Looking to Hire Top PR & Media Talent? Here's Where to Find Them

With such a huge focus on employer branding lately, it’s to be expected that more and more companies are in need of talented candidates. Not just any candidates, but those in public relations and media who can help organizations create and maintain public image in their respective industries.

ABODO recently released a new study covering the best cities for PR, media, and entertainment jobs, and I was actually surprised by some of the best places to find top talent in these areas.

The study shows that “while Los Angeles, as expected, is the top area for PR, media and entertainment professionals, other cities such as Washington D.C., San Francisco, Detroit, New Orleans and Columbus all landed in the top 10.”

If you’re a recruiter looking for PR or media talent, here are the top ten cities you should be sourcing for candidates from right now.

You’ve got the top ten cities to tap into the right talent, but how do you find them? Here are a few places to kick start your sourcing strategy in each of the top cities.

Search for the top PR and media firms in the city If you can locate the top firms in the city, you can start to fine-tune your target candidate list by cross-referencing who works for those firms on sites like LinkedIn. This will help you to build your list, and tailor your outreach accordingly. Just keep in mind that the talent working for some of the top firms may need to be approached in a creative way. You have to entice them to look at other opportunities after all.

Take a look at the local universities and colleges Looking for fresh graduates for entry-level opportunities? Take a look at the local universities and colleges offering programs in media, PR or other specialized fields that you’re looking to tap into. You may even be able to post opportunities directly to the students graduating from these programs soon, or get in front of the alumni still searching for the right fit.

Find interns working at local PR firms or TV and news stations Take the time to investigate who’s interning at the local firms and TV stations. You’ll have the ability to follow their journey, and approach with opportunities during one of the best times to do just that – when they are deciding their career direction. Plus, you’ll get an early start on securing talent before they land their next role, kick starting their career in PR or media.

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What city were you most surprised to see in the top 10 list?