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Resume

Before you start your internship search, make sure your resume is pristine. The smallest of spelling or grammar errors will immediately get your resume tossed. Spell check it, search for errors and then have ten other people do the same. Ask your professors, family members and friends to read it. The career services center at most universities is terrific for this. Now, as far as content goes, include anything at all relevant to public relations. If you do not have any internship experience whatsoever this your time to get creative (but never embellish!) Before I had any experience working in public relations I worked at a doctor’s office. Occasionally the staff members would have me write blog posts, social media posts, or create flyers. That little bit of experience gave me something to add to my resume as well as something to talk about in interviews. Also, remember that public relations requires writing skills! Join the school newspaper, or start a blog. These are both terrific things to have on a PR resume.

Cover Letter

The same rules apply. Check your spelling, and check it again. Aside from that, the best tip I have for cover letters is to make sure they are personalized. DO NOT send the same cover letter for every job you apply for. It is okay to create one basic cover letter and adjust it, but make sure you include something that is specific to the job. Tell them why you want to work for their company. Also, do not forget to address the letter to a specific person. Do your research. LinkedIn is your best friend.

The Search

My favorite Internship search tools are Internships.com and LinkedIn. Both of these websites post internships regularly. With Internships.com, you can upload your resume once and apply to internships in minutes. Simply search for an internship, click on the post, add an introduction/short cover letter and click send. This is great when searching for your first internship during a time where you likely want to apply to a large amount of companies and do not have very many options. I would not recommend this approach after your second or third Internship. Once you have interned a time or two, you earn the right to be a little bit selective. Make a list of the top 10 agencies for the specific niche you want to work in (Beauty, Fashion, Tech etc.) and search for internships at those agencies. LinkedIn is probably the most amazing career tool that is available to us, twenty-something’s. It has never been easier to network with firms, the people who work at those firms and people that have previously worked at those firms. I have found that recruiters and HR people are very open to chatting with students about potential opportunities. You can begin by searching for the company you want to work for, follow them and send a message to someone that works there.

The Interview

Once you have lined up a few interviews, it is time to do your homework. Never, ever go to an internship interview without researching the company. If it is a PR agency, research their clients, research the person that is interviewing you, and research company reviews. Many times previous employees will post reviews about what it was like to work for the company on Glassdoor.com. Another important thing to research is the company dress code. This will make a big difference in the way you dress for the interview. PR agencies typically have a casual dress code, but that does not mean you should wear sneakers and jeans to your interview. Business casual is typically the way to go for a PR internship interview. Also, remember to practice. Practice reciting your personal story, know your resume very well and have answers ready for some of the most common interview questions. Also, your work does not end after you leave the interview. The next step is to follow up with a thank you note or a thank you email. This should be sent within 24 hours of interviewing.

If you would like me to go into detail about anything mentioned above, please leave a comment and let me know!

Resume

Before you start your internship search, make sure your resume is pristine. The smallest of spelling or grammar errors will immediately get your resume tossed. Spell check it, search for errors and then have ten other people do the same. Ask your professors, family members and friends to read it. The career services center at most universities is terrific for this. Now, as far as content goes, include anything at all relevant to public relations. If you do not have any internship experience whatsoever this your time to get creative (but never embellish!) Before I had any experience working in public relations I worked at a doctor’s office. Occasionally the staff members would have me write blog posts, social media posts, or create flyers. That little bit of experience gave me something to add to my resume as well as something to talk about in interviews. Also, remember that public relations requires writing skills! Join the school newspaper, or start a blog. These are both terrific things to have on a PR resume.

Cover Letter

The same rules apply. Check your spelling, and check it again. Aside from that, the best tip I have for cover letters is to make sure they are personalized. DO NOT send the same cover letter for every job you apply for. It is okay to create one basic cover letter and adjust it, but make sure you include something that is specific to the job. Tell them why you want to work for their company. Also, do not forget to address the letter to a specific person. Do your research. LinkedIn is your best friend.

The Search

My favorite Internship search tools are Internships.com and LinkedIn. Both of these websites post internships regularly. With Internships.com, you can upload your resume once and apply to internships in minutes. Simply search for an internship, click on the post, add an introduction/short cover letter and click send. This is great when searching for your first internship during a time where you likely want to apply to a large amount of companies and do not have very many options. I would not recommend this approach after your second or third Internship. Once you have interned a time or two, you earn the right to be a little bit selective. Make a list of the top 10 agencies for the specific niche you want to work in (Beauty, Fashion, Tech etc.) and search for internships at those agencies. LinkedIn is probably the most amazing career tool that is available to us, twenty-something’s. It has never been easier to network with firms, the people who work at those firms and people that have previously worked at those firms. I have found that recruiters and HR people are very open to chatting with students about potential opportunities. You can begin by searching for the company you want to work for, follow them and send a message to someone that works there.

The Interview

Once you have lined up a few interviews, it is time to do your homework. Never, ever go to an internship interview without researching the company. If it is a PR agency, research their clients, research the person that is interviewing you, and research company reviews. Many times previous employees will post reviews about what it was like to work for the company on Glassdoor.com. Another important thing to research is the company dress code. This will make a big difference in the way you dress for the interview. PR agencies typically have a casual dress code, but that does not mean you should wear sneakers and jeans to your interview. Business casual is typically the way to go for a PR internship interview. Also, remember to practice. Practice reciting your personal story, know your resume very well and have answers ready for some of the most common interview questions. Also, your work does not end after you leave the interview. The next step is to follow up with a thank you note or a thank you email. This should be sent within 24 hours of interviewing.

If you would like me to go into detail about anything mentioned above, please leave a comment and let me know!