5 top tips for getting into PR

Calling all graduates, welcome to our 5 top tips for getting into PR.
We are receiving more and more CV’s at the moment, mostly from students about to graduate this summer. Some of them are very promising and unfortunately some are simply dire. Have a look at our top tips for getting into the PR industry:

1. Communication: One of the key skills for PR is the ability to communicate well. Both written and verbal communication is a vital part of the job. Check, double check and triple check your CV and covering letter for typing errors, spelling mistakes or grammatical errors.

2. Research: when you apply for a job, or send off a CV, make sure you have researched the company. Tailor your covering letter to the company, show that you know what they do, and address all letters to the relevant person.


3. Work experience: in brief, get some. Having a PR degree is simply not enough-(although it isn’t necessary to have one-it may help). Apply for work experience or work shadowing in a variety of PR areas, event management, marketing departments, in house, agency... If you have to, do it unpaid. Having some experience will give you a valuable insight into the real PR world. On work experience, be keen and willing and get stuck in, not only will you learn a lot about the industry, but you could end up with valuable press cuttings to add to your university portfolio. If nothing else, make contact with a PR practitioner and seek some advice and information.

4. Portfolio: gather a portfolio of work you have done and had published. It is a great tool to have at an interview, rather than merely answering questions, you can demonstrate the work you’re capable of. It can also change the dynamics of an interview, rather than the normal Q&A session, you can talk through it and pre-empt the questions. This can also be tailored to the job you are applying for, e.g. if it is for a charity, try to use fundraising examples if you have them.


5. Showing off: This is one of the most common problems we find with CV’s. Don’t try to use impressive sentences if they don’t make sense! Get somebody else to read through it before you send it off, trying to use language which is far too sophisticated will only backfire. Also keep sentences brief and to the point. If you can say what you need to in a 25 word sentence, don’t try to fill it out to 50 words with over-elaborate descriptions, cliches and well, frankly, lies. Be honest, and be yourself.

We are by no means experts in this field, nor do we assume to have all the answers. We have based these points on our experience in both applying for jobs and receiving job applications, and hopefully by using them you won’t fall at the first hurdle, and will achieve your PR goals.