But a PR course will help, too, as the jobs market is competitive and you will need to develop certain skills to help you stand out from the crowd.
Public relations is an exciting and diverse career path, that will reward you for being interesting and forward thinking. Therefore, a college course in public relations, is undoubtedly important, and will impress employers. Below you will find some of the key ways you can develop yourself to improve your chances of landing a job in your dream career path.
College is a way to gather knowledge, but when you are designing and writing a CV, practical wisdom stands out. Look around for marketing work placements or internships and don’t worry about payment.
High pay will come a few years down the line, but first you must really understand the ever changing industry. With technology changing so rapidly, the digital marketing sector is having to update all the time, meaning college course material gets old quickly.
Shadow experts and learn how publishing works in practice. Recent research revealed that 58% of employers valued work experience the most, while only 15% were interested in whether someone had gone to a top university.
When applying to jobs, you probably already know the importance of swatting up on the employer, but public relations requires extra research.
You will need to wrap your head around the kind of campaigns the marketing company works on and explain why you want to work in this section of the industry, as opposed to another segment of PR.
You will also need to show that you are up to date on marketing trends and SEO algorithms. This will highlight your natural inquisitiveness and enthusiasm for marketing, which are soft skills that media companies value.
Advertising and public relations require a creative mind, so don’t be afraid to show this side of yourself. Employers will respect you for having an opinion, especially if it is outside the box and can be fully justified. This will reveal you to be someone who won’t just do the bare minimum, but will help drive the company ahead of the competition.
If you can develop the skills above, you will increase your chances of landing a job you love. Maintain the marketing knowledge you acquired at college, but go beyond this as well. Finding work experience, keeping your research up to date and finding that creative spark within you will help you to develop into the kind of candidate that public relations companies are seeking.
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