Preparing for PR

Some of you may be wondering, what is PR? A few years ago, I know I would be asking the same thing. Now that I am a Public Relations Major, I have much more knowledge and clarity that I'd love to share with you all. Professor Sinclair taught me that Public Relations (or PR) is “a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.” One of the most important lessons you learn from Public Relations is the importance of communication. To build relationships with companies you must build trust, and you must prioritize the people more than their company.

Next, I'm going to share a few tips that you can use in the future of Public Relations that I have learned. First off, I learned the importance of the details in a resume. A resume is a document created and used to show off your skills, background, and accomplishments to show your qualifications for employment. I was able to meet with an advisor to get feedback on a resume and her adjustments were extremely helpful. I was able to make it unique for the PR industry, by creating two separate resumes. One with my customer service experience, and another with my public relations experiences. This counts as classes, internships and certificaitons. It is important to add hard skills that you have learned in your classes, even more than soft skills such. For my concentration specifically, which is digital management and social media marketing, I have gotten experience helping with social media management in Biola Athletics Department. Any experience will help you stand out from other candidates.?

Another important document is a cover letter. It will accompany your resume and application, and it can serve as a quick reference for prospective employers. It explains your qualifications, skills and experience and gives the employers a better perception of who you are. It can help you get that perfect internship by giving you leverage above other candidates, and by laying out all the qualifications you have for this job.

Next, I’ll share some tips on how to build leaverage on a creative LinkedIn profile. One is to connect with alumni from your school with jobs that you are interested in. You can reach out to them and explain the internship you are aiming for, and if you keep in contact with these connections they will be able to help you down the road. People that went to the same school as you will be more likely to help you since there is a personal connection. Interacting with their posts will also help build that relationship. It would be good to see what your connection are up to, and show your support in this way. To stay creative on your account, making a personal background that represents yourself is a great start. I think it is also important to chose a professional profile picture that looks inviting. You should also keep your profile up to date with the latest jobs, qualifications and internships so you can share with others.

Some tops tips to keep in mind when interviewing are:

1. Research company you are interviewing for so you have a good idea of who they are, and also so you have context to the type of employee they are looking for.
2. Be confident in yourself, and make eye contact. Your body language and tone of voice will make a big difference in how the conversation plays out.?
3. Listen carefully to each question, and prepare some questions yourself to ask at the end to stand out more. This will prove show you were intently listening, and care about the job.?
4. Dress appropriately, and show up early - time management is very important.
5. Bring resume, and follow up with company to show your interest and dedication.

So why does this all matter? All of these tips prepare you for networking in the real world. The more you put yourself out there, and connect with other people, the more opportunities this will open up in the future. Public Relations revolves around networking and who you know. Therefore, it is important to network with others at events and make conversations with people you normally wouldn’t. People notice when you are being authentic, and it is important to stay confident in yourself. When you carry yourself well, and you look out for others, it wil eventually circle back where someone will have the opportunity to help you right back. Keeping in touch with people can make all the difference. And just remember you are bringing a lot to the table as well!