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First impressions count
06th July 2010. Posted by Ruth Ward. Trackback
Budding PRs won't be cheered by today's news from the Association of Graduate Recruiters that the job market is tougher than ever, with nearly 70 young people applying for each vacancy. PR has always been a competitive sector, but for the class of 2010 it's about to get tougher than ever.
It’s that time of year when my inbox is filling up steadily with CVs and covering letters of varying quality, so I thought I’d chip by giving some advice. Much of this will (hopefully) seem blindingly obvious, but I'm still suprised by some of the simple mistakes that people make before they've even got to interview stage, and I really hope that by avoiding some common pitfalls those looking to get a foot on the ladder might start to get some more positive responses. Remember, first impressions really do count!
- Don’t send out blanket emails. Anything entitled ‘Dear Sir’ tends to go straight in the dustbin.
- Don’t get the name of the person you are emailing and/or their company wrong. Particularly if you then list ‘attention to detail’ as one of your key skills. All the information you need to get your covering letter perfectly tailored is available on company websites and Google.
- Don’t rely on email. Make yourself stand out from the crowd by sending a hard copy CV or a creative portfolio. Post is a rarity these days, so you’re more likely to make an impression.
- Don’t forget to tailor your approach to the company you want to work for. What do you like about their campaigns? Why would you want to work for them over any other company?
- Likewise, don’t forget to draw out your key skills and interests, make them relevant to the agency you are approaching.
- Don’t miss out on great opportunities. Schemes like B-Hive give you the chance to get paid work experience at some great consultancies, and meet plenty more in the process.
- Don’t hide away. PR is a people business, so if you get the chance to meet someone at an industry event or launch you’re far more likely to make an impression.
- Most important of all, don’t give up. Quite often it’s a question of timing, so don’t be afraid to follow up your initial approach and stay in touch.
And if you really want that dream job, take some inspiration from Alec Brownstein and do something different!