4 Lessons from a PR Grad - The First Job

I have not posted on this blog for quite some time as a result of the recent change in my life. As I mentioned in my post about student to professional transition  life can change fast. It hasn't been difficult, but it has been busy. Finally, I am taking time to sit down and talk about some of the most important things I have learned in my first two months as a Marketing & Communications Specialist. I want to share these with you so you know what lies beyond textbooks and laptops. It really brings my blog to a new beginning. Life as a PR Grad.

#1 Don't be Afraid of Marketing

Having done a business degree at Western University, I know a thing or two about Marketing. And when I went into PR I had no intention of including Marketing in my career plans. I imagined my job would revolve solely around Social Media, Media Relations and Writing. However, I quickly discovered that Marketing and PR work so well together that often times one person does both in an organization. Here I am doing Communications on a Marketing team. Doing both opens up your scope of work. If you like diversity in workdays, understanding consumers, strategizing about brands, and then Marketing is probably something you would enjoy as much as PR.

#2 Don't Pretend you Know, If you Don't

This lesson was easy for me, as one of the best ways I learn things is y asking questions. Sometimes asking the right question actually makes you look smarter than if you don't ask any questions at all. Not speaking up does not necessarily give employers confidence in your abilities. Ask smart questions to show you understand the process or the importance of your task. This has been one of the best ways I have made good impressions on my manager and team.

#3 Under Promise, Over Deliver

Saying you can get something done pronto, might sound like the best approach when impressing your manager. But sometimes when things are not pressing, you should under promise your delivery. This might seem counterintuitive when starting out, but it will save you trouble in the end. If you start right out the gate at full speed that will become the standard and you will always be expected to deliver quick and well. But if you sell yourself slightly short and then surpass what you said you would do, then you not only make it easier on yourself, but you look good. "Wow she did it in half the time she said it would take." Maybe you knew it would only take that long, but you deserve the time to make sure you are doing something well.

#4 Attitude is Everything

Nothing has been more obvious to me since starting working. A bad attitude is easily spotted and easily disliked. One of the easiest ways to jump into a PR team is to have a positive attitude. Maybe the work done before you isn't up to your ideals, but that doesn't mean you should be negative about it. Even when feeling overwhelmed (because some day you will), just put on a smile. You will be known for that smile. 

How do you plan on getting your first job? What lessons do you have to share?

P.S. I Love PR.

Step 8 - Tips for Finding a PR Internship

The Hunt for the Unpaid Job

This is it! One of the most exciting posts to date; because Step 8 is all about getting the elusive internship. That’s right I will share some of my experience in finding an internship. And this is so exciting that it had to be written in 2 parts. The first part will outline where I looked and how I contacted people. The second part will cover the responses I received throughout, the decision process and provide some details on the internship I landed.

First, I will explain that this internship is not the “first job internship” that I dream of having when I graduate. It’s the unpaid, credit earning internship that you do while simultaneously taking 8 classes. Sound a little crazy? From what I hear it is quite hectic; with classes 3 days a week and an internship 2 days a week, which only leaves the weekend to take on another full-time job… Job searching. How many copies of a resume to personalize, how many applications to fill out, how many emails to write, calls to make, follow-ups, dead ends, interviews… And moments of frustration will I be able to cram in alongside the busy overloaded semester? Luckily, I have dealt with work overload before, I have mastered my “dealing with stress techniques” and I am ready to take this on. But let us back it up to September and the internship search process.

So months ago when I started searching for an internship I used the trusty Google to search for PR agencies. I used search terms like “communications agency”, “PR agency” and “marketing agency” and got quite a lot of hits. I made a list of PR agencies and marketing firms ranging from Toronto, Oakville, and Burlington to Hamilton. This was time consuming and in retrospect, probably not the best approach for finding an internship where I could only go in on Mondays and Fridays for 105 hours. That being said it was not a waste of time because I still have this magical list and plan on using it for my job search for after I graduate.

