vox-popPRcareers

Kate Brindley with Stephen Ayres, head of menswear buying at Liberty

It feels great. One of the many things I love about Liberty is we aren’t too seeped in our heritage, more we use it as a platform for innovation so although Liberty was founded in 1875 the approach we take to things is modern and fresh not formal and outdated.

PR should absolutely embrace social media. It is imperative in retail PR that you communicate to your end consumer using their preferred media channels. Social media and retail PR go hand in hand as they are both about the right now, what’s happening at this moment that is of most interest. Social media is most successful when used by brands who take an approach of integrity, so giving people an insight into a ‘world of’ not just hammering them with unfiltered product information.

I really hope so. I’m bored of people using the recession as an excuse to be lazy or not pay you! I think 2010 will see good PRs hone their skills and develop and widen their knowledge of niche and special markets be it a specific international market or the aforementioned social media.

Incredibly important. it still is now! I never understand when juniors PRs complain about doing appointments, how do you think your boss established their press contacts? PR is all about who you know and how you leverage that.

5) With competition so fierce for junior press jobs, some people are looking at tools like LinkedIn to get started. Do you think the Internet has changed how people apply for jobs in PR or does who you know still matter?

Personal recommendations are still imperative for me. I hired my whole team that way.

6) Working in a team is essential to the running of a good press office. What advice would you give graduates starting out in PR to be good team-players?

Be prepared to graft. Nothing impresses people more than good old fashion hard work. Be creative and inspiring by suggesting ideas, sharing information you have and things of interest like new bands you’ve seen, clubs and exhibitions you’ve just visited.

Work experience, hobbies and interests are more relevant to me than education on a CV. I also like succinct but clear CVs. Don’t be too formulaic with your layout but also don’t go too overboard with the creativity, it’s important that the person receiving it can ascertain all the relevant information straight away.

Photograph courtesy of Kate Brindley.