Career Development

#ThrowbackThursday with Dorie Clark

Stephanie Vermillion Leave a comment

Editor’s note: This is part of our monthly #ThrowbackThursday series, which features a prominent, successful PR pro taking a look back and sharing tips from his/her days as a new pro. 

As the author of Stand Out, Dorie Clark knows a thing or two about – wait for it – standing out on the job.

Today, as part of our #ThrowbackThursday, Dorie shares how young PR pros can break through the clutter and excel in their future careers, with some tips and insights from her past.

Dorie ClarkSo, without further ado, meet Dorie Clark, and soak in her helpful career tips! 

Question 1: What were some of the biggest challenges you faced as a new professional and how did you overcome them?

Honestly, one of the hardest things for me was getting up in the morning in order to get to work on time! That sounds ridiculous, but adjusting from the free-floating schedule of grad school to the early mornings and “face time” requirements of the work world was rather difficult and dispiriting for me.

Once I became an entrepreneur, I realized it suited my temperament much better, because you can set your own hours, avoid office politics, and you have the interesting and life-affirming challenge of being responsible for surviving through your own wits and mettle (i.e., your business development skills).

I also had a lot of career setbacks early on, including being laid off as a journalist and working as a spokesperson on two prominent political campaigns – only to have them both lose.

I had to keep reinventing and rebranding myself, a process I chronicled in my first book, Reinventing You. Eventually, nine years ago, I started my own marketing strategy consultancy, and have been writing, speaking, consulting, and teaching business school since then.

Question 2: What advice would you give to new college graduates looking for their first jobs?

Start creating content. You may have had some internships, and it’s a great idea to do so, but in general your resume isn’t going to look that much different from other recent grads – and prospective employers won’t necessarily be convinced you know applicable workplace skills, even if you got an A in your marketing or PR class.

Instead, differentiate yourself by sharing your ideas, whether it’s through blogging, creating videos or a podcast, or curating a knowledgeable social media feed.

That signals to employers that you’re truly interested in the profession, are familiar with the issues being talked about, and have something meaningful to say.

Question 3: As a young professional, how did you find ways to stand out in front of prospective employers and bosses?

One of the most important things I did was build my network. I wasn’t terribly strategic at the time; mostly it meant that I periodically invited people for coffee or lunch whom I liked and knew I should be keeping in touch with because I could learn from them and they were plugged into the worlds I wanted to enter (at the time, journalism and politics).

As I describe in my forthcoming e-book Stand Out Networking, after I’d been laid off from my newspaper reporting job, I was able to land a great gig thanks to Michael Goldman, who began as a source I’d call frequently for comment as a reporter, and with whom I developed a warm and friendly relationship. He was a political consultant and went to work for a gubernatorial candidate who needed a spokesperson ASAP, and since he knew I’d been laid off, he called me.

Similarly, I got to know Steve Grossman, at the time a local business owner in the Boston area, when I wrote an article about him. He was very involved in politics and several years later, he helped me secure a job as the spokesperson for a presidential campaign.

Investing in relationships is one of the most important things you can do, especially early on in your career. (Click to Tweet!)

Question 4: How can new college graduates uncover (then market) their unique values?

One of the best ways to discover your unique strengths and the value you bring is to think about how you’re different than most others in the field you’re aspiring to enter.

We tend to emphasize our commonalities – if you’re looking for a marketing job, then you highlight the fact that you were a marketing major.

That’s great, but remember: employers are looking at 100 or 1000 resumes, and they want to see something unique. Don’t be afraid to mention your minor in philosophy, or the fact that you grew up in Russia, or the chess championship you won. Smart employers know they need innovative perspectives and a different way of looking at the world.

I also created a free 42-page workbook that’s adapted from my new book Stand Out. It’s 139 questions that walk you through the process of discovering your unique ideas and then becoming recognized for them. It’s available to download for free on my website.

Question 5: If you could go back in time and give advice to yourself during your first year on the job, what would you say?