What I have to say about this approach is that some firms are difficult to search for and aren’t as visible online. This eliminates some great opportunities. The solution: build connections. I never thought I would have connections that led to a position and my network did not actually get me my internship. I just spoke to people in PR and learned about places I didn’t know about and added them to the contact list, this is one of the advantages of joining a professional association liked the CPRS or IABC as a student.

I also used Twitter to look of PR agencies. I followed them and checked out their websites. The key is to always look where they are located. The firm may sound great, but that’s pointless if they don’t have an office near you.

So I made a list. My tip is to use Google Bookmarks to keep tabs on this list. This way you can catalogue information about each firm and organize the list how you like. You will also have quick access to all the places at once to look up each firm’s website. You will also have the date you added the link and you can label things by categories including where they are located, what type of agency they are etc. This also means you won’t lose the information should anything happen to your computer because you can access the bookmark list from any computer. It’s a great tool.

Then came the part where I researched the firms. This was intensive as I dug deep in each places corporate website to learn more about their body of work, their niche, their team atmosphere, their culture and their history. Then I wrote cover letters for each place that suited me. To make things easier I used a base cover letter that I made changes to when I needed. Then I took my resume and transformed it for every firm as well. I will not lie this took entire days to do and I strongly recommend setting aside designated time to do this.

Also time consuming, keeping track of the emails I sent out and the responses I received. I will go more in detail about this in the next post, but I will tell you I quickly learned that when you check your email multiple times an hour you are being obsessive. Be patient and don’t panic if you don’t hear anything the same day or even the same week. Sometimes they just take a while to get back to you. But to keep you interested I will save the rest for the next part.
Continued in Part 2

P.S. The effort is worth it if you love PR.

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The Art and Science of Linguistics!

I want to be a PR professional and I am a business graduate. I also want to be a successful business woman and complete my MBA. That being said, I sometimes have moments where my mind wanders back to the days of university when I did a second major in a little known subject called linguistics.
 

During my time at university I was both fortunate and unfortunate enough to do a double major. Learning in two different fields is amazing because it challenges you, it increases your perspective and it gives you knowledge and skills that are broad and in depth. The downsides include an awkward class schedule, huge amounts of stress and conflicting assignment deadlines. Nonetheless, I made it through and met my graduation requirements and have proved that I am capable of many things.

Every now and then I have moments where I sigh and reminisce about linguistics. You may be asking, what is linguistics? Well I won’t give too complicated an explanation, but linguistics is basically the study of language (structure, history, practice) and language use (interactions, societal norms and language learning). Sadly no, we don’t all speak dozens of languages. This is because linguistics is not just about learning languages all day. I wish! That may be a part of it. Rather, linguistics is like any social science, it is heavily research-based and focuses on advancing our knowledge of human language.

I loved my business major, but I would not have done a second major if I didn’t also love linguistics. If you love languages, interactions, communications, research and social sciences I recommend you look into linguistics. Western had a great program. And I can say linguistics has given me some great advantages for PR, including a thorough understanding of syntax, communication strategies, the flow of messages, the role of pragmatics, the social influences on language and the process of researching  information that is hard to find.

I sometimes think it would be great to go back to linguistics. But then I remember that I can actually apply some of my linguistics background in PR and I am thankful for that. And then I also remember that I am still doing something that I love - Public Relations.

P.S. [ai lɑv lIngwistIks]

Step 5: Gaining PR Skills

Become Skillful, Become Successful

Wow I can’t believe that I have already reached step 5 in this blog and I have to say that I am really enjoying it. Maybe now is a good time to note that these steps are part of my experience and are not part of a one size fits all for building a career in PR. Maybe some of these steps resonate with you, maybe they don’t help at all or maybe it’s opened your eyes to something new. Either way, with each step I find myself progressing and it would be great if you could follow along and provide some feedback. So don’t be shy, feel free to comment below.

