industry, there is no better tool to truly demonstrate why you should get the job than your cover letter. The letter gives you a chance to be creative, stand out, show off your fabulous writing skills, and tell the employer why no one else should get this job but you.
A few words of advice on the cover letter: 1) Find out WHO does the hiring at the organization and address your letter/email to that person. There is nothing more annoying than to get a cover letter addressed “To whom it may concern,” when the employer has clearly put the hiring manager’s name in the job description. If it’s not in the description, be resourceful and find out. 2) Do your research. What is special about the organization you’re applying to? Demonstrate that you have put in the time and gotten to know them before firing off your cover letter. 3) In your cover letter, show that you are interested in that specific position (versus every open position on Monster.com) and explain what makes you an excellent fit for this particular job and organization. 4) This should go without saying, but your cover letter should be free from any typos, spelling or AP Style errors. Edit it ten times, then have someone else do the same. These errors are unacceptable – period.
4. It’s All In the Details
The PR business is all about details, so don’t overlook them in your job search! The smallest things can help set you apart from your competition. In addition to eliminating typos from your resume and cover letter, also think about how you can be creative in your follow-up or thank you letter. Can you do something that relates to the agency’s clients or company’s products? How about taking the opportunity to expand on or show off your professional strengths? In a world cluttered by e-mail, why not send a hand-written thank you note to stand out? Also, when you go for the interview, in addition to bringing along your portfolio, you might also think about a handy “leave-behind” that includes some of your best work samples. This is your chance to show the employer what you’ll bring to the job, so take it seriously and be resourceful, professional and creative.
What other job searching tips do you have for students?
March 16th, 2010 at 3:23 pm
I would add “Don’t be overly familiar” to this list.
Social media is a great way to build connections with influential peeps, but never lose sight of the fact that you’re still a stranger until you’ve bonded in person a few times. Be patient and be considerate.
March 19th, 2010 at 8:20 am
Write a thank you. Keyword is “write” as in NOT type! Put a pen/pencil to paper and send a thank you to anyone who has helped you along the way, referred a job prospect/interview, or even more importantly, the person who DID interview you. Hard to believe, but rarely is this “old school” form of communication done these days. Thank yous are becoming a lost art. Make the effort to show you value their time and the opportunity enough to really write a sincere thank you. Email doesn’t count. Write, it’s what we do. And, as Ef, says it helps build that personal bond.
May 4th, 2010 at 10:04 pm
As a Public Relations student at Western Kentucky University, it can become extremely stressful at times as I near the completion of my PR degree and prepare to step out into the real world. This blog post was very insightful. With the economy the way it is, it can become discouraging when thinking about going into the job market. However, with the tips given, it makes it apparent that a job is definitely within grasp.
So many times people misunderstand the importance of networking. I personally agree that networking is the number one key, especially in a competitive field, to landing a good public relations job. Simply getting to know professionals can give you the advantage when you meet that individual again in an interviewing situation.
As for the cover letter, this is honestly one of the toughest obstacles to overcome when preparing a resume. There are so many different avenues that you can take when preparing a cover letter, but the advice about making the letter personal, standing out and making it free of errors helps me understand that any type of cover letter can work efficiently. However, you must follow those simple steps to ensure that the letter does not get overlooked because of one simple mistake. Overall, I think this blog post could be very beneficial for anyone aspiring to enter the PR field. I will use the advice given to hopefully better my opportunity to land a job in this field in the near future.