When I was working as a presidential campaign spokesperson, I managed a 13-person staff. I had an employee named Kumar who was right out of college, and once he worked for me, I realized what a great employee looked like – so if I had the chance to go back in time, I’d learn from Kumar and ask my boss the incredible question that he did: “What can I do to make your job easier?”

It was so simple, but as a boss, I was inordinately grateful: here was someone wanting to erase problems and stressors for me (of which there were many). And Kumar realized the highest and best use he had was to free up my time to focus on what mattered for the organization.

He earned my undying gratitude, and it made me want to keep giving him more and better responsibilities, because with that question and that attitude, he demonstrated his team spirit and desire to do whatever it took to help the organization. I wish I’d been that savvy early on!

About Dorie Clark

Dorie Clark is an Adjunct Professor of Business Administration at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and the author of Reinventing You (Harvard Business Review Press, 2013) and Stand Out (Portfolio/Penguin, 2015). A former presidential campaign spokeswoman, she is a frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review, TIME, and Entrepreneur. Recognized as a “branding expert” by the Associated Press, Inc., and Fortune, Clark is a marketing strategy consultant and speaker for clients including Google, Microsoft, Yale University, Fidelity, and the World Bank. You can follow her on Twitter @dorieclark and download her free 42-page Stand Out Self-Assessment Workbook.

4 Tips for Building a Strong Professional Portfolio

Stephanie Vermillion 1 Comment

Preparing for job interviews can be more than a little intimidating, and it’s probably no surprise to you that one of the major intimidation factors can be getting your portfolio together.

4 Tips for Building a Strong Professional PortfolioIf you don’t have a portfolio yet, you’re going to need one. Portfolios are the best way to show that you can walk the walk, not just talk the talk. Gathering the work you’re most proud of showcases your abilities and skills for future employers to assess.

Strong portfolios can come in a variety of types and sizes, and it’s up to you to decide what you think is best. If you’re just getting started or looking to revamp your portfolio, first decide what kind of portfolio you want:

Online vs. In Print

Online portfolios are great tools to impress future employers and get your foot in the door. There are plenty of free portfolio sites and website building resources like Weebly or WordPress that can make the creation process simple and maybe even fun.

An online portfolio can even add some personality to your name based on your site’s style and content. If they like what they see, it could be the reason you get called in for an interview. Or, they could just like the fact that you put the time and effort into creating a website.

A physical portfolio could also be the perfect tool for you. Your employers or clients may not want a marketing plan or social media report featured on your website for the world to see. That’s when a print portfolio can be handy as it will stay between you and the interviewer. Personally, I found it useful to have samples in front of me to share during the interview.

For example, when asked about my media relations experience, I can pull out a copy of my best newspaper or online placement. Bringing a physical portfolio is ensuring that the interviewer will see it because they may not have taken the time to check your online portfolio.

Quantity vs. Quality

Some professionals would say gather all of your work into a huge portfolio, but many others would say that you should just bring your top pieces of work. And again, it’s up to you.

Fresh out of college, I wanted to be prepared for any job responsibility they could ask me about, whether it be social media, writing, marketing plans or media relations. Therefore, I gathered all of my materials into a large portfolio binder separated into categories by tabs. I would easily navigate through my portfolio during the interview to pull out examples relevant to their questions and the job responsibilities. Organization is key with this approach.

A large portfolio can be overwhelming and intimidating, which is why some of you may prefer a smaller portfolio. Some interviewers even prefer it and may just ask to just see your top three to five pieces. In this case, it is easier to focus on the quality of your work as opposed to the variety.

