Reflecting on My Internship at Come Recommended

It feels like just yesterday that I was introducing myself and writing my first blog post as the new corporate relations intern for Come Recommended.

My experience at Come Recommended has been a highly positive one where I’ve learned many lessons, met new people and engaged in group dynamics that I never thought were possible among people hundreds of miles away.

I’ve appreciated several elements from these past few months, and  I think the biggest rewards that I will take with me are the strong professional ties built.

I’ve been fortunate enough to work and engage with brilliant young professionals from the public relations field from all over the country. It will be exciting to see how our professional futures unwind and what strategies learned from this internship we implement.

The distance never seemed like a threat because our team worked so fluidly and was always in sync.  We volunteered to help each other with projects and helped each other out when we needed guidance. (I think Greg knows what I’m talking about!) Through weekly Skype meetings, Twitter interactions and e-mails, we have familiarized with one another, and I will definitely miss the effective relationships we shared during these past few months.

I was constantly learning during the entire process. From the project assignments to group meetings to blog posts from my peers to the resourceful insights of my papers and Heather, this entire internship was a highly educational experience.

Last but not least, I want to thank Heather. Heather, your work ethic amazes me. You are truly an inspiration for young professionals like me, and I want to thank you for letting me be a part of your team.

I wish the entire team the best of luck in all your future endeavors! I also want to extend my best wishes to the new team of Come Recommended. I am so excited to see what new ideas you all come up with, and I hope your experience with the organization will be as rewarding as mine.

5 Better Ways (than Being on Facebook!) to Spend Your Valuable Time

I am always looking for opportunities to improve myself or add self enrichment, and this past weekend I realized that one of my generation’s biggest distractions is Facebook. While I love this social network, I could easily waste away hours on this online community if my common sense didn’t always stop me.

The following list will not only provide ideas for using your time more resourcefully, but it also provides ways to fine-tune your skills and it compels you to cultivate new hobbies:

1. Read the newspaper. Whether it be online or in print, make sure you are reading and keeping up the daily news. It is important to be cognizant of current events—not just because it’s good but also because it makes you a well-versed individual. Instead of checking Facebook status updates, spend your time reading an article or two. You have such an eclectic selection ranging from The Wall Street Journal to USA Today to Google News.  

Blogs are also great resources that are filled with wonderful knowledge. Immerse yourself in the blogosphere community by following blogs pertinent to your interests or professional goals. You will not be disappointed!

2. Create a personal blog or daily journal. When was fine-tuning your writing skills ever a bad thing?

Keeping up with a personal or professional blog is advantageous on so many levels. Not only will you develop a personal brand for yourself, but you will also be improving your writing skills with all the blog posts you will be adding! Blogs are a great outlet and even better way to spend your time.

3. Read books. Read more books in general. Books are analogous to fruit because both are excellent for you and there is no inherent negative trait about either. 

Reading will only enhance your vocabulary and make you even better versed and articulate. Start with a book on a topic you enjoy reading. Or how about being proactive and joining or creating a local book club in your community?

We all lead busy lives, but dedicating a few chapters a night to an engaging book, rather than browsing your friend’s Facebook wall, will stimulate your brain.

4. Partake in a weekend activity. If you’re feeling really adventurous, go out there and try something new! For example, Saturday mornings I used to take Bollywood dance classes. I appreciated the classes because they allowed me to network with a fabulous group of ladies, cultivate a new hobby, and release endorphins while breaking a sweat!

Select something you would enjoy or have been yearning to become skilled at. At the least, you’ll get the opportunity to network with new people and see new faces!

5. Getting back in touch with family and friends. Family and friends are our backbone, but sometimes we postpone responding to their e-mails or returning their phone calls. Staying in touch is sometimes difficult with our busy lives, but it’s important that we pencil in the time to return that call. Personally speaking, nurturing these close relationships will only return the favor tenfold.

BONUS: Learning one new thing each…It can be each day, each week, or each month! You decide.

The point is: the more you know the more you know, the more fulfilled you will feel. People will start to ask you for advice and suddenly you will become the “expert.” People are drawn to others who provide value in their lives, and the acquired skills sets will only make you more marketable.

Whether it means getting up to speed with Web developing, learning to repair automobiles, or learning a new word each day, make sure you start taking steps to consume your time wisely. Soon, you will find yourself immersed in wonderful knowledge.

