Want your first job in PR? Here’s how to impress the panel

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As the academic year end approaches, thousands of undergraduates will set their sights on a career in PR. Each year we receive many applications for our trainee account executive roles. We take great pride in the fact that many of them stay with us for several years – making a huge contribution while also learning PR skills from some of the best practitioners in the business.

So how do the few stand out from the many and survive the first pass of CV sifting? And after that, what makes them shine in the group interview stage?

There are some common errors to avoid in the application process, notably:

  • Getting our company name wrong in your covering letter
  • Addressing your application to ‘To Whom It May Concern’ rather than a real person
  • Dressing bar or shop work up as anything other than bar or shop work
  • Writing a ‘cookie cutter’ personal statement that says the same about you as every other candidate

The CVs that impress show an applicant’s clear determination to gain experience of working in PR: agencies prefer trainees who can hit the ground running. The ‘other’ box counts too: showing you have a love for art or music, have the appetite to compete in sport or the compassion to volunteer can all help to build a strong picture.

Those who make it through this stage to group interviews should also be prepared to demonstrate:

  • A passion for news and current affairs – be prepared to talk about the big stories of the day
  • An ability to collaborate with others in team exercises rather than showboat and dominate proceedings
  • A friendly, engaging and sociable nature – and a propensity to ask intelligent and pertinent questions
  • A strong knowledge of the digital tools and techniques now integral to any PR campaign
  • The ability to write clearly and concisely
  • An understanding of how to create a news story from research data

 

It’s the amalgamation of all these skills and attributes that take a potential new recruit from ‘good on paper’ to ‘he/she is perfect for our team’.

 

 

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