Career change: How to stay in PR but switch industries

With Covid, the ‘great resignation’ and ‘quiet quitting’, it’s been a turbulent time for the job market lately. Many people have changed or at least re-evaluated their jobs as they consider whether it’s time for a move to pastures new. I was one of these people, working in the travel industry when lockdown hit; I was your typical Covid-casualty. 

As I jumped into the job market it led me to question: what do you do when the industry you work in falls flat or if you’ve decided that the industry you work in is just not for you? Is it easy or even possible to change industries within PR and communications? And if so, how do you go about it? 

Spoiler alert: It is possible. Here’s a few tips from my experience on how to get started: 

1. Sign up for professional training

If you’re hoping to move into a specialist PR industry such as financial, digital or sustainability communications, consider where your knowledge lies and crucially where it’s lacking. Is there a course that can help you gain a deeper understanding of the prospective industry and provide you with a solid and up-to-date foundation to grow from? Or a course that will help you upskill in competencies sought by prospective employers? 

The CIPR and other organisations have a wealth of marketing and communications courses available, while universities are well placed to offer short, online courses related to specific industries. I found the fact that I was in the process of completing a diploma from CIM hugely helpful both for building my own knowledge but also as a discussion point in interviews. Not only will a course give you the knowledge you need, but it’ll also show prospective employers that you’re serious about the change and that you’ve got a growth mindset. 

2. Educate yourself

PR and communications are all based on the same principles. Whether you’re promoting a holiday destination, B2B payment technology or even the latest Christmas sandwich, it’s all about storytelling and understanding the news agenda. You might not have worked with those specific clients, but you’ve likely had to develop a deep understanding of how media and communications work best, and these skills are transferable. So, educate yourself. If you’re looking to get into the tech industry read Sifted, TechCrunch, Wired and the tech sections of the nationals. Read bylines, op-eds, news articles and comments from CEOs in that industry. Listen to podcasts – the Evening Standard’s Tech and Science Daily is a great seven-minute sweep of the top stories. 

Get to grips with what journalists in your sector of interest care and write about and who the big players are. There’s also an abundance of newsletters that can simply pop into your inbox for an easy and effective news fix – I can recommend the Sifted ones which provide succinct, digestible news and analysis. You can also use Twitter (or rather X) to follow relevant thought leaders. There’s a wealth of information available for free online, so my advice is to absorb as much as you can. 

3. Leverage connections

It’s tempting to think you can do it alone but if you’ve got connections, use them. People like to help people, especially in PR – we’re an industry focussed on communicating after all! Perhaps there’s a colleague you used to work with that has changed industries within PR and can make an introduction to one of their contacts. Recruiters are pricey, so lots of businesses have refer-a-friend schemes that incentivise those making the introductions – so you could even do them a favour if you’re successful. Don’t worry if your contacts are limited though, you can also boost your network through industry events where you can meet and hear from agency leaders who might be hiring.

4. Consider agency size and culture

There is a plethora of agencies out there and it can be hard to know where to start. But when switching industries, it’s important to consider which agency might be best placed to support your change of specialism and help you develop within it. Larger agencies often have the advantage of serving several different industries at once so there can be the opportunity to move between teams. Small agencies are often more flexible with hiring as they are likely to focus more on who has strong potential and could help grow the company, rather than on whether they have the full package already. 

I moved to Hard Numbers, a small but growing tech agency, and can say first hand that this has given me the opportunity to develop within the industry and the agency. The variety of backgrounds and experience that people have means we may have different viewpoints, which means we can learn from each other. Ultimately both sizes can present a great opportunity for those looking to slide into a different sector but it’s important to be clear on what you’re looking for and why. 

Switching industries within PR can seem like an impossible leap when job descriptions and recruiter conversations often focus on existing industry experience. But it's important to remember that your skills and knowledge in PR transcend individual industries, and industry knowledge can be learnt with the right mindset driving you forward. Don't be afraid to take that leap.

Lucy Scaramanga is senior communications consultant at Hard Numbers.