And that sums up my list! I hope this list will help you. I have definitely started implementing some ideas, already!

Overall, I’m not saying avoid Facebook entirely. It’s unquestionably an entertaining community, but I’m just advising to divide your time equally because your time is valuable.  

What are some activities you have found was much more self-enriching than being on Facebook? Please share your thoughts!

Inspire Me. Challenge Me. Believe in Me.

I recently read an article from Josh Letourneau, who is the owner of LG and Associates, a strategic sourcing, executive search and human capital intelligence firm based in Atlanta. Letourneau offers some insight to employers, especially those that are big on embracing development programs for recent college graduates.

Letourneau states that recent college graduates thrive in changing environments. Many employers have set in place development programs that train and expose recent graduates to various roles within a company, and while these programs are resourceful and useful for the recent graduate, he or she is not necessarily loyal to the company by the end of the program. Letourneau further discusses that his company works “to woo them away; to ‘accelerate their career path’”.

I definitely agree with Letourneau, and I found two things about his article very intriguing. First, as a member of the Millennial generation, I can attest to Letourneau’s assertions that we thrive and love changing environments in our workplace. Second, I think this article provides insight for hiring managers and employers.

My former company had a similar type of development program in place, where they trained qualified recent graduates in a five-year management development training program. The program was expensive and thus, individuals were required to remain at the company for the entire five years. However, as soon as those five years were up, it was very common for those trained and tested individuals to explore new opportunities.

I guess that makes me question why we do this. Are we that fickle as individuals?

Being part of the Millennial generation, I suppose the answer is no. I believe we are still trying to understand our career goals and are slowly becoming acquainted with the long-term roles we see ourselves doing. We are always looking for a better opportunity because, in most cases, we are driven and view the sky as the limit. I actually believe this way of thinking is great! I think I speak for most of my driven peers when I proclaim that we are young, talented, smart, ambitious and ready to excel and stand out! Employers should appreciate this article’s insight and develop strategies and techniques to hang on to us.

Employers know what we want and what environments their recent college graduates thrive in. If not, I would recommend reading event planning intern, Kate Scozzaro’s post titled: “6 Things You Should Know about Managing Millenials.”

Employers should implement changes in their workplace to accommodate for these recent graduates. Letourneau touches on the cost associated with hiring new employees and everyone knows that it is much less expensive to retain a current employee than extensively train—most likely through a development program—and hire a brand new one.

I love my internship with Come Recommended because the projects are constantly changing, and Heather keeps the workplace environment very engaging and Millennial generation friendly. For example, Heather does not micromanage us, but instead allows us to be our own project leaders in our particular roles. The driven environment also enables me to feel challenged because I’m always thinking of possible strategic partners or sponsors that will take Come Recommended to the next level. Lastly, Heather respects all her interns and is flexible with them in terms of projects and deadlines. Being respected in a workplace is so crucial to an employee’s work ethic and the overall workplace environment, and has the potential to foster strong ties and company loyalty.

Overall, I highly recommended employees and recent graduates alike take a good, long, look at this article to get you thinking, as well!

Be Cognizant of Your Workplace Values

I recently attended a résumé workshop held at my University by career specialist Nancy Eckert. Nancy is the former Vice President of Career Management Consulting with Right Management and she specializes in the areas of career management, career change, and coaching for higher performance.

One thing I took away from the session is that before job seekers start immersing themselves in their job search, they must first we aware of the workplace values that they believe in. It is imperative that we know what we want so we are able to detect that in our future jobs.

Nancy stressed the importance of being tuned in to what your values are and what you seek in a workplace. Although the company may seem to offer a dream career, it’s important to make sure the workplace matches what you strongly believe in.

There are several assessments available online where you can questions some questions to determine what your core values are and what you look for in your workplace. One that I used and loved can be found here.

I would even take it a step further and take time out to determine your career values, or the important concepts, ideas and values that you seek to find in your career. They may include such values as the ability to become an authority on a topic area with your work (decision-making authority) or possibly to be surrounded by co-workers who are intelligent and who have a great deal of knowledge about the work that you have in common (knowledgeable/expert co-workers).