Now that you have your options laid out, here are some tips for creating and using a strong portfolio:

  1. Think of anything and everything. To begin, gather all of your great work into one place. If you made it, wrote it or thought of it, put it in. Then choose your best pieces. You can always take it out later if you change your mind. Just make sure you have the portfolio essentials.
  2. If you’re going to do it, do it well. Don’t take shortcuts. After putting effort into it, you do not want to ruin all of your hard work because you got lazy. A little typo could tell a future employer that you aren’t careful or detail-oriented. This is especially true for websites. If you can’t put together a visually appealing website, it may not be worth doing at all.
  3. Don’t be shy about it. Not every interviewer is going to ask to see your portfolio or even samples of work. After putting effort into making it, be sure to show it off when you can. Try to work examples into your answers. For online portfolios, add a link to the bottom of your resume, email signature or Twitter profile.
  4. Leave behind some examples. If you’re showing off something long and detailed like a writing sample, the interviewer likely won’t read through the whole thing during the interview. Consider printing a few extra copies of your favorite pieces that seem most relevant to the position to leave something behind. I usually put two pieces and an extra copy of my resume into a folder or clear slip and hand it to them at the end of my interview for them to keep. It’s a great way to make sure your work gets their attention.

There’s always more than one right way to do things, and your portfolio is no different. It’s just one of the many ways you can stay competitive in your job hunt. Decide what works best for your work and preferences, commit to it and dive right in.

Christine Kappesser Christine Kappesser is an assistant account executive at Wordsworth Communications, a public relations agency in Cincinnati, Ohio. She graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in Strategic Communications and minors in Marketing and Design. Connect with Christine on Twitter (@ChristineMaeK).

#ThrowbackThursday with Paula Shugart

Stephanie Vermillion Leave a comment

Editor’s note: This is part of our monthly #ThrowbackThursday series, which features a prominent, successful PR pro taking a look back and sharing tips from his/her days as a new pro.

Miss Universe President Paula Shugart has made her way from San Diego, to Athens, Ohio, to Los Angeles and eventually found her way to New York City. How does one build a successful career and a solid group of connections while hopping coast to coast?Paula Shugart Headshot

We dug into some of the best advice from Paula for new professionals looking to make a splash and build their network:

Question 1: What was the best piece of advice you received from a mentor as a young professional?

The one thing that has always always stuck in my head was from a woman producer that hired me in 1986 for her show. She was great to work with, so I wanted her advice. She told me, “you can’t do anything for me, but always pay it forward. There’s going to be an opportunity in your life when you’re going to be able to help others. When that opportunity comes up, you’ve got to pay it forward.” That piece of advice has really stuck with me and it’s why I started the internship program with Miss Universe.

Question 2: When moving across country or to a new city, how did you build relationships in an unknown environment?

I moved around so much as a kid since my father was in the Navy that I think it was in my DNA of having to get used to a new place and meet new people. When I went back to LA after attending school at Ohio University, I really just had to suck it up and be fearless. I was panicked moving back since I was so focused on getting a job, but I reached out to my few connections I had from Ohio University. When it came down to it though, I was going door-to-door at the studio lots and just trying to get in and meet people – even though I was scared to death!

I made it a point to put myself out there to meet people and that’s how I got my first job. I took a receptionist position working with Kevin Bright just to get my foot in the door – little did I know he would go on to produce “Friends”! This was a starting point, and from there I started making more connections through friends of friends and building my network within the entertainment industry.

Question 3: What are some of the best methods of keeping in touch with connections?

There’s a lot of people I lost contact with over the years, but I’ve tried to keep in touch via social media, especially friends who are my age on Facebook! I can think of one friend who I started out in the industry with 30 years ago and hadn’t seen since then, but we re-connected on Facebook and it was just like the 30 years had never gone by!

Since I work closely with the intern program at Miss Universe, I love hearing from our past interns. It could be as simple as an email saying hello and sharing what’s going on in their life. I can think of one of our first interns who reached out to me about moving to LA and looking for work.  She was about living the same experience I did in the early eighties, and I was able to make some connections for her in the city. It all goes back to the woman 30 years ago telling me to pay it forward.

Question 4: What advice would you give to today’s young professionals?

Really be fearless. Take the risk or take the challenge – what’s the worst that’s going to happen? Step outside your comfort zone and really push yourself; I could not have been more uncomfortable stepping into this position with Miss Universe. You’re never going to regret the things you attempted or the things you did, but you will regret an opportunity you didn’t take.

