SEPTEMBER 2009 PUBLIC RELATIONS GRADUATE SCHEME
Dazzling career opportunities for plucky graduates in top independent agency
About the scheme
- Start date September 2009
- Initial 12-week rotation - 2 weeks in each of our departments
- During rotation Graduates are given an 'anchor' account to keep as a consistent client
- Strong support network of department co-ordinators, line managers and past graduates as buddies
- Upon successful completion of your 3-month probation you will be promoted to Assistant Account Executive and be assigned a full portfolio of accounts
- You will be instructed in our award winning Best Practice tools and techniques and also have the opportunity to work on pitches for new business.
Learning and Development
Specific sessions for our Graduates include:
- Fortnightly writing training from our Creative team
- Training in media relations techniques
- Plus lots of other core and practical skills sessions to kick start your PR career in the best possible way
Benefits
- Starting salary is £18,000
- Flexible and attractive benefits package
- Lexis All Stars - earn points for great work and redeem them for prizes
- Life in PR can be busy so to wind down we like to spend time together and have some fun. We organise many social events including Quiz Nights, Softball, Wine Club, Bowling, and don't even get us started with a Karaoke mic!
- 'Giving Something Back' our sustainability strategy, focuses our attention on the environment and charity. There are lots of ways for everyone to get involved including a Green Committee, sponsored events, fundraising or pro-bono work.
About you
- You must have a basic concept of PR, how it fits with other marketing disciplines and why you want a career in it
- Strong flair for communicating positively with large groups and different perspectives
- You must prove an absolute passion for the breadth of UK media
- You need the ability to juggle demands plus negotiate clear agreements on deadline
- We look for confident and creative writers with the flexibility to adapt to different styles to suit industry sectors and audience profiles
- Any degree can work in PR but a consistently good standard of education is key
- You must also have some experience of working to please customers to prove you can turn on the charm when required.
How to apply
- Prepare a written response to one of the two PR related exercises displayed below
- E-mail your written response with a covering letter and CV to grads@lexispr.com
- Note CVs alone are not sufficient
- Deadline for applications is 15th February 2009 for a September 2009 start
- Interviews begin in March followed by a full Assessment Day in early June.
- In your application please mention where you first heard about the Lexis PR Graduate Scheme.
Short-listing exercise
Chose an option and explain how you might address it. Submit no more than 2 sides of A4.
- A drinks manufacturer decides to move its factory overseas, cutting 1000 jobs in a northern city with high unemployment. How do you recommend the company go about announcing the move and what advice would you give in terms of dealing with local and national media, including statements?
- A major car manufacturer launches a brand new eco-friendly model of car. The car is going to be unveiled at a major international car show in London, with all the top motoring journalists due to attend. The day before the launch, Jeremy Clarkson takes a swipe at the car on Top Gear claiming that it looks like a bumper car from the arcades and is ultimately crap. His comments get wide pick up on online motoring blogs after the show. Acting fast, how do you try to contain the story so that other papers don't cover his claims and scupper the launch?
My contact details
Laura Flint, HR Administrator, grads@lexispr.com, 0207 908 6467
What our past graduates have to say...
"Halfway through my sociology degree I started looking for PR agencies which would offer me an opportunity to work on big name brands in a friendly, intimate atmosphere. Lexis was one that immediately stood out - it had the range of clients and ethos that I was looking for.
Going through the interview process at Lexis was challenging but reinforced the agency's credentials. Everyone was wonderfully welcoming and spoke with genuine enthusiasm about their work and the people who make Lexis what it is. The rotation scheme which all new grads experience at Lexis is pretty unique - you get to sample, in your first 3 months, all the different divisions that make up the company, from Sport to Health, before settling into one division by Christmas.
Since starting at Lexis, I've worked for amazing brands including MySpace, RAC and Gumtree. I've helped launch a major US website into the UK and had contact with more journalists, celebs and personalities than I could ever have imagined. But it's all pinned together by the exceptionally friendly Lexis atmosphere that everyone recognises as soon as they walk in the building."
- Louis Blake - 2007 Graduate Scheme
A day in the life of a PR exec
- 09.05: Presswatch and brekkie - letting clients know of relevant stories in the papers that morning
- 09.15: Check a website for a competition I placed yesterday for MySpace
- 09.35: A journalist calls about an article I'm working with him on for thelondonpaper - need to sort out pictures of case studies
- 10.05: Put together a list of target media for next week's EDF Energy announcement
- 10.30: MySpace internal - actions for the week and review of last week
- 11.00: Begin sell-in for RAC, switch on the powers of persuasion!
- 13.00: Lunch - grab a sandwich, catch up on the office goss and check any breaking news on the BBC website - read a tabloid or two
- 14.00: Write press release for RAC's Bank Holiday campaign - big chance to show off writing skills and influence what the papers will report
- 15.00: Off to a status conference call - very good opportunity to sound authoritative in front of the client
- 16.30: Follow up on calls made for yesterday's MySpace sell-in to see if any journalists are interested in the story
- 17.00: Catch the final post before heading into short brainstorm for Gumtree - time to get creative! Write up actions for tomorrow
- 17.45: Off to the pub with the people on my pod of desks before going home.
Interview Top Tips
Interviews can be nerve wracking - you have one chance to make a good impression so do your preparation and follow these top tips to interview success:
- Know exactly where you're going and how long it will take - print off a map and if you have time, do your journey a couple of days before your interview
- Write down a contact number in case you get lost or delayed
- First impressions can be a great beginning - or a quick ending - to your interview so be confident, make eye contact and offer a firm handshake
- Ensure your dress is appropriate to the position you're applying for - PR is a casually dressed industry however we still expect you to look smart and tidy
- Keep your answers concise and clear - interviewers can lose interest if you start to waffle. Make sure you listen to the question and match you answer accordingly
- The internet means there is no excuse for not knowing about the company so do your research and be interested
- Think about the types of questions you might be asked and put some thought in to how you might answer them
- Interviews are a two-way process. It is just as important that you find out if the role is right for you so ask lots of questions. If all of your questions have been answered about the role, ask the interviewers about their experiences and what they like about Lexis or think about the wider responsibilities of the company that interest you
- Leave the interview by ending on a positive note - a smile, a handshake and a thank you will leave a lasting impression
And finally, relax! We're down to earth, open people and we want you to do well.