I know I’ve talked about the importance of having a reputable web presence from an individual professional perspective, but I’ve yet to talk about how important it is for a business/company/organization to have a good web presence!
I recently got engaged (YAY! See how I’ve learned to slip that into every conversation I have? Tehe, I’m excited), and my fiance’ and I have been searching for wedding venues, catering, photographers, etc. Of course, we start with the magical Google, as do most people. I cannot tell you how many vendors we’ve rule out just based on their web presence alone.
Your business must reflect its own image absolutely everywhere, including (and especially) the website. Here is my advice on having a quality site overall:
1) Make it user-friendly. I shouldn’t have to search through 8 links to eventually stumble upon a photographer’s portfolio, nor should I have to enter a password each time I click on a new page. Layout is so important. You don’t want users to get frustrated and leave the page simply because your design is poor.
2) Make it professional. Your website should match your other professional works- business cards, brochures, etc. Make the company logo the profile picture, always. Proofread for foolish errors. Use proper grammar, spelling and punctuation. Reflect the image you want your company brand to be.
3) Hire a professional. If you aren’t the best at creating a website, HIRE SOMEONE. You’re allowed to do that. Plenty of knowledgeable college students will often do them for free or for class credit, so check with your nearby universities if you can’t afford a professional. Either way, you’ll need someone who knows what s/he is doing if you want a quality site. You’ll want someone who understands coding errors, load-time, SEO, etc.
4) Include contact information. This goes with professionalism in my opinion, but nonetheless, make sure you include it. If I want to use your company, I want to be able to contact you by just visiting the home page or contact tab. Again, if I have to search, I likely won’t call you.
5) Know your audience. As with any business model, it’s vital to know who you’re marketing to, and your website is the perfect outlet to practice audience awareness. If you’re promoting a fundraiser, you’ll likely want lots of pictures, plenty of easy-to-read information, fundraising goals and progress. If you’re promoting a a law firm, however, you’ll probably use less images and more news links. Just think about who you’re marketing to and what they’ll want to see. My generation doesn’t necessarily love to read long articles (sorry, for you Millennials reading my blog); they’d rather see short blocks of text and photos. Know your audience!
As a PR person, you’ll work closely with the web team in your business. If you notice a lack of web presence, propose these ideas! Think of ways to relate your website to your audience, and pitch a PR web launch. A website can be such a useful tool, but you’ve got to use it appropriately.
I am a graduating senior and I wanted to know your thoughts on when someone should apply for jobs?
Short answer: yesterday.
I too am in my senior year, and I can tell you right now, the job application process is a tedious one. Some applications take hours just to fill out- not counting the time it takes for multiple phone interviews and in-person interviews.
I started looking for open positions in December, and I am still applying for jobs almost weekly. Even though I can’t officially start until graduation in May, most companies have respected my enthusiasm and that I am trying to get ahead. If you’re truly qualified for the job, they’ll wait until May. They know it’s right around the corner.
More and more jobs will open up as we near graduation date, so keep your eyes open at all times. I recommend using Indeed.com and setting up alerts for jobs in your field/area.
Check out some similar advice I gave a while back.
I hope this answers your question! Good luck with the job search. Stay dedicated, motivated and diligent, and I’m sure you’ll do well.
A few weeks ago, you might remember me posting about an upcoming job interview. I promised to share the outcome and some advice, so here you go:
1) From the moment I walked in, I didn’t necessarily feel comfortable. I didn’t feel like I felt in or like the work environment was best suited for me. That was awkward.
2) My interviewer asked me very generic interview questions, and thankfully I was pretty prepared for them (I recommend practicing answers to these kinds of questions as well as practicing making your answers sound natural and not contrived). That was a plus.
3) The job described in the interview did not match the job description on my application. That was a problem.
4) The interviewer seemed displeased with the fact that I couldn’t begin work until after graduation. That was unfortunate.
