Do you need to move to a big city to work in PR?
Starting a career in PR, no matter where you are, is never going to be an easy ride. A fun ride of course, but never easy. Dedication, a passion for the industry and your chosen sector, excellent writing skills and having real life work experience are just some of the common traits needed.
People often assume being a successful PR girl equals living and working in a major city such as London or New York. Of course it definitely helps, but it’s not essential.
Cities are home to many large corporations and the media is influential and globally renowned. Newspapers, publishing houses and major television studios will be all round the corner (or a few tube stops away!)
New York is the ultimate dream for many aspiring PR pro’s, being a leading centre of finance, banking, communication and fashion; it isn’t hard to see why!
If entertainment PR is your chosen path, LA would be another obvious choice and the same goes for public affairs and Washington D.C.
Luckily in the UK, London is the central hub for main industries, finance, fashion, and entertainment being the most prominent, as well as the major press and television studios also being situated in or just outside the city.
Networking is an important aspect of PR building up a good rapport for yourself and your client or brand will lead to success, so it certainly help us PR girls do our job if we are located where the big fishes are. Big cities do have opportunities waiting for you everywhere, PR pro’s are great at seizing them and using them to their advantage, either to gain that all important client coverage or host a star studded event.
However the cost of city life can be extremely expensive, if you’re a recent graduate or looking to relocate, money will be something that you need to consider. Also remember that competition will be fierce with a capital ‘F’. You will be going up against thousands of other candidates for jobs, which makes ‘standing out’ to prospective employers challenging.
So if you’re not ready to pack that suitcase just yet, keep reading…
Smaller cities and towns benefit from less competition, cheaper living and yet they have the potential for just as much opportunity for success! It’s just a case of you hunting them down! Wherever you go there will always be companies in need of PR to help manage their reputation, increase brand awareness and achieve that all important media coverage.
Tracking down business start-ups, local stores, councils and universities are all great ways of finding work opportunities; remember they all have press offices too!
Smaller cities and towns will also have their own regional press who are often more likely to run your press release featuring a local company than a huge national paper. Many international PR agencies will have offices in cities all over too, so do your research.
The truth is, if you want to be successful in PR and really want it, you will find a way to get to that dream job. Even if it means you starting up your own company! Whether it is in the hustle and bustle of London or a smaller town like Brighton, or a small town in Alabama…stay positive, work hard and look for opportunities to fit in with your passions.
If moving to a big city suits you, go for it! if not there are still plenty of other ways to kick-start your PR career, that’s the beauty of the industry!
