How to land your first B2B tech PR job

The summer marks a well-earned break for those that have been studying hard for the past three years at university. Many now will know if all their hard work has paid off, having received their results. It’s now time to step into the world of work, and putting the past three years’ worth of knowledge to the test. New recruit Lauren Daly at Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, can relate to how this new step in your life is both nerve racking and daunting. Here, she reveals her post graduate story and offers a few helpful hints and tops to help you on the way to your career path:

“Police officer” “Firefighter” “Astronaut” – when telling people what you wanted to be as a child, it was pretty unlikely that you answered “I want to work in PR”. I was no exception to the rule and it took me until the grand old age of 20 to decide that B2B technology PR was for me. Luckily for me, the lorries accepted me into their fleet straight out of finishing my Communication and Media degree at Bournemouth Uni. With just two years between my PR light bulb moment and beginning at the lorries, here are my tips on how to use that time wisely to land yourself your first PR job!

Experience, experience, experience

It’s been a while since just getting a degree was enough to have people knocking on your door. Whether its paid or unpaid, short term or long term, any experience is better than no experience.

At uni? Why not see if there are any small local agencies that would be happy to have an extra hand for a day or two a week while you’re studying. Any chance you have to meet others who work in PR is a good one.

Practising and improving your writing is also key, that could be offering your writing skills to a local group wanting press, volunteering at  the student run media outlet or coming up with your own blog. Either way, you’ll be in a much better position than having an empty CV.

Clean up your online act  

Remember that Bebo profile you had? Now is probably a better time than ever to get rid of that! It isn’t the most professional thing to have your top Google search result read “drunk with the bestie”. When it comes to a social media cleanse, it can be a little tricky to get the right balance between looking fun but also like you’d do a good job. There is no need to delete any evidence of you ever enjoying yourself, but that photo of you throwing up in a taxi after a few too many jagerbombs might be better to take down…

Stand out

Phrases like “stand out from the crowd” and “think outside of the box” get a serious eye roll from me –  they’re always a lot easier in theory than practise. You’ve probably read stories of those who have seriously gone the extra mile, from one grad taking to Waterloo to hold up a sign advertising his skills, to the infamous story of Alec Brownstein, who bought Google AdWords for CEO’s that he was interested in working for.

Despite both being pretty cool ideas, realistically, it can be some of the small stuff that helps set you apart. For starters, sending out a “Dear Sir/Madam” email to 100 different companies won’t be getting you very far and neither will directly copying online examples of CV’s. Those words are so important in giving your potential employer a taste of who you are – so use them wisely!  

Be keen

For many, the idea of being ‘keen’, is unfortunately associated with giving a super-like on tinder. In this case, to get through any of the above, you need to be proactive and not just seem interested in working in PR but actually do something about it. This can seem easier said than done, especially if you are snowed under with uni work or already balancing a demanding job.  Balancing time and prioritising tasks are skills that you will use once you start working in PR – so why not start practising them now?

‘If at first you don’t succeed then try, try again’. The famous proverb applies perfectly when it comes to job hunting. As long as you keep motivated, persevere and take these pointers on board then your hard work is sure to pay off in the form of a job offer in no time. 

With over 20 years of recruiting experience, Zenopa has an excellent reputation as one of the leading agencies within the healthcare market. Established in 1991, we have built strong relationships with our clients including Johnson and Johnson, GSK, Phillips, and Roche, by providing flexible, and effective campaigns specific to their needs and requirements.”

If you are thinking about a career within the healthcare industry, we have a variety of roles available, from entry level through to executive and director level. Our team of recruiters are here to kick start your career as well as support and help you throughout your journey.

If you would like to find out more about the current roles that we have available, you can send us a message, register your details or contact the team on 01494 818 000 or email enquries@zenopa.com.