I left the interview feeling lost. I was so eager to apply and try something new (this particular PR position was in a field I’d never considered before), and I just knew it was going to be a positive experience. The people were nice, and my interviewer was very kind. Something just didn’t fit. We just didn’t mesh.
I called my friend and PR role model, Bri, and I told her what I was feeling. When I suggested I might go back if I get a second interview, she asked, “Why?”
Yes, I want a job. Yes, I want to know where I’ll be post-graduation. Yes, I’m eager. Yes, I’m excited. But, do those reasons mean I should settle?
Bri let me know that it was alright to say NO. It’s nothing personal. It’s nothing against the company or the organization. It just means the position wasn’t for me, and that’s OKAY. If I hadn’t gone on the interview, I would never have learned that for myself.
My mom has always told me to go with my gut instinct, and my instinct said that there is a different position out there for me.
I have no doubt that this company will find their PR person, and I have no doubt that I will find a position elsewhere. It’s all going to work out.
So here’s my advice:
1) Apply everywhere. Don’t throw out certain positions if you don’t think they look fun or glamorous; HOWEVER,
2) Don’t accept everywhere, either. If you had the same feeling I did- something was just off- you don’t have to settle. Don’t believe you’ll get your dream job straight out of college, but don’t revert to a job you don’t want either. Find that balance.
3) Be grateful for the experience. You will learn something from every single interview, even mock interviews. Practice at your school’s Career Services office, practice with a friend, a boss, a peer. Take away something from every interview to make the next one even better.
4) Reflect. After I called Bri, I sat back and thought about what she had said. I reviewed the interview in my head- the feelings I had, the goals I had. I really considered it all before deciding to move on.
The truth is, I might never even get the call for a second interview. Perhaps they had the same feeling about me- that we just didn’t mesh. That’s alright. I learned from this, and I’m glad I was able to share this experience with my readers.
Fingers crossed that the next job interview is a great one! :)
I have been applying for every PR job I can get my hands on for the last several weeks. With graduation growing nearer, I want to make sure I have options on the table. I sent my first application out, eager and feeling like I had a great shot. When I didn’t even land an interview (the company even sent me a generic email saying “We are not considering your application at this time. Due to the large influx of applicants, we cannot provide you with individual feedback”), I was crushed. Ouch.
First lesson in humility: don’t let the “no’s” get you down!
I started to consider the reasons I didn’t get the interview. I had new sets of eyes read over my resume and offer feedback. I updated my profiles and web presence. I was sure that the next position I would apply for would be “the one.”
Nope.
I’ve always been told that in most fields, applying for jobs as a fresh college graduate is the most tedious, heart-breaking and rewarding experience. I’m learning that firsthand now, and I promise it’s true.
With each application I’ve learned something- how to tailor my resume to a specific position, what to put in a cover letter. Even though I may very well have been qualified for a position, there was someone else out there who was better. Perhaps s/he had a better resume or more experience. It doesn’t matter! The truth is that there is always someone better than you, and sometimes the stars just don’t align in your favor. The best you can do is keep trying.
Today I got a call from a company I’ve been applying for (I submitted an application and then was given follow-up questions via an email survey) and was offered the chance for a pre-interview! All of the rejections made this one victory so rewarding.
I made sure to be very professional on the phone, and I followed up with a “thank you” email soon after. I believe that my persistence, timeliness in filling out the application/questions and reworking of my resume to match this company’s specific needs were all reasons that landed me this interview.
Granted, there are still likely more steps after this initial interview, and I may not get the job after all. Regardless, this is going to be a great opportunity to practice my interview skills (take every chance you get to do mock interviews; they really do help!), learn more about the “real world” market needs and grow my network of connections.
My interview is this Friday, and I’ll be sure to keep everyone posted on how it goes and with any advice I may offer along the way!
If there’s one thing I’ve learned through my internship this year, it’s that the media can make or break ANY situation. We all know the media spins stories or picks and chooses what they want to feature (gun control and immigration, local crime, global warming, pop culture). The media obviously has a huge influence on how the public perceives information.
