Welcome, graduating class of 2019. With your diploma in hand or on its way, you’re likely thinking about two things; taking the longest nap ever in your very own bed, and getting your dream job. Once you’ve woken from your slumber, called all your high school friends and enjoyed dad’s waffles for a few Sundays in a row, dive into this checklist of some of our best material to help you navigate the road ahead.
“Our agency receives nearly 30+ resumes a day, if yours looks the same as the rest… it’s difficult to stand out and easy to get passed by. If you don’t incorporate the same words in your resume that are stated in the company’s applicant profile, your resume will not be put into the hands of a recruiter.”
When deciding on whether to accept a job offer, consider more than just money and benefits. Could you see yourself working alongside the other employees? Does their work inspire you? Will you thrive in this position?
Doing contract work for smaller businesses who typically don’t have the budget for independent PR, marketing, and social agencies allows you to dip your toes in a little bit of everything to see what really interests you and what you’re best at.
Look into emerging brands or boutiques that may not have PR representation and offer your services pro-bono. Explain that you are just breaking into the field but want to develop your skill set while simultaneously helping to promote them to the greater community. Then get to work developing a PR plan, a client reporting template and basic media list to get things going.
We’re not asking you to be the sole representative of the generation, but being younger means there are some stereotypes you may need to overcome with your coworkers.
Tessa shares the life-changing lessons learned her first year in PR
Don’t worry if you don’t see eye-to-eye on every strategy; having differing opinions is how cohesive, well-thought-out ideas are realized. Trust your gut and believe your ideas are worthy.
While many PR professionals are natural connectors, it’s not an easy thing to simply walk up to someone at an event and strike up a conversation. But, practice makes perfect.
Instead of explaining what a great opportunity this job would create for you, focus on explaining how your experience directly applies to the roles and responsibilities listed in the job description. If you are looking for an internships or entry-level position and have little to no experience, focus on the character traits (with evidence/examples) that you possess that would benefit the office.
