Archive for Interviewing
Worth Noting: Aol Find a Job
Posted by: | CommentsI’m pretty sure I haven’t been on AOL since 1999, but today I stumbled across “Aol Find a Job” and thought it was worth sharing. The site is mainly a job database, but also offers articles with advice for job hunting, employment news and trends, personal development, and more. The most helpful section is the Job Seeker Toolkit, which even has a special section for recent grads. I’d encourage you to check it out for tips on building a resume, interviewing, networking and career searching.
Tips from a Success Story
Posted by: | CommentsBecause I couldn’t agree more with every point, or have said it better myself, I urge you to check out Kristin Davie’s recent post on her blog One Grad’s College Compass & Career Quest. She recently started her entry-level position at a New York PR firm, and gives some practical tips gleaned from her own job hunt. Our receptionist Kelly can attest to the second bullet.
A Diversified Degree
Posted by: | CommentsGuest post by Stacey Davidson
When any student enters college the most important question on their mind is usually, “What will I major in?” Pre-med, pre-law, business, engineering, public relations, the list could go on forever. At the time it seems that this one decision and one degree will steer not just four years, but your future. However, I think that the most important part of college is not your major, but what you do in addition to it.
For me, this came in the form of two minors, multiple leadership positions, internships and a semester abroad. When an employer or internship coordinator looks at your resume, the first thing they look at is not your major or even the fact that you have a degree. My reporting professor Mike Foley suggested even placing the education section of your resume near the bottom, underneath related experience and leadership. Through my experience applying for internships and now jobs, I have noticed that employers don’t want to just find the norm (you went to college for four years and graduated), they want someone with unique qualities and experiences that will bring a fresh perspective to the company.
On my resume, the two things that I talk about most in interviews are my study abroad experience and my non-profit management minor. Both of these experiences led me to absorb knowledge from many countries, cultures, social groups and demographics. It allowed me to see things from a host of different perspectives, and that is unique.
At the University of Florida, there are more than 700 student organizations. I suggest that everyone gets involved in at least two. One should be related to the field of work you are interested in (such as PRSSA for me) and one should be focused on a personal passion (such as The March of Dimes GatorWalk). This allowed me to gain leadership experience while having fun and learning at the same time. I brought the knowledge from my public relations major to these organizations and they gave me a chance to learn through hands-on experience outside the classroom.
Hopefully you too will be able to diversify your degree and add depth and character to your resume. Happy job hunting!
Asking questions in interviews
Posted by: | CommentsGuest Post by Laura Zanzal
As a former member of the intern committee at Peppercom, I’ve sat through countless interviews. When it comes to hiring a candidate, for me personally, it doesn’t matter if you had one previous internship or five. What matters to me instead is the questions that candidates ask during an interview. Many times when interviewing, we start by asking if candidates have any questions before we share what the internship entails. This gives the opportunity for the candidate to have control of the conversation. In an ideal interview, I love when we’re able to tell the candidate everything about the internship and Peppercom through questions and answers, rather than us regurgitating the “schpeal”.
Now, I’m not referring to questions like “When’s the start date?” or “How much does it pay?” Instead, I enjoy questions where I get to tell you a little bit more about myself, and hopefully turn the interview into a conversation.
Not sure what to ask? Try these questions in your next interview:
· How did you get your start in PR?
· How long have you been at your company?
· What’s your favorite part about your company/PR?
· What’s a typical day like?
· How does your company measure success?
· How has your company fared over the past year?
By asking questions, the candidate has a better chance of showcasing his or her personality, allowing the interviewer to understand if the candidate is a good fit for the position. So the next time you are in an interview and you are asked “Any questions?”, whatever you do, please don’t say, “No, I’m all set.”
A Job Seekers’ Advice
Posted by: | CommentsGuest post by Kristin Davie
Kristin Davie is a recent graduate of Marist College (also my alma mater) and is currently on the job hunt. She writes a blog about this very topic and here shares a bit of advice for her fellow entry-level PR job seekers.
As a recent college graduate, I count myself among what Peter Coy of BusinessWeek calls, “The Lost Generation.” Less than half of young adults ages 16-24 are employed and securing that coveted entry-level position is increasingly hard to manage. While others in my commencement cohort resort to online job boards and career fairs, I’ve referred back to the basic lessons I learned as a PR student and intern:
- Be creative- Professors always challenged my class to create new projects and campaigns and the same is true in the boardroom (so I hear). One day you’ll be a part of company brainstorm sessions. In the meantime, job seekers should brainstorm new ways to differentiate themselves such as starting a blog or volunteering at an industry event.
- Be concise- This is probably the first thing reviewed in most PR classes and the first thing expected of strong PR writers. Luckily, there’s no better place to practice concise writing than on a resume or cover letter where superfluous language may potentially frustrate or aggravate employers (I bet THAT was annoying to read). Need some help toning it down? Turn to the industry’s new favorite tool- Twitter- and learn to write in 140 characters or less.
- Do your research- Whether for a college paper or client presentation, research is a fundamental part of PR. As a job seeker, start by researching the company and its clients, awards and culture. Homework and reading assignments don’t end at a degree.