I have decided to make step 5 all about building up PR skills. Ever since I entered my program in PR, I realized this was game-time; it’s the last leg before I enter into the job hunt world alongside my fellow PR grads and PR professionals out there. That is why for months now I have been reflecting on required skills for PR and this blog will somewhat scratch the surface of what I have uncovered.

First, I wanted to know what skills I had that worked well in PR. Well, I knew that the reason I went into PR was because I love to write and would consider it a strength. I also love communicating and being creative (check out this link for an interesting study done on creativity in PR). These skills are more natural abilities or talents; not that they can’t be worked on and improved. Yet, there is something to be said for being adept or intrinsically moved when applying a certain skill. And it is my belief that this natural inclination toward these skills is something a PR pro can bring to the table that no one else can. (It is essentially why the PR profession exists, in my mind.)

Second, I enjoy researching, working on projects, multitasking, doing computer design, giving presentations and running events. These are typical PR activities and require a certain skill level which can range from beginner to expert. These are the skills that you can grow and perfect as a PR student, something I have been trying to do.

Third, there are the hidden skills or the skills developed on the job. It’s the "je ne sais quoi" that those PR veterans have; skills that are so honed they are second nature. Sometimes they are among the skills needed for PR that are simply unknown to PR students. That being said, today very little is truly hidden with Google at our finger tips, and so I did some research to uncover the skills needed to have to start a career in PR.

I found some interesting articles, like this one from the IABC discussing social media skills. Are they truly necessary for a career in PR? I think that the answer is yes and this article really covers this topic well. Another article I found discussed more of the future skills needed in PR, like video editing and programming skills. This just goes to show that there will always be room for more and more skills in the PR profession and that you may need to expand beyond what you already know. Lastly, I found an article that discusses skills needed to respond to PR needs. For instance, advanced spreadsheet skills are needed to respond to the need to quantify communication outcomes. This link was really great and I definitely recommend it.

Respond to PR Needs

So you have to reap from the skills you have and you have to sow the skills that you will need by seeking, learning and doing. This step may be crucial, because without the ever-important work experience, you will need an awesome skill-set to get the dream PR job. Here’s hoping.

The second part of this step is practicing your skills – which I will do my best to cover in Step 6.

P.S. I love learning and PR is learning for life.

Step 3: Build Research Skills for PR

Become a Part-time Researcher

Now that Halloween has passed, I can get back to blogging about PR and of course Step 3 in the ongoing story of my venture into PR.

Enrolling in a PR course or program is a good step forward because it gives you a formal education of the different aspects of PR. I can safely say that after 2 months in my program at Mohawk I have already learned so much. I feel legitimately prepared to start a career in PR and I still have 6 more months to go! So I can only imagine how much more prepared I will be by the time April comes.

But one thing that I have discovered is that you have to self-educate in an informal way to learn about the PR industry. Naturally, such a dynamic career will have a dynamic industry and you cannot learn it all in a classroom. An excellent addition to formal learning is utilizing the ever reliable Internet. Did you say Google? That is exactly what I mean. I have spent countless hours with Google researching the PR industry. It’s a task without an end, because you have to keep up with the ever-evolving nature of PR. I feel like most researchers, I have an insatiable thirst for discovering everything that is the latest and greatest in my field.

The first reason why I feel this is a necessary step in my career building is because it reflects the PR profession. This past Wednesday, my PR class visited some agencies in Toronto where we learned that even as PR students we need to stay informed about current news and events, best PR practices, the uses of social media and the list goes on. So it seems fitting that my endless research is important and helpful to beginning my career in PR. 

Fiddling about with Photoshop...big distraction.

Another reason why I think research is essential is because it clears up any misconceptions about the profession and creates realistic expectations. I feel like I am finally able to explain to people why PR is not advertising or marketing.

Finally, the best reason for continuing my research is that it is rewarding. Awareness and knowledge are assets that have value (can you tell I am a business grad?) and they are useful. The research process has in itself improved my research skills, organizational skills and my own motivation to continue learning; some unexpected outcomes in a quest for knowledge. So don’t forget that it is a learning process which helps you grow.

