I recently had the opportunity to have a conversation with Rachel Koppes, a 2012 SOJC grad who now works as an account coordinator at SHIFT Communications in San Francisco. SHIFT is an award-winning agency that most PR majors, myself included, would feel lucky to work for.
As I soon learned during my interview with Rachel, luck had nothing to do with her post-graduation success. These are the top five tips I learned from Rachel about how to get ahead in PR and make yourself hirable in the industry.
Make the most of your classes
In the words of Rachel, “Life is a group project.” Her first piece of advice to me was to take advantage of every project and assignment during my time at the SOJC. Engaging in her group projects helped Rachel learn to get along with different personality types and how to be a leader in a group setting, which has helped her get ahead at SHIFT. Plus, you never know what assignment will be a strong portfolio piece and which group project will land you powerful connections. Working hard now will impress potential future employers later.
Create opportunities for yourself
A huge turning point for Rachel occurred her sophomore year, when she persuaded the Humane Society of Eugene to let her do some social media work for them. This was her first internship experience and helped propel her toward other internships and build her resume. Opportunities won’t come to you; you have to come to them. Build your resume by looking for people and places who could use help with their PR and offering your help free of charge. Eventually, you’ll gain enough experience that people will come to you.
Be interesting
Develop interests outside of school and PR and be prepared to talk about them in an interview. Showing that you are curious about a range of topics indicates the type of intellect and resourcefulness that agencies seek. Remember, people hire people, not resumes. Agencies want to hire people who will charm their clients and contribute positively to the workplace environment. Find ways to show you would be a hardworking and fun member of an agency’s team. In Rachel’s words, if an agency doesn’t care about this, it might not be the agency for you.
Be humble
During Rachel’s internships, she set herself apart because she was both hardworking and humble. Never be afraid to ask for help or admit when you made a mistake. Take the initiative to volunteer for projects and tasks that aren’t part of your role.
Build connections
Rachel decided she wanted to work in agency PR through the connections she made in PRSSA. When I asked her about her job search, Rachel’s biggest piece of advice was to make connections. Reach out to people at agencies you think you would like to work at early, and they will remember you later. Look for opportunities to make connections with anyone and everyone in agency PR. Eventually, you’ll connect with the person who will lead you to your dream job.
I’d like to thank Rachel for taking the time to give me such great advice.
Follow Rachel: http://rachelkathrynkoppes.wordpress.com
Follow SHIFT Communications: http://www.shiftcomm.com/blog/
