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Spring 2015 | Vol. 47, Issue 3 | www.prssa.org/FORUM
Advice for Entering the “Real World”
For some of you, it is that time
of year where you start counting the days. Graduating seniors
know what I am talking about.
The desire to do your homework
and study for your remaining
tests is practically non-existent.
In your spare time, you often
find yourself filling out countless
applications, crafting the perfect
cover letter and fine tuning your
portfolio. Below is some advice
for those who find themselves
about to enter the “real world.”
Never Underestimate the Power
of Informational Interviews:
In my opinion, informational
interviews are one of the best
kept secrets among professionals.
For those who may not know, an
informational interview is another
form of networking. Informational interviews involve you talking
with a person who is currently
in the field to get a better understanding of the profession and
their employer.
I think too many individuals
choose not to do informational
interviews because there is no
guarantee that the interviewer
will offer you a job. I know
several of my colleagues and
friends who were ultimately offered a job because of the initial
contacts they made during an
informational interview.
BY ETHAN PARRY Vice President of Public Relations
Ethan Parry, shown with a cutout of Richard Edelman, president and
CEO of Edelman public relations firm, was recently hired by the company as an assistant account executive. Photo courtesy of Parry.
Use Your Network
Don’t Ignore Internships
Remember all of the public relations professionals that
you have connected with over
the years? Although you should
always be networking, don’t
forget about the network you have
already built.
Don’t know who you should
reconnect with? Ask yourself the
following questions:
After doing “x” amount of
internships, I am sure this is the
last piece of advice you want to
hear. In my opinion, graduates
should apply for entry level positions and internships. If you can’t
land an entry level job right after
graduation, it will be OK. Let me
repeat that: it will be OK. Keep in
mind that many of the top global
public relations agencies don’t
hire recent graduates unless they
started as interns.
Although each senior’s situation is different, I believe that
if you understand the power of
informational interviews, tap into
your existing network and take
an internship if necessary to get
in the door, you will be prepared
to find professional success out in
the “real world.”
• What organization do I
want to work for?
• Where do I want to live?
• Who do I know that
works in human resources?
Those questions should help
you refine your search and focus
on reaching out to the key individuals who will help take your
career to the next level.
Q&A With PRSA New
Professional Lauren Gray
BY LAUREN GRAY
PRSA New Professionals Section
With graduation on the
horizon, the job hunt quickly
approaching or a new job starting
for graduating seniors, the PRSA
New Professionals Section asked
PRSSA students what questions
they had about joining the public
relations workforce and PRSA.
I took a look at some of the
three most popular questions
— which were also some of the
questions I had when I got a new
job in a new city — and focused
on answering these in case you
are seeking answers as well.
1. How can I explai