Time to read: 2 minutes

Sam Howard interviewed 40 undergrads in a day. Here are her top tips to stand out from the rest of the PR internship crowd.

Pick me! oh, please pick me!

This is what gets me: it’s not until you interview 40 potential interns back to back that you realise how important it is to make a mark and stand out for the right reasons.

Below are my top ten tips for delivering a compelling interview:

1) Dress up, not down

You’re a student; I know what students look like. Show me what you look like as a young professional, and help me imagine you in my world.

Lads, put on a suit. Girls, tie back the hair and easy on the make-up. Everybody make sure the shoes complement the look and are clean. Oh, and take your coat off!

2) Bring in a portfolio

And refer to it. Clips, references, college work, certificates etc.

3) Don’t be worried about nerves

We expect you to be nervous and can see through it. Just focus on coherent answers that stack up.

4) Be able to answer the question, ‘What do we get if we hire you?’

In three words that are true to the core of you. Even if you’re not asked, have a handle on your personal brand, what it is, and what you stand for.

5) If you are studying PR be able to talk about the industry

Including our issues, successes, where we are heading, your PR superhero, etc.

6) Don’t offer up a single adjective unless you have a story that backs it up

Don’t feel obliged to provide us with skills or qualities you are unlikely to have at this early stage of your career. You’re interviewing for a PR internship. If we’re looking for a new CEO, we would have advertised one.

7) Be comfortable with your more humble achievements

The most convincing candidates were those who talked about everyday PR duties. How tricky it was to get coverage when there was no news, create 10 tweets a day for a fish and chip shop, and get journalists to talk to you. At least that way, we know you know what you are letting yourself in for.

8) Don’t be too eager to please

‘I don’t care where I work, who I work for, what I do’ isn’t actually that compelling. Moderate your desire to learn with a view of where you’d like to end up.

9) The ability to demonstrate you can learn from mistakes is a key character strength

Be reflective. Think about things that have not gone well that were down to you, not someone else. Why was that, and what did you learn from it?

10) Have a story lined up that lets us see the passion in you, the one that lights you up!

It doesn’t have to be work-related; it should be something where we can see your natural energy and pride. Good luck, and enjoy the experience!