Media Relations in the UK Job Market - Essay Example

Running Head: Media Relations Media Relations s Media Relations Perhaps it's a bit of a stretch, but some say the practice of public relations goes back more than 2,000 years to the time of Julius Caesar. Old Julius may have been recording history when he wrote his commentaries, but as the leader of all the Romans and the coiner of the memorable veni, vidi, vici, he was using an early form of PR to persuade the citizenry that he was doing a great job. PR in its most basic form developed in Britain in the early 1800s when newspapers ran friendly notices in news columns to reward advertisers with "free publicity. " Literary bureaus were developed to contrive such items, and by the early 20th century, publicity agents, often former journalists, abounded in New York and in other large cities. This activity was an important element in the evolution of public relations and continues in modern-day press agentry and the promotion of special events. Now that knowledge of how the Internet is used in the business of public relations is considered an entry-level skill, what will future PR professionals need to develop their careers Charles Fremes, president and CEO of Edelman Public Relations (Canada), offered the following in an article for Strategy Magazine. An advertising pal of mine was complaining over lunch recently about how the list in the paper of key advisers to ONEX, Canadian Airlines, and Air Canada included lots of public relations people, lots of lawyers and lobbyists, "but not one ad guy. " He went on to lament that as little as 5 years ago, the CEO would have lunch with the president of his advertising agency at least once a month, just to gain another perspective on his competition and his business. "Today, " he said, "he's having lunch with the PR guy or gal. " The role of the public relations practitioner in the United Kingdom business has changed dramatically over the past 5 years. This change has been driven by most of the same external drivers that have affected every aspect of our lives. The ones that have had the most impact on the public relations discipline are: the pace and application of new technology, including the "virtual" workplace, the increased speed of information transference, teleconferencing, satellite media tours, and the arrival of new media, including the Internet, specialty channels, and e-commerce; the globalization of business and its impact on competitiveness; the restructuring of corporations and governments and its impact on employees, services, and consumers; and the rediscovery of the importance of customer service. Report into the current state of the U.K. job market for graduates In the early 1990s getting a job any time is difficult. When time was bad and companies were downsizing, or even worse, going out of business, finding a job in PR was a Promethean task. Well, 8 years later the task is not quite Promethean; let's just call it formidable. Much has changed in public relations in this short time span. Corporations that spent huge sums on advertising have redirected their spending and turned to public relations as a potent promotion and marketing medium. Many advertising agency groups have purchased public relations counsel firms, and the largest firms have gone global in a big way. In 1993, I wrote that Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, then the sixth-largest PR firm in the world, employed 500 people. In 2001, Edelman is still the sixth-largest firm worldwide and employs more than 1,000 in the United States alone and 2,000 worldwide. Another major development is the relationship of high tech and PR. Most of the top firms have substantial high-tech divisions, and today, there are many firms whose practice is exclusively in this area. An article in the booklet of the Council of Public Relations Firms, A Student's Guide to Public Relations Education, notes that the new century marks the golden age of public relations. Professionals are employed at an estimated 6,000 PR counseling firms, thousands of corporations, more than 500 trade associations, and at the media relations departments of hundreds of colleges and universities. In addition, PR people are working at the federal, state, and city levels of government, and at hospitals, social welfare agencies, religious institutions, cultural organizations, philanthropies, and many other nonprofit organizations.With the globalization of business, both on the corporate and the PR counsel firm side, comes a need for trained PR personnel to spread the word about products and services to a world population.The U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that PR is one of the fastest growing professional fields in this country. PR firms are constantly looking for new people as their businesses grow. But many candidates don't fill the bill. Why They didn't learn to write well, they didn't pursue the right courses in college, and they didn't work at internships. There are a dozen reasons. We'll discuss them here. Finding the first job No task is harder than finding a job, particularly your first. Success in this endeavor requires planning, preparation, energy, and enthusiasm-all in