• 4 Tips For Applying For (And Landing!) Your First Job In PR

    4 Tips For Applying For (And Landing!) Your First Job In PR

    It’s usually in those last few months before college graduation, when reality sets in and the task of finding a job looms. Goodbye, cushy college life! Hello, real world. All of that course work and preparation over the past few years have led to this moment that once seemed impossibly far away. Questions like, Which job is best for my skill set? and Where do I even start? are some of the most common questions that college students face today. I know I had them myself.

    While some navigate the job-seeking process with ease, others struggle to find their bearings — which was definitely the category I fell into. I knew I wanted to be a part of a fast-paced, collaborative PR agency, but after that I didn’t have many answers as to what I was looking for. There were mistakes made and lessons learned along the way, but since my graduation a couple years ago, there are four things I’ve found that can make applying for that first PR job a little less daunting.

    Do Your Homework!

    Every PR agency is different and there is no way to tell what they’re looking for (or what works for you) without doing your research. Start by narrowing down the locations you could see yourself working in and then study the agencies there and the type of work they do. Do they have mainly B2B or consumer clients? Or some of both? What services do they offer? Knowing what each agency does helps narrow down your top picks.  

    Networking is Your New Best Friend

    PR is all about people and communicating, so knowing how to relate to others outside of work can be your best in-road for getting work. Networking events can seem awkward at first (small talk central!), but they’re also incredibly valuable for building out your list of contacts. Look for events that take place through career services at your school, or maybe a coffee shop is hosting a meetup of local businesses. Whatever it is, go check it out. This is great practice if these kinds of events are intimidating; it just gets easier the more you do it. And, you never know who you might meet!

    Your Resume is More Than a Piece of Paper

    Don’t get me wrong, the tangible resume you share with a company is a big deal, and it’s important to know what is worth including and what isn’t. But in today’s digital world, there is a lot more that companies look at and consider when hiring you. You know that picture you just posted on Facebook or the article you shared on LinkedIn? Employers can see that. Be sure the online presence you’re creating is someone that is both employable and likable.

    Practice Might Not Make Perfect- But it Does Make a Difference

    Interviews can be nerve-wracking, especially when it’s in a field like PR where how you communicate is a big factor. But instead of panicking in the days leading up to the actual meeting, use that time to practice! Have your parents or a friend ask you potential interview questions. Stand in front of the mirror and practice telling someone about yourself. You might still stumble over a few words in the actual interview, but I promise, that extra preparation will make all the difference. Also be sure to come up with smart questions that you have about that particular agency – which goes back to point 1. Research, research, research.

    Applying for that first job after college can seem overwhelming, but it’s important to put it into perspective. You’ll never have more opportunities or options than you do right after college, so don’t be afraid to seize the moment and meet the challenge head on — really good things lie ahead.

    Think you’re ready to land your first PR job? Put your skills to the test and apply for one of our current openings.

    Matter

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  • "What do you do?" Defining the undefinable career in Public Relations

    I have come to terms with the fact that my parents will never be able to confidently explain to their friends just what it is that I do. The conversations often go something along the lines of:

    “She works in PR.”
    “Oh, what’s that?”
    “It’s something like advertising.”

    It’s okay Mom and Dad, I still love you.

    I’ve been having this conversation with clients a lot lately. In asking them “how do you describe what you do to your family and friends,” most reply with a defeated “they don’t get it.” It’s much the same with us PR folk. The truth of the Matter is, even us practitioners have trouble describing exactly what we do. We “work in PR” but what does that encompass? We are media mavens, creative writers, even more creative thinkers, event planners, cheerleaders, and most of all advocates. Advocates for understanding and creating public understanding of the wide array of clients on our roster.

    The irony in our predicament is that while we may struggle in an elevator or a bar to explain what we do, we have built the foundation of our careers on perfecting our ability to do just that for our clients. If you look at our client roster you’ll note that we there are some brilliantly complicated brands on there, brands that without our assistance have often struggled with that same question.

    So while many still struggle to answer that age-old question, here are the top three things I believe we do (and do very well here at Matter) in PR:

    We tell stories: Not only do we tell stories, but we find the stories within the stories to tell. We exist to bring our clients into focus in a crowded world by shining a light on what makes them unique (and awesome, in our opinion).

    We engage: PR is a profession of constant communication. Communications with our clients, with the media, with our colleagues, and with the public. We love it. What better way to learn a story to tell than by getting it right from the source?

    We dig deep: We are a breed of people built to immerse ourselves in learning as much as we can about the brands we represent and then weave it into our DNA. On top of that, we are balancing current events, industry trends, deadlines, holidays, and personal schedules to ensure we’re communicating with the media and the public most effectively.

    Basically, what we “do” in PR is… we do it all. What do you do?

    Matter

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  • So, You Just Started Your First PR Job?

    So, You Just Started Your First PR Job?

    Just about a month has gone by since I started as an Account Coordinator here at Matter Communications – a month packed to the brim with new experiences and new challenges. As a recent grad just starting her first “real-world” job, I know exactly how awkward and full of butterflies the beginning can be. But I have also learned a few useful tips to help ease the transition, overcome the anxiety and grow as a public relations professional. Heed this advice and I promise that you will fit right in before you know it.

    1) Speak up

    Your first grade teacher wasn’t kidding when she said that there is no such thing as a stupid question. I’m sure that your colleagues would rather clarify something for you now than clean up an avoidable mistake after the fact. Take advantage of their knowledge about PR and the agency to further your own. And don’t ever hesitate to suggest an idea to your team; sometimes a fresh perspective is exactly what they need. They will certainly appreciate your effort to hit the ground running, too.

    2) Get to know the lingo

    If you have previously interned at a PR agency, you might already know what it means to leverage an idea, close the loop on any outstanding opps and display key learnings in a prezo. But if any of this PR jargon makes you raise an eyebrow, don’t fret – it will all make sense soon. (“Prezo” is slang for a PowerPoint presentation. See how easy it is?)

    3) Know your client(s) inside & out

    To put it simply, your job is to represent your client. How can you expect to adequately do so if you don’t fully understand what they do? Researching your client is vital during the first few weeks of your job. Listen closely. Study their website and social channels. Read everything you can get your hands on, especially media coverage in recent years. Identify their competitors and read about them, too. And, of course, ask questions! The more you know from the get-go, the better equipped you will be to get results down the road.

    3a) Read your target publications

    Sorry, ladies – it’s time to ditch Cosmo and pick up a copy of a pub (there’s some more lingo for ya!) that is relevant to your client’s industry. Make it a point to scan the headlines each morning to better understand the topics covered and the journalists’ beats. You will inevitably be pitching these outlets, so you should familiarize yourself with them as soon as possible. And, hey – it’s an easy way to immerse yourself in your client’s industry!

    4) Organize your email

    I may be slightly obsessed when it comes to staying organized, but regularly cleaning out your inbox is a necessary habit if you want to keep your head above water. Managing email sometimes feels like a task in itself, but Microsoft Outlook offers some handy features beyond those beloved file folders that will seriously simplify your life. The color coding capability, for example, has become a pretty good friend of mine. Subscribed to a bunch of e-newsletters that seem to pop up every five minutes? You can avoid the distraction altogether by creating a rule to automatically send them to a specific folder for later reading. Take advantage of the task list by slapping a red flag on important emails and specifying its due date. A clean inbox = a clean mind!

    5) Breathe

    You’re not going to be perfect on your first day. Or the second, or the third, or the 100th. All that matters is that you learn and improve with time. Have patience. Be confident. And just breathe.

    …Now show ‘em what you’ve got.

    Matter

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