Career Advice for PR Students and Grads

Here is my follow-up post on Informational Interviews, you can find the first one on how to do informational interview here.
Thus far I have done 7 informational interviews and have met a significant number of different PR professionals form my area and have learned from first-hand experience. Completing 7 info interviews might seem like a lot, but once you get contacting people you get good at it, it becomes easy and natural. I found that I wasn’t able to meet some people face to face and so I did some Skype and phone interviews as well. Each type had its own feel, but because I was prepared and they were willing to help me, they all went smoothly. The key is making sure the info interviews are helping you and not stressing you out. So while I recommend that all graduating students do some, 7 might not be feasible for everyone.

That being said, I have gathered some interesting insights from a variety of people from different areas of the PR industry. Because I believe in helping my peers and because I want to give my readers some value I will share what these PR professionals so generously shared with me about the skills you need in PR and the advice they have for grads.

Essential Skills for PR
(Other than writing and communication)

1. Business savvy
You need to understand your business, your organization’s priorities and how PR functions within the overall profitability of the business. This means not getting distracted by personal motives or caught up in the PR side without considering the business side.

2. Data management
One of the interviewees told me “The person who has data wins.” In PR, evaluation is everything, so data is essential. The data points to what is working, what is not, why you do certain things and why you don’t do others. When analyzed properly, data is valuable information that can be leveraged to justify what you do, how you do, and most importantly why it works!

3. Perceptive abilities
In PR your job should not just be coming up with ideas, but seeing holes in plan where others may miss. The ability to anticipate reactions, needs, disasters and gaps where others can’t is what will separate you from others. This is why knowing who your stakeholders are key!

Advice for PR Students and Grads

• Volunteer work is a great way to build your portfolio and skills.
• Finding a mentor is a great way to learn about your career goals.
• Join professional organizations to make networking easier.
• Network and build valuable connections whether it is in-person or via social media.
• Keep in contact with people you meet, following-up is essential (this means following up with the people you do informational interview with).
• Stay open to opportunities – say yes and always follow through.
• Dress the part, no matter what you should look respectable, it shows that you care and that you pay attention to the little details.
• Make a plan of your goals and be specific. Writing them down makes you more accountable to yourself.
• Do something every day that will bring you closer to your goals. This will build your momentum and create a self-fulfilling prophecy.
• You don’t get, if you don’t ask – this requires you to reach out and be proactive in seeking out opportunities.
• Know what you are asking for (i.e. meeting or job) and know what your give is. When asking for something, make sure you can return the value in some way.

Finally, the great thing I learned from doing informational interviews is how to be confident when meeting people. I feel so much more comfortable in interview settings now and with cold calling people too. I also learned some great advice as shared here!

I hope this helped and if you have advice to share, please comment below. And let me know, how do you feel about informational interviews?

P.S. I love PR.

Step 13 - The Social Resume

Don't Underestimate the Power of Social

Lately I have been seeing a lot of buzz around the topic of Non-Traditional or Social Resumes. I came across this article from Platform Magazine that gives a great overview of non-traditional resumes. But non traditional or not, social resumes are the new it thing. And coincidentally I just finished reading a book by an expert on the subject Miriam Salpeter's "Social Networking for Career Success". In her book, Salpeter covers how to use Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook in your job search. The topic itself is timely for me as I begin my job search and it has led me to research and question more this idea of using social networks for employment goals.

If you want a career in PR you need to have a successful online presence, and so that is why I have chosen to make this Step 13. I suggest seeking out as much information on the topic as possible and leveraging it to your advantage.

Here I will cover what I learned about Twitter, LinkedIn, other tools and where a social resume can take you, but keep in mind that I am not an expert. These are some of the things I have learned that you may find useful. First, the popularity of social resumes has not gone unnoticed by employers. They are now somewhat expected in PR and marketing anyway. Apparently 92% of employers use some form of social media for recruitment in 2012. This coincides with the increase in social resumes created by job seekers. 88% of job seekers have a social profile, while 64% have two and 44% have three separate profiles on social media.The reason for the use of social resumes is that you are able to include information that goes beyond work experience. You can showcase visuals, creativity and more of your personality. That is why a social resume should remain consistent with your personal brand as I discussed in Step11: Personal Branding 101.

