Top Tips for a PR Career after A Levels?
Are you wondering how you should proceed after your A levels, if your heart is set on a career in PR? Perhaps you had been thinking about heading to university to study a full-time degree in Public Relations or Communications, but now you’re having second thoughts.
Given issues related to the pandemic, we can fully understand why more young people might think twice about heading away from home to study.
Equally, the exam marking debacle may have meant that some aspiring students simply find themselves without the formal grades they had thought they would need in order to gain a formal qualification in the subject.
So what do we suggest? As a communications agency, take it from us when we say that a formal PR degree route isn’t the only way into our varied and exciting career.
Take a look at our top tips for exploring this fascinating professional field – and by all means reach out to us to find out about our intern opportunities.
HARD SELF-TALK
The first step of any career pursuit, is asking yourself why you want this professional path, and why you think it’s a good match with your desires and personality.
Start by giving yourself some uninterrupted time to really reflect on what it is you want from a career, what your skills are, what’s led you to thinking about PR, and what you feel you’d bring to the profession.
This process helps you really confirm for yourself that it is a career you’re keen to pursue with all your energy and enthusiasm.
Better to find out now if you’re just choosing this route because you’ve heard A) your brother’s wife loves the career; B) your English teacher once mentioned it in passing; C) you were told you get lots of freebies and a good salary.
PERFECT YOUR SALES PITCH
Given you’re thinking of going into PR, we probably don’t need to tell you how important it is to sell yourself.
The jobs market this year is even tougher, so you’re going to need to stand out head and shoulders above the rest (or at least be up there among the top tier).
Write a great CV and get some objective inputs from someone who knows you in an academic / volunteering or professional context.
Gather evidence of the practical ways in which you’ve been showing your own commitment to your career intention. Do you write for a school newspaper? Have you masterminded a fundraising event with your friends and got it mentioned in the media? Do you run the social media accounts for your gymnastics club?
Make sure you update your own social media channels and look at them through the eyes of someone keen to employ you.
IDENTIFY YOUR TARGETS – AND APPROACH
Who would you like to work for? Do you have a particular brand in mind, an agency, or a business? Think about which organisation you might have a good ‘fit’ with, and how you think your skills could be an asset to them in terms of PR and marketing output.
Research the business well. Know who is in charge of recruitment.
See if someone you know has a connection to that person, before you approach them cold.
Reach out with a very individual letter or email, perhaps prefaced by a phone call.
Use that first communication as a real opportunity to make an impression.
Check, check and check again your spelling and grammar. It’s the detail which counts.
MANAGE YOUR EXPECTATIONS
Know from the outset that you are entering a jobs arena at a time when an awful lot of people are looking for roles.
Don’t be hard on yourself if the first person you reach out to isn’t able to offer a post.
You can always ask for FREE work experience as a means of getting something on your CV. You never know…..the employer might fall in love with your personality and decide you’re a perfect fit.
PROVE YOUR PR PASSION AND STAY PERSISTENT
Remember that it may take you several tries to get the job of your dreams in PR, but use this period to gain new skills, keep learning, stay interested in the sector, explore what’s happening and what businesses are looking to hire.
Patience and persistence is absolutely worth it, in order to get the perfect role.