4 Tips for New PR Grads
May 2, 2018
As the work force prepares to receive an onslaught of college graduates – the National Center for Educational Statistics estimates nearly 1.9 million students will receive bachelor’s degrees this year – graduates themselves are vying for jobs that will provide them with their desired quality of life. So what’s a new PR grad, freshly minted degree in hand, to do? Here are our best tips for new PR grads as they fight for the jobs they deserve beyond the standard resume cleanup.
Never lose a networking opportunity
Look for connections in unlikely places – reach out to your college professors to see if they have any former students or professional contacts in your area with whom you can set up a coffee meeting. Utilize your alumni network as much as you can. Find PRSA events in your city and attend a happy hour. Join a meet-up group. Just get out of your comfort zone and start connecting!
Be persistent in your follow-up
This is the first lesson of PR – persistence is everything. It might feel a little uncomfortable at first, but push past any potential perceived social awkwardness and send a second email, make a phone call or just generally politely bother someone until they respond to you.
Clean up your social image
Any PR agency worth their salt will Google a candidate they’re seriously interested, so get rid of the keg stand pictures from college and try and present a professional face to the world! Take some time to scroll through your Twitter and Instagram pages, too – set them to private or clean them up.
Just do it!
What’s the worst that can happen? Even if the job you’re applying for is a reach, you never know when the stars will align. Do something to help yourself stand out, like sending a handwritten thank-you note or creating a fun logo to brand your samples and materials.
Good luck out there!