More about Paula:

With more  than 30 years of experience in the television industry, Paula M. Shugart has been a driving force in entertainment television production for domestic and international audiences. As president of the Miss Universe Organization (MUO), and producer of the MISS UNIVERSE®, MISS USA®, and MISS TEEN USA® pageants, Paula oversees all business transactions and is responsible for the production of the live, worldwide telecasts each year. She is also a mentor and role model to the company’s three title holders as they travel the globe as spokeswomen for several charitable alliances on behalf of MUO.

Balancing a Full-Time Career and Freelance Work

PRSA New Pros Leave a comment

For marketing and communications professionals, the opportunity to freelance on the side of full-time careers is growing.

In 2014, a study showed that more than one in three workers in America were freelancing, a statistic that confirms the ever-growing demand of freelancers in our constantly changing workforce.

Although the demand for freelancers is expanding, many people still can’t trust the instability of the freelance world as their primary income source.

That’s why professionals, especially new professionals, are working full-time careers, while juggling part-time freelance work on the side. Learning to manage both is tough, but people are making it happen, and you can to.

Organize

If you’re going to juggle a full-time career on top of a part-time one, organization isn’t just encouraged – it’s critical.

Find what works best for you and helps you stay on top of all your deliverables. For some people, it’s using an agenda. For others it may be their cell phone or computer calendar, or to-do lists and sticky notes.

Whatever helps you remember and stay on top of everything is going to be crucial to the balancing act needed for being a full-time professional and freelancer.

Prioritize

Your full-time career should never suffer when pursuing freelance opportunities; after all, this is where the bulk of your income probably comes from.

Learn to prioritize your day or week. When you’re in your full-time job, you should only be focusing on your full-time job. By prioritizing your work and day at your career, you’ll be able to stay on top of what’s expected from you and not fall behind.

Once you fall behind in your full-time job, you may find yourself staying late and working overtime, which will in turn trickle down to how you are going to meet the deliverables of your side freelance projects.

Prioritize your entire day from start to finish. What needs to be done as soon as possible, and what can wait?

Work-Life Balance

When balancing a career and freelance work, it’s easy to lose site of having any outside life at all.

You may feel that outside of work you’re actually working more, and you have no room for fun. But you need to overcome this habit.

Don’t cancel your workout because you need to work late. Learn to prioritize and organize your tasks and projects so you can work around your workout or night out.

When you keep the fun stuff in your life, you’ll see better work, increased productivity, and you’ll be much happier, which is really the most important thing.

Dedication

Being a freelancer on top of working full-time takes dedication to your industry and career, and to yourself and your clients/employers.

If you don’t have the motivation to get stuff done, stay on top of your deliverables, and do work outside of your 9-5 job (sometimes on weekends), then balancing both these career paths may not be for you.

There will be times you just want a day off, times you just want to lock yourself in your room and unplug from the world, but dedication and perseverance is what will get you through those overworked slumps.

Create Boundaries

To avoid wanting to lock yourself away from the world, set boundaries for yourself. When freelancers first start out, and start to land their initial clients and jobs, it’s exciting, and it may be hard to learn when to say no.

But saying no to someone doesn’t mean you are burning a bridge, and most people will appreciate your honesty. Know your limits, and know what you’re capable of.

If you already feel like you have too much to do, and you pull all nighters to get work done, you’ve probably taken on too much.

Balancing freelance work and a full-time career isn’t for everyone. It does take a certain type of person who can manage both of these career paths at once.

To learn if this is for you, test the waters by taking on one freelance client at a time, and slowly build up to more if you can manage.

Do you have any tips for balancing a full-time job and freelance work? Share below!

Lauren MarinighLauren Marinigh is a graduate of Sheridan College, with a diploma in Advertising, and certificate in Corporate Communications. She currently works as a Social Media and Content Creation Coordinator, for a large non-profit in Toronto, and as a freelance social media consultant and writer. Find her on Twitter, or visit her industry blog.

