Work placements are an essential part of getting your foot on the slippery ladder that is PR
Most employers – including Prohibition – won’t look twice at a candidate without any first-hand experience, and a variety of placements not only shows dedication to this noble cause, but it gives you genuine insight into the job (and it’s not for everyone!).
We get a lot of requests for work placements here at Prohibition. And we mean a lot; sometimes 5 to 10 a week. That means we only end up offering placements to a handful of candidates each year, so what do you need to do in order to stand out – both in securing a placement, and once you get your foot in the door?
Do your research
Prohibition is a specialist social media PR agency. If that’s what you’re interested in, then great. Don’t get in touch if you hate Tweeting, and don’t know your algorithms from your elbow.
Also make sure when you’re approaching us, you know a little bit about our clients, and what’s going on in the PR/social space (especially among your own age group). We don’t expect you to be an expert, but at least get the basics right.
Make it personal
Don’t just fire off an email to our generic address. We’re all active on social media, so track us down and get to know us that way first. And once you get your foot in the door, ensure you make a great impression. This way we’ll remember you and you’ll stand out from the other interns.
The right personality
This is incredibly important to us, and if you get on with us, you’re half way there. Act like it’s the real thing.
Be pro-active
You wouldn’t be late for a full-time job, so be on time and pro-active. Ask for work to do if you’ve not got any, and be efficient – organisation is always impressive. Don’t sit on your phone all day, just being here won’t help develop essential skills. Work experience isn’t just a box ticking exercise. Get stuck in. It doesn’t take all day to write a press release, but if you’re finding it tricky ask for help – this shows you’re willing to learn.
Think creatively
Being able to bring something new to the table will always impress and remember, you’re incredibly well positioned to be able to tell us what’s happening among your peer group when it comes to the latest developments in social media. So tell us!
Work on good grammar and writing
Spell check! Nothing shows carelessness like misspelling. We all make the odd mistake but keep them to a minimum to show you take pride in your work, especially in your CV and covering letter! (Bonus points to anyone who can spot the deliberate spelling mistake in this copy!)
Remember, we’re constantly expanding, and we need great people to help us do this. Many of our current staff started by undertaking work experience or an internship with us, so if you want to get your foot in the door, this is the way to do it!
If you would like to see our top tips for securing a placement visit this article.
If you would like to apply for a role with Prohibition visit our careers page.
