Landing a PR Internship: Interviewing Well [PART 2]
Many students will be graduating in the coming weeks and months, and entering the workforce full-time, for the first-time. Some will be fortunate enough to land a permanent position, while many will go down the internship route. We all know the graduate job market is increasingly competitive (and much improved in recent years), but what can you do to land an internship and get your foot in the door at a PR agency?
This is part two of three of a guest post from Chloe Parker at Cherish PR which explores this topic in detail. Cherish PR is an independent west-London based agency “at the heart of the digital economy.”
Landing a PR internship
So you’ve made it past the first hurdle and have been called to interview…congratulation! The key to any successful interview is preparation. Make sure you research the company, the role, and the possible tasks you might be doing. There are so many different great PR blogs which should be really helpful when doing your homework. Have an idea about the industry and make sure you have an interest in media. If you never read the news, lifestyle websites, or blogs, and hate speaking to people on the phone, then maybe it’s time to ask yourself, is PR really right for you?
Here are a few questions that will always be asked… so be prepared to answer them well.
Q: What do you think PR is?
It is essential that you have something to say here. It’s surprising how often people we have interviewed have failed to give any answer to this. Check out CIPR’s definition here, but be careful not to sound like a dictionary.
Q: Why are you interested in working in PR?
This is a chance for us to get a better idea of your motivations and see if they match the companies. We’re looking for team players who want to get the best results for the clients, not glory seekers who are in it for the top brand names, or someone who’s looking for a glamorous job full of cocktails, parties and lunch dates.
Q: What is it about our company makes you want to intern here?
This is a chance for you to show off your research into the company. Make sure you check out the company’s website, blog, twitter, and have a look at their past clients. If you really want to earn brownie points, research if the company has won any recent awards and check out that particular campaign.
