PR is one of the top career choices for graduates. Are these people mad? Probably not, but a good number of them often have no idea what they are getting into and what it involves. Many will fail at the first hurdle but those who follow these tips stand a better chance.

Ten Things You Should Do

1. Know what PR is and what it involves. It pays to have a couple of definitions burned in memory and to be able to talk intelligently about what they mean. That way when the interviewer asks you what PR is all about and why you want to be involved you won’t look silly.

2. Research, research, research. There has never been so much information about PR, for example, take a look at the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) web site (www.ipr.org.uk). Look at company sites, read the periodicals and look at case studies.

3. Join the CIPR as a student member. This shows you are serious. It also means you can gain entry to group meetings, meet people who work in the industry, start to network and gain a real life perspective.

4. Hone your communication skills. This is the most important thing you offer. You have to be able to show you can analyse and interpret complex issues and argue them through in writing and in face to face presentation.

5. Get experience. Get involved with the college newspaper, write to the papers, see if you can sell articles into relevant journals, get a work placement during the vacation. All this enables you to prepare a portfolio for the interview to show you have a track record in print, web or broadcast.

6. Get personal. Whether you are writing speculatively or replying to an advertisement, address your correspondence to a named individual, by their proper title.

7. Research potential employers. PR shops tend to specialise. Ainsworth Maguire is predominantly a technical business to business agency. We need people who are excited by technology and can convey that enthusiasm for our clients. So know what your potential employer does, who their clients are and be ready to explain how you can contribute.

8. Sell yourself. Think of yourself as a product. What is your USP? One of the core tasks in PR is to promote products, if you cannot promote yourself then how is an employer going to trust you to promote his clients?

9. Be confident. Remember the ABC of success - ability, breaks, confidence.

10. Be persistent. There will be knock backs and these will hurt. If you follow the tips above you won’t have so many - but they may hurt more. Keep at it, be professional, believe in yourself, if you have the ability and confidence the breaks will come.

Five Things You Should Not Do

1. Don’t let anyone tell you that degree in PR is the only route into the business. Degrees provide a grounding and some of the skills required. These skills can also be acquired on the job. For many branches of PR a mature understanding business, or specific technical background can be more important than a degree.

2. Don’t spam. Not by letter, fax or e-mail. If you don’t know why, then read tips 2, 6, 7 and 10.

3. Don’t use agencies. See tip 8.

4. Don’t brag at the interview about “media contacts”. What you know, and more importantly, what you can do - and prove - is more important than who you know.

5. Don’t be anxious. If you have done the homework you will feel confident - relax, smile and treat the interview as a discussion with a professional colleague.

Further Reading

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