Step 8 - Tips for Finding a PR Internship

The Hunt for the Unpaid Job

This is it! One of the most exciting posts to date; because Step 8 is all about getting the elusive internship. That’s right I will share some of my experience in finding an internship. And this is so exciting that it had to be written in 2 parts. The first part will outline where I looked and how I contacted people. The second part will cover the responses I received throughout, the decision process and provide some details on the internship I landed.

First, I will explain that this internship is not the “first job internship” that I dream of having when I graduate. It’s the unpaid, credit earning internship that you do while simultaneously taking 8 classes. Sound a little crazy? From what I hear it is quite hectic; with classes 3 days a week and an internship 2 days a week, which only leaves the weekend to take on another full-time job… Job searching. How many copies of a resume to personalize, how many applications to fill out, how many emails to write, calls to make, follow-ups, dead ends, interviews… And moments of frustration will I be able to cram in alongside the busy overloaded semester? Luckily, I have dealt with work overload before, I have mastered my “dealing with stress techniques” and I am ready to take this on. But let us back it up to September and the internship search process.

So months ago when I started searching for an internship I used the trusty Google to search for PR agencies. I used search terms like “communications agency”, “PR agency” and “marketing agency” and got quite a lot of hits. I made a list of PR agencies and marketing firms ranging from Toronto, Oakville, and Burlington to Hamilton. This was time consuming and in retrospect, probably not the best approach for finding an internship where I could only go in on Mondays and Fridays for 105 hours. That being said it was not a waste of time because I still have this magical list and plan on using it for my job search for after I graduate.

What I have to say about this approach is that some firms are difficult to search for and aren’t as visible online. This eliminates some great opportunities. The solution: build connections. I never thought I would have connections that led to a position and my network did not actually get me my internship. I just spoke to people in PR and learned about places I didn’t know about and added them to the contact list, this is one of the advantages of joining a professional association liked the CPRS or IABC as a student.

I also used Twitter to look of PR agencies. I followed them and checked out their websites. The key is to always look where they are located. The firm may sound great, but that’s pointless if they don’t have an office near you.

So I made a list. My tip is to use Google Bookmarks to keep tabs on this list. This way you can catalogue information about each firm and organize the list how you like. You will also have quick access to all the places at once to look up each firm’s website. You will also have the date you added the link and you can label things by categories including where they are located, what type of agency they are etc. This also means you won’t lose the information should anything happen to your computer because you can access the bookmark list from any computer. It’s a great tool.

Then came the part where I researched the firms. This was intensive as I dug deep in each places corporate website to learn more about their body of work, their niche, their team atmosphere, their culture and their history. Then I wrote cover letters for each place that suited me. To make things easier I used a base cover letter that I made changes to when I needed. Then I took my resume and transformed it for every firm as well. I will not lie this took entire days to do and I strongly recommend setting aside designated time to do this.

Also time consuming, keeping track of the emails I sent out and the responses I received. I will go more in detail about this in the next post, but I will tell you I quickly learned that when you check your email multiple times an hour you are being obsessive. Be patient and don’t panic if you don’t hear anything the same day or even the same week. Sometimes they just take a while to get back to you. But to keep you interested I will save the rest for the next part.
Continued in Part 2

P.S. The effort is worth it if you love PR.

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Step 5: Gaining PR Skills

Become Skillful, Become Successful

Wow I can’t believe that I have already reached step 5 in this blog and I have to say that I am really enjoying it. Maybe now is a good time to note that these steps are part of my experience and are not part of a one size fits all for building a career in PR. Maybe some of these steps resonate with you, maybe they don’t help at all or maybe it’s opened your eyes to something new. Either way, with each step I find myself progressing and it would be great if you could follow along and provide some feedback. So don’t be shy, feel free to comment below.

I have decided to make step 5 all about building up PR skills. Ever since I entered my program in PR, I realized this was game-time; it’s the last leg before I enter into the job hunt world alongside my fellow PR grads and PR professionals out there. That is why for months now I have been reflecting on required skills for PR and this blog will somewhat scratch the surface of what I have uncovered.

First, I wanted to know what skills I had that worked well in PR. Well, I knew that the reason I went into PR was because I love to write and would consider it a strength. I also love communicating and being creative (check out this link for an interesting study done on creativity in PR). These skills are more natural abilities or talents; not that they can’t be worked on and improved. Yet, there is something to be said for being adept or intrinsically moved when applying a certain skill. And it is my belief that this natural inclination toward these skills is something a PR pro can bring to the table that no one else can. (It is essentially why the PR profession exists, in my mind.)

