PR Job Search Checklist

Here's the PR Job Search Checklist that I wrote for the PRSA Conference Center. Come visit us at the PRSA convention in Orlando, October 15 to 18.

Job Search Checklist for PR Jobs



Preliminaries
Resume
Create a simple resume that can be modified easily.

Prepare Samples
Have samples ready to send by email or bring with you on disk or travel drive.

Prepare cover letters
Proofread carefully when sending cover letters to match content to recipient.

Decide who your references will be
Contact references before putting them on your resume so they can expect to be contacted by your potential employers.

Keep it Going!

Begin building your own personal brand by jazzing up your profiles, tweeting and participating in discussions online.

Check the PRSA Job Center and other job sites regularly.

Contact PR recruiters.

Attend local PRSA and other trade events. Talk to people and make friends!

Get your first and second interview wardrobe ready.

Drill answering tough interview questions with your friends.

Prepare for Your Interview!

Study all you can about the company you're going to interview with:
- Look for PR people who work there through PRSA and LinkedIn
- Study the company's website and blogs
- Look for the company, its PR team and leadership in the news
- Study the company's press releases

Find out who you will be meeting and check LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to learn about them.

Make sure you know exactly where they are located, including suite and floor, and how to get there. Find out if there are special instructions if you're going before or after regular business hours.

Take notes on questions that stump you in interviews and figure out great answers to them in case you're asked again.

Afterwards

Send thank you notes. Email is acceptable but make sure each one is personalized.

If you got the interview through a personal contact, be sure to send them a note of thanks as well.

Send the people you met with any information you had promised or referred to during the interview.

Follow up with your recruiter, if you worked with one, or HR if you did not.

Keep all of these positive actions going, even if you've just had a great interview, until you land the perfect job.

Good luck!
- Sandy Charet

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