Step 16 - 5 Tips to Transition from Student to Professional

Start off on the Right Foot

Today I want to talk about how students can transition to full-time work. Any student knows that student life is very different from working life, as they differ in some of the following ways:

Class times are in blocks vs. Word days are 8 hours straight
Classes teach and you learn vs. You are require to perform on the job
When in school you work after hours vs. Leaving your work at the office (maybe)
Paying to work hard vs. Getting paid for hard work

So straight away transitioning can be difficult. But whether you are a grad starting your career or a student starting a summer job until you go back to school in September, there are some tips to make this transition as  smooth as possible.

1. Start on a Positive Note - Even if you just wrote the hardest exam of your life, if you start work the next day you need to be poised, positive and ready to work. So make sure you are rested the night before your first day at work.

2. Learn by Doing - Leave the notebooks at home. Come to work ready to learn by doing. This means you might have to act on the spot or teach yourself a task on-the-job. Don't be afraid that you don't know the theory behind it, work is very hands on, even office work.

3. Act your Age, Except More Mature - It can be hard starting a job at a company where you are the only grad or student. You might feel out of place or intimidated. Don't be afraid to own your age. be proud of what you can do at a young age. Just remember your colleagues have different interests and expectations than the average student.

4. Don't Slack Off - Even straight-A students get side-tracked or procrastinate. This is understandable. But on the job you can't slack off on company time. This can be hard if you aren't giving things to do to keep you busy. But at least use your time to learn something about the company and advance your professional life.

5. Come Prepared - One of he best ways to make a good first impression on the job is to show up prepared. This means being groomed, well-dressed in respect to the type of job, having a general idea of what the company does, bringing documents to fill-out paperwork and showing up on time. Coming prepared will allow you to get started on the job sooner.

These are just some of the simplest ways to mentally prepare yourself for the jump from textbooks to briefcase. In PR especially, you need to be read for a fast-paced learning-curve. You need to be a sponge and soak in as much as fast as possible if you want to succeed. I would love to show some examples of what I mean by this which is why in my next post I will talk about my first two weeks in my first full-time job out of school as a Marketing & Communications Specialist.

So stay tuned! And let me know what you think is the hardest part of transitioning from student to employee by commenting below.

P.S. I  Love PR

The 5 Types of PR Internships

Back in December I brought up searching for an internship. More specifically, for an unpaid internship that you can complete while still in your PR classes. If you want to check out more on searching for and finding one check out Step 8.

Since January I have been doing my own PR internship at a small marketing agency that does work for non-profits and municipalities. As of yesterday I am done! It feels great to have the experience under my belt as my job search comes to an apex. But I want to talk about the different types of internships you may encounter. Some people have great internships, others not so much, so I want to look at what me and my peers have gone through with our internships. Always remember - Stay Positive.

The Different Types of Internships

1. The Pain-in -the... I Mean Challenging Internship
This one is where you become the person who does everything for the people in charge. You are a student and an intern, but all of a sudden you are doing the boss's work. Better yet, they don't have to pay you to do their work. And on top of writing up assignments that seem never ending that they infringe on your schoolwork, you are also expected to keep the coffee pot filled. And they may not even give you a thumbs up at the end of it all, which hurts the most.

Lesson: Even when an internship turns sour you need to make the best of it. This kind of experience will help you realize that life isn't fair and jobs aren't always like you imagined. You will get tougher, but from now on you will also treat others beneath you with respect. So at the end of the day, if you get some portfolio pieces and a new outlook on working, consider this worthwhile.

2. The Do-Nothing All Day Internship
This internship has you showing up eager, excited and ready to learn, only to sit staring at a computer screen for most of the day. Maybe they give you a few menial tasks here and there, but you don't feel like you are contributing or accomplishing much. This can be just as bad as being swamped. Because when you are not engaged in your work, you start to become slack and negative.

Lesson: Again make the best of it. Sure you can work on some school assignments, but why not take initiative and suggest some things you can do to help them. They may not know it, but they need serious help with their social media. That is just one example. And if you are afraid they will turn you down, just do it and then show them. They may just like it, and if they do, add it to the portfolio. And get a great reference, that way your time was worth it.

3. The Cat-on-Your-Lap Internship
This one happens sometimes. You choose to do an internship out of someone's home office. They have just started out and they are more than willing to take on a student for free work. But it turns out to be not what you expected. You work in a not so well-lit room in their basement where their cat insists on sitting on your lap while you write media releases.

Lesson: The office doesn't make the experience. You still get to write media releases and have something to put in your portfolio. Besides, cats are awesome, just don't where your good pants. Again make the best of it. Make yourself feel legitimate by setting up a space and bringing some nice pens and notebooks. Now you're in business.

