pr portfolio examples

8/2/2019 PR Portfolio Examples

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You, On Paper (and Online)

Constructing a public relations

portfolio


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What is a portfolio?

Its a compendium of materials that

demonstrate your expertise in public

relations Its used to show potential employers that

you know what youre doing


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What should it look like?

Clean and crisp is more important than new or expensive


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Let your career goals guide you

A portfolio for someone working in the arts

should look quite different from on for a

person in banking Both exterior and interior

Color choice

Font Elements included


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What does the employer expect?

Review basic skills required in job postings

to see what employers are looking for

Emphasize basic PR tools that you willactually use in your first job


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What goes in the portfolio?

Resume (CV)

Generic reference letters from employers,

teachers, volunteer supervisors, etc. Writing and design samples

Its okay to include items created in class

We know theyre students.


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Documentation of work

Anything can be documented

Club newsletter showing your activities

Special event on paper: Checklists

Event planning materials

Fliers or invitations


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But most importantly

RESULTS: Not just that you wrote or

designed PR materials, but what happened

because they were distributed Pictures of a special event to document

attendance

News stories resulting from media relations

Evaluation materials (survey results, etc.)

Web copy (links from blogs or Web sites, etc.)


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Selecting items

Try to include a variety of materials,

preferably in their original form

Print, Internet and broadcast Research, strategic thinking/planning

Variety of publics targeted, positions held

Choose only your best One great news release is better than one great

one plus two okay ones


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How should I organize it?

Room for creativity

By job/position held

By item type (i.e., PSAs in one section,events in another)

You can also customize it for each

interview


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Organization is vital

Organize it so someone could figure it out if

you werent there to explain

Most employers just skim, so you shouldhighlight whats most important

Tabs/section breaks, table of contents

First page of each section Headlines, attention-getters


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Appearance is also vital

Do:

Clean, crisp pages (use protectors)

Clean copy Dont

Poor design

Anything that will detract from skimming Crazy fonts, clip art, frills


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Electronic portfolios

Show off your online skills

Convert writing/design samples to PDF files

Links to news coverage based on yourmedia relations activities

Remove personal information such asaddress and telephone numbers (yours,references, etc.)

Social media resume

Links to blog, Web site, Twitter account,

podcasts or other online activities


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What do I do with it now?

Take it with you on every interview

If you have an electronic portfolio, bring a

paper version to the interview Ask the interviewer if they would like to see

it

They wont necessarily ask you to see it They assume you will bring one if you have

one


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Showing it off

Dont just shove it at them and sit silently

Use it as a chance to link your experience

with their needs Narrate what theyre seeing

You were asking about my experience with

newsletters. Heres an example of an article Iwrote for my clubs newsletter. I also took the

pictures.


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Takeaways

Make photocopies of the very best items,

put in a packet that you can leave behind

Can include a page with link to yourelectronic portfolio or other links


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I got a job!

Now what do you do with your portfolio?

Keep it

Keep adding to it Reorganize as neededthe beauty of page

protectors

PRSA suggests using it for

Negotiations (raise, promotion)

Scholarship, grant, bonus applications

pr portfolio examples

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