After reviewing hundreds of resumes and cover letters, I decided to share a few tips to help make sure your application is its strongest:

1.) Do not use flowery language.

In public relations, as in journalism, brevity is a virtue. Make every word count.

2.) Don’t embellish.

It’s a fine line connecting experience as a manager at a demanding, fast-paced restaurant with the always-on environment of a PR firm – but don’t go too far. When you find that line, make like Johnny Cash and walk it.

3.) Make it relevant.

If you have done public relations work in the past, tell us about it. If you’re applying for a design internship, tell us how the previous work you’ve done has prepared you for an internship at Truscott Rossman.

4.) Link me.

If your work has ended up online somewhere, we definitely want to see it. Just make sure that you are linking to work that is relevant (see above).

5.) Do not be afraid.

For many, an internship is a first shot at professional employment in a chosen field. I applied for my first internship over eight years ago, and I still remember the anxiety and sheer panic that went along with clicking that send button. Spoiler alert: it ended up working out.

The best scenario is that you get the job, the worst case is that you don’t. Either way, it’s better than this:

6.) If you don’t get the job the first time around, please apply again.

Seriously. Some of our best interns went through two or three rounds of selections before we could fit them in, and we are so proud of the PR professionals they have become.

7.) Following up is fair game.

If I don’t get back to you in a day or two, go ahead and resend your email with a gentle nudge. I get lots of applications, and I like to send a confirmation e-mail to everyone, but I’ve been known to miss things.

8.) And lastly, the most important thing to remember is that we actually want to hear from you.

We want to learn about the work you’ve done, your interests, and why you think you would be a good fit at Truscott Rossman. Our internship program at Truscott Rossman is extremely competitive – help us understand what sets you apart from the rest!