Applying for your first PR job can be daunting, especially with so much competition for each position.
Here is the insider’s guide to getting onto the career ladder – and climbing it fast.

Which area?
It is of great importance that you get to know the rules of the game before you apply for a job within PR.

Blindly following the trails of online job advertisements will leave you running with the herd and is a waste of your time.

Identify your strengths and apply this knowledge when selecting which type of PR you would like to do – and look to proposition potential employers directly. Make sure you read both sector press and relevant PR publications to stay up to date on advancements within the discipline.

Work experience
Aim to secure a paid internship – many will be starting in September. Competition can be fierce so be inventive.

Contact specific people from departments at the organisations you would most like to work at – they may not have any positions open, but it can be a chance to ask them what they look for in potential candidates.

If you are entering an interview and haven’t had any previous experience of working within a PR role outside paid work experience, do not fret.

Try to demonstrate relevant skillsets in your free time, such as blogging to display your writing style and commitment, and sharing your online portfolio of work via social media.

Network
When it comes to PR, there is no greater demonstration of your skills than the way you conduct yourself.

Make sure you are at all the right industry seminars and events – and even simply just that you are on LinkedIn. But do not believe that merely building a large portfolio of one-time connections is enough for you to succeed within the industry, it is also important to nurture relationships, to remember names and faces and to leave a trail of happy encounters in your wake.

Current affairs
Stay on top of current affairs – and not just within the sector you are interested in working in.

Although you will need to be well informed of the current landscape in order to advise clients or create campaigns that will suit the present news climate, it also helps to be able to confidently discuss contemporary issues when networking – not all professionals you network with will work within your sector.

And lastly, confidence
Although the confidence to put yourself forward can be tough to muster, do not be put off by positions that seem daunting.

Have the confidence to demonstrate that you will be a great fit and shout about your successes – do not expect a recruiter to pick up on these organically.

To find out more about how we can help you to develop your career in PR, please call Lucy Cairncross today. Alternatively, you can read more about our communications practice here.