Six Tips for a New PR Major
As I wrap up my junior year, I have been applying for summer internships, which has caused me to reflect on my time spent as a public relations major. I feel prepared for the “real world” but I wish I had more advice early on. Reflecting on what I know now but did not know a few semesters ago, I thought of six tips that I would give to a freshman or sophomore public relations major:
Intern. Look everywhere for internships. If an internship does not exist in an organization, ask someone to create an internship for you. Intern as often as possible as many places as possible. Learn as much as you can from as many different people and departments as possible. Get involved in meetings and in brainstorming. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Internships lead to future jobs and connections. Get to know the people you work with. Remember, the experience is worth more than the money.
Get organized. Develop time management skills. Figure out if you prefer digital or pen and paper. Take as many notes as possible and create to-do lists. Create an online calendar or purchase a planner to keep track of events, meetings, and due dates. Organize your loose papers and computer documents into color-coded folders. Practice sticking to your schedule.
Read the news. Allow yourself time to read. Become familiar with public relations news as well as current events that could impact the PR industry. There are several PR, communications, advertising and marketing websites that provide valuable tips for current and upcoming professionals. Figure out which type of PR you are interested in and focus your reads toward that. For example, if you are interested in fashion PR, read blogs, magazines, and websites that pertain to fashion. Subscribe to RSS feeds.
Create a blog. To enhance your writing skills, create a blog. Familiarize yourself with blogging platforms and utilize different types of social media. Choose a topic for your blog and post consistently. Include your blog on job applications and mention it during interviews. Blogs are a great way for potential employers to discover your writing style and your interests. Keep your blog and social media profiles clean. Don’t post about or discuss alcohol or partying. Think of your blog and social media sites as a way to apply for a job. You would not want your employer seeing inappropriate photos or comments from last Friday night.
Network. Don’t be afraid to talk. Meet with your professors after class. Get to know them and let them get to know you. Participate in trending hashtags on twitter. Reply to relevant issues on all forms of social media. Comment on blogs and newspaper articles. You may strike up a conversation with a future employer or colleague.
Join professional organizations. Get to know your colleagues by joining PR organizations such as PRSSA. Professional organizations will become important tools for networking and creating connections. You will be granted opportunities to travel to different agencies and meet with industry leaders. Familiarizing yourself with the industry helps you to narrow down your internship and job search. Knowing or recognizing the name of PR professionals is impressive during an interview.
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