As a PR professional, you must be able to work with journalists, reporters, photographers, videographers and news anchors to produce quality, accurate stories. It is your job to know your story inside and out, the good, the bad and everything in between. It is your job to think of questions before they arise and be able to address the media quickly and effectively.
My Advice:
1) Always have a great press release. Sometimes, especially in bigger cities, you won’t have the chance to talk personally with the media. Your press release may be the main source for a journalist covering your story, so you need to make sure you’ve got the most important information in writing (and the best contact information). You don’t want to fill a press release with so much fluff and extra information (a journalist will likely just skim it and move on; they are busy too and have other stories to cover); you simply want to make sure the points you include are the most important to the story. In other words...#2:
2) Think like a journalist. You may think your fundraiser is the most exciting thing to happen in local history (as you should, it’s your job to make that event/campaign amazing), but for a journalist covering a car wreck, the local election and a new school policy all in the same news segment, s/he might not care as much as you do. Don’t take it personally. Consider what makes your fundraiser special and unique. Consider the journalistic newsworthy factors (ex. Is it timely? Of prominence? Does it have a human impact?) when discussing your event.
3) Be assertive. If the media is disrupting an event (for example, trying to climb on stage while a speaker is presenting) or interfering with attendees (for example, a reporter who is trying mercilessly to get a close-up picture of a grieving widow at a memorial fundraiser), it is your job to manage that reporter. Keep in mind that journalists/photographers have a job too, and they need certain pieces to make a story flow. That doesn’t mean, however, that they have the right to intrude on an event and mess with the scene. Stand your ground, and make sure they information they are gathering is accurate and fair.
4) Use the golden rule. Treat the media how you want to be treated. If you want a news station to pick up your story, that station must respect you and your organization. Being timely with your information/follow-up, alerting the media in advance for newsworthy stories, sharing photos/video and creating effective news packages (ie. short, appropriate press releases) are great ways to build relationships with the media.
As a PR major, if there is one thing I can advise you early on in your college career, add on a journalism minor! Being able to see both sides of a news story (PR and objective reporting) is really a great asset and makes being understanding/empathetic of the other job much easier.
Hey! I'm a recent grad with a PR degree but I haven't been able to find anything yet. I have two questions: 1) What is a good online job board for PR professionals and 2) What advice do you have for recent PR grads?
Congratulations on earning your degree!
Personally, I use every resource I can for looking at job postings. I use http://www.indeed.com/ to find jobs by location and market. I search for companies I might be interested in (Coca-Cola, for example), and then I find their “Careers” tab (some companies call it other things, you’ll just have to dig) to see if anything is open. Not every company posts on job search engines, so you often have to to the source itself. Don’t rule anything out, either! Look at hotel websites, packaging companies, brands you don’t typically think of (Kleenex, Sharpie, etc.). You just never know what companies might be hiring, and every single business needs PR.
My advice to you would be to perfect your resume. Send it out to several people you trust and who know the field, and use their feedback and your research to build the best resume you can.
If you need more things to bulk up your resume, I recommend doing some online certifications (just google “PR Certifications”), free-lance work and blogging.
Start networking now. Call up peers you graduated with (or who graduated before you and are now working somewhere). Connect with your professors on LinkedIn. Sift through any business cards you may have collected at school or conferences. Let people know you’re on the market! You never know who may be able to give you a connection!
Truly just apply for everything you can get your hands on and do anything you can to bolster your resume and make you stand out. You’ll want to show that you’re a well-rounded PR professional.
I wish you the best of luck, and please keep me posted on your progress! :)
Although I love running this blog and sharing my experiences, I must say that taking the time to construct a decent article in the midst of senior year has proven to be much more difficult that I imagined.
