HOW TO: USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO KICK START YOUR CAREER IN PR

I was lucky enough to have a little time with Clare Dunford who works for BOTTLE PR, which is a PR company based in Oxford. One thing I love about BOTTLE PR is that they lay it out quite simply, by asking clients 'Who do you want to reach?' - I know it seems like a fairly common sense question to ask but I don't think enough PR companies are willing to be so to the point as they are.

What made you decide to take your chosen career path? 

Social media really found me.  I’ve always loved communicating and connecting with people, and I was at university when Facebook first launched… the timings just worked out!  I could see how Facebook could easily become an important communication tool, and when I went into life after university I took those arguments with me.

How did you get to where you are now? 

I started my first job working as a Real-Life Features Journalist a small news agency in Berkshire the week after I finished my last university exam.  I’d been the editor of my student newspaper, and the Editor of the agency was impressed by how I’d managed to juggle that work with my studies, and how I was happy to hit the phones straight away.

After a year writing real-life stories for national papers, I decided to take my love of communication in-house, and went to work for a Marketing and Management Agency.  There I persuaded my boss that social media wasn’t just something that “youngsters” were using, but could be used to reach consumers directly.  I balanced my digital work with offline marketing, but really wanted to focus on that.  So I entered BOTTLE PR’s Social Media Challenge.  The agency were looking for someone to join their social media team, and so challenged applicants to show their social media skills and attract the attention of the BOTTLE team.  I’ve now been here for two years working on a huge range of both B2B and B2C clients 

What 5 tips would you give someone wanting to get into the position you're in now? 

1.      Keep up to date – it can be difficult in the changing digital world to know what the next big thing is, but it would be your job to keep your finger on the pulse, and know what is new so you can advise your clients and colleagues

2.      Love talking – social media and PR is all about building relationships. And what is better than having a little chat.

3.      Don’t be afraid to think out of the box – Sometimes it’s good to something new.  To land the job in the first place you’ll need to stand out.

4.      Get a good phone – that might sound silly, but if you’re going to work in social media then you’ll need to make sure you are connected.  Get a phone that can handle multiple Twitter accounts, regular Facebook activity, and can take good photos. 

5.      Don’t be afraid to ask – Social media is networking, so don’t forget to use your own network to your benefit.  Ask your friends, relatives, acquaintances whether they’ve heard of any job openings or internships or even whether they know anyone in the right sector.  Get all the experience you can.  It’s a great way to get your toe in the door.