On Being Promoted, & Helping YOU Land a Post-Grad PR Gig

Hey peeps! I know, I know…I suck, I am quite possibly the WORST blogger ever. I mean it, I’m sorry…ANYWAY, now that we’ve got that out of the way. I have pretty big news, I’ve been PROMOTED, that’s right, yo girl is NO longer completely entry-level, she is now an “Assistant Account Executive” and has some experience under her belt (not much…but you know, some).

And as we come up on that time of year again – when millions of scared, poor and aimless young people walk across that stage, to the “real world” I know there are thousands in that group who are trying to break into the PR/Social Media field, so I was thinking of doing a four-part series on what YOU need to know about breaking into the PR field and I was thinking of bringing in some heavy hitters, like recruiters, hiring managers, etc…because let’s face it, what do I know?

So, here’s what we’ll do: I am going to release a new post every Monday for the month of May, leading up to June and let me know if they help! The first will be a post from my past experiences, “The Almost Post-Graduate Checklist” and then we’ll move on from there, sound cool?

Look out for Monday’s post! Until then…

XOXO,

Jess_AsPRing

I’m BACK…OR 5 Lessons I’ve Learned as an Account Coordinator

Hey there! Did you miss me? You probs did, it’s ok to admit it. I missed you too. But, we need to get down to business: where have I been? Still working as an AC here in New York (which is freezing, BTW).

So, on to what’s really real about this blog post: what have I learned as Account Coordinator? Well, sit yourself down and I will tell you a thing:

1. I cannot stress how important ORGANIZATION is: Seriously, you guys, organization is something I struggle with every day and when I was in university or reading blogs and they kept talking about organization I was like, “OMG who cares?” but like, everybody cares. And once you’re on 3 (or more) accounts, juggling agendas, reports, coverage, and pitching and securing opportunities? You’ll care, too.
2. Take ownership of your tasks: What does this mean? Well, let’s say that you are in charge of ALL client agendas (which you probably will be), make them yours. Let your team know that you’ve got them and rock those agendas. The further up you move, the more you will have to take OWNERSHIP of things, so learn this now.
3. Volunteer to take on additional projects, but don’t take on more than you can handle: Hey, I get it, you want to show people that you are proactive and up for a challenge. BUT if it gets in the way of doing your assigned duties, it kind of negates the desired effect. Make sure you have your job down and then reach for another project
4. It is OK to be lost/stuck/overwhelmed/whatever: This is a tough business, and contrary to what Kelli Cutrone says, you can always be tough and not ask for help. ASK FOR HELP. Wait, let me repeat that: ASK FOR HELP. If your day is too packed, you don’t know where to start on a new project or you are just plum on your last string, then ask. Let it be known that you need more support. Because keeping your mouth closed won’t help in the end, trust me
5. The biggest lesson I learned? Don’t every give up! Can I be honest with you? December was a very rough month for me; lots of client expectations, lots of long hours and I honestly felt like I was at the end of my rope. But I was honest with my supervisors and asked for additional support, and at the end of the day I pushed through and did not just throw my hands up. It will get better, I promise!

Well, that’s it in what seems to be the LONGEST post ever -_- Have you learned any lessons in your tenure at your new job? Let me know!

In other exciting news, I am going to sit down and write a few posts on landing your first PR job, because well, I guess I’ve done it and may know a thing or two…look out for it!

XOXO,

Jess_AsPRing

The Senior Chronicles, Part V: Phone Interview Realness

Before you say it, I know I know…where the h*ll have I been? Well, I don’t know; getting ready to graduate (6 more weeks), gearing up for this move to New York City (queue Empire State of Mind) and just trying to stay sane.

Today, I have a short but sweet post continuing the “Senior Chronicles” series: this one is about phone interviews. Lots of agencies and companies are doing phone interviews these days and I think it’s important to have a few tips in your back pocket.

In fact, I am so committed to phone interviews that I already did a post on it (view here), but I decided to go ahead and do another post with 10 more tips from expert resources (like, that aren’t me…)

1. Remember, this is much like an in-person interview: get dressed and research before-hand (including the agency and your interviewer, if possible)
2. Pick a quiet place, with good reception
3. Answer the phone with your name, this way you can straight to it
4. Prepare a “script” with answers to commonly-asked questions (which I’ll write in another post)
5. DON’T OVER-TALK, be the listener
6. Stand up and smile-they can totes hear it in your voice
7. Have your resume and cover letter in front of you
8. Make sure you have questions to ask the interviewer (got a post on that for ya ;))
9. Make sure to ask for a timeframe of when you should be hearing back, and when you can contact the interviewer again
10. FOLLOW-UP! There are thousands of other hungry entry-level PR pros who are vying for that job, make yourself stand out by writing a follow-up email and maybe even a thank you note via snail mail.

