Network ‘til you Can-Work!

Hola!

It is no surprise to us now, as soon-to-be graduates, that networking is vital in gaining valuable contacts for our future careers within the public relations industry. Perth is small, PR professionals know PR professionals, so to stand out in a large crowd is difficult, and to stand out for all the right reasons is even greater of a challenge. So in times when all of us are looking for the same jobs and building similar networks in order to do this, how do we stand out from the crowded graduate pool?

The importance of personal branding was highlighted within the first few days at my intern. I felt very ‘fish-out-of-water’ and like somewhat of an imposter! As a girl with almost too much personality to share, the feeling of not being able to convey that initially was uncomfortable. We want to show our best and do our best, whilst displaying professionalism and a good work ethic, but somewhere in there we need to let our personalities shine, and it is this balance that I find the most challenging in a new work place!

Our personality is apart of our personal branding, and in my opinion just as important as our ability to complete tasks successfully. Just like any social situation, some personalities are more suited to different areas, job roles and companies then others. Find a fit, where you can express yourself and be respected by fellow colleges is important.

So I guess the take away message I wanted to share was to be YOU! Sure we can refine this and adapt to a working environment, but don’t let the working world kill your spark. Network YOU, sell YOU, promote YOU and most importantly make sure you land the role you think best aligns with your values and attitudes in order to build and shape your professional identity into a prosperous future.

I am still working on this every day at my internship… and I don’t have an answer just yet on the best way to convey my personality, but if you have had a similar experience I would love to hear your best tips!

Gab.