With the semester’s end approaching, many PR students will take the next few weeks to regenerate before Spring Semester. However, just because you’re on break doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be doing your homework! Here are some things PR students can do during break to maximize their job search:

1. Update your resume. Assess what you did over the past semester that would be worthy of your resume. Also, prioritize what you should keep on your current copy. You should be updating it about every six months.
2. Clean up your portfolio. Add projects from the past semester and reorganize the contents. You may also want to look at your past projects and edit them. You will be surprised how much your writing can change within a semester.
3. Visit a PR firm or job shadow a PR professional. Contact a PR firm or PR professional in your area and set up a few hours for you to come in and watch a day of work. If they say the office is slow because of the holidays, ask to come in for an informational interview instead. Many PR professionals work right up until the holidays.
4. Research. Look up information on companies that you may want to apply to once you graduate. Create profiles of each company so that you can refresh your memory when the time comes to apply.
5. Start planning. Look for summer internships and mark the application due dates in your planner. It may also be helpful to create an “internship list” so you can view dates at a glance.
6. Blog. Start a blog about your thoughts about PR, about your job search, etc. This makes excellent practice to informally enhance your writing skills. If you already have a blog, make an effort to post two or more times a week during break.
7. Do -it-yourself PR plan. Conduct a four-step PR plan for for a local company or non profit. Present your plan to the company or non-profit after the holidays for the chance of freelance work or internship/ job opportunities.
8. Be a news hound. Read several newspapers (print and online) every day and watch national and local news stations. Discuss current events with friends and family and impress them with your worldly knowledge.
9. Write your own news. Write a local news article, feature story or opinions piece. Edit it and make sure it conforms with AP Style. If it’s good enough, send it to your local newspaper for the chance to be published.
10. Perfect your pitch. Practice by writing pretend pitches for a “client.” Learn the beat of different journalists to help you discover different angles for your pitches. If you’re new to pitching, research good and bad methods of pitching and learn from them (many can be found on The Bad Pitch Blog.) Since it’s the number number one complaint about PR pros, it’s better to practice now before you have to do the real thing.
11. Review what you learned. Brush up on your old PR notes from past classes. You’ll be surprised how much you have forgotten already.
12. Become a social media superstar. Learn how to use social media, such as twitter, effectively. If you already do, ask yourself, “how can I do this better?” and engage even more.
13. Do your winter reading. Read PR books such as Putting the Public back in Public Relations by Deirdre Breakenridge (@dbreakenridge) and Brian Solis (@briansolis) or The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR by Al Ries and Laura Ries.
14. Get organized. Sort through all of your graded assignments, notes and handouts and file them in a file folder or cabinet. Do the same on your computer with any e-copies.
15. Back up your hard drive. Think about all the assignments, projects, resumes, cover letters, photos, music, etc on your computer. Now think of all of that disappearing within one minute. Feeling motivated yet?
16. Use a new technology such as Google Wave, Skype, etc.
17. Use a new device such as Kindle, Smartpen, GPS system, etc.
18. Use a new software such as InDesign, Microsoft Publisher, etc.
19. Go shopping. Fellow PR hopeful Rachel Esterline (@rachelesterline) has a great list of items on which a young PR pro can spend their Christmas money.
20. Have some fun! You don’t want to be burned out before semester even starts, do you? Find a balance between work and play during your winter break. It will keep you energized and motivated for the upcoming semester.