Nine tricks to make networking easy

Stephanie Vermillion 1 Comment

9 tricks to make networking easyNetworking: the necessary evil of the professional world.

I’ve yet to meet anyone who actually enjoys going to networking events and trying to make meaningful contacts in a room full of strangers. The degree of dread often depends on our individual personality type.

As an introvert, networking is one of my least favorite things on Earth. I like people with whom I share a common interest or two, but I detest the small talk and uncomfortable nature of networking.

It’s draining, anxiety-inducing and sometimes quite painful, but it’s necessary, so it’s worth finding ways to make it work for you.

1. Start by building your network where you’re comfortable.

The best way I’ve found to get your feet wet in networking is to start somewhere you’re already at ease. For me, that was Twitter.

That may sound like a huge cop-out, but by engaging in Twitter chats, I’ve been able to chat with bunches of like-minded professionals I would have never gotten to meet otherwise.

Believe it or not, there are more introverts in PR than you’d think.

2. Build a reputation that precedes you.

The hardest part about networking for introverts isn’t meeting new people but having to introduce and talk about ourselves to new people.

Building a reputation for yourself before you have to go out and meet everyone is a great way to skip the awkward part.

Create a website to showcase your work and your talents, volunteer for a cause that you enjoy and do something that you love. Create a brand for yourself and let it lead the way. (Click to Tweet!)

3. Be consistent.

We all know how important it is to craft your message to fit your audience, but it’s also equally as important to be consistent.

Networking isn’t much different than reaching your audience.

Whatever parts of yourself you choose to share when networking, keep consistent in what you say and do. It’ll be easy to practice and remember what to say when you meet new people.

4. Set goals and a time limit.

It’s unrealistic to expect to make 50 new connections and spend three hours at a networking event when you get anxious chatting with five strangers.

Give yourself a time limit that you’re comfortable with and a reasonable number of connections to make in that time to start with. If you stay longer because you’re enjoying yourself and make more connections, that’s great!

5. Prepare.

Do whatever you can to make yourself feel confident. Whether it’s practicing and perfecting your personal elevator pitch, planning out your power outfit or reaching out to attendees prior to the event, do whatever will make you feel most comfortable and confident to prepare yourself for the event at hand.

6. Bring an extrovert friend.

Everyone has at least one extrovert friend who has no problem chatting up a room full of new people and becoming friends with them all.

Bring him or her with you! Feed off of his/her energy and get yourself in the right mindset to meet new people. You don’t have to stick by your friend’s side for the whole event, but it’s a great way to get yourself started.

7. Take breaks.

Breaks and moments to recharge are essential for introverts. Just because you’re at a networking event doesn’t mean you should abandon your needs.

Find a quiet corner, step outside or sneak into the restroom for a quick break. Refreshing yourself and refocusing your energy are essential to keeping you going at any event.

8. Focus on compliments, not cards.

Too often at networking events, people focus on just introductions and getting others’ cards.

The purpose of these events is to make meaningful connections; it’s not a race to see who can come home with the most business cards.

Make yourself memorable by making compliments. Whether you admire an acquaintance’s style, work or attitude, let them know, but only if you’re sincere.

9. Plan your own events.

Maybe the setup of the networking events you’ve been to hasn’t worked for you. Then perhaps you should host your own event!

Volunteer for your PRSA chapter’s events committee or work with your alma mater’s alumni organization to plan events for members.

Being in charge of the event may put you at ease while attending because you already know what to expect and attendees will already know who you are if you’ve been vocal while planning the event.

Have you found a particular trick or tip that helps to make networking a bit more bearable for you? Share it with us!

Robyn Rudish-LaningRobyn Rudish-Laning is a graduate of Duquesne University, with a bachelor’s in Public Relations, a master’s in Media Arts and Technology, and currently works as a PR Associate with Pretty Living PR, a boutique firm based in Pittsburgh. Find her on LinkedIn or Twitter or read her PR-focused blog.