PR Agencies & Recruitment

Lux23

I am nearly a year out of work and I have had it up to here with PR agencies and how they are completely unwilling to interview a candidate unless they know you through someone else. I did have one interview with one international agency who run a very small but extremely successful office in Dublin who gave me excellent feedback.

The rest all give you the same guff about how ideally they want someone who has worked in an agency before despite me having inhouse and freelancing experience. In house positions come up so rarely that I can't wait around for them and I do really want to work for an agency. I am volunteering for a charity so no longer in a position to intern with one an agency and when I first looked for such positions they were unwilling to take me on as I wanted to use WPP and keep my benefits.

After I got a PFO from one agency yesterday for a role I know that I am more than capable for I replied and asked for a specfic reason, they said they had so many applying with agency experience that they wouldn't interview anyone who didn't. I replied back saying that I knew I had the skills for the role and that would they please reconsider my application, they looked at my Linkedin alright and just sent the same guff back again.

Is anyone working in an agency able to tell me what exactly is going through their minds? I have noticed from other jobs that have been filled that successful applicants have been at college with someone in the company or worked with someone elsewhere.

Am I really wasting my time sending in applications to these companies and is it really who you know? I go to networking events when I can afford to and try and get my name out there but when it comes to applications its always a no even for interview.

jmurp

Forget them. Seriously. They are a waste of your time at this stage. I don't know your family circumstances but I would advocate moving over to England and pursuing a career in PR there if it were something you could do.

The problem here is there are simply no jobs for people starting out. The old Irish thing of not wanting to train people up is alive and well it seems. Go over to the PRII group on LinkedIn and you'll see similar frustrations. Nobody wants to tackle the issue head on and provide leadership.

The only thing I can say to you is stay positive.

Lux23

But I am not starting out, I have plenty of experience. I don't have the funds to go to the UK and no chance of getting it so I am stuck.

Rigor Mortis

This may sound a bit heartless, but it seems misguided to turn down internships, which have a better chance of leading to a job, because you are volunteering for a charity. In the circumstances you find yourself, you might need to be a bit more selfish.

From what i can see almost all entry level jobs are being filled following internships. Mid level jobs are being filled by the people who lost their jobs over the last three years. I'm guessing, that employment in the industry contracted by about 15% to 20% between 2008 and 2010. Much of that was at mid level. That is a lot of experienced agency professionals competing for places.

Good luck

Lux23

I haven't turned down any internships as I was normally looked over for them, one agency told me that I had too much experience for them and they felt it was exploitation. I applied for entry level positions and I got the same response, I guess I am just stuck in the middle. I would be happy to work away where I am but my financial situation is dire, I am terrified of whats going to happen to me. They also can't help me with expenses so I really don't know what to do. I know I am only one of thousands but no matter where I turn I am thwarted, I try to stay positive but its getting harder and harder.

I am trying to set up meetings with influencers in the industry to see about getting support for graduates and people like myself but I am just hitting a brick wall at the moment. They just don't want to know.

You know what I am not going to give, I know I am more than capable of taking on any number of PR positions and I won't let this defeat me.

Lux23

I just got called for an interview for an account manager role, I just don't get it.

Rigor Mortis

Great news. Fingers crossed.

Lux23

Thanks.

Lux23

I got a job eventually so perservence pays off it seems.

trippyrez

Congrats on the job.

I'm in a similar position to you in that I have some previous agency experience but the bulk of my experience comes from in house. I managed a press office for an MNC here and I also worked the Marketing side of things.

The funny thing is here agencies are reluctant to even call me for interview for Account Manager or Director but I've had 3 interviews for jobs in London where I've gotten down to the last 2 for a job as an Account Director working on big clients. So how is it UK agencies (one of them a very large ad agency) can see value in me but Irish Agencies won't even call me for interview?

Anyway - I had an interview for a job last week which is business devel for an agency. Hope I have the same luck you had!