College students and soon-to-be graduates are all too familiar with one looming question: “What’s next?” It seems innocuous, but it’s a question that can still make my heart race today.
Last year, as my college graduation approached, the question became inescapable. I knew I was interested in public relations but turning that interest into a career proved to be more difficult than I expected. I didn’t know what came next. So why was everyone asking?
For students preparing to enter the industry, there’s a lot of pressure to have the “right” internships and the “right” connections. The job hunt’s constant rejection–or constant silence–makes it easy to question your abilities and convince yourself you’re lost without a perfectly mapped-out plan. But starting a career in PR rarely works that way. At least, it didn’t for me.
My path began with curiosity: asking questions, having conversations and reframing the questions I found intimidating as opportunities to learn and grow.
Why do you want to work in PR?
One of the most helpful lessons I learned in college came from a simple classroom exercise. Our professor had us go around the room and share what we wanted to do after graduation and why. At first, it felt like a routine icebreaker. But repeating it over several weeks turned it into practice for a question that shows up everywhere in professional life: “Why do you want this job?”
Explaining my interests and career aspirations forced me to think more intentionally about how my experience connected to my goals and how to convey my work ethic to someone who didn’t know me. It wasn’t about having a perfect answer; it was about shaping a narrative that showed the work I care about and where I hoped to go in the future.
By the time informational and job interviews came around, the “Why do you want this job?” or “Tell me about yourself” questions no longer felt intimidating because I could answer with clarity and authenticity.
Your “elevator pitch” (as my professor called it) doesn’t need to be perfect, but it does need to be true. Taking the time to hone my answer made formal conversations feel natural, which helped me build confidence and authentically present myself in each interview or networking conversation.
What does a job in PR look like?
When I decided I wanted to pursue PR, I realized my classes weren’t going to show me what the work looked like day to day. So I turned to informational interviews. Reaching out to professionals felt intimidating at first. Blindly “connecting” felt like I was asking for something I hadn’t earned or taking up someone’s time, and the general conversation around “networking” felt inauthentic to me.
What helped was reframing those conversations as opportunities to learn. I wasn’t there to impress; I was there to understand the work, hear someone else’s experience, and ask questions I didn’t yet know the answer to.
Most people were eager to share what they’ve learned in their careers. After all, it’s their hard work that puts them in a position to give advice now. Many of them also referenced the guidance or mentorship they received early in their own careers, and this was their chance to pay it forward.
Informational interviews create space for that kind of authentic exchange. They’re not just about what you gain; they’re also about allowing someone else to take pride in their accomplishments–which, in turn, helps demystify the industry and makes the path forward feel more tangible.
Why should we hire you?
For entry-level positions, it’s easy to worry that your experience doesn’t look “right” on paper. I didn’t have formal PR internships, and I wondered whether the work I was passionate about in college would translate to the industry.
What helped me shift my perspective was realizing that entry-level hiring is an exercise in trust; both yours and the company’s.
Teams aren’t looking for perfection; they’re looking for potential. You’re asking them to believe that you can learn, grow and contribute, even if your experience isn’t perfectly aligned. At the same time, you’re learning to trust yourself: your ability to apply what you know, ask thoughtful questions and adapt to new challenges. Entry-level roles exist to help you develop skills and experience.
Your first PR job isn’t about what you already know; it’s about what you can learn and how you show up. Trust yourself, and ask the company to trust your potential, too.
What’s next?
If there’s one thing the job hunt and my work at Quinn Thomas have taught me, it’s that the question “What’s next?” isn’t an obstacle; it’s a starting point. It’s a reminder to stay curious, encourages you to ask questions and pushes you to explore new ideas, campaigns and connections.
In a field that’s always evolving, asking “What’s next?” isn’t just inevitable; it’s exactly what keeps the work exciting. The next project, the next conversation, the next story: they’re all part of a career shaped by curiosity and a willingness to learn.
These days, “What’s next?” might just be my favorite question to ask.
