new professionals

entry level… Networking: How I Got the Job by Lauren Gillaspey

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For many of us, May has come and gone, and, diploma in hand, we find ourselves wondering, ‘now what?’ With a college degree comes the expectation that we have been magically granted a dream spot at the dream company, but more and more recent graduates are finding they have to work twice as hard to get the job than they did to get the degree. Regardless of if you can walk the walk and talk the talk, you can find yourself talking and walking in circles unless you learn to utilize the number key for securing a job—networking.

After graduating in May, I was more than ready to take the summer to relax and unwind. Instead, I pursued a recently acquired contact before too much time had lapsed. As a result, I ended my summer with not only an internship, but also an entry-level marketing position that has shed a lot of light on what I want out of my career.

How did I manage this?

It’s all about meeting the people that matter through the people you already know. And my story starts with my final presentation for my senior advertising course at Northern Arizona University. At the end of the semester, my group and I faced our final stepping-stone—the presentation of our semester-long advertising campaign on Perrier Sparkling Water. To up the ante, our professor invited guest judges to critique our campaigns and presentations.

Following our presentation, my fellow group members and I had the opportunity to speak with the judges about our futures in the industry and any recommendation and advice they had. They all stressed the importance of networking and how useful LinkedIn is as a networking tool. That evening, I made it a point to thank each of them for their time and to request a connection through LinkedIn.

By following their advice, I successfully completed the first step in using networking as a job-hunting skill. I proved that I was determined and that I did actually listen to what they had to say. As a result, one of the judges offered to critique my resume and help me with my job hunt. And, boy, did he follow through!

Within two weeks of my graduation, I had already secured an interview at Gadabout SalonSpas for their Social Media and Public Relations Intern position. An opportunity my networking contact had heard about through his association with the Tucson chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA).

With a little hard work and determination, I proved myself once again by being offered the internship. But, my newly acquired networking contact didn’t stop helping me. Periodically, I would receive job notices and career update questions from him. In June, he informed me that he had passed along my resume to another contact of his through AMA and a few days later, I received a phone call from a company I had never heard of requesting that I come in for an interview.

This time, the interview wasn’t for an internship; it was for the real deal. And sure enough, I was offered a marketing position with the company—my first real job in the industry, a mere couple of months post-college.

Since graduation, I’ve had to learn how to stop being a student and start being a successful and noticeable 20-something in the ocean that is the working world. Although I have drive and determination, I would be nowhere if I didn’t stop to talk to the people I meet along the way. They are your hidden jewels and missing pieces that make up the puzzle of life. Prove yourself to them, and sometimes they will bend over backwards to help you get from point A to point B.

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LAUREN GILLASPEY is a freelance public relations specialist who recently graduated with Bachelors of Science in Advertising and Public Relations. Lauren continues to network with new and seasoned professionals through PRSA, AMA and AAF.

professional development teleconference…Master’s Degree vs. APR (April 30, 2010)

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As PR professionals find it harder and harder to gain employment in these tough times, many are asking themselves if going back to school for a master’s degree will make them more competitive or would APR accreditation be the better option. To help us answer this question, we’ve invited Laura Reilly, APR, to talk about her passion for learning during this month’s Brown Bag teleconference on April 30.

Laura is currently the director of communications for the Georgia School Boards Association.  Laura is active with the Public Relations Society of America and is involved in the accreditation process with PRSA. In addition, Laura has earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in advertising and a Master of Journalism degree.

We spoke with Laura about some of her education decisions and asked her to share the experiences she’s gained from them.

1. How has obtaining a master’s degree benefited your career?

I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Advertising/Design and a Master of Journalism. The two disciplines have merged nicely during my career and assist greatly in all marketing and communications efforts.

2. How has obtaining APR accreditation benefited your career?

The song, “The Climb,” describes it nicely: It’s not about what’s on the other side, it’s about the climb. Earning and maintaining an APR can be a career-long experience. I learned a tremendous amount about public relations through the process and I continue to benefit greatly through my involvement as an APR panelist and the maintenance process.

