Lately, I’ve had quite a few chats and glasses of wine with friends looking to make the switch from their current industry to a career in public relations.  Of the four career-leap talks I’ve had in the past month, my advice remains consistent: the burden of explaining to a potential employer the value of your non-pr-career experience is on you.

To the average PR recruiter, hiring you is not a no-brainer. You are going to have to connect the dots for hiring managers, which means you must create an all-new resume with a matching cover letter. Please, I beg of you, don’t use the words “social,” “media,” “maven” and/or “guru” in any sentence about yourself.

These paper versions of you should not only convey the overall depth of your skill set, but clearly explain how the responsibilities and successes at each of your past gigs are relevant to the public relations career you now seek. Read More…