The world of public relations (PR) has so much appeal: the promise of a dynamic role, working with a range of clients, putting your creativity to use, honing your communication skills, attending networking events and parties. But with so many graduates from a range of backgrounds wanting to break into the PR industry, competition has never been as tough.

First things first, decide what area of PR you'd like to break into. Consumer, technical, corporate, and political are just some of the broad fields you could specialise in.

How to Apply

Speculative applications are a highly debated subject. Many industry specialists believe they're not worth it unless they positively stun the recipient. Past applicants to fashion PR, for example, have been known to print their CVs on various items of clothing, while technology PR agencies receive video applications and the like.

A simple CV and cover letter are unlikely to see results as inboxes are flooded with work experience requests and job applications. If you are confident your background and motivation are perfect for the job, by all means do not just fire out a set of impersonal emails to the generic admin@ and info@ email addresses provided on company websites. Do your research, tailor your application, and address a single person in the company by calling to request his or her contact details.

One of the best ways to establish a relationship with a PR agency is through social media channels. As the industry is embracing social media ever the more, this is your chance to stand out and prove your creativity and job worthiness by sparking a discussion, shaping your application as a series of tweets or otherwise making the company notice you.

Social media skills and knowledge are a great asset and there's no better way of proving them than putting them to use.

Where to Apply

In England, all major cities are home to PR agencies with London boasting the largest amount. But know that competition for every position, including work experience, is fierce so you could have to wait months to land that perfect opportunity. If you can and if you're willing, think about applying to companies in smaller towns and cities that can be an equally good or even more personal experience with much less of a wait.

Hoping to gain experience at a PR Scotland agency? Your best bets are the big cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh that both boast an array of specialist businesses, but you'll also find ones in Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness and smaller towns.

In Wales and Northern Ireland, once again your best bet is sticking to cities such as Cardiff, Belfast and Aberystwyth where you're more likely to find agencies that can accommodate interns.

Alternatively, avoid the agency route by applying for PR or marketing roles in other companies. These are also more likely to advertise internships through various schemes such as Adopt an Intern in Scotland, and Milkround nationwide.