Here are a few links to where I got this expert advice:
Ace Your Phone Interview: 21 Quick & Simple Tips
17 Tips to Ace Your Next Phone Interview
The New Trouble on the Line

And that’s all I’ve got people…until next time

XOXO, Jess_AsPRing

The Senior Chronicles, Part IV: Cover letter help via #Resuchat

Hey peeps! I’m sorry we had to move The Senior Chronicles back a day, but with everything going on in my life and then the Boston tragedy, I didn’t want to post. But today, I’ve got a treat for you: a little over a week ago, I participated in a TwitterChat hosted by Jackalope Jobs, a social-charged job hunting site (go check it out!!!). The chat was all about nailing your cover letter and asked a very important question: Should entry-level cover letters look different from their more experienced counterparts?

The short answer? No. Well, not really…I can’t explain, so let’s get down to what I learned and what hopefully you can learn to!

1. Question 1: Should entry-level cover letters differ from other professional cover letters?
   1. @CreativeCLs: Yes and no. You don’t have much work experience, so focus on yr potential. But should still be professional yet conversational #resuchat
   2. @TomBolt : Probably not. I’ll be in a minority on that opinion, but the cover letter won’t fix qualifications that aren’t there. #ResuChat
2. Question 2: What are some elements that must be included? What can be left out?
   1. @Hourly: Include how you can benefit a company. Exclude any repetitions of your resume. #resuchat
   2. @AllThingsBiz: Your value proposition–what makes you different from the other candidates and how can you make a difference at the company? #resuchat
   3. @MikePetras: Cover letters can smooth over gaps in employment or 2 many job changes. Here is a list of probs: bit.ly/brFZK0 #ResuChat
3. Question 3: What’s the optimum length of an entry-level cover letter?
   1. @TomBolt: Three paragraphs. Not pages and pages. Middle paragraph can be bulleted to show key matches to specs. #ResuChat
   2. @sparkhire: A paragraph or two short paragraphs. Short and sweet, but make it count. #HR has to read a lot these things. #Resuchat
4. What are some differences between cover letter and resume content?
   1. @ComeRecommended: Resumes showcase your experience. Cover letters illustrate your accomplishments and why you would be an asset. #ResuChat
   2. @MikePetras: Resume = skills, education, accomplishments. Cover letter = why u r a fit & what makes u diff than any other candidate #ResuChat
5. What are some creative entry-level cover letters you’ve seen?
   1. @kavita1010: #Vine cover letter (link here!)She just got a job! #ResuChat
   2. @ComeRecommended: Writing the cover letter to fit the lyrics of a popular song. #resuchat

That was pretty much it (okay, there was ALOT more, but these were my favorite) and I learned a lot, such as: my cover letter should be short, it needs to bring the emotion where my resume cannot and it’s a chance for me to qualify my experience and tell them WHY they should hire me. Finally, these were 3 pieces of info I really liked and wanted to leave you with:
@TomBolt : Cover ltrs should be in the “T-Cover” format 1) Intro: Tell em why you are writing 2) tell em how you are qualified 3) closing
@Hourly: Include your personality. Don’t be a robot! #resuchat
@bob_firestone: Unlike resumes, Cover Letters let you build EMOTION then backfill with logic/metrics of success/social proof. #resuchat

#ResuChat runs every other Tuesday at 9 PM, EST…so check it out! It was very informative and I learned a lot from all the participants!

That’s it for me, until next time!

