I recently offered to write up a piece for Behind the Spin magazine on the struggles a final year PR student faces, including what I hope will be some useful tips and advice from PR practitioners.
I’ve shared this below for those of you who haven’t seen it on the site. Please note that since the article went live Ben Cotton has updated his graduate scheme list and Sarah Stimson has also created her own list here. Both are incredibly useful tools when searching for grad schemes!
I’d love to hear any more helpful tips from practitioners that I could add so please feel free to comment with any thoughts!
Final year: a time to fear or a time to shine?
Year after year it’s easy to spot those students who are on the final stretch of their degree, working hard to make t
heir time at university worthwhile. It’s those who spend more time in the library than they do at home, those who have substituted all night partying for early bedtimes, and those who constantly seem to have the word dissertation playing on their mind.
So why is it that so many students shudder to think of the final year of their undergraduate degree, and just what advice can be lent to perhaps change this dread into optimism?
Lauren Sedgley, a final year PR student at Leeds Metropolitan explains:
“Having just completed a placement year I’ve found it quite difficult to adjust to university life again. I think we’ve all had a bit of a shock with the amount of work we’ve got on. I’m just focusing on my dissertation at the moment but I know I need to be applying to graduate schemes as soon as possible!”
The pressure’s on
Now it does seem like there’s often too much to think about, and of course you have more work on your plate than ever before, but remember too that this is your final year at university – make the most of it! These final two semesters will allow you to reach your academic potential, with your dissertation giving you an ideal opportunity to show what you’ve learnt, and how you’ve developed as a PR professional.
Lauren’s right, as crucial as it is to get going with the final year dissertation, graduate opportunities are already open for 2011 and it’s time to get involved. Although applying for graduate roles seems to be bottom of the agenda, it’s important to start considering agencies and organisations and where you might want to apply.
But how do you know where to apply, and which companies even offer graduate places? Research is key, and utilising Google search (as simple as it may sound) is a great way to get going. Set some time aside each week to research possible graduate schemes or entry level roles and note down any that catch your eye.
Ben Cotton compiled a great list of some of those companies that do offer graduate roles. Although it’s for the 2010 schemes, this is still useful to show what time of year opportunities come up, as well as linking you directly to the agencies’ sites. It’s worth starting a document with key deadlines to work towards, so you don’t find yourself throwing together an application at the last minute!
So what if you find the perfect agency but there’s no sign of a graduate scheme? Don’t simply accept this and move on, get in contact with their HR team and see if they have any opportunities available. This shows real drive and a key interest in the company – impressing potential employers with such initiative can make them take notice, encouraging them to keep you in mind for future roles even if they aren’t currently hiring.
Update your CV
On top of the usual routes in, why not be creative and really catch the eye of employers? Take Jed Hallam’s Facebook crusade or the much talked about video CV of Graeme Anthony as examples. Jed’s unique idea gained him a great job at social media specialist agency Wolfstar and Graeme has since been offered opportunities across the globe.
Now more than ever it’s vital that PR students do all they can to improve their offering to graduate employers. With each PR agency receiving up to 300 graduate applications a year, what exactly can students do to give them that competitive advantage?
Firstly it’s important to remember who your competition is – yes that’s right, the ‘red brick’ university graduates. That being said, the second thing is to remember NOT to be intimidated by this.
So what if someone has a politics degree from Oxbridge? There’s nothing to say that makes them a better candidate than you for the job. Believe in your academic ability and remember that your degree has taught you specific skills and knowledge about the PR industry – use this to your advantage.
Advice from practitioners
When looking for useful hints and tips about having a successful final year and graduate career, who better to ask than industry professionals? Here’s some great advice from influential PR practitioners and graduates:
“Showcase your writing. Writing is an extremely important skill in PR and you need to demonstrate you’re good at it. Try setting up a blog and writing on it regularly.” Sarah Stimson, Editor of esPResso
“Volunteer at a big charity, they tend to have loads of graduate volunteers doing very similar work to an agency Junior Account Executive.” Paul Crouch, PR Consultant, Chameleon PR
“I would recommend learning at least three case studies of successful PR campaigns. The main reason for this is that it seems to be a reoccurring question at interviews. Not only will it give you something to talk about the interview stage, but it demonstrates a wider appreciation of the industry and what the components of a successful campaign are.” Ben Cotton, Digital Brand Consultant, Edelman
“Research is absolutely key, and unfortunately seems to be the most commonly overlooked aspect. This research should include three different areas: the industry, the agency and the people. It’s important to read as much as you can, and know exactly why you want to work for that agency. Know the clients, the work, the products, the office and the people. Know it all.” Jed Hallam, Head of Innovation, Wolfstar
Above all else, keep in mind that although it may be tough at times, it will be worth it. Think of the sense of achievement you’ll feel when you hand in your dissertation, when you get that call from your ideal agency and when you put on your cap and gown for graduation day.
So keep going with the work, start researching potential employers and make sure you’re ready to really show what you can do!