And of course here is a handy Infographic that can sum up some of the research on social resumes.

Social Resume Tools

Twitter
1. Make the best of your Bio
Ideally your Twitter bio should include  your career specializations and goals. You will want to use a professional photo rather than one shot from last Saturday at the club. And to help keep your "personal brand" and online presence consistent, link back to your other sites like LinkedIn, blogs, websites, a Slideshare, Pinterest or whatever link is most useful for you.

2. Tweet like a professional
Tweet about your job search, your industry, or your goals. Make sure your tweets have content and not just hashtags that will alienate followers. Share links that followers will find useful (and use a shortlink to save on space in your tweet). Also, try to avoid tweeting about your personal stuff like trips to the gym, don't use hashtags that don't apply to your tweet just tog get attention, try to tweet some original thoughts or opinions. Doing these things right will make you more retweetable and more credible in your area of focus like PR. And always remember social media etiquette.

3. Who to follow?
It is safe to follow influencers like industry professionals and organizations.You can follow past employers, past colleagues, your school's alumni, professors, companies you're interested in applying to and government bodies that affect your industry. Once you follow someone take a look at what they are tweeting and see if you can join in the conversation to network. Twitter chats are also great to follow. Remember not everyone will follow you back, and that doesn't mean you shouldn't keep them on your own list.

LinkedIn
The advantage of LinkedIn is that every time you connect with one person you are expanding your network (think 6 degrees of separation). Here are some reasons why LinkedIn is a must for your social resume:

• It is where employers hire from the most in the social networking world.
• It ranks high on Google and search engines -  this gives you a stronger online presence.
• It is a solution to staying in contact with the people you meet through networking.
• It is more professional than Facebook or Twitter - this works well for a personal brand.

LinkedIn is simple to use, but the toughest part may be your personal summary. Make sure to answer these 3 questions:

Who are you?
Who do you want to help?
How are you going to help them?

Once the different sections are filled out do what you can to make your profile complete. You are 40% more likely to come up in search results when you have a profile that is 100% complete compared to 90% complete. That is a huge jump!

I also recommend that you personalize your LinkedIn URL. In edit mode click the edit button beside your current URL and change it to get rid of the useless numbers. Instead use your name and maybe your profession. So for instance mine is danielleaprilboucherpr.

Once this is done you can share your LinkedIn on your other profiles and in your email signature.

Other tools
Some other tools you may want to consider are Blogger, WordPress, Flikr, Pinterest, YouTube, ResumeSocial.com, VisualCV.com, SlideShare and Facebook.These tools can be used to create online portfolios of your work. Finally, after you have put in all this work, you need to optimize it. That's right SEO! There are some great resources out there for enhancing SEO and then you need to monitor. Google Search yourself and see what comes up, use HootSuite, Google Analytics. These are all tools you should know how to work for your job anyway.

You may wonder why a job seeker or recent grad should put in all this effort to create more online presence in their social resume... Well some recruiters are not even considering paper resumes anymore. And joining this trend shows you are ahead of changing times and know what your industry (PR and Marketing) look for in candidates.

If you need an idea for where to start check out this online resume via SlideShare. 
And here are some other ideas that will get your creativity flowing. 

What do you think about Social Resumes? How do you use social networks for employment goals? And do you think paper resumes are a thing of the past?  

I also strongly suggest you check out this blog called Things Career Related, it is full of useful information for job seekers, many of which are applicable for students and recent grads.

P.S. I love PR.