4. The Out-of-Town Internship
So you wanted to get an internship in the big city, but now you are commuting 2 hours one way! Count 4 hours of traveling for an unpaid internship (actually you are paying out of your pocket to do it) that is not guaranteed to go anywhere. You have to wake up at 5 a.m. cause you don't have a car, but at least you are working with real agency people.

Lesson: Sometimes you have to make sacrifices to get great opportunities. Maybe you could have negotiated for them to pay for a bus pass even if they aren't paying you. But regardless, you are proving dedication, so stick with it. Use your commute time wisely and you will no doubt come out with some great references and portfolio pieces.

5. The Why-is-Everyone-in-my-Class-Here Internship
You thought you had snatched up a cool, unique internship right out from under your classmates nose. But wait, a few days after you start, classmates start popping up and now there are 4 of you working there. Now you don't feel so special.

Lesson: This is not a bad thing. The company obviously likes what you and your classmates do. Good news for your PR program. The main thing here is that you may need to work harder to stand out. So do just that. Work hard and don't get slack just because your classmates wants to hang around and joke all day long. Be professional, after all they are your future colleagues as well.

Overall, not all internships are made equal and everyone will feel differently about their situation. Don't compare yours to someone else's. And don't back down, nothing looks worse than someone who doesn't follow-through. No matter the work experience, you have to make the best out of it. I know I said this a lot, but people who can do this tend to go farther professionally.

How do you know if your internship was good? Ask yourself: "Did I learn something new? Did I meet new people? Did you end up with a reference? Did you get a portfolio piece? If you answered yes to at least 3 of these (which most will) then you did great!

How do you feel about internships? What have your internship experiences been like?

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.

PR Moment - Creatvity in PR

This far into my blog I have brought up the topic of creativity quite a bit. I feel naturally drawn to this topic and feel it deserves to be approached more in depth. In my Step 5 Blog Post I included a link on a study that assessed the current state of creativity in the PR industry (in 35 different countries!). This study led me to other sources that cover different aspects of creativity.  (By the way this under Mini Posts, but I apologize if it’s a bit lengthier than usual.)

1) The study that sparked this blog post

Apparently the PR industry is lacking creativity, which is considered a serious problem. The roadblocks to creativity include small budgets, lack of time and staff being overworked. The interesting paradox apparent in this study’s results is that the PR professionals surveyed for this study thought they were themselves were creative, but that the industry wasn’t. This shows disconnect and inconsistency (how can a high % of people surveyed be creative but the industry isn’t?). But maybe the most important finding from this study is that PR professionals think creativity is necessary in the profession. So what is the take-away? Creativity is something all PR professional should strive for because it is necessary and it may not be as nurtured or encouraged as necessary. This is definitely a challenge PR students should be aware of before starting a career in PR.Check out the Study.

2) Can creativity be taught?

I love this post that argues that creativity cannot be taught. Why you ask? Because, creativity is something that distinguishes real PR pros from the rest of the business world. To recap the main argument of the article, creativity is elusive and not well-defined in the profession. This makes it challenging to teach as there is no benchmark. So what to do for those lacking in the creativity department? The author believes that creativity can be elevated in people who show a spark and it can be fostered in people who appear to be uncreative. Let’s remember creativity is subjective and dependent on the type of organization. For fellow PR students, I suggest that you express your unique type of creativity while adapting it to the industry that you want to work in. Don’t be afraid to show that you are creative even as a PR newbie, because it shows you have the aptitude and that you are worth the investment that will elevate you in your job. View the post.

3) Do creativity and strategy go hand-in-hand?

Super important point here: Creativity is not complete without strategy! You have a great idea? Nice. Now what? Have any ideas on how to execute it? How it will address your clients need? Does it fit with their brand? These are things that a lot of PR newbies don’t necessarily think about when asked to come up with a PR tactic. I know this because I have seen it. That being said strategizing is something that can be taught, whether it through a business program or a PR postgrad. For PR students, this is something to consider if you want to be successful in PR. Read the article.

4) The Creativity Paradox

The last point I will touch on creativity in this post is: Is creativity truly rewarded. The study above mentioned it is something that the PR profession needs, but do creative ideas win out over practical ones. There may in fact be a covert fear of creativity in that it can sometimes be rejected. But why? Namely because ideas that are tried and true are so solid that why would we mess with something that works? Well namely because those ideas came from creativity somewhere down the line and somewhere in the future they won’t be enough. It is always a good idea to strive for something new, even if only applying creativity to a solid existing tactic. For PR students this means we must be cautious not to overstretch our creative side and to always remember that PR strategies need to have tangible results even if they aren’t fancy. Read about it here.

Again all the links are here:

The Creativity Report

Teaching Creativity

Creativity and Strategy

Creativity Paradox

You may also like: The Creativity Index

What do you think is the future of creativity in PR? Why do you this is important? Let me know what you think by commenting below. 

P.S. I love PR

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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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