My advice:
If you opt to run a blog or do freelance work, it HAS to be in your top priorities! Otherwise, don’t bank on being wildly successful. ;)
I am currently still working two jobs for the university as well as running my own business. I am about to start my last first semester ever(!) and am eager to see what that entails. I also scored a position as a Teaching Assistant for a “Media Ethics” course, and I definitely can’t wait to share my experiences in the field from that new perspective. I’m competing in my school’s pageant (a preliminary for the Miss GA pageant) this semester as well, so I truly have a lot on my plate. I hope to post more frequently as I will be gaining MUCH experience in the next few months!
Here are some thoughts and advice that are currently on my mind:
---Apply for EVERY possible job you can prior to graduation. I still have several months to go before I am officially part of the “real world,” but that destination couldn’t seem any closer. I spent the holiday break applying for even obscure jobs- ones that I never thought I would consider. Several co-workers and bosses of mine suggested I never disregard a position simply because I didn’t know the company or because the job didn’t seem glamorous.
I really would like to work for the university for a few years (at least), but I’m afraid I banked too much on getting hired. While I’m well qualified and have built strong relationships within the community, a position in my field is never guaranteed, and there will always be others who are just as (if not more) qualified than me. My family and others I respect suggested I apply for everything and then pick and choose where I can be. My Uncle said “You’re playing cards you haven’t even been dealt. Apply, get an actual offer, and then decide where to go. Don’t ever bank on hypothetical.” That’s a great quote- remember it!
---Take work/school evaluations seriously and constructively. At the end of each semester, students at my school have the opportunity to complete professor evaluation forms. While many students just mark through answers to finish quickly, I like to take the time to thoroughly answer each question, regardless of my opinion toward the professor. If I thought things could have been improved, I give details and explanations on why I feel that way. If I thought the professor was outstanding, I make sure to give specific characteristics that made him/her stand out. Either way, I want the teacher to know how their students truly feel- otherwise bad habits might not change and great work may never be recognized.
On the other end, we must be able to take evaluations on ourselves well also.At one of my jobs, employees receive performance evaluations every few months. I typically score highly, but I understand that there is always room for improvement. Sometimes it can be hard to hear “negative” feedback, but it’s necessary for both humility and reality. I’m truly focusing on all of the feedback I got and am going to make sure to keep doing the work I was praised for and to improve on anything I was not. It’s a balancing act, and bosses and employers want to know that you can take their advice and actually act on it.
---My sister and I have started a fundraiser in our hometown, and we are in the process of legal trademarking for the project right now. I have LOTS to share about this experience once everything is set in stone, so please expect a post from me regarding that soon. Any fundraising campaign is a PR-fest, trust me!
Again, I apologize for the lack of posts, but expect more sporadic advice in the near future!
Have a wonderful day, everyone! And Happy New Year!
Evaluate [ih-val-yoo-eyt], verb: to judge or determine the significance, worth, or quality of; assess (Dictionary)
It’s easy to save the evaluation step for the end of a campaign/project. By that point, you have the end results. Right?
While it’s important to evaluate at the end (of course), it’s just as important to evaluate throughout the entire process. Literally from beginning to end. Follow this advice, and I promise it will save you some time and headache at the end of a campaign, and it will likely lend you to a better campaign overall.
My advice:
1) Evaluate your research methods. If you’re looking to improve an image, for example, you’ll need to find the perceptions of a group of people. If you start with a survey, evaluate after a few results. Is this information useful? Will this lend you to a better campaign? Should you try another method instead? Perhaps a focus group would be better. Consider this step early on so that you don’t waste precious time on research that isn’t helpful.
2) Evaluate your organization. Is chronological order the best for you? Perhaps you need to alphabetize. Perhaps you need to re-order everything in order of importance to the client- to you- to your boss. Reorganizing an entire campaign at the end of a project is tedious (especially if you’re looking to include a table of contents or page numbers!). Take a moment to evaluate after every few components. Ask yourself, “Is this the most effective way to communicate my ideas?”
