| Public relations is a top career choice and the demand | | | | Real work will count for a lot. Remember to make the |
| for talent is so huge that you may think you will have | | | | interview interesting and lively for the interviewer. He or |
| your choice of dream jobs with a fast track to the top. | | | | she may be exhausted by the job or irritated by |
| So you think public relations will be easy? | | | | previous applicantsfrazzled. Some may resent you if |
| It can be glamorous, exciting, challenging, some of the | | | | they have no degree and has less experience of |
| time. But be prepared also for intense frustration, | | | | human relations at 40 than you had at 14. |
| massive and nonstop hard work, limited support and | | | | The time to start planning for your job search is the |
| resources. And, above all, brace yourself for constant | | | | day you start your degree course - or even earlier. |
| criticism from those who understand nothing but who | | | | Network and add to your contacts database |
| believe they know better than you about everything. | | | | constantly. Email these folk, send them ideas, ask them |
| Also prepare yourself for hostility from many of those | | | | questions, quote them in your student work and send |
| you are trying to help - from the media, from your | | | | them copies. Networking works; I have introduced |
| customers, employees, politicians and even your own | | | | young would-be public relations professionals to top |
| boss, sometimes! | | | | practitioners in some of the largest companies in the |
| Yet, getting into the business may be the toughest | | | | world. |
| challenge you will face. | | | | If you are still at university, consider looking for a |
| To get anywhere near success, you will need to be: | | | | holiday job with a public relations firm. The work helps |
| articulate, committed, creative, energetic, good-natured, | | | | you demonstrate your skills and personality far more |
| imaginative, industrious, loyal, sensitive, talented, tolerant | | | | than a job interview can. Be willing to muck in, but don't |
| and wise beyond your years. | | | | let yourself be exploited. Making the coffee is fine, but |
| Do not ever say in your applications or at interview | | | | only if you're given opportunities to use your skills as |
| that you want to be in public relations because you | | | | well. |
| can communicate and you like people. Those are | | | | You may have to approach public relations companies |
| shallow, jokey qualities that might win the response | | | | many times before you get anywhere. Regularly log |
| that you should consider being an undertaker. | | | | on to public relations websites to get a sense of the |
| And never admit to being shy. No one buys that. I told | | | | issues. Set up a Google alert for public relations. Join |
| all my graduate trainees and applicants (100 and over | | | | your appropriate trade and professional bodies, even |
| 2000 respectively at the last count) that they could be | | | | at student level. Go to the meetings. Offer to help, |
| shy only if they practised that at home on a Sunday. I | | | | particularly as a press officer or similar. Keep |
| never wanted to see timidity at work. | | | | examples of everything for your job folio. |
| If you do manage to get onto the shortlist for an | | | | Note that the best jobs, almost all those worth getting, |
| unadvertised job or apply for one that is advertised, | | | | may never be advertised and those that are may |
| then you will need killer instincts, but combined with | | | | already have their short list prepared before the ad |
| Oscar-standard personal skills to beat the massive | | | | appears and, even if they haven't, you will face |
| and impressive competition. | | | | hundreds of other candidates likely to be better |
| Winners will not be the best candidates but those least | | | | qualified, better prepared, better equipped and better |
| likely to fail | | | | than you. So if you are not sure you can make it, do |
| So minimise the risk. Go to the interview with a | | | | yourself a great favour and save the heartache and |
| stunning work folio. Show the interviewer that you | | | | give up now. |
| understand the demands, know the organisation, its | | | | But if you are truly determined, you will get in, you will |
| environment, ambitions, strengths and weaknesses and | | | | rise and enjoy a rewarding and fascinating career. I |
| you have exactly the right experience to prove you | | | | have... and I am a long way from finished yet! |
| can handle this impossible position. | | | | |