...in your case. It is more likely to be due to the fact that you have no spelling or grammatical ability.

i didnt know that my comment was going to be read by linguists but ill get it right next time.

If you want to work in PR, you need to be able to spell correctly and speak correctly.(Unless you want to work for the SABC of course.)Yuo can't really expect someone to take you seriously if you don't have the basics right.

I completely agree with you on the spelling and grammar. There is nothing less professional than someone working in the media who cannot spell correctly or string together a decent sentence. We all make typos but there is no excuse for sloppy English.

look-the sister is in deperate need for help,not grammatical observations.If you cannot offer credible value worth advice,i suggest you stick to being a grammatical realist and stop wasting valuable time by self employing yourself as an english teacher.

This is from someone who's young and about to be published by a major publishing house.

pick on realists your size.realist?does that occupation come with a definitive job description?

...however they do require at least a hint of literacy.You need to be able to spell for a start, and then you need to be able to put together a coherent and grammatically correct sentence. I am not surprised you have not been hired.

How do you expect to see clients if you do not have a car or drivers licence. Do you expect to use public transport to get around. As a representative of that specific company, you cast a shadow of doubt about their professionalism. The PR industry is all about image. Get with it.

A job in PR entails client liaison and attending or organizing events and you can't expect to do that using public transport.

Get a license and then get a car even if it is a beat up old scrap as long as you get from one point to another.

That's why they are called consultancies - you actually do have to go to client meetings so that you can consult with clients - hence the car requirement! Do you expect your colleagues to fetch and take you to meetings and/or events or do you just expect to never meet with clients? If that is the case then you just may be in the wrong profession...

i am quiet aware that i would need to go and see clients,but some of us did not get cars after we passed matric nor did we get first jobs that offer market related salaries.So im still in a junior position earning next to nothing and i just graduated,hence im looking for a job that will enable me to get a reliable first car.Dont you think you are being too judgemental?

The racist implications of your after matric statement are uncalled for and very typical. If you are good enough you will get hired. If not, you won't.

sweetheart, i am still trying to pay for my first car which i could only afford after having worked for 5 years! my first salary was the incredible sum of R800 a month. stop complaining and do something about it. possibly if you invested the energy you give to your moans into getting down and dirty in your chosen profession (and i mean literally offering to be a tea-girl if it gets you into a good company) you might be happily surprised at what could emerge!

If consultancies were required to provide cars or car allowances there would not be any money for nice management bonuses and the like. It is a symptom of the buyers market employers enjoy, that the most important tool to do the job must be provided by the employee. The law needs to change on this, or the profession will suffer.The grammatical criticisms of the writer really prove the point that racism is alive and well. How well do you write in your third or forth languages? Oh well maybe you just get by in one.

Yoo spell good two. Maybee yoo ar yoosing a americant macheen spel chek?

its not about a car,some companies can arrange company car for you if they really need you.

try your best and you will one day get the right job for yourself.

right now try and improve your skills with the company you are with

I think they are making excuses. I mean if they see potential in you - why should they make a car an issue. Yes,a car is important for meetings etc but the company can organise a car for you to attend meetings. This is unfair. They say they need experience and wualifications and as soon as you present that, thay want a car. I smell a rat

I think it was highly unnecessary to attack the grammar...the issue here was about the frustrations of young people who at times have to work hard just to get a qualification, only to realise that once they have such, they can't get jobs based on the car issue or the bilingual expectations. It happens in all professions & having worked for a recruitment company, I know that certain employers specify that they want a certain type of individual & agencies will be creative in their ads. At times a car is not really necessary, it only becomes necessary once you have reached a certain level of experience within that organisation. So let's not kid ourselves here, this is just another way of making sure that certain groups don't get certain jobs, hence legalised discrimination.

i did not want to pull the race card here,but you know what black graduates are frustrated out there.It took me six years to obtain my diploma,not because i was failing but i was struggling to find training,and there was no way in hell i was gonna get that diploma without it. As for the gramma issue,it was thrown way out of proportion not really focusing on the crux of the matter,the car.in my department,im the only one with a formal qualification in PR,the rest of them are former teachers(lecturers).they always take credit for the work i do,and its frustrating.if they knew anything about the importance of grammar in PR,they should have told me that my syntax sucks,dont you think?the other issue is we dont have people in correct places in companies to help when we need training.if you are to get any training then you will have to volunteer,and if thats the case how do u afford to go to work everyday.Our black parents think that after you have done your theory at the Technikon then you must find a job that will pay you,not for them to give you transport money everyday to go to work.

Always the same old excuses and whines. Get flipping over it and get on with your life now. If you are the best candidate you will win, but if you suck at the job you shouldn't get it. Us whities are discriminated against every day with every job application regardless of how good we may be, so don't come with your racially intolerant nonsense. Move on. Apartheid is over. You no longer have a crutch. If you want to play with the big boys, you must play on the same field.

