One Last Post

As I think about my internship with Come Recommended, I honestly believe I was extremely lucky to have had this opportunity. Often when I tell my professors and peers about my internship they are in awe of how I worked in a completely virtual environment. This internship experience was rewarding beyond my expectations. It allowed me to work in groups virtually, continue to improve my writing skills and coordinate with professionals for the Come Recommended Comes to Your City podcast series.

If you are ever presented with the opportunity to work in a virtual capacity, take it! It will offer you an outstanding skill set that will set you apart from your peers. Here are a few benefits I received by working as the event planning intern for Come Recommended:

I extended my knowledge of social media tools. Not only did I sharpen my blogging skills by writing weekly for this blog, but also I learned how to be more professional on Twitter. I also learned how Skype could be used for more than just video conferences.

I created my own schedule. Since I was working from home I created my own work timeline. This also demanded excellent time management skills on my part, but overall I was able to determine when I worked and what I worked on.

I “met” some great professionals. Not only my supervisor (Heather Huhman, an incredible Gen Y author, columnist and mentor), but also while coordinating guests for the podcast series I was able to reach out to some great professionals in the Chicago, IL and New York, NY areas.

I also want to say a thank you to everyone who read this blog and my posts and for the retweets and comments you provided. Thank you to Heather and the Come Recommended team, I had a blast working with all of you.

Best wishes to everyone; keep in touch with me via Twitter! (@molliecrist)

Entry-level Job Seekers: Stay Resilient!

The arrival of this Saturday will mark only two short weeks until the end of my undergraduate career. Instead of being excited and ready for a new chapter of life to begin, all I seem to hear on campus is the discussion of not yet having a job lined up. As my supervisor, Heather Huhman, told me this week, it takes the average graduate six months PAST graduation to find their first “real world” job. This statistic actually rattled me a bit, but it also helped me realize that now more than ever job seekers must be resilient in their search.

Though it is tough to swallow, rejection is going to happen. Resume after resume will be submitted without hearing a word. It’s extremely important not to let that make you feel defeated. Keep going and you will find that full-time job that’s right for you, here are a few tips for resiliency during your job search.

1. Do a little every day. Or as often as you can…keep searching, networking or whatever you have been doing in your quest for an entry-level job. If you are feeling frustrated and give up you will only hurt yourself, and possibly cheat yourself out of some great opportunities.

2. Be open to change. This goes for your method of searching and your resume/cover letter. Realize that if you have not been receiving responses, it might be time to try something new. Whether this be a new way of actually finding opportunities or the way your resume looks, be flexible. Also, always seek feedback on your resume from professors, professionals and so on. Everyone has something different to say about resumes, but they might have a suggestion that could help you tremendously.

3. Keep tabs on yourself. As I mentioned in a previous post, using Google as a background check is vital. Employers will do this, so before you send out your resume, Google yourself. Make it habit and be cautious, as always, of what you post on your Twitter and Facebook accounts.

What are your tips for staying resilient during the job search?

The Other Side of the Table

This week, I was able to participate in an interesting opportunity. As I am quickly approaching graduation, my current supervisor for my student publicity position on campus is looking to find someone to take my place. She asked me if I would like to sit in and help conduct the interviews, and I of course jumped at the opportunity. As a current job and past internship seeker, I am used to being on one side of the table. I wanted to gain perspective on what it is like to be the interviewer.

As we interviewed candidates, I did my best to jot down notes while giving the interviewee my full attention. As I watched three very different personalities and work styles come in and out the door, I couldn’t help but think of myself and how I had carried myself in past interviews. After a day of being an interviewer, I have some tips I think will make my next interview experience as positive as possible.

1. Emphasize the RIGHT skills set. Obviously you wouldn’t have been asked to come in for an interview if you did not have the qualifications an employer was seeking. However, if you are interviewing for a position that is very heavy in designing promotional materials and so on, don’t devote the entire time to talking about how you are a fantastic writer. Of course writing is important, but if you are going to be spending the majority of your time with design software at this position, you need emphasize that set of skills.

2. Bring work samples. During your college career, you should be saving and collecting samples of work throughout your courses, organizations, jobs and so on and keeping them in a nice portfolio. This portfolio will come in extremely handy when you are in the interviewee chair and are talking about how you are an InDesign pro. Your portfolio will show your potential employer that you can back up those claims. Even if the interviewer doesn’t ask for samples of work, you should still have your portfolio with you just in case.

3. Keep a conversational tone. That is age appropriate, of course. You want to show your potential employer that while you are respectful and could easily be someone they bring along with them to an important client meeting, you can still carry on a conversation. Being extremely formal or laid-back could be a reason you do not get the job offer, so it’s important to know a good balance between the two and to have thoroughly researched the company beforehand to get an idea of what their office culture is like.

What are your tips for a successful interview experience, either as a hiring manager or a job seeker?

