Guest Post Written By Keri Hudson. For more see www.bohemedigital.co.uk | @keritweet

Gaining experience at PR Agencies can add a massive boost to your CV when it comes to applying for jobs. The competition for Internships can be very tough, so it’s crucial to make sure you stand out from the rest of the crowd. Developing your Online Personal Branding is a brilliant way to make sure you market yourself to the world as successfully as possible. Here’s some simple tips to help you get noticed.

Increase your spatial presence

Social network sites such as Facebook and Twitter can offer brilliant opportunities for you to connect with companies and others in the industry, and when used alongside networks like LinkedIn can offer a wide range of information outlets for people to find out more about you. If you haven’t heard of LinkedIn, I’d recommend you have a look and open an account, it really is worth the 15 minutes it will take to upload your information. LinkedIn lets you connect to professionals you know from the industry, follow companies and join professional groups. Uploading your CV to the site allows your connections to download it in PDF form, which is a handy way for them to look over your credentials. Your LinkedIn account can also be linked to your Twitter, Blog and numerous other sites, allowing those that view your profile to access other parts of your online presence. LinkedIn is used by a high level of PR Agencies to advertise potential new positions etc, so it really is an invaluable place to keep track of.

Maintaining a Blog is also a fantastic way to broadcast your opinions and generate interest in yourself. Tweeting links to posts you have written can attract a large following, who may RT/Share if they like what they read. This kind of exposure is brilliant, and can again help you connect to others in the industry. Tracing the activity on your Blog by using Google Analytics can be very handy – signing up to the service is free, and allows you to see how much traffic you receive and how they are referred to your site. Capitalising on these methods can then help to up your audience.

Contribute

Social Media was born out of the idea of conversation and content sharing. Use sites like Twitter to share information about things that interest you, add to conversations about certain topics and link to things you have created – posts like this are really valuable and will attract like-minded people. If you are a creative, maintaining a site such as Flickr, Youtube or Deviantart can allow you to draw from a bank of content. Ultimately, gaining followers on these platforms will lead you to more and more opportunities – however, if you main intention when using these sites is to gain a following, you’re going about things wrong. Focus on the quality of the content you submit – then the calibre of your posts will be rewarded by an increase in attention.

Get Connected

Social Media is the most effective place to network. Establishing connections with media professionals has never been so easy â€" a well placed comment can receive a follow, a continuation of the conversation can take you anywhere. Talk to people that live in your area, work in the industry you desire to, or are attending events you plan to. Increasing the amount of people you follow is rewarding. Attending networking events arranged online can offer you valuable chances to forward your relationship with potential employers. Be open to people and don’t be afraid to get involved – they know as well as you do that everyone had to get started at some point.

Show the Best of Yourself

Keeping a close eye on the content of your sites (most importantly Facebook) is vital to a good online presence. Remain as professional as possible whilst reflecting your character and interests. It is all too easy for someone to find you on Facebook and be turned off by the type of language you use, the attitude of your updates or the nature of the photos you post. If you make yourself public, make sure you do it in the *right* way.

It’s also key to have a measure of continuity across all your accounts. I have found that using the same photo across my profile have made it much easier for people to recognise me in various spaces. Try and stick to the same username for everything – this will allow for seamless integration across your networks.

Live as if you are your Aspirations

This is a really important factor that can help you publicly move from your potential to your realisations. If my ambition is to become a quality voice in the media landscape, and a successful digital communicator, then living as that now is the best practice I can have for the future. I’ve attended quite a few conferences that have been marketed towards people in the industry, because they lift me up to everyone else’s standard. Living at the same level as someone that already has a career can only be a good thing. Aim as high as you can.

vox-pop is proud to announce that bgb, the travel and tourism PR agency led by Debbie Hindle, is looking for work experience interns. The client list for bgb includes Wales Cymru and Accor Hospitality.

The work placements are available for people who are serious about breaking into the PR industry.  Based in the bgb office in London, this is a  placement that pays £50 for travel expenses per week.

Former work experience interns at bgb have risen to positions such as board director and account manager at the agency.

All interested in applying for placements should write to pr@bgb.co.uk. Please quote vox-pop in your application for this placement.