As you can see, your career values can include a broad range of topics, but it is most important to know and be aware of what those topics are so that you can have a narrower and fitting job search in your favor. Some more career values include: leadership, fame/notoriety, diversity of tasks, intellectual stimulation, job security, respect, lack of stress, power, support, salary, social justice and creating change and much, much more!

I’m fortunate to say that at Come Recommended I have found that several of my workplace values are honored and met. Some such values include: having self respect and pride in the work that I do at Come Recommended, recognition and being valued by Heather Huhman, having automony and independency with mini-projects and also, the warm, working relationships that the entire team of Come Recommended offers.

Personally, in my careers and in my workplace, the values I seek are always changing and it’s good to occasionally set aside time to reevaluate the important factors for you because not many employers will pinpoint your values for you. It’s important for you to be proactive and determine what you seek in your workplace and careers overall to determine if you would be a right fit for the job and if the job will, in turn, be a right fit for you!

Networking is So Crucial, I’m Dedicating Another Post to It!

Just some friendly tips I’d like to add to help in your networking goals:

With the holiday season approaching, it’s actually a perfect time to resume networking. I know it’s sometimes easier said than done, but one piece of advice I’d like to share is to send out holiday cards this year.

Even if you’re not a fan of this, or have never done it before, holiday cards are a great way to touch base with all your professional contacts. Who doesn’t like a holiday greeting card and the warm feelings it evokes towards the sender? If anything, holiday greetings make the reader have happy thoughts about you, and remind them about that great informational interview they had with you a few months back, when they were not hiring.

Make sure to send out cards to all of your professional contacts, so that you are once again stationed and positively positioned in their minds.

Also, from personal  experience, I’ve noticed that social networks tend to engage me with people that I haven’t necessarily spoke to since college, or who I’ve only had one class with or worked with for a short time. These acquaintances are actually wonderful contacts to keep, because you never know who they know and how. I recommend commenting on other peoples’ statuses on a regular basis to develop relationships with the numerous friends you have on social networks.

Friends on social networks are constantly posting insights, opportunities or just random questions, which are great openings for you to zone in on and help them. This demonstrates the importance of cultivating relationships, and from personal experience, your friends on social networks will return the favor when you’re in a bind as well. Plus, you’re networking at the same time!

Lastly, be personable and smart. At the end of the day, people want to do business with, engage with, and work with people they like! Make sure you evoke a friendly nature, smile often and keep yourself and others intellectually stimulated!

6 Tips for Developing Your Unique Selling Proposition

Ever wonder what it would feel like to finally meet that individual that you’ve been aspiring to network and cultivate a relationship with? Would you be ready? What would you say? How would you react? Most importantly, how would you differentiate yourself from all the clutter that the particular individual is already exposed to? In keeping with the networking theme established by a few of my fellow interns, Kristina and Caroline, I would like to offer some suggestions for delivering a stellar unique selling proposition (USP) to jumpstart the networking process.

It is called many names. Unique selling point, elevator pitch and 30-second commercial are just a few. However, the bottom line is that it’s essential to have a polished one ready at all times because as Kristina pointed out, your next networking opportunity could take place in the classroom, where your contact may be sitting right next to you!

One of the most important lessons I am taking away from Don Neal’s Integrated Marketing Communications class is that an individual’s USP is what’s going to differentiate him or her from the competition of hundreds of other Gen Y qualified candidates.

Don’t already have one? No worries. Here’s how you can begin creating your USP.

1. Put those thinking caps on! For starters, have a brainstorming session. Gather all your skills and traits, awards, honors and recognitions and create a list of your top five key competencies or strengths. You should also think about your future goals because I’ve learned that not a lot of people know how to do this well. Thus, being able to eloquently voice your future goals and demonstrating ambition will sure impress a future contact and further, differentiate you from the rest. Also, think about how you would like to position yourself in the eyes of a potential contact. Remember, positioning begins in the eyes the consumer (in this case, our networking contacts).

2. Always have that USP ready to fire away. Opportunities to network surround us. Whether you’re at a dinner party, classroom, gym or grocery store line, you should be able to deliver your strong and appealing USP without thinking twice. It’s a great conversation starter, too!

3. Use an energetic group of words. Spend some time on using words that are lively and will keep your listener wanting to know more about what you do.

