A letter to young job seekers

Dear eager college student,

Right about now, the more enterprising among you are blasting your resumes and cover letters to PR agencies, in the hopes of landing a summer internship or the coveted entry level position. Good job! You’re well on your way to a career in PR.

When I think back to my own internship-seeking efforts as a college student, I cringe at the missteps I made (though thankfully, none as bad as these). And I sympathize when I see candidates making the same mistakes. Job hunting is stressful and painful, but here are some tips that will hopefully make it less so:

#1 Make sure your resumes and cover letters are 100% error-proof. We get it, you’re sending your resume to hundreds of agencies and it’s difficult to customize for each and every one. But getting the agency name wrong or overlooking typos guarantees a negative first impression. And when agencies have hundreds of people applying for just one or two positions, you probably won’t get a chance for a second impression. Typos send the message that if you’re careless with work for your own benefit, you’ll be careless with agency work.

#2 Be prepared with an elevator pitch. Most interviews will start with “Tell me about yourself.” Prepare a one-minute spiel that highlights your strengths and personality, then practice it before your interview. You don’t want to recite mechanically, but you also want to sound ready and polished.

#3 Use “the Google.” Research the agency before your interview. Another question you’ll be asked is “Why are you interested in our agency?” Don’t try to bluff with a generic answer—you’re meeting with professionals who can spot spin in an instant. Demonstrate that you’ve done your homework.

#4 Bring a portfolio that showcases your work. It will set you apart from the other candidates and gives you an opportunity to brag about your accomplishments.

#5 Prepare questions. Go beyond “What is an average day like for someone at your agency?” That’s not a bad question, but a better question would be, “I saw on your website that you work with Client X. What are some of the projects and campaigns you put together for Client x?” This lets the interviewer know that you researched the agency and demonstrates that you’re interested in the agency’s work. Asking questions also extends the interview, meaning you have more time to convince the interviewer that you’re the right candidate for the job. Ask questions about the interviewer’s perspective on industry issues. Engage in conversation. Even if you don’t get the job, at least you will have learned something new that will help in your next interview.

#6 Clean up your online mess! It’s all fun and games until a potential employer finds your embarrassing pictures from spring break. Set privacy filters on your Facebook, blog, Flickr, YouTube channel, etc. Better yet, as Peter Shankman once said, “Grandma, Priest, Boss - If either of the three would be offended, DON'T POST IT.” In the same vein, if your cell phone has a voicemail greeting that presents you in an unprofessional way, consider changing it. Your friends might love the rap music that plays before they leave you a message, but your potential employer probably won’t.

#7 Parlay all those hours spent on YouTube and Facebook into new media savvy. Agencies are working with social media more and more. Demonstrate that you can be creative and insightful about how new tools can be applied to PR. Comment (positively!) on past agency work in this area and be familiar with some of the well-known case studies in the PR industry. Make sure you are in the know about the latest social media tools.

Good luck and stay tuned for more tips from the Fineman PR team!