Archive for Networking
PR Job Seekers: Be Creative!
Posted by: | CommentsGuest Post by Jerid Gunter
Watch Jerid in the news here.
Job hunting. No doubt, there are several emotions that come with the idea of hunting for a new job, and there are many of us who are aboard the job hunting roller coaster. When I graduated from Western Kentucky University with my BA in public relations back in May 2009, I moved back home to the Kansas City area and was quite hopeful for the opportunities that surely awaited me. Admittedly, I was quite delusional to the fact of how bad the economy was at the time of my graduation. One year later, with an internship and volunteering experience under my belt, I was still at the starting gate with my job hunt. I became completely open to relocating, and I submitted countless resumes and applications to various jobs across the country. The feelings of hope and excitement gave way to anxiety and frustration.
While I was delusional as a fresh college grad, I wasn’t delusional to the fact that my resume wasn’t turning heads. There’s no question that unemployed PR pros with five to 10 years experience are at the front of the line for any open position. I had to come up with something creative. So, with the “trained mind” of a PR practitioner, I tried to get my creative wheels turning. What could I do to stand out from the pack?
Part of the job of a public relations practitioner is to create or raise awareness, whether it’s for an event, organization or individual. In my case, I was looking to raise awareness about myself. I can’t quite tell you how I came up with this idea, but after watching a YouTube video of a creative way a job seeker received attention it must have created a spark for me. I decided I was going to stand on the corner of one of the busiest street corners in Kansas City, wearing a sandwich boy sign and carrying copies of my resume. After much thought of the message for my sign, I came up with: “This college grad can’t get experience without an opportunity. Hire me! jeridgunter@gmail.com.” In addition, I created a group page on Facebook (“Jerid’s Job Hunt Extravaganza!”), inviting all of my friends and sharing my crazy idea with them.
While I thought this was a good start, it certainly wouldn’t be a full-blown PR campaign without a little media attention. While I wasn’t sure if I’d really be considered newsworthy, I went ahead and e-mailed all four major news networks in Kansas City, explaining my situation and what I was planning to do. I told them exactly when and where to find me. One station contacted me via Twitter at about 4 AM the day of my event, telling me they’d possibly come by and cover my story. Sure enough, they contacted me while I was at my post, and did a live shot on the morning news, as well as a taped segment that aired during one of the evening newscasts. If that wasn’t enough, I had another station call me right after my interview with the first station, asking if they could cover my story. Of course, I welcomed the coverage. Yet again, I was featured on the evening news on that station as well.
After my day with the media, I thought I was a shoe-in for a great job. I just thought it was a matter of a couple of days before I’d have a handful of interviews and a couple of job offers on the table. The operative word: thought. The job offers didn’t come. Since my street sign escapade, I’ve had one job interview (not even PR related) and wasn’t awarded the position. I posted the online versions of my news stories on my Facebook profile and group page, as well as on my Twitter and LinkedIn accounts. I got all kinds of praise and encouraging words from friends and people I didn’t even know. While it’s been fun reading all of the comments, I’m still just working my part-time job at a little coffee shop that everyone’s heard of.
Why do I share my seemingly failed attempts of finding a job? It’s not an attempt to throw a pity party for myself. I know I’m one of countless other job-seekers. It’s also not an attempt to discourage you in your job hunt, quite the contrary. I’m certain that my street sign story is going to help me land a job in some form or fashion. Whether the video catches the right eye of a potential employer, or it’s an experience I can refer to during a job interview, it will be a tool I can use to distance myself from other job candidates. I share my story to encourage you to BE CREATIVE. Do something that makes you stand out…just don’t get yourself into trouble doing so.
Organizing a Job Hunt with Social Media Tools: Part Three
Posted by: | CommentsThe final installment of my series on organizing a job hunt with social media tools focuses on LinkedIn. Most of you are probably already on this social networking site (if not, you should be!), but here are a few tips to make the most of it.
Organizing a Job Hunt with Social Media Tools: Part Two
Posted by: | CommentsPart two of my series on ButtonedUp.com gives a few tips and tricks for organizing a job hunt using Twitter. The full article is here, I hope you find it helpful!
Inside Look: How Recruiters Utilize Social Media
Posted by: | CommentsIn the next few weeks, we’ll be talking some more about ways that you can use social media to find and land a job. But first, I thought it would be helpful to get some insights into how the PR industry is using social media as a recruitment tool. My colleague Lauren Begley wrote a post for the PepperDigital blog with some guidelines for hiring managers to use social media as a recruiting platform. Take a look at what she has to say, and keep these points in mind when engaging in social media communications:
As Twitter has quadrupled in size and Facebook now rivals the population of the world’s third largest country, social media has forever changed our personal and professional communication practices. While it is often thought of as a tool for a PR or communications department within a corporation, there are other uses that divisions like human resources can exercise.
