Learning from Interviewing others in the PR world March 30, 2010

For this interview I chose to interview Amy Jacques. Amy is an associate editor of publications for Public Relations Society of America. She graduated from the University of Georgia for undergraduate and then went on to Syracuse to complete her master’s degree. The interview was done on the phone and she really focused on the importance of writing and technology in the Public Relations world.

• What’s a typical week like? (If no week is typical, then what was last week like?) No week is typical. Last week I went to an event for PRSA. The silver anvil award is the highest award in PR and last week went to the meeting that the judge presented the PR cases of who should win the award. I was in charge of interviewing people. Then I also attended a conference for PR companies where they talked about PR and all the technology that was important.
• Tell me about a project you worked on that you are especially proud of. For my job I get to interview a lot of cool people at various media events and interview them about news and technology. I interviewed Meredith Vieira, Campbell Brown and Dany Levy who does “Daily Candy”. That kind of thing is very fun because get to meet people up close and have a conversation with them when usually you just see them on television.
• What do you do to keep current in the PR industry? Attend lots of networking events even if you just go to a concert or art opening. Every event has a pr person and meeting them and making that connection is very important. I read PR blogsevery day to see what people are saying about PR. I also read the New York Times and other newspapers. I even will read a lot of blogs just to see what people are saying. It is also important to attend several different conferences that people have that involve the heads of general media.
• What do you wish you would have known before starting your career in PR? How important writing is and how much you have to write all the time. When I was in school I never paid much attention to the PR writing classes or new reporting and writing, but what you learn in those classes is really what you do every day. I also wish I would have known more about technology and how important it is in the PR industry.
• How important is writing in your career? Extremely important. I have to write all the time. There are press releases and people corresponding constantly. Professional emails one must know how to write because they are important. People all day are sending emails back and forth. It is important also to know how to write for twitter. When writing on twitter is needs to be a tight headline that grabs people’s attention.
• What three tips would you offer someone just starting out in PR? One would to be ethical.  Second make sure whenever you read or hear about new technology look it up online immediately because one must know. People will bring up new technology all the time in conversation and you need to be prepared on what they are talking about. Maintain good relationships with reporters in the media because they will keep in touch with you and that is a good connection to have.
• After interviewing this person, are you (the student, not the practitioner) more or less likely to want to have a career in PR? Why?

I am more likely to want to have a career in PR because she seems to have a lot of opportunities to do many great things. It is a busy business though. Our phone interview had to be done right after work because she even had an event to attend that night. It seems like many of the classes that we have taken as students really will help when we start to work at whatever jobs we may receive.

• When your company is hiring for an entry-level PR position, what makes a candidate stand out? Technology. All older people in PR want to hire new people who know and work with technology. The better the understanding of new technology the better chance one has to get a job because they want you to teach the older people all the new technology. This includes everything as podcasts and editing and using blogs, twitter, and facebook. They will even have people make a campaign about how these technologies can help in other PR campaigns.

 

Amy Jacques

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/amy-jacques/9/ba/261

PRSA

Associate Editor of Publications 

Interview-What to Wear? March 24, 2010

Everyone is always worrying about what to wear. There is always a time or a place to wear something. Whether it is the perfect little black dress for a cocktail party or the perfect pair of shoes to go with your outfit everyone worries about what to wear. The most important time that people should ask themselves what to wear is when they are going on a job interview. One must look professional and presentable, but yet show a little of their own style because this reflect their personality. Any job interview from the smallest after school job to a big time corporate position people should always look their best when going to a job interview.

Jobsearch.com presented an article about what both men and women should wear to a job interview. The men list includes:

• Suit (solid color – navy or dark grey)
• Long sleeve shirt (white or coordinated with the suit)
• Belt
• Tie
• Dark socks, conservative leather shoes
• Little or no jewelry
• Neat, professional hairstyle
• Limit the aftershave
• Neatly trimmed nails
• Portfolio or briefcase

Women list includes:

• Suit (navy, black or dark grey)
• The suit skirt should be long enough so you can sit down comfortably
• Coordinated blouse
• Conservative shoes
• Limited jewelry (no dangling earrings or arms full of bracelets)
• No jewelry is better than cheap jewelry
• Professional hairstyle
• Neutral pantyhose
• Light make-up and perfume
• Neatly manicured clean nails
• Portfolio or briefcase

Now that it is clear what to wear a few points of what not to wear should be touched on. Careerbuilder.com gives people a list of twenty things not to wear to a job interview.

1. Carrying a backpack or fannypack instead of a briefcase or portfolio: Some image consultants suggest women ditch their purse, too!

2. Sunglasses on top of your head or headphones around your neck: Be sure to remove all your “transit gear” and tuck it in your briefcase before entering the lobby.

3. Too-short skirts: Forget what some of those gals on ‘The Apprentice’ are wearing. Your skirt should cover your thighs when you are seated.

4. The wrong tie: Ties should be made of silk, no less than three and a quarter inches wide with a conservative pattern. Image consultants say the best colors are red or burgundy.

5. Overly bright or large-patterned clothing: With the possible exception of creative fields like advertising or computer programming, it’s best to stick with navy, black or gray.

