Job hunting in the recession

I’m looking for my first or second PR job – will there be any entry-level opportunities in the sector this year given the economic situation?

By Unicorn Jobs

2009 is going to be tough. There’s no getting away from the fact that as companies feel the pinch recruitment will slow down. However, do not despair. The most sensible firms will be planning for the long term and that means recruiting junior people that they hope will rise up their ranks. After the last downturn many companies suffered a lack of middle management as they’d not recruited at junior levels in the years before and so had no one to promote. The more forwarded thinking firms will still look to hire at your level.

To ensure you’re one of the lucky new starters you must make yourself as employable as possible. Competition will be fierce so anything you can do to make yourself stand out is a plus. If you don’t already have some, get some work experience. Offer your services for free if necessary. You may find that they like you so much they will keep you on! Don’t expect companies to be knocking down your door – you are going to have to put yourself out there and approach them yourself.

Make sure your CV is in tip-top condition and that you write relevant cover letters to the appropriate people. I’ve lost count of the amount of letters and emails I get saying “I’d love this job in marketing” when it’s actually a role in PR – it doesn’t say much for their attention to detail.

Get networking. Read the PR blogs (and comment on them). Join the PR groups on Facebook. Read the industry magazines. Keep your finger on the pulse so that you know what is going on and who are the movers and shakers. Perhaps start your own blog and raise your personal profile in the industry.

If you have some media relations experience make sure you keep an up-to-date portfolio with examples of your work and be prepared to take it along to interviews.

If you are approaching companies and are getting told that there is a freeze on recruitment, don’t give up. Use your time in your current job to brush up on skills. Ask for more responsibilities and pick your colleagues’ brains about their specialties so that you can be more clued up for future interviews.

Offer to go above and beyond your job description – this will expand your skills base making you more attractive to new employers – plus, if you can show your current employer you are capable of more, they may promote you as soon as circumstances allow (internal promotions are more cost efficient for them than new recruits) and you may not need to move jobs at all.