In such a tough job market, landing that dream job or internship almost seems impossible. Every day, jobs are being lost and high executive positions are being dissolved. With such a seemingly bleak outlook on the market, students may be left thinking, “What is the point in obtaining my education?” However, there is hope.

BYU public relations senior Jill Tuttle Taylor, from El Dorado Hills, Calif., says it is easy to get discouraged about the future job market. But the preparations she has made through her BYU education keep her thinking positively.

“My BYU education has helped me feel confident, despite the economy,” Taylor said. “I know that I will have to work harder, get outside experience and make myself unique from other applicants to get that dream job offer, but I know it is possible.”

Taylor has been making an effort to be competitive in the tough job market, even before she graduates. She was recently awarded the Bruce Olsen Scholarship, which provided her a full tuition scholarship and an internship with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. With this scholarship, Taylor was able to learn and grow from her internship without the financial stress. She was grateful for this opportunity, not only for the public relations experience, but also for the generosity of the donors.

Throughout her internship in Salt Lake City, Taylor was a part of the new media team within the public affairs department of the Church. She was responsible for updating the LDS newsroom, (newsroom.lds.org) where reporters from all over the world can go to obtain information about the church. She was also responsible for tracking trends on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. In addition, Taylor was able to help with larger projects the LDS church was working on.

“There have been some exciting opportunities as an intern,” Taylor said. “I have worked with people who are very experienced in the field, but I have also been able to contribute some of my own ideas. My classes in the communications department helped prepare me for a lot of the things I was asked to do. I feel like my time with the LDS Public Affairs has really given me the perspective that I need for my career in public relations.”

After her experience with the LDS Church Public Affairs, Taylor plans to work with Qualtrics, a software company in Provo. She will be performing public relations work for them, while attending BYU part time to finish her capstone classes.

Taylor believes that BYU’s teachers, resources and connections make BYU stand out among other programs throughout the country. Tyler Page, a Qualtrics employee who is also a BYU graduate, shares Taylor’s sentiments about the program.

“BYU Communications graduates boast writing and strategic skills that are superior to their peers in other programs,” he said. “In looking for a marketing or public relations intern, we posted the opening on the BYU Communications web site because we needed someone who could write, edit, do basic graphic design and think strategically. I can think of no better place to find students with those qualities than the BYU Communications program.”