- Explore new avenues- Students are encouraged to pursue new ideas in the classroom and agencies are turning toward new methods of marketing clients. Why not do the same in the job search? Join a Ning network tailored toward the unemployed or reach out to alumni in your field.
- Promote your brand- First as students and eventually as employees, candidates must also represent themselves as a personal brand during the job search. Just as companies are turning toward social media to promote clients, so should job seekers. Advertise assets and build a brand employers will find beneficial to the company.
- Network- While it might be mentioned in the classroom, networking may be a lifelong skill better learned through experience- and PR professionals have a lot of it. Unemployment serves as great practice (trust me). Connect with old classmates and professors, engage in Twitter conversations with CEOs, and don’t brush off opportunity.
As an aspiring PR professional, I’ve found that no other asset in my job search arsenal is as valuable as my major. Why? Well, the rudimentary functions of public relations serve as great job search skills. Better yet? If used correctly, they cement candidates’ understanding of the industry and show potential employers that the wheels aren’t that rusty- and that Mom and Dad didn’t take out a second mortgage on the house in vain.
Yes, networking really does work
Posted by: | CommentsBy Alicia Wells
There was an article in the Wall Street Journal yesterday that talks about how extreme job-hunting techniques, like announcing your career search on a sandwich board tied around your neck, don’t always work. What does? Networking. The article describes the lesson learned by one of the former extreme job hunters:
“Mr. Williamson now considers personal contacts crucial during a job search—especially in a highly anonymous city like New York.”
We’ve all heard it time and time again, but it’s worth repeating. It’s much easier to find a job when you have a personal connection. Case in point: Before starting my career at Peppercom, I applied to an entry-level position at another New York PR firm. I responded to the company’s online posting for the job, and a couple of weeks later still had not heard anything (which was the case for the other 100 or so online postings I responded to). I then found out that I had a connection- a friend of a friend- who worked at the company. He gave my resume to the HR department, and the next day they called me for an interview. Just the simple act of my resume being handed directly to HR from someone on the inside improved my chances of getting the job.
So how do you network? There are many ways of going about it:
- Join PRSA or other professional organizations and attend their networking events. Some of the events are open to non-members as well.
- Volunteer for a local charity or non-profit and network with your fellow volunteers.
- Attend alumni events for your school.
- Set up informational interviews with alumni in your school’s database that work in your field.
- Join LinkedIn and some of the groups related to PR or job hunting (The Public Relations and Communications Jobs Community is a good one).
- Join Twitter to connect directly with the employees and hiring managers at your target organizations.
These ideas are just a drop in the networking bucket. What are some other tips for networking?
True Story
Posted by: | CommentsBy Alicia Wells
Here’s a quick lesson on how not to get hired. My colleague was conducting a phone interview with a candidate and found out, midway through the conversation, the candidate was in fact on the floor of our building. Coincidence? Unfortunately, no.
This individual, who goes to a nearby college, thought it’d be a good idea to replace the phone screen with an in-person interview, in an “I’m right outside your window” scenario. But you think that’s bad? When we sat him down, he taught another good lesson: getting an A+ for brutal honesty is never a good idea. When asked if he wanted to pursue a career in public relations, he said, “Nope, don’t care, I just want to get paid.”
I’d say it was a waste of time, but what a great story we got out of it.
The Art of Follow-Up
Posted by: | CommentsBy Alicia Wells
Alison Green over at Ask A Manager has been talking a lot about the rudeness of hiring managers who don’t get back to candidates after an interview. It got me to thinking about how important follow-up is in the job search, both for the interviewers and interviewees. I think we (the Peppercom intern committee) do a good job of letting candidates know our decisions once they’ve been made, but can understand how frustrating it could be to have to wait for a response. There are a lot of elements that go into the decision making process so it can sometimes take a while to get back to everyone we’ve interviewed. I always feel bad knowing that the candidates are anxiously awaiting a response and wish that there was something I could do to speed up the process.
On the other hand, I think even more tricky is how candidates follow-up with the interviewer. We all know how important sending thank you notes is (bonus points for handwritten cards), but the worst mistake you can make is to send a thank you with typos in it. Ick.
Every hiring manager will have their preferences on how and when they like to be contacted regarding a decision. I think it’s fair to check in if it’s been a few days or a week longer than the interviewer said it would be. For example, if they tell you that it will be two weeks before they decide, I think it’s acceptable to send an email a few days into the following week after their given date. Or, if they tell you it will be a couple of months, try checking in a month into that time period to give them an update on what you’ve been up to (in a professional, unassuming way). Don’t be too aggressive or follow-up more than once or twice, that will just annoy the interviewer.
Some other tips to keep in mind:
- Unless otherwise specified, email is typically a better way to follow-up than phone (less intrusive).
- Stand out from the crowd. After her interview, one of our current interns sent me a Direct Message on Twitter with a link to an article she had pitched and placed in her local newspaper. It definitely got my attention.
- I can’t say it enough, make sure ALL of your written communication with an interviewer is flawless. This is true in every industry, but particularly in PR, where we’re expected to constantly communicate via email with clients, superiors, the media, etc.
Any other good tips for following-up after an interview?