3. What lessons have you learned during your career and how did you gain this knowledge?

I’ve learned many, but one that resonates continually is that we have to listen first in order to be heard. That applies to the practice of public relations in that we must do research first before committing to a plan of action. I used to be much more subtle in suggesting this to my bosses, etc., but today I’m very assertive about this belief. Engaging stakeholders in the process can be scary, but it is always worthwhile. I learned this first through graduate school and the APR process, and then by watching the negative consequences when this is not done.

4. Why did you decide to further your education?

As an advertising design specialist, I watched others in the agency business formulate entire communications and marketing strategies. I wanted to be at that level of the decision making process.

5. Why did you decided to get accredited in PR?

It is always important to continue learning. I engaged in the APR process after I had five years experience and it was perfect timing. Going through the process helped me recognize that we’re never through learning from others. I don’t care who you are and how long you’ve been doing this work, if you open yourself up to it you can continually experience new aspects of our profession.

Laura Reilly, APR will be instructing our New Pros of PRSA Brown Bag teleconference, “Master’s Degree vs. APR” on April 30, 2010 at 2pm EST. To register, click here.

your pr career…Becoming the PR Pro Journalists Want You to Be by Andi Wilmes

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I recently watched a Ragan Communications video interview entitled “How to Pitch David Pogue of The New York Times.” Nothing in the interview was new to me. I have read and attended countless “How to pitch…” articles, blog posts and seminars and they basically all say the same thing. But after I watched this particular interview I found myself asking “Why in the world if we know all the DOs and DON’Ts of interacting with journalists do we find ourselves often doing the DON’Ts?”

I know that to pitch correctly it takes time (and time means money) which is why it is much easier to mass email canned pitches that reuse already approved marketing copy. But you don’t have to be a genius to know these pitches don’t work and are the reason thousands of articles and seminars are devoted to eradicating this common practice.

Here are some examples of the DON’Ts many of us are guilty of:

  • Making the awkward “Have you had a chance to read my news release…” follow-up call to journalists you don’t have a relationship with or have never worked with
  • Writing news releases and pitches filled with industry jargon and corporate gobbledygook
  • Developing distribution lists that are not well targeted
  • Crafting email pitches that have several paragraphs and long subject lines
  • Not bothering to research or read what the journalist covers prior to pitching
  • And the list goes on and on

It’s no wonder PR pros have a bad rap amongst journalist. Many of us are blatantly ignoring their complaints, advice and tips on how best to work with them and achieve a placement. What’s worse yet, seasoned pros are often guilty of teaching or allowing new pros to perpetuate this negative stereotype. It’s no secret that many of the above tasks are given to the new pro.

So as the next generation of PR pros let’s make a pledge! We all solemnly swear to end this nonsense and start becoming the PR pros journalists want and need us to be.

Andi Wilmes is the director of marketing and communications at Beringea, Michigan’s largest venture capital firm. She can be reached at andrea.wilmes@gmail.com.

your pr career…What your College Coursework Doesn’t Teach you about Succeeding in the Workplace by Andi Wilmes

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Moving up the ranks as an entry level employee and new pro can be a long and tough process. And if your university was anything like mine, it didn’t spend any time teaching the really – in my opinion – important stuff for surviving and flourishing in the workplace.  Sure I received a top notch Marketing degree, but I was not taught any real world business skills.

In the workplace, being smart and capable only gets you so far. And this fact is extremely apparent when it’s the first few months of a new entry-level job or internship. The tasks you are given frequently seem like busy work, and your level of responsibility can be minimal or non-existent.

The following basic business tips were passed on to me when I first started my career and they really helped me move up the ranks as a new pro:

Be Where the Action Is:

Ask to sit in on meetings, important phone calls, etc. You may think it is presumptuous, but your employer will appreciate your initiative and motivation. How are you supposed to become part of a team or know what’s going on in the company when you’re not where the important decisions are being discussed and made?  In most work environments you can be clueless as to what the person in the next cubical is working on. Stupid I know, but office communication no matter where you work can always be better. As the manager of your career, you must be where the action is. By being in meetings, you are much more likely to be given tasks and responsibilities, which are key to your advancement.

Read Voraciously about your Industry:

The more knowledgeable you are about your industry – and current events in general – the more prepared you will be to engage in conversations with your colleagues, boss, industry professionals, media and customers. From day one ask your boss and colleagues what newspapers, magazines, e-newsletters, etc. you should be reading every day. You can look really ridiculous if someone asks you about a current event that directly affects your industry and you know nothing about it.