XOXOXO,
Jess_AsPRing

The Senior Chronicles, Part III: The Perfect Entry-Level Résumé

Hey there peeps, have I got a treat for you! Today we are going to be talking about the one document that can make or break your career: the résumé.  A résumé is the meat of the “career packet sandwich”: it doesn’t matter how great your portfolio is, how well-polished and personalized your cover letter is or how great you interact with the agency on Twitter, if your résumé doesn’t put foreward the best picture of you? It’s a done deal. Luckily for you, I have called in the big guns to give us some help: Jessica H. Hernandez is the founder and CEO of Great Resumes Fast, an online résumé consultancy that delivers brilliant résumés for all industries at all levels, at a very reasonable price. Additionally, Jessica (who has a fantastic name, if I do say so myself) is a nationally-recognized résumé expert, appearing in International Business Times, MSN.com, Monster.com, etc. Basically, her advice is golden and I’ve got the exclusive scoop for you in 5…4…3..2…

1. Should an entry-level resume be in chronological order or in order of most relevant experience? How much of our past experience should we include? It really depends on each job seeker’s job search goals but 99% of the time you always want to include the most relevant information in the top portion of the resume and then follow it with a chronological listing of your previous experience. Additionally, you should include up to ten years of past work experience but most entry level job seekers won’t have that long of a work history. So include what you do have at the time.
2. Please make or break a myth for us: should our entry-level resume only be one page? Most entry-level resumes are only one page because of limited work history not because of a resume rule that stipulates it should only be one page. There is no rule that your resume has to stick to one page.
3. What are some good tips for what to put on an entry-level resume that does not have much experience? You can include relevant coursework, internships, volunteer experience, and relevant extracurricular activities if they are professional and would help you in finding a job.
4. How do we highlight our strengths against more experienced (ie, a few years out of school, etc.) competitors? Always emphasize your relevant experience and expertise. Speak to the needs of the employer. How has your past experience equipped you to successfully tackle the challenges that this employer is facing? If you can prove that you can overcome their obstacles you’ve suddenly positioned yourself as the most desirable candidate.
5. How will social media and personal branding play into our resumes? How much weight should we, as entry-level job seekers, put into it? If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile you need to get one. It’s the number one way recruiters are finding candidates – even entry level ones! You should always seek to “brand” yourself. Even if you have very little actual work experience you still have gifts, talents, and skills that are marketable to employers and that make you unique and unlike any other candidate. Focus on marketing those.

Well, you heard it hear first people: “one-page résumé only” is a total myth and you need to get on Linkedin, ASAP. Jessica is a great resource and you can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin. She’s a great resource and regularly publishes great info and articles. I’m known to be pretty helpful, myself 😉 so don’t forget to connect with me!

The next Senior Chronicles will deal with social media and your résumé, how much is too much? Should you put your Twitter on your résumé? We’ll answer all of these q’s and more!

Until next time!

XOXOXO, Jess_AsPRing

“Thinking Out Loud” Thursdays: PR Career Discrepancies

Happy (deep breath) “almostfridaysothereforetechnicallyalmostheweekend”. How have you all been? I’ve been fine, just doing a little SOLO PR work…WHAT?! I know,  totes cray, but I have like 2 “clients” I don’t even feel right calling them that. Just 2 people who I am helping get the word out and do some stuff for (more on that later).

Today’s post is about something I’ve been thinking about a LOT lately; as I’ve  been career hunting (like most of you) I have noticed something very strange: while there are a definitely lack of entry-level PR pro positions (say THAT 10 times fast), there seems to be an abundance of upper level/executive positions available…so I’m like hmm…

Think about putting some clothes on dude!

So what happens in the time between the entry-level pro and the senior-level pro? Do people cave under the stress and leave the industry? Do they go in-house? Are PR professionals on some sort of Logan’s Run-type thing where our careers have a time limit (please oh please understand this reference)?

What’s the deal?! What do you think happens? Do we get frustrated and throw the towel in? Or is this all in my head and clearly I am crazy and need to step away from the job boards and put the Espresso down?

Let me know in the comments people! This upcoming Monday, I have a super helpful and super awesome post coming at ya’ about yo resume; so bring yoself back! Until next time…

XOXOXOXO, Jess_AsPRing

The Senior Chronicles: I am Terrified.

I have no idea what I’m doing…

Hey there people and happy Monday! As I get closer and closer to graduation, I am noticing a few things:

• ALOT of you are also getting close to graduation (congratulations!!!)
• We all have the same questions: how do I get a job? When should I start looking? What will my first paycheck look like? Is it OK to do a post-grad internship?

I  want to help!!! Now, I’m no expert (far from it); in fact, I am a young woman who is on the same journey as you, but I am going to chronicle my experiences and let you know what did and what didn’t work for me and offer as much insight and advice as possible. So let’s get started:

I. Am. Terrified.

There, I said it, I said the sentence on many of our minds that we are afraid to say out loud. Like most of you, I have been trying to get good grades, interning to gain experience, networking and constantly updating my resume. But I’m still scared about my life post-grad and my career options; the competition is fierce and many entry-level positions either come from an agency’s internship pool or it’s hired out before it’s even listed! Thousands of people are all vying for the same 10 positions, so where do I fit in?