What's with the racist implications here? I'm also young and frustrated by never getting responses to sending out my CV. And I have a degree, experience and my own car. So I just think maybe it's about patience.

I am an educated, talented young white male. Don't think that makes things easy. I have been on the job hunt for the right job for ten years now and have yet to find the right post. One is often forced to take jobs that didn't pay well and just to make ends meet. This is the reality most of us face.Those that go from college/varsity/tech straight into good companies and great packages are very fortunate and should never forget that fact. My current job still isn't right and pays pennies but I took it just to be employed and survive and have been here for a year now. I was unemployed for a year before that which was very tough. We all battle. I don't understand the 'skills shortage' story though, when so many of us are in this position. Now there is talk of importing skilled people. wtf?

losing my job due to injury, after 2 years of looking for work, almost 800 cv's submitted 11 telephonic interviews (and of these 6 asked straight up black or white and on hearing white said no) 4 "you are too experienced/ qualified/ capable" and variations on the theme, I have finally been able to obtain a fixed term contract. it gives me a breathing space while I continue to search!

what comes first , the cart or the horse ...the chicken or the egg!! The job requirement is a car. The story ends there. No car no job...Try looking for an office bound job rather.

Hi All, I think some of you are being very unfair. The issue is not whether she can spell or not. I studied Public Relations as well and I know that when you are staring out you battle to make ends meet.

Just be patient girl, I've been in your situation and I'm sure that you'll find a job where they'll give you a car allowance or give you a company car.

In the mean time please put aside some money so you can take driving lessons and get your self a driver's licence. Good luck:-)

I have worked in PR for over 3 years and only just got my first car 2 months ago. It was frustrating and difficult at times without a car, but was really lucky that the people that I have worked for thus far have been very understanding and realised that I could still add value to their company, despite not having a car.

I woudl say be upfront about your situation from the beginning,but show them how keen and passionate you are about the industry and Im sure that doors will open for you. Ignore the negative comments that have been posted. Most likely old and jaded PR people...

Just focus on succeeding and the rest will fall into place in due time. Good luck!

you were fortunate,i went to an interview sometime last month,and its black owned,but guess what,they still made the car issue a big deal.i thought they would be understanding,given our varying backgroud as blacks,but they didnt.I made it clear when i applied that i did not have a car,and they said my CV was impressive and i know i aced the it.

i went to Adtalent for an interview so that they help me in finding a suitable job,they mentioned the car issue again,and the agent said that it would be easy for her to find a job for me provided that i have a car,so untill then i should just know that i wont make it.

i know im good,and i have passion for what i do and i also have tangible evidence to show what im capable of.i think its clear that the industry still caters for certain advantaged race groups not really looking into nurturing upcoming PR Officers.

Get with the plan Sista. Why should they choose you, if you ain't got a jamme? There's no reason to employ someone without a car, when you can get a car owner for the same bucks.

Cars are usually required of Account Executives and Account Managers.
So the best way is to work your way up otherwise
you will be stuck from one interview to the next
and they will still require a car. apply for a
junior AE position and work your way up
if you have skill you could be promoted
in a couple of months

I agree that you should try for Junior Positions. I have a small sucessful PR Agency in Pretoria. Recently I had a position available and you will not believe how I battled to get someone who was actually willing to work! It seems that everyone wants to start with a HUGE salary and perks. I did not need an AA candidate, nor required a vehicle. All I wanted was a dedicated, commited person that was willing to work! Fortunatly I have since filled the position. Perhaps the proverb stating: 'Don't fly too high my little bird, your wings could get burnt' does carry some weight?

If you are looking for a job as a professional consultant you really need to brush up on your written skills before you worry about a car. I am not being nasty, just honest

well,all the exam papers i have written are in Afrikaans and English,so no question as to which one you chose.maybe if the academic institutions can introduce a paper in one african language,we will c were the talent lies.

it is not my mother-tongue but as i deal with international clients all the time, it is a language I have needed to master. your field of choice is about creating brand awareness on behalf of your clients, who I am willing to bet, will insist on an international brand. consider this before you use the excuse of an "african" language paper at school (and by the way, english and afrikaans are also african languages)

First of all I can't believe that you are in your third year and you still start sentences with small letters, really!! Never mind a car, brush up on your written English skills first. No one will give a chance to write for his company if you still write like that.

Really, like it or not, the car is not going to make a difference if you can't spell. Also if you think grammar is not all that important, then perhaps PR isn't really for you?