Step 12 - The 5 Steps of Informational Interviews

Recently in my PR program at Mohawk, we were given the task of completing an informational interview as an assignment. This was a great way to force us students to realize that we need to get in gear. While I have been networking over the course of this program, I had not conducted an info interview yet and I was excited to get started. In fact, this excitement lead to 4 informational interviews, more than was required. But the thing is, info interview are helpful for my career beyond an assignment, and now is the best time to be doing them.

So I took the time to seek out new contacts and set up info interviews. I have my first one tomorrow, which I will share with you here in a follow-up post. Now I want to take the time to share some knowledge I have gained on info interviews and why they are important for student and soon-to-be professionals.

But wait. Before you go any further here is a caution: informational interviews are not job interviews. Why I am beginning with this forewarning is to clarify misconceptions that you are attempting to get a job from info interviews and ease any hesitations you may have about actually doing info interviews. Also, because info interviews are not filled with pressure and nerves like job interviews are, they should be something you look forward to. They should also be a means to your end of learning more about the industry that you want to work in and the profession that you are striving for. You may be asking why bother with info interviews if you already have a lot on your plate preparing for graduation. Look at it as an opportunity to learn more about the job you may get. It could also lead to a job prospect down the line. And any job opportunity is a good thing.

The 5 Steps of Informational Interviews

1. Make Contact

• Search out professionals in your field that are located within a traveling distance that you are comfortable with. It is futile to contact someone that you are unable to reach if you don’t have a car. 
• Contact them (email or phone) to introduce yourself and ask for an interview. Make your intent clear and keep the emails minimal else you become annoying.

*Maintain a positive outlook here as some people may dismiss you if they are busy. Just remember there are many out there willing to help. 

2. Preparation is Key 

• Schedule a mutually agreeable time to meet, preferably at their office (unless they suggest coffee at a shop nearby). 
• Research the company they work for so you have an idea of the work they do. This will help you in knowing how to interview them. 
• Prepare a list of questions to bring along.

3. Do it Professionally

• Show up to the interview early, dressed professionally. Introduce yourself and immediately thank them for meeting with you. Be honest in why you approached them, and be courteous in not taking up too much of their time. 
• They may ask to know more about you, so be prepared to answer this question with a 30 second commercial or personal pitch. 
• You should have a resume handy in case they ask too. But don’t give it to them unless asked.

4. The Q & A 

• Ask your questions, and take notes. You may want to ask them if you can record the interview with your phone or voice recorder to better capture their answers. 
• Once the interview comes to a close one of the last questions you ask should be a referral. 
• Ask them if they know anyone else you should talk to. 
• Ask them for their business card so you can keep in touch post interview. Even better, show up with your own business card handy as well.

5. The Thank You 

• Thank them profusely, but don’t act silly. 
• Follow-up the interview with a formal thank you by email or mail. 
• Keep in contact, with brief messages, maybe through LinkedIn. 
• This person is now a connection in your network.

Additional Resources
I also suggest you seek out additional information on informational interviews. This blog post addresses 5 things you should remember that are complimentary to the ones above.
To know more about the types of question check out the list here.
And to know what a Thank You Letter looks like check out this link.

You can also check out my other post of networking for student on the IABC Toronto Blog: Conversations.
What do you think about informational interviews? have you done any?

Stay tuned for more on my informational interviews.
P.S. Good luck with your own.

The Art of Infographics!

Popularity of Infographics
Lately on Twitter I have been drawn to tweets that present information in infographics. I find it easy to digest a variety of information in one quick read of an infographic and they usually cover topics that are useful or at the very least interesting. I could say that I am a little obsessed... But let me provide you with some reasons why I am not the only one obsessed with the art of infographics.

Some Examples of Infographics
Before I go any further, if you are still unsure what an infographic is, or if you want some inspiration before progressing any further, then here are some links that I recommend:
Here is a list of 40 infographics that cover a range of topics from coffee to typefaces.
This website has a new infographic every day on a variety of random topics.

