Communicating for another sector

You currently work in consumer tech PR but you have a real passion for fashion. Is it possible for you to move into a PR role in another sector, or are you stuck in tech forever?

By Sarah Stimson

When many people get their first job in PR, they do not necessarily have a desire to be a communicator within a particular sector like travel or tech or music or financial services. Rather, they simply want their first break in the wider communications world, and therefore will grab any opportunity to get their foot on the PR career ladder. That is no bad thing, but unfortunately you can be pigeon-holed into that one sector much quicker than you may think.

Once that has happened, moving to a PR role in another sector is always possible, but is far from easy. Communication practitioners will always tell you that the skills you have learned in, say, tech PR, are transferable to a PR role in any other sector, and that is very true. But ask an employer in tech PR if they would hire a communicator with no experience of their specialist sector, and they’ll more than likely be cautious of taking such a risk.

In a competitive job market, hiring managers are always looking to fill their roles with people who have directly relevant experience. If you’re a tech specialist who applies for a job in fashion PR, and ten people who have fashion PR experience also apply, who do you think will get called to interview?

The general rule of thumb is that the more junior you are, and therefore the less experience you have, the easier it will be for you to move into a different sector. But even then, you may find that you have to start from scratch, and make a sideways or even backward step in terms of your place in the hierarchy, which might result in a pay cut. (And that’s before you consider the inconsistencies that exist in PR salaries between different sectors; communicators in financial services, healthcare and tech companies and agencies are much better paid than their counterparts working in the fashion, arts or music PR industries).

However, moving between sectors is not impossible and there are a few things you can do to smooth the transition.

If you work in a large agency which deals with accounts across a variety of sectors, seek out the fashion department and ask if you can help out on their accounts, or sit in on key meetings, so to expand your knowledge of their specialist area.

Alternatively, find some small fashion brands who can’t afford to hire big PR agencies, and offer them some pro-bono PR work in your own time so that you can add the experience to your CV.

Once you have a bit of experience in the sector you want to more to, it’s time to adjust your CV to reflect your interests. Make sure the recent experience in fashion is right at the top of your CV, under your personal details. And if you have any additional skills which may help sell you to a potential employer and compensate for your lack of direct sector experience – so things like a second language – make sure that is clearly referenced.

Then speak to a few friendly recruitment consultants and ask if they have any clients who are a bit more flexible about candidate’s backgrounds.

And at the same time approach employers direct. You might find this approach is your best hope of changing sector. Write a clear, concise covering letter which details your experience in tech PR, highlighting your transferable skills, particularly in media relations and writing. Then communicate your passion for and knowledge of the fashion industry, and ask the fashion brands you’ve been volunteering for to write you testimonials and include them in the letter.