Working In PR & Communications

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Getting a job in PR

So, you want a graduate PR job, what should you do? Here are some tips…

By Emily Morrison

What do employers look for in a graduate?

  1. Good communicator.
  2. Passion for the industry.
  3. Someone who is interesting and charismatic.
  4. With a full CV which shows a sense of adventure and motivation.
  5. Knowledge of the world around them.
  6. Someone who is willing to learn, find out the answer.

Top tips from the Chartered Institute Of PR on how to get a job

  1. Press and PR directories can be expensive, so check the library or university careers service.
  2. Draw up a target list of consultancies or in-house departments that match your interests and requirements.
  3. Find key contacts for a company by searching for their website – look under the media, press or journalists section.
  4. Find a list of graduate trainee programmes and charity work placements on the CIPR website.
  5. Get some work experience. It can be a vital first step on the PR career ladder: it demonstrates to potential employers that you are truly interested in the industry and also gives you good insight into what public relations involves.
  6. Apply for voluntary work experience in charities in the PR department.

Qualifications

People going into PR often have degrees in Media, English, Sociology and Journalism. The more specialised sectors, such as Healthcare or Financial, often require a degree in a related field such as science, business studies, etc.

Courses such as those run by CIPR (Chartered Institute Of PR) offer great skills and can give you an advantage over other graduates.

Do you need a degree in PR?

  1. Some believe that it forms a great foundation of skills.
  2. Helps you decide on what sector you’d like to get into.
  3. Shows you are committed to the industry.
  4. Having the basic understanding of a PR degree makes you stand out from the crowd.
  5. On the other hand…
  6. PR involves lot of things that you can’t learn in a classroom. Personality, passion and persuasion can’t necessarily be taught
  7. It doesn’t guarantee you a job.
  8. No PR degree can sufficiently prepare you for the reality of working in the industry in the same way that no crisis manual can sufficiently prepare you for every eventuality in a crisis.

Source: Behind the Spin, May 2005

This article is part of the unicornjobs.com guide to Working In PR & Communications. Click here to go to the guide index.

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