It’s the second to last week of the semester. We’re done with classes, but haven’t quite started finals. And senioritis is in full swing. I’m not even a senior and I put off writing this blog to make a rum cake. I stand by my decision.
I did a lot of research this week about PR portfolios. What goes in them? What gets left out? When do you use them? How do you use them? NYC PR girls and Ragan’s PR Daily had the best advice I found. If you don’t want to read both sites, I’ve made a cheat sheet.
- Proofread. You can have the most amazing press releases anyone has ever seen, but one misspelling can nix any chance you have at getting that callback.
- Be choosy. Don’t include everything you’ve ever written. Not everything you write is gold; narrow your portfolio down to your best work. Pick items that will work for the job. If the job requires someone versed in media lists and advisories, you can probably leave out the brochures and flyers you designed or your first journalism class.
- Be prepared. Include an updated resume and extra samples of your work. You may have sent in a resume during your application process, but bring an extra just in case. Many places want to see your work and some may ask for a copy. It’s best to have extra copies to leave behind.
- Keep it simple. No need to overly design your portfolio. Make it simple and easy to navigate. Group like work together and make it easy to find during an interview.
Hopefully these tips will help out next week when our class wraps up with portfolios. Not to mention my future job search. Come on, August!
