I have a lot of people ask for advice about how to get a job in the Public Relations industry. The first thing that comes to mind is when I asked my aunt the same question abut the legal profession over fifteen years ago. Her answer was ‘Don’t.’
I think there’s a romantic vision of the PR industry in terms of high profile launches, bending the ears of editors and offering strategic counsel late into the night. It happens, but like with any job it has its ups and downs.
Given the current climate it is an exceptionally cruel business to break into and in my view boils down simply to being in the right place at the right time. PR agencies in Ireland aren’t really hiring, so when a job does crop up you are competing against graduates, people who have been laid off and others who would like to try PR out.
There’s a couple of problems at the moment. The biggest is the oversupply of graduates. In my opinion the PRII should put a cap on the amount of people coming through the different courses on offer. I don’t think it’s particularly fair that people pay for an education and don’t get the chance to benefit from it. That said, this seems to have always been the case. Out of a class of thirty five, a year later there was only about five of us still working in PR and off the top of my head there are only about two of us now.
So what is my advice to aspiring PR consultants:
- Be different: Personally I think most people can learn the basics of public relations by picking up Ellen Gunning’s book – Public Relations – a practical approach. So study something that will make you stand out from other candidates. I will show preference for anyone with multimedia skills. It’s where I think the industry is headed.
- Roll up your sleeves: Any job opening these days will result in about fifty applications, more at entry level. Most people won’t have experience, so show that you are interested by having something o your CV, whether it’s an internship or helping out a charity.
- Read the papers: I’m still amazed at the amount of people that want to get a job in PR, but when you talk to them they clearly don’t know their media. Have a grasp of what’s going on in the world, be able to name the presenters of the shows you claim to listen to and whatever you do, don’t BS a BSer!
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Hey Piaras,
It’s interesting to hear your take on the Irish PR industry and the problem with the oversupply of graduates, which is also widely reflected in the UK.
You offer some very solid and valuable advice, which I’m sure could be applied to the UK, however many senior UK PR guys advise students to start writing a blog; I’d be interested to hear if you think this is a good idea?
Thanks,
Ben
Yep blogging, twittering, etc are all good – anything to demonstrate an active interest in social media and how it can be applied to the world of marketing/communications. It would be better if they had multimedia experience in my opinion as anyone can set up a blog or Twitter account, whereas creating rich content is another level beyond that.
Hi Piaras,
What multimedia courses in Dublin would you recommend? Or would you recommend any particular books instead?
Thanks,
Lisa
Course in DCU that is meant to be very good. Think it’s a four year BA, but there’s the option of a postgrad course there also I believe. Their BA in Communications is also meant to be worth looking at.
Hi Piaras
I totally agree there should be a cap on the amount of PR graduates coming into the market. I studied Communication Advertising and Marketing in the University of Ulster and out of a class of 70 a handful of us managed to secure jobs in PR. The big piece of advice I would give is if your university offers a year out work placement program – get involved.
But do not just sign up and work in any industry – there is no point spending a year getting coffee for someone, when you sign up for a work placement make sure it will be worth your while. Let your employer know you are keen to get some hands on experience.
My year long placement with Intel Ireland really set me on the right path. I worked hard for a year while others in the company were lax but it paid off in the end.
In future interviews I was able to give project examples, samples of tasks I was given, the objectives set and how I achieved them. I also took on board every possible training course in media and CSR I could during the time I was there. It is key to make the most of your placement.
Hi Piaras,
When you say multimedia skills are important for people entering the PR industry do you mainly mean photoshop?
If not which others are important?
Thanks,
Video editing skills (Final Cut); ability to podcast; photoshop as a minimum; ability to put up a basic WordPress site, etc. People make a big deal about social media – whether you have a Facebook or Twitter account – when they should really be focused on whether they can create content for those channels.