6. Heavy makeup on women (or any makeup on a man)

7. Earrings on men: In fact, men should avoid wearing any jewelry unless it is a wedding ring, class ring or metal watch.

8. More than one set of earrings on women

9. Facial piercings, tongue jewelry or visible tattoos

10. Ill-fitting clothes. Few people can wear things straight off the rack. Spending a little extra to have your garments tailored is a worthwhile investment.

11. Long fingernails, especially with bright or specialty polishes. Nails should look clean and be trimmed to a length that doesn’t leave an observer wondering how you keep from stabbing yourself.

12. Unnatural hair colors or styles. Remember, Donald Trump was a billionaire well before he began wearing a comb-over. If you’re balding, try a close-cropped cut like Bruce Willis or Matt Lauer.

13. Short-sleeved shirts, even worse when worn with a tie

14. Fishnets, patterned hosiery or bare legs (no matter how tan you are). Women should stick with neutral color hosiery that complements their suit.

15. Men whose socks don’t match their shoes, or whose socks are too short and leave a gap of flesh when they are seated

16. Rumpled or stained clothing: If interviewing late in the day, try to change to a fresh suit beforehand.

17. Scuffed or inappropriate footwear, including sneakers, stilettos, open-toed shoes and sandals

18. Strong aftershaves, perfumes or colognes: Many people are allergic to certain scents. For a subtle fragrance, use a good quality bath soap.

19. Belts and shoes that don’t match: Shoes and belts should be made of leather or leather-like materials and the best colors for men are black or cordovan.

20. Telltale signs that your wearing a new suit. Remove all tags and extra buttons — and remember to cut off the zigzag thread that keeps pockets and slits closed!

Now that everyone is aware of what to wear and not to wear to an interview it is important to remember what a person brings with them when they are looking their best. Free-resume-help.com  suggests a few things that everyone should bring with them to their interview.

Extra copies of your resume.

Samples of your work.

References

Makeup (ladies only)

Brush and comb

Performance Reviews

Extra Tie/Dress shirt/blouse

Breath mints

Driving directions

I hope that everyone has learned something today. I think I touched every topic of an interview and what to bring, wear, and not to wear.

Trade book review with audio March 12, 2010

PR connections- Toyota how they covered the blunder.. March 11, 2010

Toyota was another big issue in the year and how well the company’s PR would be able to cover up the problem of recalling all of the brakes on their vechicles. In my opinion Toyota did a good job of reminding people that they are still a well known company and have been for years. Here is the commercial that changed my perspective and I think the PR people really addressed the correct area.

Talking to friends on interning! It helps! March 11, 2010

Internship advice is something that I really need and something I think that a lot of people in the PR field could benefit from. I am planning on doing an internship this summer and really want to get a lot about of the experience. Sometimes the best advice a person can get is from a friend. People can read articles about interning, but it may not stick unless a person that one knows is very forward and honest about the experience.

After talking to a friend of mine that interned last year, who does Public Relations, this was his advice to me. He asked that the place that he interned and him self be kept anonymous. He really wanted this because his experience was not the best of any interning experience. He did not learn much and really all they did was make him answer he phone. All in all the experience was a bore for him in his summer. The upside of the situation is that he got a really great reference to put on his resume and work experience. Some tips that he recommended were:

• Make sure where you intern is an establishment that you could see yourself working in.
• Try and find a place that you can get great work experience.
• If you find a place you really like try and develop connections so maybe after it is all said and done you can get a job there.
• Send a thank you note after your internship is done. This is professional and could provide a good reference for you in the end.

I talked to another friend of mine, Kristen Bixby, and her experience was quite the opposite. Kristen interviewed did advertising management and event planning and coordinating at a pilates studio in Los Angles. Kristen enjoyed the experience and even got to plan real events. Her experience was different from my other friend because she chose something that she was interested in and got to really get a feeling of what a job in Public Relations would be like. Some information that Kristen shared with me that everyone else may find useful is:

• What people learn in their classes really does matter. Especially the writing classes that we take at Georgia Southern University. When a person interns if they are asked to write a news release they need to know exactly how it is done.
• Do something that you like! It is a great chance to see what the business is really like. If you realize it is something that you don’t like then you can go a different way in Public Relations.
• An internship is pretty much like a job.
• It is a great place to really test your knowledge and show people what you have learned.
• Pay attention! You are there for a reason!

After talking to my peers I think I have taken some great items to remember when I get to intern. I will remember all the items that they shared with me. Special thanks to my friend and hope that he has a better experience in the Public Relation world than interning. Thanks to Kristen Bixby too for taking the time to share this information with me! Hope it helped!

Social Media… Good for a job search? or Not? March 11, 2010

There are many different elements that make social media both a benefit and a pitfall for someone searching for a job. Social media has created many opportunities for people and has really changed the way that we live everyday. Being a person that is going to be looking for a job in the near (too near) future I can see both the pros and cons of social media when I start to look for a job.

