Starting a career in PR

Newport81

Hi just wondering would 29 be too late to start a career from scratch in PR? I'm hoping too do the diploma in PR this October. My previous work experience would be clerical in local government. With the current climate the way it is am I crazy thinking of starting this career path at my age with no relevant experience? Very grateful for any advice given. Thanks

Rigor Mortis

Its rare but it is not unheard of. I was over thirty when I joined the sector. A bit of life experience can be an advantage. I would think the greatest challenge is getting a foot in the door. From that point of view i would focus on doing a course with an internship programme.

Good Luck

Newport81

Hey thanks for getting back too me is there a particular course you can reccomend please? One with internship? Would I be best trying to get internship in the Uk?

Rigor Mortis

i cant help you on the UK front, no experience working in that market. Maybe others on here have done.

The Fitzwilliam Institute offer the Public Relations Institute of Ireland recognised diploma, post grad diploma and certificates. The diploma course definitely has an internship element.

Newport81

Am thinking of doing the fitzwilliam diploma through distance learning I was told I would get a job from this I don't know if that is really the case with no experience? What would you suggest the best path too be? Am anxious because of my age to not mess up and go the wrong route, I've been told the distance diploma can be completed in 14 weeks and that this would be sufficient too gain entry on too the masters in PR? Again I don't know how true this is?

Rigor Mortis

No one can guarantee you a job at the end of a course. My feeling is that the most useful part of any pr course is the internship. You cant learn PR in a course, you can learn the terms and the theory. Beyond creativity and the ability to write, success in the industry is based on experience, building contact networks and learning the media landscape.

The internship gives you a foot in the door of a company.

jmurp

Where are you getting your information from and what are you actually looking to do? Why do you feel you have no relevant experience?

Are you a graduate already? If so, why do a diploma in advance of a masters?

As to career change? Well, that is more difficult. You will need total support from your family and an absolute burning desire to do it, because the easy bit will be the study, exams and graduation. Then you are out, squeaky clean as a "new graduate" with "no experience" looking for a job. Karl Rove says "if you are explaining, you are losing" and the problem you'll have is you'll be explaining. Explaining why you career changed. Explaining why you're experience is relevant. Explaining how you are prepared to accept starter salaries.

In my experience these are just too many talking points for the average PR person to take on board. Oh, they'll tell you that "life experience” is good (i think somebody even told you this here) and that you'll be fine, just network, but in reality you'll burn through coffee money and end up wondering where all the optimism and good will went. This is where you'll begin to draw heavily on the support of your family, on your inner desire. You will face rejection daily, you'll begin to doubt yourself.

I graduated well over a year ago and have highly sought after skills in my sector and yet the PR people seem to sniff at me. My skills are directly transferable. I've networked and been ignored. I've researched companies, individuals and made direct approaches and still been ignored. I've had applications rejected because I'm too experienced (!) I'm still plugging away.

I can tell you though, the problem isn't you. It is them. They would be doing well to have you working with them, but they cannot see it. Blue sky, outside the box thinking, oh the irony.

So, what can anyone advise you? Focus on England. At least they have jobs there.

The industry here is, well, I don't know how to characterise it really other than to point out the following things I've found.

This forum is not where you should be looking. Look at how useless the responses have been to others who asked what you've asked.

The PRII presently has a job advertised on behalf of a well-known golf clothing brand with the following requirements, and these are direct quotes, "The successful candidate will need proven PR experience" and then later adds "The job comes with a basic starting pay, and will offer a recent graduate an exciting opportunity to gain relevant experience".

Go over on to LinkedIn and look at the Irish PR Groups and look at the discussions there. A few people brought up the issue of no jobs, or the predicament faced by people looking to get into the industry (internships are another doozie) and for the most part the points they raise are ignored.

This is what you face. They want people to work for nothing, but they don't want to offer any training. Nor do they want to have to think about how your previous work experience can be relevant. They'll just assume you won't do the menial low level stuff associated with starting jobs in the industry. So, while I've said you're having to explain is an issue, their in-built assumptions also work against you.

These comments are borne of a deep frustration on my part. I am an optimistic person by nature and this is just my honest account of my experience to date. Being older means you have more to offer but it is harder to get in.

Evolution rather than revolution might be the best approach to take - does your present organisation provide educational support, do they offer internal transfers or promotions? If they do it might be a surer way to get where you want while still giving an income and the prospect of a paid position when you finally get there. Could you take a career break so that you have a job to return to if it didn't work out?

Good luck!

SimonPRepublic

I started in PR at 29, so it's not too late. The way I got into an agency in London was to target those that covered the sector I was already working in. I was a originally a qualified town planning consultant (a very bad one!) so I applied for PR agencies that specialised in the property sector and one that was doing the media on some large planning projects. The way I sold it them was that because I was from the other side of the fence, as it where, I could talk to the media with a knowledgeable insight of the issues that their clients were facing. I even found myself on project I used to advice on as town planning consultant (with my bemused former colleagues attending the meetings) and picked up a client I used to give planning advice too, which got me big brownie points. Obviously your situation is different but a similar approach could benefit you. Please feel free to PM if you need any advice.

Ms Tootsie

smyths wrote: »

Am thinking of doing the fitzwilliam diploma through distance learning I was told I would get a job from this I don't know if that is really the case with no experience? What would you suggest the best path too be? Am anxious because of my age to not mess up and go the wrong route, I've been told the distance diploma can be completed in 14 weeks and that this would be sufficient too gain entry on too the masters in PR? Again I don't know how true this is?

The masters with the Fitzwilliam Institute is very comprehensive and seems to be the more popular course of choice for anyone looking to get into the industry. Speaking from experience though no course in PR is going to teach you ALL the neccessary tools, only work experience will do that. My advice would be to check out a cheaper distance / online course as the Fitzwilliam Masters is very pricey and then start touting yourself about for an internship. It might be a tough pill to swallow but with no previous experience in the area you will have to start off working for free. It sucks, I have been there. The best advice I can offer is to go with a smaller agency. You get a much more hands on experience and don't spend all your time photocopying tenders, it will be tough going and sometimes feel like you have been thrown into the deep end but it will stand to you in time. You might even be lucky enough to arrange something were you work 3 days on and 2 days off so you can maintain a part time job. I wasn't so lucky in my 'work for free' internship and ended up having to bartend in the evenings to make ends meet.

I hope this helps and best of luck with the career change. It's never to late to work in an indutry you will love.