So, you want to be a PR flack?

Posted: June 29th, 2006 | By: Steve Mullen | Filed under: PR Tactics | No Comments

Even though EndGame PR has only been around as a company for less than six months as of this writing, I do semi-frequently get requests from new college graduates for jobs, internships, or tips on how to find a job. Public relations, I think, is a facinating career for anyone who likes writing, strategery, working to inform via the media, or other communications techniques.

Now, I didn’t actually start out in public relations. I spent the first seven years of my post college life in radio and television news. That work gave me the experience I needed to jump into a media relations job at a non-entry level. That said, here are the tips I usually give folks when they contact me:

*Do an internship: Unfortunately I don’t have the time capacity to be much help to an intern right now, although I hope to be able to be in the future. However, an internship with a corporate, government, or agency PR department is invaluable. Volunteer work for an organization that needs help with writing (any kind of writing) is also a great idea. Not only do you learn your trade, you make contacts. Unfortunately in public relations, as in many careers, it’s as much “who you know” as “what you know.”

*Put together a portfolio: In radio and TV, we asked for an air-check tape to show you weren’t just a pretty face. In PR, the equivalent is a portfolio. If you don’t have a resume full of PR experience, it’s good to have a stack of articles, releases, and other documents that show you can do the work.

*Buy a nice suit: This should be obvious, but to some folks it isn’t. A lot of college students don’t buy that “interview suit” for some reason, and either don’t dress appropriately for interviews or try to scrape something together on the evening before the interview. A lot of agencies these days allow their employees to walk around in shorts and flip-flops, but they still aren’t comfortable with their interviewees showing up that way.

*Know where to search for a job: There are entire books written on this subject. But, if you’re looking for a PR job there are a few key places to search. First, call all of the big and medium-sized agencies. I won’t mention the names of our local Richmond ones here because, well, they’re competitors, but do some research and learn who they are, then call them. You never know what a cold call will get you. Also, subscribe to Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com and set them up to send you all local PR jobs via the email. It’s easier than searching every day for the corporate jobs. Finally, if you’re in the Richmond, Virginia area (like I am) there are a LOT of entry level government PR jobs to be had. The best place to search for them is the state RECRUIT site, set up by the Virginia Employment Commission. All state jobs that are open to the public MUST be posted there. It’s easier than looking in the newspaper. A tip for state jobs that it took me a while to learn: When you see a salary range listed for a state job, the actual top end that’s available is likely somewhere in the middle of that range.

*If you’re still in school, join PRSSA: The PRSSA, or Public Relations Student Society of America is a great resource for learning your craft and making contacts.

*Visit your local PRSA meeting: Joining the Public Relations Society of America can be a bit expensive for your average recent college graduate. However, at least with our local chapter, you can visit their monthly meetings for only $30. That gets you lunch, a mess of networking opportunities, and usually some sort of lecture on a PR topic. It’s invaluable for a PR “newbie”.

*A little luck helps: As with anything, a bit of luck always helps. Being in the right place at the right time is key to any career. However, if you do all of your research and put yourself into the right place, good things are bound to happen.

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