The standard of PR and media writing in SA has dropped radically in the past 10 years, so I'm not so surprised anymore when I find mistakes in the newspaper or on ANCTV but really love, wake up - how did you pass your diploma?

You are absolutely correct Honestybox. Standards of EVERYTHING in the RSA have dropped terribly over the last ten years. I remember when it first started, there was an uproar, but as time went by, and the talent left, it became more and more accepted. We now have an embarrassing excuse for media with no improvement on the horizon. Many concessions are made for lack of capacity and this drags us down even further.

As for the spell check; it looks like many have it set not to enlgish, but rather north american, which is part of the problem.

any agency who wants someone good should be prepared to take you on, on the understanding that you will get a car as soon as you can afford to - in the meantime get a license
employers can be very shortsighted, but make sure it is the car thing that's the problem - pr does seem to be awash with young hopefuls

i think it has to do with bieng in the right industry,im employed in an educational institution were im not getting the exposure i need.apart from compilling in-house publication (of which im the head writer,layout artist)which my supervisor does not know anything about,im actually her secretary and get to do everything that she doesnt want to do which involves people of my colour.apparently our Target Audience respond to me more positively than they would if she was the one doing the talking when we have to do presentations for induction.Maybe if i get a junior position at an agency,and have someone who will be my mentor,then ill get relevent experience.

I have followed the deliberations above with keen interest. I am based in Mombasa-Kenya and I guess you are all based in South Africa. My advice to the complainant(?) is to be more aggressive in her or his job search. My little exposure in your country tells me there are lots of opportunities down there and that is why "all roads lead south" for job seekers today!

Bearing in mind that you do still actually have a job, perhaps you should be careful what you do say about your current employer as you may find yourself out of a job and still carless...

From the many comments you have made, you don't really seem to want a hand up but rather a hand out - you expect a company to employ you but you don't have a car and that is the fact. If the requirement of a job is to have a car then that is unfortunately the requirement of the job.

I was not born with the proverbial silver spoon in my mouth, I didn't get a car when i left school and i spent my four years at varsity riding the good old municipal bus but as soon as i got a job, i saved up and bought a crappy little car that got me from A-B. Maybe you should stop expecting everything to be thrown into your lap and work for it a little...

You are making things harder for yourself by your spelling mistakes. It shows laziness - I really don't understand why you keep on doing it.

ill work on it,but giving up is not an option,im sure you started somewhere yourself.

Ooh, this forum is on fire today!

So, tell us, oh PR people, what do you earn and expect to earn? There is a forum a few down from this ( http://www.biz-community.com/Forum/196/11/8172.html )asking that question so please contribute. I would love to know what the girl who started this forum is earning now and expects to earn at the pr job she is looking for...therein might lie the issue.

when i started it was a 3 months contract and they offered me R1800 00,and i was a trainee then.Then they renewed my contract the following year 2006,and offered me R2700 00,late last year they gave they renewed my contract again and offered me R3000.i have obtained my diploma now and i was hoping they would consider recognising it and giving me some increase,but they say i can even get degree and still will not matter.im hoping to get a job that would give atleast R6000 00+,is that too much.

when i started it was a 3 months contract and they offered me R1800 00,and i was a trainee then.Then they renewed my contract the following year 2006,and offered me R2700 00,late last year they renewed my contract again and offered me R3000.i have obtained my diploma now and i was hoping they would consider recognising it and giving me some increase,but they say i can even get degree and still it will not matter.im hoping to get a job that would give atleast R6000 00+,is that too much.

Believe it or not ...I understand. I have learnt that in life to get what you want you should learn to sacrifice. Sacrifice some money each month so you can get the driver's licence. Getting one will open doors for you. This is called - taking responsibility for your career. Second thing that worked for me? Going to PR consulting firms and asking to volunteer on a project. Even if its just over weekends. That way you get your foot in the door, you make contacts and before you know it another door opens for you. It is called proactively managing your professional development.
Most importantly, stop whining and stop expecting people to understand. They won't. People and companies want someone who will add value to them.
Good luck...

If you go through the forum "Matau" (who posted the forum) seems to have this one huge negative energy. You spinning it around your head, every time someones gives a suggestion / comments you seem to be able to spin it around this whole I am a victim sob. Read what Teado says, if you can take his suggetion please by all means change careers. The saying is CHANGE THE THINGS YOU CANT ACCEPT AND ACCEPT THE THINGS YOU CANT CHANGE.

