The flowers are blooming and the days are getting longer, and that can only mean one thing: college graduation and summer internships are right around the corner. For students studying communications, public relations is a great field in which to work, but there are some things you should keep in mind when it comes to a career in PR.

PR is a lot more than putting together press lists and writing press releases. While you certainly don’t need to be perfect, you do need to understand some qualities PR firms are looking for in candidates, decide if you live up to these and ensure you demonstrate these characteristics.

• Be your own PR representative. In order to represent companies in a transparent, ethical and positive way, you need to reflect these qualities in yourself. Do you have a bunch of pictures posted on Facebook of you and your sorority sisters out at the bar last weekend? Do you post things on Twitter that might be too personal? Make sure you put your best foot forward online and build your own positive reputation before you expect a client to trust you with theirs. Also think about your own key messages you want your potential employer to know about you and the proof points you can share that reinforce these messages. Think about how to consistently deliver those messages when you are interviewing.
• Be a good communicator. It seems obvious, but PR is all about communication, whether it be with your team, with clients or with reporters. You need to be able to clearly articulate ideas or recommendations via just about any method of communication: email, phone, blog post, instant message or teleconference. You need to be comfortable and proficient with all the many ways to communicate (well, except Morse code) because that is really what our job is all about.
• Be professional. This one also might seem like a no-brainer, but looking and acting professional is essential. In our line of work, you sometimes meet with powerful people that have high expectations and little time to make small talk. CEOs, vice presidents of marketing and other executive leaders within your client’s organization may need to meet with you, and it is important to walk the walk and talk the talk. Dress professionally for client meetings, keep the discussions on appropriate topics and stay calm, cool and collected. Letting your professional side shine will build trust and respect with clients.
• Be proactive and solutions-oriented. Part of being a PR pro is being able to handle just about anything your client asks for. The secret to this quality is to always consider what is best for the client and anticipate what they might need before they ask for it. By putting yourself in your client’s shoes, it is easier to understand his or her perspective and can help you come up with impressive solutions if you run into a speed bump with a project. Always think about how you can make your client feel like he or she is your only client, even if you are working on multiple accounts.
• Be courageous. In PR, you need to be pretty brave. You need to be able to tactfully push back on clients or coworkers who make recommendations that you don’t think would help your account. You need to pick up the phone to call reporters at national publications to pitch stories or follow up on interviews. You need to be graceful when put on the spot. Learn how to use new tools or technology quickly. Even if you aren’t the bravest person you know, you need to be okay with the fact that in PR, you will be pushed outside of your comfort zone from time to time.
• Be flexible. One of the facts of life for PR professionals is that no two days are quite the same. Sometimes a crisis will come up with a client and you’ll need to drop everything to help them draft some messaging or talking points to handle the situation. Other times a reporter will call with a deadline that afternoon and he or she will want an interview with a client. Or perhaps a new business opportunity will come up and you have to put together an impressive proposal in a couple days. Whatever the scenario, you need to have a can-do attitude and be able to roll with the punches.

These are just a few examples of the qualities employers and clients are looking for in their PR people. While you may not really need to be perfect, you do need to be perfectly suited for PR. To get more ideas about the type of work PR professionals need to be able to handle, you can check out our careers page. Additionally below are a few tips as you search for a PR position:

• Follow the hashtag #HAPPO (Help a PR Pro Out) on Twitter
• Leverage LinkedIn to connect with other PR professionals, secure informational interviews and network
• Join your local PRSA and participate in networking and educational events