Many Chico students flocked south to escape the stormy weather this last week for spring break. A few others headed east to similar weather— but greater opportunity.
A group of Journalism & Public Relations students traveled to New York City to connect with alumni in hopes of learning not only the ins and outs of the industry, but also how to thrive and progress in a city and profession that is constantly on the move.
Throughout the week, our alumni offered us crucial insights into the PR world and its many facets. Fortunately for students that could not join, and those that are currently on the hunt for their first real taste of agency life, I took notes.
Here are a few of the best bites of big apple insight:
Resumé
- First and foremost, do not have any typos and check for AP Style. This seems obvious but is crucial to your success. If you can’t show the effort here, how do you think they will feel about your capabilities as an employee?
- Elevate your language. Remain clear and concise, but don’t sacrifice your eloquence.
- Add a hyperlink to your blog or website. Having an updated blog will give you a huge leg-up on the competition.
- Utilize resumé power verbs, including examples listed by The Muse.
Interviewing: Best practices
- Come with an answer to the question, “what do you read?” Almost every professional that we visited mentioned this as key component of the interviewing process. They will be looking for how you stay up-to-date on trends and publications while also wanting some insight on your favorite book.
- Ask the interviewer about their company culture, if there is room for advancement and how they work to foster collaboration between teams and maintain a work-life balance.
- Read the news before going into your interview. Stay as current as possible in order to bring some conversation to the table.
- Make sure to take notes during the interview.
- Another big question that will be coming your way is, “How do you prioritize your time?” Come ready to answer this, it does not have to be extensive but is key.
When looking for an internship
- Make sure that you have a social media presence. Also, make sure that this presence conveys content that you would be comfortable sharing with your grandmother.
- Interact with the companies that you are applying to. Read the content they are producing. This is a great way to find out whether or not they will be a good fit.
- Look for companies that talk about personal development. You want to find a company that is going to invest as much in you as you are in them.
- Get the experience where you can, your first internship doesn’t have to be perfect.
Top 3 most important factors when applying to a company. Courtesy of Christine Amorose, Vimeo.
- Believe in the mission of the company you are applying to.
- Love the skill-set that you are using.
- Love the people you work with.
Remember, these companies may be interviewing you, but you are interviewing them as well, so good luck.
Thank you to all of our fabulous alumni! This blog would have not been possible without them… or would have taken much longer to write.
Written by Nick Fittipaldi, PR Director