large doses. Here is some basic advice. We'll go into specifics later. - Research the field in which you have the greatest interest. Use libraries and the Internet. Journalists are also useful sources. - Prepare a good resume. - Learn about possible job openings in advance of contacting employers. Scan the list of Fortune 500 companies. Chances are these companies have large PR departments. Write to the top PR executive, as well as the head of human resources. Follow up your letter with a phone call. - Use personal contacts for referrals. They are your best sources for job leads. - Use business directories for company names. Two important ones are O'Dwyer's Directory of PR Firms and O'Dwyer's Directory of Corporate Communications. - Prepare for an interview by learning as much as you can about the corporations or organizations you are visiting. Read their annual reports and look for articles about them in trade journals. - Show samples of any press releases you have written and include copies of any press coverage these releases have generated. Your portfolio should contain this material, as well as any other writing you have done, particularly if it has been published. Writing for college publications can be used, but only if it is your best effort and is clear, concise, and informative. - Take the initiative in the interview by describing your qualifications and what you believe you can accomplish on the job. - Don't fret about rejection; it is no cause to suppose that you will not qualify elsewhere. Consider your job hunt as a learning experience. Perseverance will win you the opportunity to begin your PR career. - Read any current books you can find about public relations and its related fields. - Contact your college's alumni association. This will enable you to track people from your school who have gone to work at a company in which you are interested. - Attend job fairs in which PR firms are participating. Ask specific questions about hiring procedures and company policies. - Make sure you are adept at cold calling, letter writing, and networking, because these are the ways you will probably get your first job. - Don't lie or exaggerate on your rsum. Your prospective employer will undoubtedly check references, education, and job experience. Tips from industry professionals The PRSSA asked a group of seasoned professionals what they valued in people seeking to break into the field. Their answers offer insight into the experience and characteristics needed to get started in PR. Asked, "If I were planning to enter the field again today, I'd, " they replied: "Earn an advanced degree, perhaps an MBA [and] learn more about the social sciences. " "Improve my writing skills and learn more about business. " "Study liberal arts and work in the college PR office. " "Study economics, history, sociology. As vacation preparation I'd get a job on a daily newspaper or a business news magazine. " "See about a foreign job in PR in Hong Kong, London, or Geneva, then return to the U. S. in a year or two. " "Get a few years' writing experience in print or broadcast. " "Join a counseling firm in any capacity whatsoever. " "Study economics and speech; force myself to join debating groups, etc. " "Have a better understanding of techniques of writing and a broader knowledge of report writing. " What employers look for in job candidates In a survey conducted by Dr. Dennis L. Wilcox at San Jose State University, 90 top-level employers were asked about the traits, qualities, and educational background that are desirable in public relations candidates. Sixty-five replied. Highlights of their answers indicate that the ideal applicant will have: A 4-year undergraduate degree. Courses in news writing, business, and social sciences. An outstanding personality and a willingness to work. The ability to write well. Work experience in a related field. The respondents also said that a bachelor's degree is a minimum, and a master's degree, particularly an MBA, is helpful. An applicant's attitude is important to 97% of the employers, and writing ability got a 95% vote. Other significant traits were growth potential 88%, poise 71%, cooperativeness 69%, and speaking ability 65%. In the Council of Public Relations Firms booklet, a paragraph titled "Writing Classes" merits particular consideration. We quote it here: Even in this digital age when the computer and the Internet have become a more popular source of information than traditional media (such as newspapers), the ability to write well is still a critical public relations function. Career Development If you're shooting for the corner office (a few still exist) in a PR firm or a corporation, it may be a good choice to attend graduate school. There, if you've chosen the right school, you'll acquire advanced skills and knowledge in research, problem solving, and issues, as well as management-level expertise. Although many PR industry leaders agree that a degree in mass communications with a major in public relations is sufficient background for a career in this field, others build a strong case for an advanced degree. Most advanced degrees call for 30 to 36 credit hours of graduate coursework in course areas such as: Communication