Approaching Post-Grad from a PR Perspective

Photo Courtesy of Steve Aderton

As graduation draws closer by the day, it becomes increasingly difficult to ignore the transition from being a student to a professional. Having the ability to utilize the skills you learn is vital, and approaching a post-graduate program from a PR perspective can be extremely beneficial for your career. The degree you graduate with is not just something to put on your resume. It is a personal toolbox that you can use to help navigate the professional world. 

Maintaining Our Relationships

Creating and maintaining relationships is one of, if not the most important part of PR. Imagine yourself as the brand. Your friends, family, and colleagues are your stakeholders. Each interaction with them is your personal relationship management, whether you are aware of it or not.

Marketing ourselves to companies and recruiters is extremely important as well. Even treating a coffee chat like a pitch can go a long way. If we understand how to design our messages and interactions with our personal and professional stakeholders, it can boost our careers.

The RACE Model

Applying the RACE framework to any setting has helped me so much since I first learned about it.

For context, the RACE model involves 1) Research 2) Action 3) Communication, and 4) Evaluation. We typically apply this model to public relations situations. But we can also use it to our own benefit.

Our research is identifying our own position in the world, as students and soon-to-be professionals.  We have competition with one another for jobs.

Our action is setting our goals for a job search. What do we look for in a job? What do we want to do? Do we want to live somewhere specific?

Communication comes into play when we reach out to companies, recruiters, or utilize our personal network.

Finally, we evaluate if we were successful or not. There may have been certain messages that worked or did not. Did you get a call back or an interview opportunity? Or do we need to go back to the Research and try again?  

The Advantage

Communication is not everyone’s strong suit and public relations is definitely a niche within communications. As future PR practitioners and strategic communicators, we stand out because we can analyze and understand an audience or public better than anybody else.

Even updating your LinkedIn profile or polishing your portfolio to be more visually appealing could make a difference in the impression you make.