By Tariq Peters, Senior Communications Associate at Hard Numbers
With many careers, the skills that you learn over the years tend to be skills that stick with you long-term. For myself, PR not only taught me essential skills for work but also valuable life-long lessons. The biggest lesson that I would say I’ve learned throughout my career is the importance of building and upholding your reputation.
With the ‘Great Resignation’ looming potential employers have been trying to attract and retain talent more than ever. It’s fair to say that the tables have very much turned following the COVID-19 pandemic and companies are eager to identify top talent. Now has never been a better time for you to show employers why you’re the person required for the job. Here are five ways you can raise your profile to get a job in PR:
1. Identify how PR is implemented on a day-to-day basis
When starting out in the PR industry and reading relevant blogs and articles on PR, I soon understood that PR is a process that happens all around us, and not just in the workplace. Word of mouth is a form of communication that we take for granted as an extension of PR. Voicing an opinion on a person, place, or thing whether positive or negative can have a lasting effect on how it’s perceived. This also applies to how you PR yourself. As Steven Bartlett said in his book ‘Happy Sexy Millionaire’ “Over the span of a decade or the course of a lifetime, your Invisible PR will have more influence over the trajectory and direction of your life than any other force”. By understanding how PR is used on a daily basis and the weight it holds, you can start to positively raise your profile with that in mind.
2. Develop a passion project to build the skills of a PR practitioner
Before getting my first job role in PR, I developed a music blog during my time at university which allowed me to grow an organic audience that had a similar interest to mine. Not only did this encourage me to write regularly, learn about SEO and how to run a website, but I also learned PR from the perspective of a music journalist. If I did not start a blog based on my interests, I would not have had access to that knowledge to pursue a career in PR or have developed the skills that would help me stand out. The transferable skills gained helped me leverage my experience as a self-starter.
3. Connect with like minded people in the industry
There are many credible people within the industry that share their insights and experiences for all to see across a range of platforms. Identify those who you admire and keep in the loop with their work. Now that COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, we are now fortunate enough to meet people in person again and attend networking events. Utilise face-to-face meetings again to help people put a name to the face. As you aim to get a job in the industry it’s also worth highlighting the importance of networking horizontally as well as vertically. Join industry groups that encourage peer-to-peer engagement to connect with those who share similar values. Not only will you have people to relate to as you navigate the industry, but you will have a solid support system as you continue to advance.
4. Consistently learn and commend those who are teaching you
I’m very keen on continuous learning and I think it’s imperative for growth. I’m also an avid reader and listener of various podcasts. When I’ve learned something new, or I feel inspired after reading or listening to content, I will try to directly thank that person, or I’ll share it with friends and family via social media. Doing this can help you build and establish your network whilst supporting those who are also trying to excel within their field. Sharing someone’s content on your social media or emailing them directly to express words of gratitude costs nothing, but for that person, it may mean the world. They may even go out of their way to form a relationship with you as they have seen the consistent support. If you like something and you learned from it, be sure to make it known!
5. Learn to create your own story
Storytelling is an important component in PR and is used to attract the attention of the media by telling a story in an engaging and thought-provoking way. This should also be incorporated to raise your own profile. Personal stories of your devotion to the industry and meaningful contributions in blogs and guest articles can help people understand what it is you stand for.
When I wrote my eBook ‘When the Dust Settles: How to Get a Job in PR After the Pandemic’ in 2020, COVID-19 was very much new to us all. We never knew how long it would have lasted and how it would have impacted job prospects, especially for graduates. Having the opportunity to share my story helped others to navigate during those turbulent times and helped people understand my passion as a result.
By understanding the importance of building your own personal profile and protecting your own reputation, demonstrating this is an ideal way to showcase the fundamentals of working in PR. Not only will this help you stand out in a competitive market, but it may give you access to other opportunities you didn’t know were possible. We all have a story to tell and it’s your duty to yourself to make sure the right people hear it!
Want to join Tariq on our fast-growing team? You can view our current vacancies here and, if you’d like to apply, please contact paul@hardnumbers.co.uk
Want to join the team but can’t see an open position? We’re always happy to have a speculative chat, so get in touch and tell us why you’re Hard Numbers material!