theory Communication law Research methods Communications management Communications processes Programming and production Management sciences Behavioral sciences Here are the comments of the well-known author and teacher Dr. Doug Newsom on the subject of graduate education: Graduate education helps you work smarter. You learn research methods that enlarge your professional public relations "tool box. " Exposure to a broader range of literature makes you examine strategies carefully, ask "why" a lot more often and look for evidence that effort equals effects. We add that a graduate degree is a great boost in the search for the first job. Acing the interview You've taken all the right public relations courses at college. Now, whether you're applying for an internship or a full-time job, you'll have to face the blue funk of an interview. Here are the comments of a group of seasoned professionals on what impresses them most when interviewing an entry-level candidate: "Personal attributes such as appearance, self-confidence, courtesy ...ability to learn as well as respond thoughtfully ...how well candidate has done homework about our company, etc. " "Articulateness, clear thinking, pleasant disposition, high energy, and good writing samples that stress ability to think, not just to string words together. " "Their knowledge of my company. " "Enthusiasm (but not phony), writing ability. " "Self-confidence, knowledge of the humanities, interest in business. " "Sincerity ...the candidate's desire to learn from the bottom up. " "Breadth of interest-economic, political, social, philosophic. " "Ability to manage time. " "Brain power and intellect. " "Enthusiasm ...candor ...good work samples. " "Working experience in media or PR he or she had while in school. " "Crystal-clear and orderly speech-suggesting an orderly mind. " "Ability to listen, as well as converse ...demeanor and dress. " "The gray matter he/she has, an eagerness to learn. " "The questions he/she asks. " "Evidence of intelligence, motivation, and interpersonal skills. " "Knowledge of what PR is and isn't. " "The preparation the candidates have made for the interviews. " (Source: PRSSA) An article in Kaplan/Newsweek's book, How to Use the INTERNET to Choose or Change CAREERS, puts a new face on today's interview process. Overwhelmed by the need to hire the best people in an employee's market, employers are trying new techniques to sift for winners and sign them up. They're prescreening applicants with online interviews, telescoping a month's worth of meetings into day-long marathons, and administering psychological questions and skills tests. And in an effort to reclaim power in a job hunter's market, they're making "exploding" job offers: Accept within 48 hours or the deal's off the table.If you think you're in the driver's seat in an interview situation, grab the initiative. Find out what you really want to know about the company. Ask about corporate culture, the clients, and the pace of work, with questions like, "How frequent are your staff meetings" or "Could you describe what my typical day might be" A question like "How is your new expansion in Europe going" shows you've done your homework. "But, " says the article, "don't ask about pay and retirement benefits. That discussion will come soon enough-maybe by the end of the day. " Why people bomb in interviews An article in the spring 1997 issue of Managing Your Career, published by Dow Jones, offered an assessment of why job candidates fail interviews (Asher 1997, 1-22): - You can't translate the questions being asked. - You fail to consider what the company wants in a new employee. - When asked why you should be hired, you cited only values. - When replying to the icebreaker, "Tell me about yourself, " you started with where you were born and continue chronologically. - You didn't research the company. - You haven't a clue why you should be hired. - You didn't prepare for a weak interviewer. - You forgot that your ability to fit into the company's culture is - important. - You confused interviewing with psychotherapy or a gig at a comedy club. - You failed to exude confidence. These valuable tips are general, yet they are certainly applicable to jobs in public relations. An article in The New York Times, on January 30, 2001, pointed to another important issue-"Finessing Interviews: Don't Ask, Do Tell. " Its message was, complete candor in the interview process. (Kirby 2001, E2) "Your mantra, " said David Kirby, author of the article, "should be anticipation and preparation. You want to anticipate the questions and prepare your answers in advance. " Kirby went on to say, "Begin by studying your past very carefully. Short-lived jobs, abrupt departures, and gaps in your rsum almost always raise red flags. " Kirby also said that job placement experts recommend that you carefully respond to questions about gaps in your rsum, address why you haven't found a job by now, and offer candor about your weaknesses. References Asher, Donald, "How to Earn a Promotion in 12 Months or Less, " Dow Jones Managing Your Career, Spring 1997. p. 1-22 Kirby, David, "Finessing Interviews: Don't Ask, Do Tell, " The New York Times, Jan. 30, 2001, p. E2. Read More