Be PRepared for PR

There must be something in the water because everywhere I go and everyone I talk to lately seems to be talking about one thing and one thing only- finding that perfect internship or job for the summer.

Reality Check

With only a few months left in my junior year of college I have started to face the harsh reality that my time to step out into the real world is just around the corner whether I’m ready or not- and to be quite honest I am terrified. I feel that unlike many of my friends and classmates who always seem to know the right people, I don’t have those connections where a simple phone call can be made to a family friend or grandparent and all of a sudden the perfect internship just happens to open up. I have heard time and time again that in the business world “it’s all about who you know” and seeing how I feel like I don’t really know anyone in PR it is up to me to put myself on the map and land those fabulous internships and job opportunities.

How to: Get a Job in PR

According to Morgan McLintic, vice president of LEWIS global public relations agency, there are several key elements that every entry level PR person must know. In his blog, McLintic discusses trends in PR, marketing and technology. The following are some key elements and guidelines from his blog post, “How to: Get a Job in PR” that I found to be relevant to me and my dilemma:

Definition: know what PR is and isn’t. If a future employer were to ask you to define PR would you be able to?

Sectors: choose which vertical industry sector you want to focus on. Make sure its something that interests you. You will be talking about that topic everyday in quite grandeur detail. If you don’t feel engaged with your sector, you will most do 24 months and then move on, so save yourself the disruption.

Agency or in-house? Most entry level jobs will be in an agency. Agency life will give you a broad experience of a number of campaigns, but not allow you to go as deep.

Internships: Regardless of the length, get at least two different internships before applying for your final role. This will help you decide is PR is really for you. It’ll also give you a feel for the tasks you’ll be charged with, whether you like agency or in-house, and which industry you like.


Working in PR: the first few years in PR are some of the hardest, but also the most exhilarating. You’ll learn a lot about the media, about the sector, about the art and science of PR, about teamwork and management, and about yourself. Be prepared to work long hours and to do some fairly basic tasks. There is a lot of administration work in PR- mounting coverage, drafting reports, refining press lists, researching shows, etc. Those above you in the company will have done their fair share no doubt, and technologies like extranets and RSS are removing some of the “busy work”. It’s important to get this grounding and the skills to attention to detail, hitting deadlines, and organization that they give you. Most of all though, you’ll have started on a road which will take a lifetime to master.

To learn more about these and other insightful tips about beginning a career in PR visit:

(http://www.morganmclintic.com/pr/2006/03/how_to_get_a_a_.html )

These tips and others like them are somewhat comforting and at the same time very exciting. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love college but to be honest I can’t wait to get out there in the PR field and actually work with real people in established firms and organizations!