Public Relations Writing: There’s Always Room for Improvement

If you are a public relations student, then you know how vital it is to make sure your writing skills are in top condition. I have always been encouraged by my favorite public relations professor to further enhance my writing. I took his advice two semesters ago by taking an Advanced Public Relations Writing course. In this course, I was able to improve my writing dramatically by working on an online newsletter for my university’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America.

Even if your university doesn’t offer a class exactly like my Advanced Public Relations Writing class, there are always other writing courses you can take. Any chance you have to work on your writing prowess should be fully taken advantage of. Here are some other tips to help you improve your writing:

1. Start a blog. I have discussed this before in previous posts about personal branding, but not only will a blog help identify you on the web to potential employers and your peers, it will allow you to work on your craft. Again, as I have mentioned before writing about things you are enthusiastic about will make writing for your blog seem fun and less like a chore.

2. Write for a newsletter. Just like I worked with classmates to create an online newsletter for PRSSA, you could look into writing for a newsletter for one of your organizations or another campus publication. In my experience, more often than not they are in need of articles and content and welcome volunteers. Working on a project like this could not only sharpen your skills, but also prove to be a great networking opportunity.

3. Attend writing workshops. It might seem like not the most fun thing to be doing on a weekend, but attending a writing workshop will definitely benefit you in the long run, more so than lying on the couch watching television all day.

What have you done to improve your writing skills? What are your suggestions for those looking to become better writers?

Considering Your Financials Post-Graduation

With graduation approaching very quickly for most college seniors, many big decisions are becoming more of a reality than ever. Annie’s blog post this week touched on post-graduation choices, and many of those choices have to do with considering your future financial situations.

One big thing you will have to think about post-graduation is your living situation. Some post-grads decide to continue living at home, and some choose to leave the comfort of living with Mom and Dad. This can seem overwhelming, but there are a few choices for you to consider.

The first thing you need to consider is your location. If you have previously read the Come Recommended e-book, Relocating for an Entry-Level Job: Why You Probably Have to and How to Do It, then you are already aware that you are more than likely going to have to move for your first real job. This may ultimately mean you have no other alternative than to move out of your parents’ house. However, it’s also important to consider things like how important is it to you that you remain close to your parents, grandparents, friends and so on.

So what will your choice be ultimately? Have you thought about things such as what your potential salary may be? How about your ideal lifestyle? Should you get a roommate if you do decide to move out of your parents’ house?

All of these possible courses of action and more financial issues for post-grads are discussed in the upcoming Come Recommended e-book, The Numbers Game: Everything a 20-Something Should Know About Personal Finance, which will be available for purchase this coming Monday. These sorts of decisions can see overwhelming and any advice can be helpful. If you will be graduating from college in just a few short weeks, I would strongly advise you buy and read this book.

A Great Resource for Networking: Alumni

A few days time will mark one month since I began my search for an entry-level public relations position. I have been sending out my resume, creating brief, but informative cover letters and researching companies as often as I can, with little response. It’s tough not to get discouraged, but I have tried to remain as positive as possible.

However, today it was hard for me not to show my disappointment with my lack of potential employer replies. I was in a work meeting at my on-campus job and my supervisor decided to ask the student employees how their job searching was going. It was very difficult to hear that I was the only student assistant without a job yet. Granted we all have different majors, but it definitely made me feel the pressure.

It was then that one of our recruiting coordinators spoke up. She said that she had met with some great alumni over spring break that could potentially help me. She even offered to forward my resume personally with a recommendation. One last suggestion she made to me was that despite everything else, I should really look into our online alumni directory.

Unfortunately, I did not really begin connecting with peers in my major until last spring semester. This is when I became heavily involved in our chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America, but it was a little too late for me to really meet a lot of the graduating seniors. This is why I have at times felt discouraged in my job search, because I do not really have any “connections” in my chosen career path.

All the same, even though I have not really met anyone personally I will begin reaching out to alumni. I believe that at my university, as well as at many other universities, former students want to help graduating students with finding jobs. I advise all entry-level job seekers to begin connecting with alumni. Use online directories if they are available, or you could even offer to reach out to alumni and ask them to come back to the university in an alumni panel setting. As I once read, weak ties more often land you in the interview room than strong ones.

Have you been connecting with alumni in your job search? How has it benefited you?

Have You Googled Yourself Lately?

Recently in my business and professional communications class, my professor began lecturing on “netiquette,” or rules of acting professionally on the Web. Most members of my class pulled out their notebooks, ready to begin another lecture, when as a surprise to all of us, pictures of my classmates began flashing onto the screen. The point my professor was trying to make was that despite the fact she is not “Facebook friends” with any of my classmates, she still could access their Facebook pictures.

According to this April 2009 New York Times article, 45 percent of employers questioned in a survey are using social networks to check out potential employees. Facebook is the most widely used by employers to investigate applicants, but other social networking sites used were LinkedIn, MySpace, and some employers began following prospective employees on Twitter.

Had my classmates properly secured their Facebook accounts, my professor would have not been able to see their pictures or anything else for that matter. All job seekers’ Facebooks need to be rid of information you would not want a future employer to see. Those of us with an online presence seeking an entry-level position should clean up our social media websites. You should also perform a Google search on yourself.

