Finding a Job in PR

Researching Organizations

• Conduct research:– When you are initially looking for jobs– When you are applying to jobs– When you are invited to interview

• Information you need:– General company info (products, services, history,

mission, finances, structure, locations)– Employment info (opportunity for advancement,

benefits, diversity)– Industry info (competitors, state of the industry, major

industry publications)

Researching Organizations

• Great resource for finding good companies to work for

• Look at the company’s website, Facebook page• Check out LinkedIn• Look @ the company’s Twitter feed• Read outside reviews of the company

– Business Week (for public and private companies)– Hoovers (for public companies)– Forbes (for private and public companies)– Inc. 500 (for private companies)– Quint’s guide to non-profits

• Research where you will be living

Resumes

• Generate and use keywords

• Don’t sell yourself short

• Have an easy to read format

• Customize your resume for the position

• Take out things that are irrelevant

• Resume advice

• Sample resumes

Writing Cover Letters

• Use keywords!

1st Paragraph:• Explain why you are sending a resume• Explain how you learned about the

position or organization• Hook the reader

Writing Cover Letters

Body:• Match your experience to the stated

requirements • Call attention to sparkling elements of your

background• Reflect your attitude, personality and

background

Writing Cover Letters

Closing:• Provide information specifically requested

by employer (availability, reference, writing sample)

• Always have contact info in the last paragraph

• Thank them for their time and consideration

• Some examples

Setting Yourself Apart

• Decide on your keywords

• Start a Wordpress blog or Tumblr site

• Be active on Twitter– Follow industry leaders– Participate in the conversation– Tweet regularly

Setting Yourself Apart

• Get busy on LinkedIn– Create and maintain your profile– Make connections– Use your keywords– Company search– Advanced people search– Job postings

Setting Yourself Apart

• Create an online portfolio– Weebly– Wordpress– VisualCV

• Ex: – Desiree Mahr

Types of Interviews

• Case interview: you will be asked to analyze a situation and provide a solution during the interview (sometimes takes the form of a writing test)

• Behavioral interviews: ask how you behave in a certain situation

• Phone interviews: can be short or long, prepare for these as soon as you send out cover letters

Phone Interviews

• A way for employers to see if you are as good as you sound on paper

• Relax• Don’t have a silly voice mail message• Be prepared.• Send them to voicemail!• Have your resume and some note cards about

the company in front of you. • Have questions prepared.• Don’t eat or chew gum.

Behavioral Interviews

• Ask how you would behave in certain scenarios

• Anticipate questions and have answers• Good resource for interview questions

STAR Technique

Situation or  Task

Describe the situation that you were in or the task that you needed to accomplish. You must describe a specific event or situation.

Action you took

Describe the action you took and be sure to keep the focus on you.

Results you achieved

What happened? How did the event end? What did you accomplish? What did you learn?

Difficult Questions

• What do you expect to be doing in five years? • Have you ever had difficulty with a supervisor or

instructor? How did you resolve the conflict? • What personal weakness has caused you the

greatest difficulty in school or on the job? • What plans do you have for continued study? An

advanced degree? • What suggestions do you have for our

organization? • What is the biggest mistake you've made? • Why should I hire you?

Difficult Questions

• Describe a situation where you had to request help or assistance on a project or assignment.

• Describe a situation where others you were working with on a project disagreed with your ideas. What did you do?

• Describe a situation in which you found that your results were not up to your professor's or supervisor's expectations. What happened? What action did you take?

• What steps do you follow to study a problem before making a decision?

Difficult Questions

• Tell me about yourself. • Give me a specific occasion in which you

conformed to a policy with which you did not agree.

• We can sometimes identify a small problem and fix it before it becomes a major problem. Give an example(s) of how you have done this.

• Oddball questions (ex. If you were a tree, what kind would you be?)

• Tell me about the salary you're seeking.

Questions to Ask During Your Interview

• Can you describe a typical day for someone in this position?

• How will my leadership responsibilities and performance be measured? And by whom? How often?

• Can you describe the company’s management style?

• Can you discuss your take on the company’s corporate culture?

• What are the company’s values?

Questions to Ask During Your Interview

• Does the organization support ongoing training and education for employees to stay current in their fields?

• What do you think is the greatest opportunity facing the organization in the near future? The biggest threat?

• Why did you come to work here? What keeps you here? • How is this department perceived within the

organization? • Is there a formal process for advancement within the

organization? • What are the traits and skills of people who are the most

successful within the organization?

Interview Don’ts

• Don’t have a weak handshake or a kung-fu grip (practice with friends)

• Don’t talk too much (you look nervous or like you are overcompensating)

• Don’t talk negatively about past employers or colleagues

• Don’t show up late (Duh) or too early (looks like you have too much time on your hands) – arrive 10 minutes early

• Don’t be rude to the receptionist• Don’t ask about salary or perks until they bring it up

Interview Dos

• Give yourself time to think before you answer a question

• Behave as if people are watching you the minute you get in the parking lot

• Avoid ummms, likes and you knows• Practice interviewing• Make eye contact, but not too much (can be creepy)• Allow the interviewer to set the tone of the

conversation (if they are informal, don’t be too formal)

• Be enthusiastic

Some Advice

• Be into what your organization does• Be true to yourself in identifying what you would

love to do• Don’t settle for just a job• Always write thank you notes after interviews• Always bring extra resumes to your interview• Always bring your portfolio• Interview them too!

Some More Advice

• Network – the best jobs are never advertised• Send out cover letters to organizations you want

to work for, even if they don’t have a position advertised. That way they will have you on file for later.

• Ask if the organization has an internship program if they don’t have a position, or ask to shadow someone.

• Generate keywords for yourself – drive key points home.

• Dress to impress.

Bargaining Chips

• Ask for more vacation • Ask for bonuses• Ask for reviews every six months• Ask for flex-time• Ask to telecommute• Ask about perks (gym memberships, box seats,

etc.)• Ask about benefits (401k, IRAs, health, dental,

stocks, profit sharing)

Job Search Sites

• PRSA Alabama• PRSA Atlanta• PRCA Birmingham• PRCA Alabama• PRSA• PR Week Jobs• Talent Zoo• PR Crossing• Odwyer PR

• Media Bistro• Simply Hired• Indeed• Council of Public

Relations Firms• Idealist.org (non-profit

jobs)• U of A Career Center

Some Twitter Suggestions

Some Twitter Suggestions