Why PR is a great career choice for any graduate

As a (soon to be!) English graduate, my recent PR internship with Fair Communications has been an excellent opportunity for me to utilise the communication and written skills I have gained from my undergraduate degree and apply them to the professional landscape.

Particularly for graduates like me, the PR field is a perfect career to enter, due to its evolving nature and the vast opportunities that it offers. It is a huge misconception that a career in PR is only open to those with business-related backgrounds.

Instead, I strongly believe this is a career that benefits from, and thrives off, diverse backgrounds, to offer holistic and creative perspectives to projects.

1. Dynamic work environment

From my experience working for Fair Communications, the day-to-day work environment is constantly evolving. From creating social media posts, copywriting, researching and editing, there is always something new to task yourself with.

This makes PR incredibly varied, often fast-paced, but most importantly, exciting, particularly when overseeing projects from beginning to end. Having such a multi-faceted career means each workday often looks different, allowing you to consistently be involved with new projects and to approach them with new perspectives.

2. Networking / building relationships

A career in PR is a wonderful opportunity to expand your professional network through meeting and networking with both individuals and wider businesses. During my time with Fair Communications, I have experienced this firsthand by emailing journalists and media outlets, as well as shadowing meetings with clients.

As a field that is based on successful and efficient communication, PR offers the opportunity to build strong and long-term relationships with individuals globally, often leading to experiences with companies that you otherwise may never have engaged with. As the classic saying goes: “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know!”, which is particularly prevalent in the world of PR.

3. Creative freedom

One of my favourite aspects of working for PR is how it allows me to utilise my creative skills. In this role, I have created visuals in Canva, written and edited articles, overseen social media and created transcript precis for clients of differing sectors.

I’ve enjoyed applying this creativity across sectors, as it has allowed me to compose content that is specifically tailored to individual businesses, ensuring that they are both visually aesthetic as well as engaging.

I have learnt about the importance of producing content (such as social media posts) which successfully portrays the ethos of the client. This is perfect for those who are keen to combine their creative skills with logistics and strategy.

4. Versatile skills

The skills that you learn from an undergraduate degree, such as strong communication and written ability, are assets to the PR field. As a career that has so many components to it, there have been many new skills to learn, such as pitching to journalists, learning various strategies and collaborating with clients to tailor their social media to meet their needs.

What was striking to me, is that these skills are easily transferrable to the other tasks that I completed, allowing me to feel confident with the foundations of PR. Not only are these skills incredibly valuable to the workplace, but they also allow you to master the basics of becoming an efficient PR specialist, increasing your adaptability to various sectors.

Finally, I would like to express my gratitude towards Vicky for this incredible opportunity with her company, Fair Communications. Her expertise in the field has guided and developed my skills in many ways, and I feel incredibly lucky to have been mentored by someone of such high experience and knowledge.

It is empowering to see a female-owned business flourish, and it is inspirational to witness Vicky’s success in every facet of the PR world. Thank you to Vicky for your support every step of the way, and for such an eye-opening opportunity! 

Millie O’Driscoll is a PR Intern at Fair Communications. For more information visit: faircommunications.co.uk