Don’t Avoid the Jerks:

In every office there is a jerk. Someone you would prefer to avoid at all costs. So often though you have to interact with this person in order to move things forward in a project. Everyone’s first instinct is to avoid the person, however if you do, you can run the risk of missing deadlines, ultimately jeopardizing your career. Don’t let the jerk play the starring role in whether or not you get your work done.

Ask, Ask, Ask:

There is always downtime in an entry-level job. Unfortunately no matter how much experience you have from your internships, extracurricular activities, etc., you still can only be trusted with a certain amount of responsibility. So if your boss runs out of tasks for you, what do you do? Ask around. There are always colleagues and departments that can use an extra hand. Volunteer and you will look like a motivated team player. Don’t fall into the trap so many do, and sit by idly waiting for an assignment to drop into your lap. Your boss will expect you to be proactive and keep busy.

Interject Yourself in Everything Possible:

The more you are involved in multiple projects, departments and teams, the more job security you will have. You want to be everywhere. The person who appears to be adding value in the company is the person that won’t get fired. Make yourself irreplaceable.

Document Your Achievements:

You can’t rely on your boss to know all the great things you are doing, especially if you don’t interact with your boss on a day-to-day basis. It is up to you to make them aware of your achievements. I recommend keeping a log of achievements from day one. This will be really useful during review time when you are trying to justify a raise or promotion. Keep your boss in the loop constantly about your achievements – don’t just wait until review day. If you score a great placement, tell your boss. If you sign a new customer, tell your boss. Don’t brag, but keeping them in the loop on all the value you are adding makes them more apt to consider you for new assignments, responsibilities – and more money.

Ask for Forgiveness and Not Permission:

As a new pro, you will have the tendency to ask your boss permission all the time. Even on things that you can easily decide on your own. A lot of time is wasted on waiting for approval. If the question you have is nominal, your boss will admire the fact that you are able to use good judgment and make decisions without a lot of hand holding. In this economy, your boss is likely doing the job of 2-3 people, so they will appreciate making less decisions each day.

You are the only person you can count on to manage your career. Those who understand how to play the game are ultimately rewarded. If you look around at the people who are superstars at your company, they are likely doing most of the above things. So go join them!

Andi Wilmes is the director of marketing and communications at Beringea, Michigan’s largest venture capital firm. She can be reached at andrea.wilmes@gmail.com.

intro to series…Higher Education PR, by Brian Camen

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Prior to joining Weber Shandwick this month, I worked in higher education PR for two years. I would often get questions from outsiders about what I did. Since some people don’t understand, I thought I would provide an overview of what a higher Ed PR practitioner does. Please remember, this is a general overview and everyone’s position is different. So here’s a run down:

  • Media Relations: Higher education institutions often provide faculty expert sources for the media. Students have newsworthy initiatives going on. How does your institution compare with the latest enrollment trends? Whether it’s fulfilling a request or pitching, Media relations can be a large part of a pros job. Developing relationships with higher Ed reporters is key.
  • Monitoring: Monitor articles that were published and monitor breaking news. Monitoring breaking news falls under media relations, one thing leads to another. As a PR pro, you need to be in front of the news so you can leverage your professor or school’s expertise and provide sources for the media. Have multiple experts available that can talk about different angles on the same topic, why not create a media tip sheet?
  • Crisis Communication: Swine Flu? Death on campus? Shooting? The PR pro should play a large part in your institutions emergency response management team. You hope none of the above ever happens, but you must be prepared.
  • Media Training: Sure your professor can speak academic, but can they (or you) translate their work and apply it to current events?
  • Internal and external writing: Writing is a part of a PR pros job. Press releases, internal newsletters, magazines, editorials, HR communications, web articles, rankings communications and byline articles are samples of the type of writing. You may also have to write fundraising letters and grants depending on your position.
  • Social Media: You may be asked to create and maintain a strategic social media plan for your institution.

Depending on the institution and budget, you may have marketing or event responsibilities as well. Every day brings on a new task. Higher Ed PR is rewarding. Higher Ed pros don’t put out fluff or spam (most don’t). They help promote thought leadership. And that is one of my favorite things about higher Ed PR.