Shirt c/o Modern Frock
Blouses like this are my go-to for work, they’re professional (in the world of PR) but with a stylish twist, I pair them with heels and dark washed jeans to take me from my office to client meetings and then events followed by cocktails with friends. Modern Frock creates classic styles for the modern girl boss.
Speaking of girl bosses, I’m often asked about how I got started in PR and what advice I have for those hoping to break into the industry so today I thought I’d share about of my story and tips…
1- Network- this business all about who you know so even when I was in college I still attended events to expand my network. I attended a random event at Nordstrom and secured my first internship, many of my client referrals come from network still to this day.
2- Intern/Work- during my time in college I had 4 internships and 3 jobs, this helped me not only fill my resume for when applying to post college jobs but also provided me with valuable knowledge to use in my “real” job. I spent my time working retail during college so that I could learn more about the fashion side of lifestyle PR… how thing’s are made, what quality merchandise really feels like, how to merchandise, etc. I also suggest interning and working so you can figure out in what segment of your industry you’d like to work in. I quickly discovered I didn’t want to work for a large corporation as I preferred to dabble and create.
3- Make Opportunities- it’s quite simple, if you want to be a celeb stylist then start taking pictures of your outfits and styling friends, if you want to be a writer then write for your school’s paper, if you want to be an event planner, why not plan dinner parties for your friends and family? Decide what you want to do and get creative in building a portfolio, make yourself an expert in the industry.
4- Get Social- fact: I got my first job out of college through social media. When I graduated college I changed my social media accounts to say that I was a recent job looking to start my career in PR. One afternoon I sat down and followed every publicist and firm in the Philadelphia area on Twitter and Linkedin. Someone I followed on Twitter reached out when she say my bio and said she was hiring a PR coordinator to work under her. Two ladies later I had an interview, 3 days later I had a job in PR! Instead of making your social media accounts private, clean them up and use them to your advantage.
5- Reach Out- lastly, cold call. Reach out to everyone in your network, pick up a magazine and reach out to strangers, if someone inspires you email them and ask them to coffee. The worst they can do is turn you down. I started Piqued PR by freelancing. My first freelance client I found in a magazine. He was a local politician, whose story inspired me. I emailed him and asked if he was looking for any PR or social media help for his campaign. To this day I still reach out to people and businesses I want to work with simply by cold calling.
I hope this inspired you and encouraged you too to follow your dreams. Feel free to email me if you have any questions about working in PR or being an entrepreneur.
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