By Pamela Cox-Nulman, APR, CPRC
In
hot pursuit of their first PR job, members of the student FPRA chapter at
Florida Gulf Coast University received valuable career tips from four local
public relations professionals at the student chapter’s final meeting of the
year.
Luis
Otero, Marketing Manager, Saks Fifth Avenue Naples, Melissa Simontis, APR,
development director for PACE Center for Girls of Lee County, Barbara-Anne
Urrutia, public relations manager, Lee County Port Authority, and Carla
Ulakovic, Community Project Specialist, East County Water Control District,
shared how they landed their first jobs out of college, along with tips to excel
and propel a PR career once in the field.
The
panel’s top 10 tips for job seeking graduates:
1.
Public
Relations is hard work. To be successful you have to be willing to dig in and
do everything from open boxes and stuff envelopes to pitching stories to the
media and managing budgets.
2.
Writing
rules. PR professionals are storytellers and we have to be strong writers with
solid skills to share and sell our story.
3.
Network,
network, network. Family, friends, local business and professional
organizations all provide job leads and connections.
4.
Have
a portfolio of your best work from college classes, internships and community
service activities.
5.
Be
sure you have an error-free resume.
6.
Include
a cover letter, tailored to the position, along with your resume when applying
for a job.
7.
Always
follow-up with a short note after making a new contact or interviewing for a
position. It will keep you top-of-mind.
8.
Consider
working for a non-profit. They are a great training ground to expand skills and
meet people.
9.
Be
open to opportunities. You first job is generally not your dream job, but it
may be a stepping stone.
10.
Follow your passion and practice patience. A
career isn’t built overnight, it evolves over time.
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