One social media network that can help people looking for a job is LinkedIn. LinkedIn gives people the opportunity to network with people everywhere and is free to join. According to the LinkedIn official site, “When you join, you create a profile that summarizes your professional expertise and accomplishments. You can then form enduring connections by inviting trusted contacts to join LinkedIn and connect to you. Your network consists of your connections, your connections’ connections, and the people they know, linking you to a vast number of qualified professionals and experts. Through your network you can:

• Manage the information that’s publicly available about you as professional
• Find and be introduced to potential clients, service providers, and subject experts who come recommended
• Create and collaborate on projects, gather data, share files and solve problems
• Be found for business opportunities and find potential partners
• Gain new insights from discussions with likeminded professionals in private group settings
• Discover inside connections that can help you land jobs and close deals
• Post and distribute job listings to find the best talent for your company.”

LinkedIn provides opportunities for both companies and professionals looking for jobs a social network in order to connect. If a person is on LinkedIn they have a much better chance in finding a job then if they were not. This is one example of how social media benefits people seeking a job.

There are pitfalls of social media when a person is looking for a job. The social media network Facebook is one that helps people connect with people all over. One can talk to people that they have not seen in years and see what is going on in their lives. Facebook offers features as applications, which can be games or even silly quizzes. People can chat on Facebook and update what they are doing or what is on their mind. The feature that can get people in trouble when searching for a job is the fact people can upload pictures onto Facebook and anyone can view these photos. There is also a wallpost section and people can write whatever they choose. The Facebooker, of you will, can delete anything they do not like on the page, but what if it is too late and a future employer sees this information. The best advice that I can give for people searching for jobs on Facebook is to block everything. It seems like that would not be any fun anymore, but once a person is employed they can then monitor the book and no matter what a person is still connecting with others. Sounds like a win/win to me!

Trade book Review PRCA 3030 March 10, 2010

powerpoint-roche[1]

For some reason slide share has been taking forever and will not upload anything right now. I wanted to have something on my blog for people to review. This is the power point about “Trust Agents”. There is audio that goes along with the powerpoint. If slide share was working correctly at the moment both would work together. I am planning on continuing to try to have both the slideshow and audio together in a separate post.

Tradebook report March 3, 2010

Hello Everyone,

If you visit slideshare anyone can see my powerpoint notes on each slide. Hope y’all check it out! thanks

Emily Socialnomics[1]

View more presentations from eroche1.

Body language and non-verbal communication in an interview March 1, 2010

Every day a person gives off a different body language to certain situations. Whether a person’s arms are crossed or they are twisting their hair, this is all part of body language. When a person is in an interview they want to appear at their best. People want the most presentable attire, but they also need to think about presenting themselves to the highest quality. To present a person to their highest quality everything about them must be included even their body language.

People all have a different conception of what is good and bad body language in order to draw the lines of what is bad I found a few examples of bad body language on Thesite.org.

 Body barriers

It’s natural to hide behind barriers when we want to protect ourselves, but an interview is not the time to come over all shy and retiring. Folding your arms across your chest conveys a nervous, negative and even aggressive attitude that will only get your interviewer marking crosses way down the clipboard. You could say the same about leg crossing, but most experts agree that it’s your upper torso that really says most about you. So aim to be open and honest, in mind and body.

Face touching

Children often cover their mouths when they’re telling lies, and this is a habit that extends into adulthood. It’s just as we get older so our body language becomes a bit more refined. Hand covering becomes nose touching or cheek brushing, but it’ll still invite suspicion on the part of your interviewer.

Shifty eyes

Don’t keep turning your attention to the floor or the ceiling. It might be a blank canvas for your thoughts, but it appears as if you’re evading a question.

Fidgeting

You might be tempted to lose that nervous energy through the floorboards, but watching your knee bouncing up and down is one distraction your interviewer doesn’t need. If you’re really finding it hard to sit still then channel it into hand gestures that back up what you’re saying.

Lint picking

Plucking dust from your sleeves or your knees conveys an element of boredom or distrust, because in some ways it’s an excuse to form another body barrier. Even if you’re certain there’s a speck on your leg, just leave it alone. Nobody else will have noticed it but you.

Body language is not the only thing that people should look out for when they are in an interview. Body language is a type of non verbal communication. Non-verbal communication, as well as body language, can be used as a pro. If I person acts extremely professional and avoids all of the bad body language elements then they should be fine in an interview. One thing to always remember is to keep a smile on their face and a good handshake. CNN.com posted an article about how a bad handshake can make a person lose any chance of getting a job. This makes a person’s hard work go right out the window.

When it comes to smiling in an interview jobfunctions.net believes that a smile is worth a thousand words. This was mentioned in the article “15 ways to sell yourself effectively in a job interview”.

I hope that everyone has learned a thing or two about non-verbal communication in a job interview and how very important it is. It isn’t always what a person does, but the manner that they do it in.

PR connections- Dominos new recipe! March 1, 2010

Another problem that needed to be dealt with this year was the nation’s beloved Domino’s pizza. After some videos came out with employees doing some quite gross things with the pizza it was time domino’s made a change. Personally after this PR stunt that the employees pulled and all the complaints on the restaurant something needed to be done. I have enjoyed te change in the restaurant. It was this commercial that Dominos put out that made me interested in the situation. Check it out!