Archive for Public Relations
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.
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.
Understanding ethics is important for our PR future
Posted by: | CommentsGuest post by Stacey Davidson
This semester, I chose to take a public relations ethics class to round out my education at the University of Florida. I began the class not knowing what to expect and now, only four weeks into the semester, I can tell that this is one of the most beneficial classes I have taken in school. What do you think of when you think of ethics? A lot of people will say doing the right thing, or following the law, or even doing the right thing when it means not following the law. To me, ethics is about going above and beyond what is expected, to give back more than you were given, and to treat your publics with more respect than they deserve. Ethics in public relations is something that we cannot fake, both as students and one day as practitioners.
One way that ethics is becoming part of the mainstream is through corporate social responsibility. What was once a small PR tactic to encourage companies to give a donation to charity or provide added benefits to their employees, has now become a competitive business advantage for some companies (e.g. Starbucks) and an entire business model for others (e.g. Tom’s shoes). Corporations are expected to give back to the communities they work in as well as the global economy through sustainability and philanthropy.
Companies with high perceived CSR are more likely to have loyal customers as well as loyal employees and potential employees. Studies show that the average prospective employee would rather work for a socially responsible company, even if it means they receive less pay (the study said that on average people are willing to give up more than $14,000 each year in salary to work for a socially responsible company they respect.) In my job search this semester, CSR is one of the first things I research about a company. My goal is to work for a company whose ethical values mirror my own, because ultimately as an employee I am attaching my reputation to the company’s and vice versa. I want to be associated with a company that is highly respected as much as a company only wants to hire upstanding, ethical citizens.
What do you think? Is CSR something you look for in a potential employer?
Peppercom on One Internship, One Day
Posted by: | CommentsA big thanks goes out to Heather Huhman today for her post about Peppercom’s internship program on One Internship, One Day. I frequently recommend Heather’s site and Examiner column for advice on entry-level careers so it’s an honor to be well regarded in her eyes.
For those of you who would like to join the team, we’re currently looking for a part-time Spring intern for our San Fransisco office, and one for our New York graphic design department. Send your cover letter and resume to interncommittee [at] peppercom [dot] com if you’re interested.
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.
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.
Q&A Friday: Ann Barlow
Posted by: | CommentsAnn Barlow is partner and president of Peppercom San Francisco. She is the founder of GreenPepper, Peppercom’s environmental offering.
Q. How did you get your start in PR?
A. I actually majored in public relations, which at that time meant designing my own major through the University of Illinois’ college of liberal arts. When I graduated, I moved to New York and started with a small agency.
Q. You lead GreenPepper. What has been the most important thing you’ve learned in that endeavor?
A. You have to surround yourself with people who know more about environmental issues than you, and then read as much as you can. This is an area of expertise that you just can’t fake.
Q. What qualities make a young PR professional stand out to you?
A. Initiative, good listening and learning ability, and organization.
Q. What one piece of advice do you have for those just starting their careers in PR?
A. Have an ownership mentality. In other words, always be looking to see what else you can do to make a project and the company successful. Do your work as if it was going directly to the client, so make it as high quality as possible. Let others come to rely on you, and you’ll be successful.
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!
Q&A Friday: Darryl Salerno
Posted by: | CommentsDarryl Salerno is Peppercom’s business consultant, and runs Second Quadrant Solutions, a consultancy that helps professional service organizations improve their performance, profitability, productivity, effectiveness and overall long-term financial health. If you’d like to meet him in person, he’ll be performing stand up at the New York Comedy Club tonight- $15 plus two drink minimum, and I promise it’s well worth it.
Q. What’s your favorite part of your job?
A. What I love most is when someone approaches me and tells me that something they learned from me has had a dramatic positive effect on their job or their life outside work. It’s extremely gratifying to know that your counsel is being followed and is making a difference.
Q. What’s the most common complaint you hear from young PR pros?
A. Too much work. Too many accounts. Too many bosses. Far too many e-mails. Being expected to be on-call 24/7/52 and respond to everything immediately.
Q. And how do you respond to them?
A. I tell them they need to recognize that right now we are living in extraordinary times and that expectations are very high. Long-term, these things need to be fixed and I tell them that they should not struggle in silence. They must bring these issues forward to management at their agency in order for there to be a chance for them to be addressed when it’s possible.
Q. What advice do you have for those just starting out in PR?
A. You need to work very hard and diligently in this industry. Strive for excellence in every thing you do so you can be seen as trustworthy. However, you also need to create some boundaries in order to protect your work-life balance. If left unchecked, this profession can demand your time around the clock.
