Get Expert Advice for succeeding in the PR Jobs Industry
Thinking of a shift in your current PR job or looking forward for your first break in the PR industry - Major Players offers new series of industry insight interviews which will help you ahead with it. This month we are bringing thoughts of charismatic Chris Lawrence, Creative Director at a leading PR agency in UK for an insightful and informative piece including some great career advice for graduates and interns.
What advice would you give to someone trying to break into the industry? Know that you want to be in a PR job. PR has traditionally been a bit of a "catch all" for people who aren't sure what they want to do. To get ahead it pays to be passionate about media, passionate about consumer behaviour and have a real interest in the world around you.
What do you look for in a candidate? People who know what makes a great PR campaign and can make some that have struck a chord with them. Ones that made them smile, or made them want to find out more. I also look for real media junkies - candidates who understand all areas of PR: traditional, online, digital and social media (which is becoming increasingly important).
How can a candidate go the extra mile to impress you? We're not an agency that insists on "Jazz Hands" - that lives in the 80s. What we do want is somebody who's bright, passionate about wanting to do well, but also has done their homework - both on us as agency, and their sector.
Is it more about skills or experience? It's both. You need to have a passion for what you want to do, but work experience is always good. The skills I look for in anybody - be it entry level or higher up - are: great writing and creative thinking. But most importantly, a great attitude - the hunger to succeed both for the agency and from the client's perspective.
What advice would you give to someone trying to break into the industry? Know that you want to be in a PR job. PR has traditionally been a bit of a "catch all" for people who aren't sure what they want to do. To get ahead it pays to be passionate about media, passionate about consumer behaviour and have a real interest in the world around you.
What do you look for in a candidate? People who know what makes a great PR campaign and can make some that have struck a chord with them. Ones that made them smile, or made them want to find out more. I also look for real media junkies - candidates who understand all areas of PR: traditional, online, digital and social media (which is becoming increasingly important).
How can a candidate go the extra mile to impress you? We're not an agency that insists on "Jazz Hands" - that lives in the 80s. What we do want is somebody who's bright, passionate about wanting to do well, but also has done their homework - both on us as agency, and their sector.
Is it more about skills or experience? It's both. You need to have a passion for what you want to do, but work experience is always good. The skills I look for in anybody - be it entry level or higher up - are: great writing and creative thinking. But most importantly, a great attitude - the hunger to succeed both for the agency and from the client's perspective.