3) Evaluate your goals- constantly. This advice may be the most important of the entire section. Keep your overall goal handy for reference at all times. After EVERY step, ask yourself, “Does this step put me closer to reaching my campaign goal?” If you can’t tie it in directly with your goal, it is likely irrelevant for this project. Don’t waste time, resources and energy on components that don’t deal with your campaign. Evaluating your steps in relation to your goal is the best way to develop a focused, coherent campaign in the end.
Obviously, evaluate the entire campaign at the end. Read my PMD post for advice on how to do that!
The more you evaluate along the way, the easier everything will come together in the end.
In the world of PR, we have to keep up with the times. Just as you think you’ve mastered Twitter, a new social media platform will come along, and you’ll be expected to master it. You’ll change your daily operations monthly. Each day will be something new. Isn’t that exciting?
Change goes for your brand as well. As a senior in college, I’m looking to apply to jobs and internships every single day. I’ve mentioned before how important it is to get advice from a variety of people, and I mean it. Every single day I talk to someone new about what I should do next. I am at the perfect point in my life to do so. There is always someone around with far more knowledge than I have in the field, and I’m taking full advantage of that.
BUT-- it does me no good to listen to what they have to say and do nothing with that information.
Yesterday, for example, I chatted with one of my bosses at my internship about my resume. Currently (and as of currently, I mean this week. The design, look & feel, even the wording of my resume changes constantly- each time I get new advice), my resume reflects my website and overall brand. Coral, circles, youthful but professional. My boss is working on her Ph.D., and she has plenty of experience as a director, so I obviously trust her opinion. She suggested I go more corporate and traditional if I want to be taken seriously as a professional right out of college.
So guess what I’m doing today:
Re-evaluating my resume. I’ll go back in and see what elements seem juvenile, and I’ll get rid of them. I want to constantly evolve to a better brand- not stay stagnant or pretend I know better than someone who is in a hiring position.
You have to be willing to change. Nay, you actually have to change. People like to see that you took their feedback seriously and taking the time to make small edits (to your resume, cards, writing, job) here and there will slowly help you grow into a more professional, flexible and well-rounded person.
I logged in this morning to see that I now have 700 followers on this blog! I am so thrilled to be able to share my experiences and advice with so many readers. What an honor!
Here is my advice for today:
Be thankful! Be grateful for every opportunity within your reach. If you’re reading this now, you have more luxury than some. You’re on a computer or a mobile device, which means you have the world at your fingertips. A world of opportunity. Take advantage of that in your PR career (and in life in general). Go google internships or other PR blogs or campaign ideas.
Write a hand-written “thank you” card to someone today. Call a client and tell them how appreciative you are. Tell your boss how thankful you are for this internship, this job, this promotion. The attitude is contagious, and it will help you get far in the world of client relations.
Yesterday I had the opportunity to roam campus with our cameraman and ask students what they thought the world would be like in 2045 (it was “Back to the Future” day, for those of you who didn’t know).
The video concept sounded fun, but I’ll admit the interviewing was hard work! Finding people who actually wanted to participate (be on camera, answer questions and potentially do re-takes) was difficult.
Once we finally found people who were willing to participate, we had to determine whether or not they worked for the video concept. Could they project well? Was their answer appropriate for the vision? Could they easily be understood by the general public?
What sounded like a quick break from the office turned into two hours of interviews. The video came together, and it was a great piece in the end! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxbeJ826BfE&feature=youtu.be
Additionally, I had to complete an interview assignment for my multimedia journalism class yesterday. I had to write a news story and interview people around campus for their opinions on the piece. Again, I found myself struggling to find willing participants, but I finally landed on some with great opinions. I started to write my piece before interviewing them which was a mistake. The interviews will guide the story. Brainstorm your questions and topic, conduct interviews, then compose a piece based on the interview <<--- Solid advice, I promise.
My Advice:
(when conducting camera interviews):
1) Keep shooting. If the subject answers the question, give them five more seconds. This gives you time to edit out a fade, but it also gives them a moment to keep thinking. I found that people gave their best answers after they blurted out their first thought.
