One in a Million
The balance between being generic and overly specialized in public relations is being able to execute advanced oral and written communication, and marketing skills. However, I would have to be careful not to become overly specialized in these skills to prevent them from being nontransferable to other areas within media and communication careers. An example of an overly specialized skill would be pharmaceutical marketing. It would be difficult for me to apply to another company with such specific traits. This would narrow my job search significantly. Also, I want to make sure not to only have general career-oriented skills that could qualify me for numerous careers outside of public relations. My resume will have to showcase my abilities catered to public relations, but not overly specific to one particular area of public relations. By doing this, I have created what Gershon refers to as “new model of the self” (Gershon, 88).
I stand out from other applicants by the different experiences I have had in internships and jobs. The experiences have strengthened my customer service and oral communication skills. Also, I have improved my teamwork and adaptability skills as a result. According to Gershon, I should use the “standardized forms” within the job market to represent myself as distinctive (Gershon, 62). In the context of public relations, I would use Gershon’s advice by utilizing the same color scheme and font for all my documents and media platforms. The uniformity of features will catch the attention of employers. By continuing to build my “genre repertoire,” I can provide solid evidence of my “employability” (Gershon, 68). The traits that make me blend in with other applicants are my ability to use Adobe and Microsoft programs, along with the ability to professionally communicate through my speech and writing.
I would accentuate my strengths by completing more projects that showcase my genre. In doing this, I will take Jane Burnett’s advice. She says, “ Make sure your resume accurately reflects who you are, what you have to offer the company you want to work for, and that it’s competitive enough to rival the resumes of other people with big dreams and creative minds” (Burnett, 4th paragraph, 2017). When showing my strengths, I will make sure it is truthful and accurate to what I can actually accomplish. I would improve my weaknesses by frequently practicing and utilizing the resources available to me. This would include taking additional courses on and off campus, and reaching out to professionals who have the experience I am looking for.