If you do not think that prospective employers will find your personal Twitter or MySpace, you are wrong. You would be surprised what comes up when you type in your name and hit “search.” When doing this for the first time, I found an old article written about myself when I was a senior in high school participating in the spring musical. If employers cannot find you via Google, they might still go directly to the source and search Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and so on for your name.

Before applying to your next job remember to research the company; have your resume reviewed by several individuals; prepare a brief, exceptional cover letter; and don’t forget to Google yourself.

Are you an employer that has used Google or social networking sites to research potential job candidates? Or have you as an employee had an encounter with a prospective employer discovering your social media networking Web sites? What were your experiences?

3 Ways to Stand by Your Brand

In previous blog posts I have discussed the importance of personal branding and establishing your presence online. Once your personal brand is created, it is very important that you support your brand by doing what you can professionally to make sure it is seen and recognized.

1. Promote yourself. After all, if you are not going to support your brand, who will? For example, once you have created your blog, use your other social media sites to publicize it. Also if you post somewhere else and you have something meaningful to say related to your brand, don’t do so namelessly! You want to spread familiarity about yourself as a brand. However, don’t just plug shamelessly on someone else’s site. Be strategic about communicating about your personal brand.

2. Stay true to your brand. Keeping things consistent is key. Recently I read a great post about finding your niche in blogging and I could not agree more. Once you begin advocating yourself as an aficionado on certain topics, you need to stick with them. For example, if you have branded your blog as a food and fashion source then regularly writing about these subjects are important. This will build credibility within your brand.

3. Stability in all social media. This sort of echoes my last point, but apply consistency not only to your blog, but also your Twitter, online portfolio and so on. Connect and network with professionals who are experts in the same topics you have come to associate with your brand. Retweet and post articles that are related to your personal brand. This will not only represent you as credible, but also help create awareness about your brand.

What are some other things you would recommend doing to support your personal brand?

Ask for Help

It’s no wonder that so many job hunters are becoming increasingly frustrated with the search. According to this New York Times article, only 3-5 percent of jobs are found online. When I read that, my heart sank. That’s primarily how I have been looking! I know a lot of my peers have been searching this way also. So what are we to do now?

First of all, do not stress and do not give up. If you continue to read the article, you will discover that while it is extremely difficult to find jobs online, it is not impossible. You are going to have to do some serious work. For example, if you see this on a company Web site, “For employment opportunities please contact careers@thiscompany.com,” don’t just settle for that. I learned this by asking for help from my internship supervisor, Heather Huhman.

Heather confirmed my questions about going out of your way to contact an actual person at the company. This goes back to the idea of “doing your homework” and researching. I really cannot stress the importance of this, as it will make you stand out from the rest of your peers inquiring about a job with the same company.

The point of this post is to really emphasize the point of asking for help during the job search. Just as I asked Heather for help on how to contact prospective employers, I have also turned to my peers, co-workers and professors for help, too. In regards to my resume, I asked all of the previously mentioned people for their opinion. Lucky for me, I work as the student publicity assistant for Career & Academic Planning on campus, so I have experts on resumes around me when I am working. Visit your on campus career and academic advising office, they can be an excellent resource for help with resumes.

Another thing to ask for help with is networking. You might not think you know anyone in your chosen career field, but it just might happen that your mother’s friend has a cousin that works for a company you would love to work for. Ask people you know to introduce you to people they know that can help you. Sometimes weak ties can land you in that interview room quicker than someone you have known for a long time.

How have you asked for help in your job search? Do you have any advice on asking for assistance when you need it?

Don’t Forget to Take Five (or a Few More!)

The past few weeks have been a bit overwhelming for me. Meetings, group projects, tests, work at my part-time job, and the beginnings of the search for my entry-level public relations job have all been crammed into my schedule. I know many of my peers have had similar feelings recently and are stressed out to the point where they feel like they can’t breathe. So that’s the very point of this blog post, give yourself a break!

Sunaina’s post earlier this week on time management was extremely good advice. So, in your efforts to be more efficient with your time, don’t forget to schedule in a few minutes for a breather! It will give you time to clear your mind before moving on to your next task or project. This is essential so you do not add unnecessary pressure on yourself, keeping your mind and body healthy.

So, what sort of things can you do to release stress? Well exercise is an obvious choice, but what sort of things do you also enjoy? Have you felt like you do not have the time to read that book you have wanted to start forever? Set time aside so you can. Spend time with your roommates and friends, cook, draw, listen to music, whatever you can do to relax for a few minutes.

At the end of the day, it is important to get things accomplished and set up an effective timetable to get it all done in. However, your body and mind will thank you in the long run if you give it a little time to rest. Pencil in time for yourself to do whatever you enjoy, along with your tests, projects, presentations, job searching, and everything else going on in your life. I believe you will notice that you become a little less stressed with each day that you do so.

What sort of things do you do to take a break from everyday tasks? Do you believe it benefits you to do so?