Public Relations Related Things You Can Do During The Coronavirus Pandemic

By: Katie Coulson

Have lots of free time all of a sudden? Still trying to be productive but failing and giving up? Here are some simple tips to help a public relations student stay motivated during the Coronavirus pandemic!

• Start a blog. With all the time you potentially have, start writing down your thoughts. It helps a lot (for me at least) to write down my thoughts and worries; it clears my head. You can write about anything, PR related or not. This is also something that can help you stand out on a job application in the future. Employers love to see writing skills within school and outside of school and this is a great way to show it.                                                                                                                                        
• Touch up on your resume. With companies and internships being put on hold, you never know when you are going to need your resume next, but it can’t hurt to look over. Resumes are extremely important to a potential employer; it is the first impression you make about yourself. Have a friend or family member look it over and talk to them about potential improvements. It’s never a bad time to look over a resume.                                                                                                                                                                                
• Continue networking. Even though in person meetings are on hold, a LinkedIn connection is still possible. Some people you reach out to are still willing to have informational calls which can be super beneficial. You can learn about potential opportunities and also learn about companies in general. Also, look out for online workshops or speaker events. This is a great way to learn about the public relations industry and network with professionals.                                                                               
• Watch the news with a PR perspective. Don’t listen to fake news, or spread fake news. Also, understand how the news is framed; take a look at headlines. Take note in what words they use often and what words they avoid. Read articles and try to understand why journalists write the way they do.                                                                                                                                                                                                 
• Do your research. You have lots of time to research everything and anything you want. If you are a senior, research potential agencies or companies you want to work for; learn about what they do and how they do it. If you are a junior or sophomore and are looking into internship opportunities, research internship programs and highlight the ones that interest you. Another thing you can do during this time is research about the public relations industry in general; find out what agencies are doing during this time. Research brands that are taking steps to help people in need; research and discover brands that impress you.                                                                                                             
• Practice some interview skills. This is a perfect time to touch up on that one thing that everyone dreads: interviews. I suggest looking up potential questions and picking one question a day. That day, focus on just that one question. Think about potential answers, practice answering the question out loud, and work on it throughout the day. And the next day do the same. This will add up overtime and benefit you in the future.                                                                                                             
• Have a lazy day. Not every single day is going to be the most productive day you have. Some days are going to be hard and some days are going to be not so hard. Sometimes you need to lay back on the couch and relax. Tomorrow can be another day of work!