The truth is, I really don’t know where I will be in a few months, or how this job search will work out for me. What I do know is, I can’t give up. You don’t know this, but PR is not my first career: before PR found me, I was a paralegal, a recreation administrator, a teaching assistant, a tour guide…pretty much every job you can think of. When I (literally) landed in PR it was like a breath of fresh air: I love it, I love what I do and I can’t let fear stop me. And you shouldn’t let it stop you either.

The next few months will be a busy time for us, we need to graduate, finish our Spring internships, AND look for a post-graduate position. Now’s not the time to let fear or exhaustion slow you down. I’ll be chronicling my experiences and hopefully you will all chime in, let’s do this together!

Until next time…

XOXOXO,
Jess_AsPRing

Hump Day Help: Let’s Talk Phone Interviews, 5 tips to Ace Them!

Happy Hump Day my fellow PR peeps! I was recently looking over my blog and I said to myself, “I haven’t been helpful in weeks! All I talk about is ME, ME, ME” and I am not that kind of blogger, so it’s time to get back in gear with some advice.

As you may or may not know, I am finishing up the last 6 months of my university career (thank God) and I am moving to New York City in June. Because PR is such a competitive field, I have already started to reach out and get some interviews, but how am I interviewing from 3,000 miles away? Phone Interviews!!!

Even the dog can do a phone interview!!!

Yes, I have been doing a few phone interviews (I’ve done 3, so far) and they are a little nerve-racking, but I have honed in on some great practices that have gotten me some amazing feedback (and some top notch opportunities). I’ve listed my top 5 tips below, take a look:

1. Have a “script” beforehand: I put script in quotations because I’m not saying a word-for-word, but make sure you have some key points down that you can reference in case you get nervous. You can bet they are going to ask a few all-time faves, like: what made you get into PR (NOTE: DON’T SAY TO GET FREE STUFF), your favourite PR campaigns at the moment, why you want to work there. Having some of these down beforehand will help you from stumbling on yourself.
2. Research Research Research: I’m serious you guys, don’t be that entry-level/internship candidate who just wants to work “anywhere” (even though you are and you do), but make sure you know something about the firm: who are their clients? Does this particular office have a specialty practice? Being able to add in these little zingers shows that you are passionate about the firm and what they do.
3. Let the interviewer speak: I am guilty of this big time. I am so eager to get my point across that I sometimes over talk the interviewer. Let them say a whole sentence and then count to 3 and answer. In a confident and slow voice (but not too slow)
4. Don’t be bringing up irrelevant $h!t: Yea, I cursed. This is my blog. Anyway, if she/he asks about your experience with press releases, then talk about that, not your 3-legged cat named Hobbles. They are asking these specific questions because it pertains to the specific job you are interviewing for. This is where those scripted notes I told you to make come in handy: you already have all of your info in front of you (having a copy of the resume and cover letter you sent in front of you would be a big help, too)
5. SEND A THANK YOU. You guys, I’m serious. Thank them FOUR times: at the beginning of the interview, at the end of the interview, via a follow-up e-mail AND a snail mail note. You are showing how polite you are AND by sending the e-mail a bit afterwards, you are refreshing your name in the search. Sending the snail mail refreshes you in the memory a few days later (but no later than 4 days later!)

Well, that’s all I have for today. I know this is kind of late in the day (uh, I do work, people), but you can use this info anytime! Remember, a phone interview might be a little more relaxed, but you still want to be prepared; just breathe, speak slowly and make sure your voice is confident.

XOXOXO, Jess_AsPRing

The world MIGHT end on Friday…but in case it doesn’t: SYNTK

The big and scary Mayan Calendar

Happy “maybe our last Monday on Earth” fellow PR peeps! As you may or may not know, the world is set to end this upcoming Friday, December 21st as foretold by an old Mayan wives tail (although NASA took the time to debunk said rumours in their official BLOG, who knew they had a blog?!) SO you’ve got two choices:

1. Hunker down in your new doomsday shed, with lots of beans, batteries and Spam (because who doesn’t love canned meat?!)
2. OR you can rock it out this Friday and prepare for yet ANOTHER Monday in your quest to dominate the PR world and listen to this knowledge I’m about to kick your way.