When it comes to money issues follow the link on this forum:
http://www.bizcommunity.com/Forum/196/11/8542.html

First and foremost i'd like to express my disappointment in some of the not so valuable critics that have made it a point to put another public relations militant down. The last time i checked the subject line was WHY CONSULTANCIES ONLY REQUIRE PEOPLE WHO HAVE CARS!
It disgusts me on how some people could accuse this young lady on pulling the race card when the comments she puts out are in fact a reality. Accept it!
Just a reminder to all you self proclaimed critcs, we all have to start somewhere and yes not all of us are heirs to trust funds and not all of us have the opportunity to live on credit cards to enable us to have cars right before we start earning. One of the reasons why we work is to have a sustainable income where we will be able to attain possessions that will allow us to be more proficient in our jobs and so on.

I understand your frustation about not being able to afford a car etc to a certain degree, but then I think if you want something strongly enough then YOU have to go out and get it.

When I graduated I did four jobs at one time so that I could get myself into some financial stability. I had my day job as a designer, then during the week I would bar tend, weekend days would be washing dishes at a restaurant and on alternative weekends I would waitress for a student temp company. I would do almost anything to get financial security (heck, I even scrubbed dentures at an old age home!). It was extremely hard, but it gave me my financial security, and more importantly taught me to knuckle down and do something the situtation, which has taken me far.

The truth is, nobody else can achieve for you what you want out of life apart from you. Do part-time work to earn the money to get your divers license, with that secured then you may be able to find a company who have a company car that you can use for your meetings. Impress them with your willingness to start at the bottom, and your skills and passion to take you to the top and you will find doors opening to you. Good luck!

Bru, you've been watching too many hollywood movies! Where do you come up with this trust fund/credit card stuff? How can you presume all whites to be in that situation???? Wow, I wish we were, that would be great! No boet, we work as hard, harder actually, than everyone else, so stop talking kak. I have worked for the little that I have and am not happy about the likes of you talking such nonsense.

I do not think not having a car is the problem. More the lack of drivers licence or perhaps not showing an effort to get one!

Over the last few months, Louise (Marsland) has had a go (as well as other representatives from the media) at the PR industry and persons in this field, for terrible performances and bad practises.
This would stem from a very important aspect of being in the PR industry - that being media relations and liaison. And this does not only mean a phone call and a press release sent via the email (without an attachment - whether in press release format or photo image)sent en masse... This means physical meetings and greetings of media representatives and KNOWING them, i.e. visiting them at their offices/out for coffee,updating them face to face on client developments and knowing their publication and what THEY need.. Personal interaction and introduction is a fundamental part of PR, as well as a personal relationship with each media representative. This relationship can only be developed through your own initiative - and this initiative means getting in a CAR and travelling around the various media institutions.
Unfortunately, having your own transport is a vital part in your own personal development in the PR industry. The better your relationship is with various media, the more respected you will be in the industry and the more successful you will be with the promotion and publicising of your client and their relevant information.
You need the wheels to help you drive along your road to success - for you and for your client!

pehaps you should learn to communicate in proper English and corrrect spelling first before you cry about your lack of a car. Isn't PR all about communication?

Princess, I think you are not clear in terms of your needs as much as I think you believe that toddlers walk before they craw – this is unrealistic and impossible. Princess, I would assume you knew long before you graduate about your career choices and needs. The first thing you should have done was to obtain a drivers learners and then go for a drivers tests and pass it the way you passed your PR program thereafter go for job hunting fully armed and prepared - worry but not too much about the queen's language and spelling mistakes.

However it's not too late for all these. Obtain a drivers license and you may land a job where they offer a company vehicle and save money to buy yours later. Most PRO’s are not fluent in writing but meticulous in speaking which is similar to most politicians. In your profession, vehicles is a do or die but on the other hand given your trait/profession I see no reason why you can't convince employers that you are the right candidate. Be careful about what you say because often people read it differently and some may conclude that you are not very articulate in what you want. Use your PRO skills to get a job, and not to buy licenses. I hope you find this to be in order and ignore my past; present; past present continuous; past participle tense noun and verbs for now. Make sure your cv has less spelling mistakes and convince employers that you know what you talking about.

To all those who keep criticising the lady for her grammatical and spelling ability, it’s clear that you’ve been mislead to believe that PR is all about writing ‘good’ press releases and articles. Well I’ve got news for you – that is such old school PR and damn boring. People, PR is about building strategic relationships for your clients. You can be a damn ‘good writer’ (whatever that is as writing is also a personal thing but anyway…) but if your client does not benefit from the ten page stories you write for them on a daily basis then you might as well start thinking about writing a novel and leave PR to those who know what it’s about.

My sister, you just need to convince your prospective employers that you can do the job better than anyone. Whether you have a car or not is irrelevant. Let them know you are an asset either way. I know it’s difficult but give them something the next candidate, who by the way has a car, cannot give them “guts” and zest. I’m almost certain that a significant portion of those who kept bashing you on your spelling have less than 4 years PR experience and think they know it all.
Just keep at it – you’ll get something soon.

wow, that's intelligent.