PULSE PR owner Grainne McGarvey shares her hints and tips for getting ahead in PR.
The PR industry has changed a lot since I started almost 15 years ago. Back then print media was key, advertising budgets were huge and Facebook was simply a thought in Mark Zuckerberg’s brain. However, this has now flipped on its head with everything moving online, fake news being on everyone’s lips and influencer engagement becoming what brands crave. Despite this, I’m still a stickler for education and welcome CVs from History or English gradates. Being able to write a good story is essential for crafting a strong feature.
Showing how you can be of benefit to a company is a great way of standing out when applying for a job or placement. I easily get ten CVs a month so you really need to think creatively. The best CV I received was from a candidate who made a video of all the things she was good at in an office environment – from making tea, to photocopying to answering the phone. Her unique style made a change from the generic and, let’s face it boring emails about being hardworking or enjoying going to the cinema.
A few words of warning – if you are applying to a company, make sure to send the email yourself. It’s hard to believe it, but I have seen parents email me on their child’s behalf – a total no-no in my book. Also find out the name of the person you are emailing – when I receive a ‘Dear Sir’ email I instantly send it to the trash, no matter how good the candidate is.
Having a passion for the industry is a must, as is being able to show you have gained experience in events, blogging or photography. I know this can be tricky, as businesses don’t offer as many work experience places as they used to. That’s not to say you give up; setting up your own blog, volunteering as a comms person for a charity or attending free events with a camera and a notebook shows enthusiasm and determination-which are great PR traits.
Having good social media awareness is advantageous, but so is all of the above. Being an all rounder will inspire an employer, as PR is not just about sending out a few tweets or Instagram posts. If this is all you’re good at you might still have a PR career, just not a very long one!