Recruitment, for example, offers a great opportunity for an HR team to delve into the social media space. Just as a job applicant develops a cover letter and resume touting their best qualities, HR managers can build a strong social media platform to showcase the company’s corporate culture in order to attract top talent. At Peppercom, for example, our intern coordinator Alicia Wells manages a blog all about entry level positions in public relations. This platform provides those outside of our company with a look into our corporate culture and professional values, as well as useful information for the job hunting process. If you too are in this position, here are a few best practices to consider.
1) Listen: In today’s current job climate, prospective employees are turning to the Web to identify job opportunities and highlight their qualifications. Before you launch a social media campaign, it is important to survey the conversations already taking place so you can find the social media tools that are most resonating with the top candidates. To do this, determine the kind of information they are seeking about your corporate culture and job functions. Take notice, specifically, of where they are communications online. By identifying these patterns, you’ll be able to create a social media campaign that will appeal to the type of candidates for which you are looking.
2) Start the Conversation: Once you have a handle on the social media platforms the top talent is comfortable using, you will be able to recognize the means by which you should engage your audience. For example, if participants within your field are active on Twitter, you might consider launching a corporate account to disseminate job information and answer questions in real-time.
3) Let Your Stars Shine: Whether a company provides a platform for its employees or not, most are regularly using digital communication channels on a regular basis. Identify those employees who are already social media savvy and bring them in to help shape the corporate presence online. Providing current employees with the opportunity to become the online voice of your company, will enable authenticity to shine through and offer potential job applicants a glimpse into employee life at your company.
Using Social Media to Find a Job
Posted by: | CommentsGuest post by Abby Schoffman, Peppercom intern
Gone are the days when a private online existence was a good thing. If you’re looking for a job in PR, a digital presence is a must. Some like to call it personal branding. As someone who spent much of 2009 looking for an entry-level position, I know how important social media is to the job search. While you’re busy researching a company to prepare for an interview, they’re doing the same to get a feel for you. You need to make sure what they find represents you well.
If you’re not already developing your brand online, here are four ways to start using social media to benefit your job search:
1. Start tweeting. I’ve met and interacted with PR people from all across the country thanks to Twitter – people I would never have had the opportunity to talk with if it weren’t for social media. Twitter is a casual, no-pressure way to network. I’ve found job opportunities, been able to connect with people at companies I’ve applied to and even landed interviews because of Twitter.
If you’re looking for a job in the communication industry, it’s time to get on Twitter. Once you’re there, use your bio to let people know you’re looking for a job and your link to send people to your personal blog (assuming it’s appropriate), LinkedIn profile or online portfolio. (For more tips on using Twitter to find a job, check out this post.)
2. Follow and comment on industry blogs. PR is an industry where it’s important to know the latest news and trends. Blogs are a great way to stay informed and continue learning. Many PR bloggers have built a community of followers on their blogs, and the comment section is a great place to be involved in an insightful conversation.
You may not know where to start when looking for blogs to subscribe to, but if you’ve started following smart PR people on Twitter, check out the links in their bios. Most PR agencies also have some sort of blog, so be sure to look for those, too. Following PRiscope is how I found out about Peppercom and eventually landed my internship here.
3. Start your own blog. Blogging is a great way to showcase your writing skills and show that you know what’s going on in the industry. If you can’t dedicate the time needed to start your own blog, ask to guest post on one of your favorite PR blogs or become a contributing blogger. Having posts to share with potential employers is a great way to supplement your traditional portfolio.
4. Update your LinkedIn profile. That’s assuming you already have one, because you should. More and more recruiters are using LinkedIn as a search tool to find job candidates, so it’s important that your profile is complete. Use keywords, share links to your other sites and take advantage of the application that lets you feed your blog to your profile. Look at it as an opportunity to include anything you didn’t have space for on your traditional resume.
LinkedIn is also a great place for you to do research. It’s easy to find information about companies you’re interested in, their employees, the HR contact your e-mail should be addressed to, etc. You can also see if someone you know is connected to someone you want to know, which is a valuable tool when looking for a job.
(Another note about LinkedIn – I recommend joining @heatherhuhman’s group, #PRintern | #EntryPR. Heather does a good job pulling in PR job postings from all over the web.)
With these tips, you’ll be more in control of how you’re projecting yourself to potential employers. And the more you put into the digital space, the better the odds that those potential employers will find something that backs up the skills and qualifications listed on your resume.