Why Infographics Work Great for PR
In a world where we are continually bombarded by information, people need to compete to get their message across. This might mean using visuals that are easier to look at than mass amounts of text. So what to do? The answer is infographics. They make information and content fun. And unlike, say long, daunting journal articles, they are virtually designed to be shared through social media, making it not only easier to communicate the message, but to disperse it to readers and viewers.

While this in itself is interesting, it becomes even more interesting if you are like me a PR junkie. Yet another fantastic communication tool we can utilize for our strategies, our campaigns and our projects.

The other great thing about infographics is that they require little effort to make if using appropriate tools. And if you like to combine writing and design it gives you an opportunity to get creative. Also, because of the visual nature of infographics, they can be shared on Tumblr, Flikr and Pinterest, where that will be commented on, shared, pinned and saved for later. This gives them a far reach, a wide audience and a long (virtually infinite) shelf-life.

How to Make an Infographic?
Before you make your own infographic you need to know a few things about them:
-They are often higher on visuals than information
-They typically follow a story-telling formula
-They should be themed to be aesthetically pleasing (colours, fonts...)
-They are made to be shared (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn etc.)

And if you want step-by-step instructions on how to make an infographic (I am not an expert, nor pretend to be) here is a great resource from Lewis PR blog. It takes you step by step through the creation process from deciding what to create one about to what type of graphic elements to incorporate.

Some Free Infographic Tools
Here are some websites/tools to help you make an infographic of your own.

1. Piktochart
This one lets you set up a free account with 3 basic themes and provides pricier options for people who are completely obsessed with making infographics. They also offer a guide to help create infographics.

2. Easel.ly
easel.ly was one of the most popular infographic tools that I came across. It has some pre-made themes or lets you make one from a blank canvas. Apparently it is free to use and it was the one that I tested out and it worked great, but you so have to sign up for an account.

3. Infogr.am
Infogr.am requires you to sign up for an account. But once you do you can use there themes and create and share infographics in 4 easy steps.

4. Visual.ly
This one is cool as it lets you create an infographic of your resume by connecting to your LinkedIn account.

And the Infographic
And to make things simple I have included an infographic that talks about well... infographics.

Here is the link to this infographic to view the whole thing.

Links in this Post:
List of 40 unique infographics
Daily infographic
Tips to make an infographic
Piktochart guide

The Art of Career-Building!

A lot has been said in this blog. Hopefully it has been helpful. At this point as we near the end of January we need to assess just how far we have come.

So let’s recap what steps have been accomplished thus far of each step:

1. Choosing the right career for you – is it PR?

2. Getting back in school for a postgrad certificate

3. Research the career and the industry

4. Understand the different career paths within your chosen career

5. Decide what skills you have, which you need and develop them

6. Practice being what you want to be, and do it professionally

7. Write a resume

8. Find an internship while you are still in school

9. Add Value to yourself by adding those extra touches like business cards and finding a mentor

10. Organizing your career goal and timeline so you don’t become overwhelmed

11. Brand yourself so that you stand out from other applicants

 

So far we have covered a lot. And yet the next few steps will reveal where the true brunt of the work lies. There is a reason why you should start these steps in a certain order and in a certain fashion. Starting early ensures that when step 12 and 13 and 14 and so on come along you have the time to work on them and the basics covered. 

The reason why the next steps are so essential is because they require you to delve into the industry, meet people and maybe go out of your comfort zone. Some of the steps simply just require a lot of time and effort, while perhaps not yielding the best results.

This is why before moving on I need you to go back to steps 1 through 11 and determine if you have really done your best in accomplishing each of those things. Is there something you missed? Something you could have done better? Something you want to change and do differently now that you know more? 

For me, I have already made some changes. I constantly change my resume and I have done that drastically since the New Year. I also changed my business cards when I created my brand. That was the turning point. It was a time when I realized I needed to add some more oomph! But at the same time it wasn’t until that moment that I understood what branding yourself meant. That is why it isn’t one of the earlier steps. Another reason why it is step 11 is because it comes just before step 12 which requires all of these things to be done, especially your brand! I am not going to tell you what step 12 is now, but I will say you should stay tuned because it is an important one for students.

