The inside scoop from a local public relations firm
What is an employer looking for?
Here’s what you should know about applying for a position: we are looking for professionalism and creativity above all when sifting through the many resumes. Please do not try to be cute or funny, stick to the basics and tell us what you could bring to our office.
What do employers notice in an applicant?
Do your research, look at our website, read our blogs: you will gain tremendous insight into who we are and what we do. Then take that research and apply it to your cover letter. I look for cover letters that demonstrate an understanding of the business in a clear, concise way.
The most common mistakes I see in cover letters include grammatical errors and misspellings. Always have a trusted person edit it with you. You might think it sounds fine, but it never hurts to have another set of eyes look over your work. (This practice continues even in the working world; all of our work goes through several rounds of revisions, no matter what our title may be.)
How and when should I follow up?
Don’t panic if we don’t respond to your email the first day. We read every application and cover letter closely, but we also have our everyday jobs to tend to. However, if it has been more than a week, it is fine to send a quick follow up note just reiterating your interest. Tell us something different about yourself or your interest in our company, rather than just saying “Did you get my application?” Be creative, professional and persistent. The application process is a lot like pitching to the media, it might take two or three follow ups to finally get that big hit.
~Beth Parent, Account Supervisor
PMG
People Making Good (PMG) PR specializes exclusively in publicity and media relations.
Learn more at this great workshop with special guest Logic Supply:
Stand out in the Application Process Tuesday, February 18, 12-1pm at the Hub!