It has been a little overwhelming deciding what to research first or even where, but I guess I started with Twitter. It wasn’t until I started following more and more PR related handles that I discovered how important Twitter is as a source of information. Also, it will naturally lead you to other sources.

The next place I looked was at professional associations like the CPRS (which I am a member of) and the IABC (which I will join in second semester). The best part is that students get a discount on the membership, a real incentive! I am excited to network and have access to job postings, mentorship and volunteer opportunities. So far, I have become active in the CPRS on their Board of Directors and in the Mentorship program; both of which have given me access to resources about the PR industry. 

The hardest part has been researching and evaluating an uncountable number of PR agencies (my ideal work environment), in addition to looking at industries that require PR like entertainment, fashion, lifestyle, food, government and so on. This has really helped prepare me for my future (daunting) job hunt.

Phew. That is a lot to cram into one post. But that is because this is an important step and one that is ongoing. The best way to keep up with it is to make it a part of your daily routine. I would suggest using your free time to research instead of playing pointless online games. You will be rewarded.

P.S. No one said getting your dream job was easy, but I still love PR!

Step 2: Sharpen Your Pencils & Choose Postgraduate Studies

After choosing a career, and entering your final year of university, you may come across some other tough decisions. In the fall of my fourth year of undergrad, when I finally knew what I wanted to do with my life, I started sharing my thoughts with others who were interested to know more about the next step in my life. Something every upcoming or recent grad can tell you about.

I think people expected me to just enter the job market and they were more than willing to give me advice on how to do so. Little did they know that in the back of my mind I was completely unsure about that dive head first approach. I remember feeling anxious and sometimes so nervous I would get nauseous and overwhelmed when people even brought the future up, despite that, few people knew this. I had to ponder why I would have these negative feelings, and I realized it was because I wasn’t ready for the next step. The thought of working full-time was unappealing, and I wanted to continue being a student.

Maybe at first it was for silly reasons. I didn’t want to let go of the student life. During this semester I developed “graduation glasses” (think How I Met Your Mother) and I started feeling sentimental about everything Western (UWO) and London, I even started getting teary-eyed at the thought of not having to walk in the pouring rain across campus or having to take the LTC as my method of transportation. These unpleasant instances became treasures to me that I didn’t want to let go of. I was not ready to let go.

That all changed after my first two days of classes in second semester when something inside me imploded and I realized, “I am over it!” I grew frustrated with my classes and motivation dwindled. I was ready to get this year done and over with so I could move on to the next step in my life. Thankfully at this point I had already made the decision to apply to postgraduate PR programs at the end of my first semester, another important decision for me!

I applied to PR programs at Western, McMaster and Mohawk. I remember the mixed reactions I got when I told people I was going to continue my education. Even to this day some people tell me I have too much education. “What? Is that even possible?” The answer is no; in my opinion you can never be over-educated, but that is another topic in itself. So my parents’ reaction was sort of agreeable, they figured in this day and age it was inevitable to continue education after education, after education.

After much deliberation in February 2012, I decided I would go to Mohawk College for my PR program. It came down to the idea of gaining employable skills; and everyone knows that colleges are known for teaching skills more than theory. I was ready to move away from theory and the huge and pricey textbooks that lead to endless nights of readings and memorization.

I think people were confused by my decision and a lot of the responses I got were that I was “going backwards”. In my mind, with education you can never go backwards as long as you are using the education for a purpose and future goal. Not to mention post-graduate programs often build on the knowledge you gained in your university degree. After months I finally managed to convince my mom of this, and I became excited to start this chapter in my life. Back to Hamilton for a year, and back to school. Sometimes, when you are not ready to tackle the world, school is there to pick you up off the ground and give your life new direction.

Mohawk has a PR blog as well, where you can check out what me and my classmates are blogging about regards to the program.

P.S. I am a nerd, so I love school and I love PR.