PRSSA- A good investment for your future
Posted by: | CommentsGuest Post by Stacey Davidson
As a public relations student in college, it is difficult to differentiate yourself in a flooded job market. There are too many candidates and too few positions. One way I have found to differentiate myself was to be involved with PRSSA, the Public Relations Student Society of America. In conjunction with PRSA, the largest professional public relations association in the world, PRSSA helps students to gain real world experience, leadership and networking opportunities outside of the classroom. At the University of Florida each month we learn about interview skills, industry trends, resume writing and more from professionals in the industry. These speakers help us to transfer what we learn in the classroom to our internships and future jobs.
In addition to monthly meetings and speakers, PRSSA also provides opportunities like its annual conference in November. PRSSA annual conference is held alongside PRSA national conference to allow for increased networking and professional development opportunities for both students and practitioners. At this conference, I was able to learn about multiple facets of PR from the industry’s leaders, such as media relations from the media trainer and media relations director for the United States Army, and non-profit public relations from the VP of communications for United Way.
This conference provides a unique opportunity to do more than listen to a lecture. For five days I was immersed in an amazing learning environment where I could ask questions and build my professional network in addition to hearing from presenters. After leaving the conference, I was armed with business cards, e-mail addresses and phone numbers from agencies and practitioners located all around the country. I was ready to take on the world and the job search.
One of the most important factors when applying for a job is make yourself more than just a resume. Many of the people I met at the conference were active recruiters and account executives at companies where I desire to work. To them, I am now a face, a person, no longer just a resume. When I begin seriously applying for jobs in the spring, I know that our relationships will be integral in landing interviews and eventually jobs.
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.
Q&A Friday: Sara Whitman
Posted by: | CommentsSara Whitman started at Peppercom as an intern ten years ago, and today is a Senior Director. She manages a mix of consumer and corporate accounts, and also handles staff management for the New York office and agency recruiting.
Q. You started at Peppercom as an intern- what do you think has contributed to your success?
A. Determination: I’ve always set the bar high for myself and I aim to outperform my own expectations. There’s nothing like a sense of self-accomplishment and taking pride in your work.
Dedication: I love Peppercom. I love the culture, the teams, and the work. I don’t want to let anyone down and I like striving to do the best work I can for our clients and for us as an agency. We have a great reputation as a firm and I want to add to that as much as I can.
Flexibility: This is on my part and on Peppercom’s part. It’s a give and take. I put everything I can into my work. In turn (and actually well before I even knew what I was doing in this industry), Peppercom offers amazing flexibility. I have a wonderful family and am able to raise my kids the way I want because of the flexibility I have at Peppercom. It’s the best of both worlds. In this same category of flexibility though is something I think is very important. I really do look at what we do as teamwork – both within the agency, with our clients and with the media (or should I say external audiences given the fragmented and dwindling media) – and I think I’m a decent team player. I’m not in this for the glory – if I am, I’m in the wrong business! I’m most satisfied when I know the work was done well, the team scored killer results and the client is thrilled. There’s a lot of expectation and entitlement I see and hear about among industry employees. That’s an attitude people need to check at the door.
Q. What do you look for in entry-level candidates?
A. An avid learner: This business requires the ability to grasp many different subject matters very quickly. You have to live, eat and breathe the clients’ business and a love of learning is essential. It also provides a great base for strategic thinking and planning.
A news junkie: Going hand in hand with that is being a news junkie. Wanting to know about what’s going on in the world of business, politics, culture, society, entertainment, etc. is critical. We have to align the news of our clients with the news of the world and a person in this business has to be able to connect the dots. A natural love for the news should be a given.
A strong writer: The number one complaint I hear from management and from clients is that writing is not as strong as it could be. The industry tends to attract really smart, outgoing people who, for some reason or another, have a tough time with clear, concise and compelling writing. Some of that can be learned, but without a strong core, it’s very difficult.
Has a roll-up-your-sleeves attitude: I like people who will do what it takes to get the job done – big or small. Those who are resourceful and can figure out how to make things happen are indispensable. Negativity and defeatism don’t breed success.
Q. What are you most proud of professionally?
A. There are so many things I’m proud of that have involved so many people. I’m proud that I’m still here after 10 years! I’m really proud of some of the long-standing client relationships I have. I’m incredibly proud of being able to say I’m part of a firm that has had so many external successes with clients – but even more proud that I was part of helping to build the team to make that happen. I’m proud that a significant chunk of our staff are people who also started at Peppercom as interns or JAEs. That’s a huge accomplishment that we should all be proud of.
Q. What one piece of advice do you have for those just starting their careers in PR?
A. Think about your professional network from day one. The people you meet and help out now can become people who will do the same for you later. You never know where people will wind up and what doors they might open for you in the future.
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?