Oh, you’re going to do #2? Good choice. So, today’s “SYNTK” is pretty quick and easy, there are only TWO terms: briefings and coverage. I’m going to give you the quick, nitty gritty on these two very important terms:

Briefings: Briefings are like interviews, well they kind of ARE interviews. When a product is released or a journalist agrees to cover your client or your event, usually a “briefing” is involved. This is where the journalist and your spokesperson (not necessarily a traditional spokesperson, but somebody chosen from your company that can speak on the subject of the interview, from the CEO to an engineer) talk, the journalist asks a lot of questions and the spokesperson answers them. How does the spokesperson know what to say? YOU, the PR pro, tell them! This is one of the fundamental job duties of a PR pro: media training. It is usually your job to make sure the client is polished and ready for the media. On of the ways we do that is the all-important briefing sheet, a briefing sheet is a document created by the PR team with pertinent information about the briefing, it usually contains:

-Date and time of the inteview
-Publication and journalist’s name and background info, recent stories
-Points of interest that the journalist will want to go over
-And any other info that may be useful to your spokesperson

The briefing sheet is a very important part of your PR arsenal and a good briefing sheet can be the deciding factor between a great interview and a lackluster one. Want to see an example of a briefing sheet? PRTini has got a great example and over at Crenshaw Communications they have an article dedicated to putting together a good briefing book (the same thing). A good briefing can only lead to ONE thing:

COVERAGE!!!! Coverage is the bread and butter of the PR pro, it’s what we spend hours pitching for, days and weeks prepping for. Coverage is anytime you get your client in a publication or on TV or on the radio. It is a super important part  of our lives. Clients expect you to get coverage and they expect it to be good. So what’s the difference between PR coverage and advertisements? Simple, one if paid for (advertisement) and the other is gained (PR) and we work hard to get that coverage. Some coverage is put together in a matter of days, such as with internet outlets and some coverage takes MONTHS to see, like for a glossy magazine. Each pub has different lead times (the time you need to give them before they actually publish the story, usually between a few days to a few months, depending on the type if publication) and it is up to you to make sure you get your story in front of the right person in enough time to make the issue. I have some of my coverage here on the blog, under the “coverage/writing samples” tab, take a look!

Well, that’s it for today, although it was short, today’s SYNTK included two very important terms that are good for you to know in your budding PR career. In case the world ends before we chat again: it was nice knowing ya! In case it doesn’t, tune in next time

XOXOXO, Jess AsPRing

When it’s all over…my final impressions of a big agency

Hey all! As you may or may not know, for the past several months, I have been working for a fairly large and well-known agency here in San Francisco, I wrote about my initial impressions in this post and I just wanted to sum up my experiences and give you some advice my supervisor gave me.

BTW, the largest and smallest dogs in the world!

So are there really any big advantages of working for a big firm? Yes there are! They have tons of resources and usually “big-name” clients, they also usually have more formal training and a larger talent pool to learn lessons from and take inspiration from

So what are the drawbacks? I think I went over this before, but the drawbacks for me were that I just wasn’t able to work on the variety of projects I wanted to, or jump on all of the accounts I was interested in. This is because in a larger agency, there are a lot more systems in place that are totally necessary to keep that larger wheel spinning. I also felt like I didn’t get very many chances for media outreach, which is really important to me this early in my career.

Would you go back to a large agency? Yes, I would, but maybe not as an intern or an account coordinator, my supervisor gave me some great advice at my exit interview, “start small, my first job was at a firm with three people and I learned so much, as I’ve gotten further in MY career, the firms have gotten bigger, as well” this made TOTAL sense to me because in the beginning, I want to be thrown in the fray and really get my hands dirty doing the things I LOVE. However, if one of the “biggies” reaches out to me, I’m not going to scoff, I guess it’s all up to what opportunities present themselves during my career.

So WHAT about ending my internship?!  I ALREADY showed you that in my awesome post Ending That Internship with Flair! so go check it out and make sure to get your thank you cards out ASAP!

Overall, I enjoyed my time at the firm; I met a lot of really great people and I learned a lot. I am moving back to a boutique agency in January, so I’m sure I will have PLENTY to say about that! Until then, I’m kicking my heels up and patting myself on the back for a job well-done. Enjoy the break, I have something pretty cool in store for you over the next few weeks, so keep an eye out for that, until then…

XOXOXO, Jess_AsPRing