Three tips for PR job seekers looking for the right role
Gorkana Jobs is launching a new dedicated PR alert this week and to mark the occasion Gorkana jobs manager Ashley Richardson gives us an insider’s view of the PR jobs market and shares three tips for job hunters.
Ashley Richardson
The PR job market is thriving. We have seen a steady increase, at Gorkana, in the number of PR related jobs over the last 12 months. In the first quarter of the year, there was a 10% rise in the number of direct employer jobs compared Q4 2015. Corporate communications has seen the steadiest increase, but we have also seen a rise in the volume of Financial PR-related roles.
There are more job seekers on our site than ever and as, in Q1, 2016 the number of average users to www.gorkanajobs.co.uk increased by 26%, to 51,000 users per month. This is great news for our clients but it also means you need to try harder if you are looking to land one of these roles.
If applying for a new role, bear the following in mind:
1. Spend time getting the cover letter right and personalise it
Increasingly, we hear employers will read a candidate’s cover letter thoroughly but might only give the briefest of glances to the CV. So do your research and explain you are the perfect candidate in your cover letter. This is where you can show how you understand the niche the agency occupies or show how you will make the role work for the business. And, be specialised. For instance, if it’s specifically a travel PR role acknowledge that and mention – with examples – why your experience makes you right for the role.
2. Use your unique skillset to stand out from the crowd
You are looking for a job in a creative environment. There is no better way to show your potential employer how good you are than to find a unique way to sell yourself. You’re the product here so use all your PR knowledge to promote your skills and experience in the most exciting way possible.
3. Be a grammar hero and proof-read the application, then read it again
We see hundreds of CVs and cover letters here at Gorkana. A huge number of them state that they have an “excellent eye for detail” on one line. Then, they make a sloppy grammar or spelling error on the next. You may be lucky and have a hiring manager who looks past these things but most would use that small error as an excuse to put your CV on the “no” pile.
As one of the only businesses in the UK which runs job boards in both journalism and PR, Gorkana Jobs is in a unique position to help you find your next role or find the right person to fill a crucial vacancy.
We do, however, ensure we are focused on PR, not other areas of marketing. This is important as Tanya Gerreli, communications manager of Nordorff Robbins explains: “Many find it tricky to distinguish the differences between Marketing and Public Relations, and while there is a lot of cross-over in terms of the skill set required to do both, they are separate disciplines with different focuses, purposes and outcomes.
Ashley Richardson is jobs manager at Gorkana.
Sign up for the new PR jobs alert from Gorkana Jobs which launches this Friday (20 May). To receive this weekly alert, subscribe by emailing [email protected], or by completing this form. The weekly email will be sent to you by Gorkana and each week it will be packed full of the latest PR roles, from account executive vacancies to board director opportunities.