Second, I enjoy researching, working on projects, multitasking, doing computer design, giving presentations and running events. These are typical PR activities and require a certain skill level which can range from beginner to expert. These are the skills that you can grow and perfect as a PR student, something I have been trying to do.

Third, there are the hidden skills or the skills developed on the job. It’s the "je ne sais quoi" that those PR veterans have; skills that are so honed they are second nature. Sometimes they are among the skills needed for PR that are simply unknown to PR students. That being said, today very little is truly hidden with Google at our finger tips, and so I did some research to uncover the skills needed to have to start a career in PR.

I found some interesting articles, like this one from the IABC discussing social media skills. Are they truly necessary for a career in PR? I think that the answer is yes and this article really covers this topic well. Another article I found discussed more of the future skills needed in PR, like video editing and programming skills. This just goes to show that there will always be room for more and more skills in the PR profession and that you may need to expand beyond what you already know. Lastly, I found an article that discusses skills needed to respond to PR needs. For instance, advanced spreadsheet skills are needed to respond to the need to quantify communication outcomes. This link was really great and I definitely recommend it.

Respond to PR Needs

So you have to reap from the skills you have and you have to sow the skills that you will need by seeking, learning and doing. This step may be crucial, because without the ever-important work experience, you will need an awesome skill-set to get the dream PR job. Here’s hoping.

The second part of this step is practicing your skills – which I will do my best to cover in Step 6.

P.S. I love learning and PR is learning for life.

Step 3: Build Research Skills for PR

Become a Part-time Researcher

Now that Halloween has passed, I can get back to blogging about PR and of course Step 3 in the ongoing story of my venture into PR.

Enrolling in a PR course or program is a good step forward because it gives you a formal education of the different aspects of PR. I can safely say that after 2 months in my program at Mohawk I have already learned so much. I feel legitimately prepared to start a career in PR and I still have 6 more months to go! So I can only imagine how much more prepared I will be by the time April comes.

But one thing that I have discovered is that you have to self-educate in an informal way to learn about the PR industry. Naturally, such a dynamic career will have a dynamic industry and you cannot learn it all in a classroom. An excellent addition to formal learning is utilizing the ever reliable Internet. Did you say Google? That is exactly what I mean. I have spent countless hours with Google researching the PR industry. It’s a task without an end, because you have to keep up with the ever-evolving nature of PR. I feel like most researchers, I have an insatiable thirst for discovering everything that is the latest and greatest in my field.

The first reason why I feel this is a necessary step in my career building is because it reflects the PR profession. This past Wednesday, my PR class visited some agencies in Toronto where we learned that even as PR students we need to stay informed about current news and events, best PR practices, the uses of social media and the list goes on. So it seems fitting that my endless research is important and helpful to beginning my career in PR. 

Fiddling about with Photoshop...big distraction.

Another reason why I think research is essential is because it clears up any misconceptions about the profession and creates realistic expectations. I feel like I am finally able to explain to people why PR is not advertising or marketing.

Finally, the best reason for continuing my research is that it is rewarding. Awareness and knowledge are assets that have value (can you tell I am a business grad?) and they are useful. The research process has in itself improved my research skills, organizational skills and my own motivation to continue learning; some unexpected outcomes in a quest for knowledge. So don’t forget that it is a learning process which helps you grow.

It has been a little overwhelming deciding what to research first or even where, but I guess I started with Twitter. It wasn’t until I started following more and more PR related handles that I discovered how important Twitter is as a source of information. Also, it will naturally lead you to other sources.

The next place I looked was at professional associations like the CPRS (which I am a member of) and the IABC (which I will join in second semester). The best part is that students get a discount on the membership, a real incentive! I am excited to network and have access to job postings, mentorship and volunteer opportunities. So far, I have become active in the CPRS on their Board of Directors and in the Mentorship program; both of which have given me access to resources about the PR industry. 

The hardest part has been researching and evaluating an uncountable number of PR agencies (my ideal work environment), in addition to looking at industries that require PR like entertainment, fashion, lifestyle, food, government and so on. This has really helped prepare me for my future (daunting) job hunt.

Phew. That is a lot to cram into one post. But that is because this is an important step and one that is ongoing. The best way to keep up with it is to make it a part of your daily routine. I would suggest using your free time to research instead of playing pointless online games. You will be rewarded.

P.S. No one said getting your dream job was easy, but I still love PR!