Public relations and communications are excellent career choices for people who are creative and enjoy being around others. There are a variety of professional positions for individuals with degrees in these areas. Career exploration can help you find just the right specialty for your public relations career. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
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Sports Public Relations Careers
Sports public relations jobs can be a great way for athletes to stay in sports without going pro in their particular game. Positions in this area often involve marketing, so it can be helpful to choose a public relations or communications major with a minor in marketing. Also, there are many educational institutions that have sports management programs for both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Careers in this field include positions in event planning, fund-raising, advertising, and athlete representation, just to name a few. To start your search for a position in sports public relations, check out the website for your favorite sports team and see the possibilities.
Careers in Event Planning
Public relations, communications and marketing are all great degrees for working in the exciting area of event planning. Event planners are needed to coordinate conventions, meetings, weddings, anniversaries, corporate events, retirement parties, fundraisers, exhibits and a multitude of other affairs. This is a great career for those who enjoy coordinating and organizing and dealing with a lot of other people.
Careers in Media Relations
Media relations professionals work directly with media representatives to maximize positive reporting on their particular company or entity without having to pay for it through advertising. This means interacting closely with reporters and journalists to establish quality relationships and interest in the organization. Media Relations specialists advise these media representatives as to the policies and practices of the business, as well as new developments, in order to gain positive media coverage. They also draft press releases and coordinate speaking engagements. This is a great job for people who enjoy cultivating relationships.
Fashion Public Relations Careers
Fashion publicists or public relations strategists help apparel companies and retail stores develop a desired image to reach their target audience. They also observe trends and design innovative promotions to stay connected with their customers. Fashion publicists might also coordinate fashion shows, socialize with magazine editors and fashion designers, plan press releases and press conferences, launch new products, oversee promotional events and even attend parties. This is a great field for social people who enjoy clothing and fashion.
These are just a few of the many jobs available in the public relations and communications industry. For those who aren’t sure if a career in this field is right for them, career coaching can be a great way to explore the available options and find the best path to success.
How to Make the Most of Your Work Experience
Are you between the ages of 15 and 16 waiting to start work experience this month? Fear not for this is the same for thousands of students across the country. September is a busy month for all, especially students; most start a new year at school, and many have the opportunity to work for one week at a company as part of a work experience scheme set up by many high schools.
It’s both a nervous and exciting time for such students as they now get to experience what it’s like to work in the real world, and to get a taste of such an environment in order to help them prepare for when they enter into the job world.
How you make the most of your work experience is very important as it will enable you to show off your skills within a workplace.
What is work experience?
Work experience is a great opportunity, not just for students, but for everyone to learn what a work environment is like and how it operates. Work experience usually involves watching and learning about a variety of roles associated with the company you are working for, and sometimes being able to show your skills on a particular job.
Work experience is a good way of helping you set some direction for what you would like to do when you finish education. It is particularly helpful for those that don’t have a clear sense of what occupation they would like to pursue; having some work experience under your belt really does help if you’re unsure.
Work experience falls under different categories. There are different types that match up with different skills in a workplace; just remember, the more experience you gain, the better it looks for you when it comes to selling yourself to big companies.
The different types of work experience include: Internships which are usually for postgraduates and are paid; sandwich courses which are connected to a university degree; job shadowing which is another type that involves you overseen by a trained person as they work; and, a work placement that can be either paid or unpaid.
How to stand out during your work experience
Presentation is important – How you present yourself will show your employers the kind of person you are. Turning up on your first day at work wearing slacks and an old t-shirt it will give off the impression that you just don’t care; dressing up in smart attire will show your employer that you are focused individual ready for business. Companies usually have a certain dress code you must follow, and failure to do so means that you are breaking a rule in their “code of conduct.”
Set some goals – Before you start your work, it might be a good idea to set yourself some goals; these can help you achieve the most out of your work experience, helping you work towards certain strengths and weaknesses you may have. Should you reach these goals at the end, you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing you have accomplished what you have set out to do.
Speak up – Don’t hesitate when it comes to contributing some of your ideas; you need to be able to show that you are not afraid to voice your thoughts. What you gain out of your experience comes back to all the input you gave. Always remember that this is your opportunity, and companies are always looking for fresh ideas, so now is not the time to hold back.
The only way to make the most of your work experience is to make sure that you always have a positive attitude; not only does it show the company that you are a dedicated worker, but it helps you as a person to give it you all. A positive thought: depending how well you work, some companies can offer you a paid position. The harder you worker; the better it looks for you.