2) Know your topic. Be familiar with what you’re covering. You should be able to answer questions or ask follow up questions based on the topic you’re covering.
3) Be approachable. Many people will mimic your attitude/tone during an interview. If you’re excited and inquisitive, they’ll be more likely to give you a solid interview.
4) Prompt your subject. Ask a question or give the person a prompt to start with. If they seem stuck or unsure, prompt them again. Just make sure to rephrase the question if they are having difficulty. If someone didn’t know how to answer my Back to the Future question, for example, I might add “Well, what do you think social media will be like? How about television? Cars?”
I’m considering my MPA (public administration) so that I have a management, administrative skill-set to add with PR, but I haven’t entirely decided yet. I’m going to meet with my advisor soon to discuss some options.
If your mindset is anything like mine (and trust me, most PR people are planners), you know the importance of a good plan. You set goals and aim to fulfill them- to check them off your list. You might have a hard time accepting a detour in that plan.
As I approach graduation in roughly six months, I’ve begun to really consider my options. Do I want to be at the University? How can I go corporate if I don’t care much for cities?
My plan in recent months has been to work for my University full-time while working towards my Master’s in the evening. The plan seems solid.
But I don’t want to rule out any options. I’ve been talking with co-workers, bosses, other employees around town- seeking advice from everyone I can speak to. What I’ve learned is that my plan may just be a starting point.
A construction firm spoke with my class during my sophomore media class. I didn’t understand why a business built around building and architecture would speak to a bunch of communication students, but I kept her business card anyway.
Gulfstream Engineering is visiting my campus this week to conduct interviews. I know nothing of airplanes, and frankly am probably clueless about most of what they entail, but I signed up for an interview time anyway.
My advice:
SIGN UP FOR IT ALL!
You never know what an opportunity might hold. Public Relations is so flexible, and every single business needs someone holding up that end of the marketing deal to be successful.
My mentor/friend visited this weekend and shared that she too is venturing out. She is currently working for a media group (which she enjoys), but she wants to venture out from internal affairs. She has applied for everything from State Farm to real estate positions, and I trust that she will find her niche so long as she doesn’t shut any doors.
Just keep an open mind. Apply for everything-- it doesn’t mean you have to accept everything.
Or at least know someone who knows graphic design.
I’m a very creative person, but when it comes to designing graphics of any sort, I’m inept. I know when something looks wrong, but I’m not sure how to fix it myself. I’m looking to take some classes soon, but for now I’ll give my best tips.
My Advice:
HAVE THIS SKILL! You either need it, or you need to be willing to pay for good graphics. It’s essential to any campaign.
My friend and co-worker Gianna is a graphic design student, and she has been gracious enough to help me with my personal graphics for my website and business cards. I’ve discussed so many times how important having a brand is, and usually brands come with logos. Check out this amazing design! She incorporated the heart from my signature and the “@” symbol I use in PR and social media every day!
I could never have thought of this myself, and that’s why it’s so important to have Gianna. Of course, it’s much simpler to know how to do it yourself, but we aren’t all gifted in every field, ha!
Here is why design is so important in PR:
1) Logo. As mentioned above, our personal brand needs a personal logo. Without copyrighting, an amazing logo usually comes from a personal design.
2) Print. Whether it’s a brochure, flier, newsletter or letterhead, professional, branded graphics can make or break a piece. Invest in quality design.
3) Web. Your website MUST look professional and clean. A website without graphics is boring and dull, and it won’t keep visitors around for long.
I took a PR Publications course last semester, and I truly learned a lot about design. I still am not the best at creating a design myself, but I know much more about what needs to be in my print/web content. If you can’t have the skill of design, make sure to take a class or read up on how to express your ideas to a designer.
*Check out the textbook we used in my PR Pubs class. I usually sell back my books, but this one was definitely worth keeping- especially for someone with no prior design experience. The Non-Designer’s Design Book.