Step 12 coming soon! 

P.S. I love PR

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Step 11 - Personal Branding 101

Branding for Yourself for Success

Public Relations is often behind great branding ideas. But branding is also a useful tool for job seekers. Because let’s face it, a job market is no different than a consumer market; it is like you’re a product on a store shelf beside other great products, striving to get the customer’s attention and make the sale. 

To be a successful job candidate, we need to stand out and show employers that we are a great product with a complete package. The package is part of the brand and it includes our look (the way we dress), our personality (the way we act), our education (what we know), our experience (what we can do) and our charisma (where we can go). These are like the features of a product. And like any product you want to be effective, stylish, durable and worth the investment. 

1.       Branding builds awareness & recognition

Awareness is all about getting yourself out there so that people can say ‘Oh yeah, I’ve heard of her. I hear she is great with clients.’ This is when awareness becomes recognition. This is similar to when someone gives you a strong recommendation. You are recognized for your accomplishments by others, why strengthens your claims about yourself as a job candidate. I am a strong believer that making others aware of your potential can often lead to great opportunities. 

2.       Branding builds relationships

“Public Relations is the strategic management of relationships between an organization and its various publics through the use of communication.” –Definition  of PR from CPRS

The fact that ‘relationships’ is a key element to the very definition of PR shows how important it is to each PR practitioner. And what some might forget is that we aren’t just responsible for building relationships (or brands) for the companies that we work for. We should be doing it for ourselves. This does two things. It shows we know what we are talking about when it comes to PR and it benefits us by strengthening our brand. 

Relationships are built through connections that make up networks. Networking is touted as the key word for 2013. And as a PR student I can say I have been told many time that networking is the key to getting a job and being successful in communications. But to elaborate on that, I think the networks we make reflect our personal brand, and shows how our brand fits in the industry. So ask yourself, are you building the right kind of network for your brand? 

3.       Branding builds success

Often times, PR efforts are used in conjunction to marketing and advertising to increase sales and ultimately the success of a company. So why wouldn’t we use this for ourselves. How many PR students have been told to make a 30 second commercial so as to ‘sell’ themselves? Isn’t that what our resume and the job interview are all about? Selling ourselves to the employer? 

Branding helps make sales because it also creates consistency. When you make your brand, you should therefore think about all aspect of the job hunt and the progression of your career. You don’t want to say one thing about yourself on your resume and then another in the interview. You don’t want to say you are a good at one thing in person, but then are terrible when placed to do it on the job. This would be false advertising. And the employer would want a refund. 

So how do you brand yourself? 

Here are some great tips on how to brand yourself from DanSchawbel:

1. Understand how others perceive you and how you perceive yourself

2. Define your unique abilities

3. Create a brand toolkit: resume and cover letters, business cards, personal blog, portfolio, social media profiles, wardrobe, email, all these things need to be consistent with your brand.

What to do and What not do do

Here are some great tips recapped from an article on creating your personal brand:

1. Publicize yourself and your voice – Create a blog or comment on LinkedIn group discussions

2. Research and know your competition – this doesn’t have to get ugly. Maybe you can actually help each other by sharing tips and pointers.

3. Be yourself – it’s easiest to create a brand for something real and genuine.

Here are the strongest pointers on mistakes to avoid from an article on LinkedIn Branding:

1. Being unprofessional - this includes in profile pictures

2. Lying about your skills or accomplishments

3. Not including all your links in one place (Twitter, LinkedIn, Blogs)

4. Asking people who don’t know you to write a recommendation

Links in this Post:

Personal Branding 101

6 Ways to Market your Success -Create your Personal Brand

10 personal branding mistakes to avoid on LinkedIn

What do you think about personal branding? Do you think it is necessary or an annoyance? Let me know by commenting. 

P.S. Good Luck with your brand!

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