4. Keep it simple. Be succinct. A professor once told me that the key to strong communications is conveying your message in as few words as possible. I mean, let’s face it: people have a tendency to tune out stuff that doesn’t directly pertain to them. So make sure you’re clear, personable and that your USP is customized (if possible). Nobody likes a robot. Ideally, it should take five minutes or less to recite. And BAM, you will have wowed them. (Yes, It will be that good!)

5. Remember to be an active listener and stay classy. You can tell when and where to deliver your USP if you use common sense. Make sure you are also engaging in a two-way conversation and that you do not annoy your contact by coming across as self-centered or desperately look for a job. Keep it poised.

6. Flashcards for starters. If it helps, consider keeping some flashcards in your purse or wallet until you get the hang of delivering your USP. It’s ok to take baby steps. After all, practice makes perfect, and as Caroline mentioned earlier, nobody really learns the rules to networking. So, do what you’re comfortable with.

USPs are important to not only interns but permanent employees as well. At Come Recommended, our job-seeking candidates are encouraged to share their USPs in our online community.

Good luck on those USPs. Leave me comments to let me know how they’re working out for you!

3 Tips for Positioning Yourself in Your Internship Program

Well, we’re approaching our sixth week at Come Recommended, and I’d like to share some advice that I find would be helpful to some aspiring interns out there:

Volunteer on Your Own

Maybe you have another expertise besides your current responsibilities. Depending on your availability, it would be beneficial to offer to help out in any additional way you can. This reflects very well on your part.  For example, our public affairs intern, Kristina Allen, has some experience with web development and offered to renovate Heather’s personal Web site.

Be Poised and Professional

Remaining prepared, confident and always composed will leave a lasting impression at your organization. Kate and Caroline have provided much insight on the behaviors and general characteristics of Generation Y in their recent posts. It always reflects positively if you are consistently maintaining a professional and poised demeanor. Remember, you are constantly being judged by your words, actions and behaviors. So, try to leaving positive, lasting impressions in the eyes of your team, boss, coach or mentor.

Bring Forth Key Insights

Anyone can deliver routine tasks, but it takes an innovative individual to take a setback and look beyond it. Are you providing useful ideas about the future growth of your organization? Do you participate during brainstorming sessions and provide valuable insights? Make your creative ideas heard. Don’t be shy, and make sure you effectively communicate your ideas.

I hope this list has provided you with some guidelines on your mission to become ultimate interns! If you have the passion and drive, then go out there, implement these tips and you’ll be on the road to success.

3 Reasons Why a Sponsor Should Come Recommended

What an exciting time to be interning at Come Recommended! This week has been exceptionally wonderful: We have We Want Jobs, Not Trophies in full swing, have been given notable nods for our SlideShare presentation about creating a virtual internship program, and most recently, we’ve unleashed a brilliant division and opportunity for our corporate sponsors—CR|PR!

As the corporate relations intern of Come Recommended, it’s only appropriate that I reveal Come Recommended’s hottest venture: public relations and social media services for our current and future sponsors!

Here are some reasons why I think CR|PR is extraordinary and why this is a unique and grand opportunity for our sponsors:

1. Epitome of Value: If value (in marketing terms) is quality over price, then CR|PR is definitely an outstanding value! The entire team at Come Recommended is a multitalented and resourceful group. Each individual has their particular niche and specialty, enabling CR|PR to offer various public relations and social media services. This is advantageous for potential sponsors because they will receive customized care in any area ranging from strategic planning and research to Web content and design to public affairs consulting. So, they will be pretty much receiving helpful expertise at an affordable rate—now that’s value.

2. Accommodating Packages: What’s great about CR|PR’s services is that it offers a wide range of sponsors can pick and choose from to match their particular small business needs. For example, maybe a potential sponsor is just starting their small business, and they really need help with Web site traffic and grabbing the attention and appeal of Generation Y. No problem! Read on to learn about the vast array of social media services that CR|PR provides for these rising companies.

3. Versatile and Vital Services: The new division will feature a vast selection of public relations service including, but not limited to:  traditional and new media relations, trade show and conference coordination, metrics and analytics and more! In addition, CR|PR is also tapping into the influential platform of social media by offering to create, participate and engage in a sponsor’s Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube pages. Blog strategies for any company are also essential for attracting consumers, and Come Recommended understands that. CR|PR taps into this need by providing blog development and digital strategies for small businesses to leverage.

Overall, it is definitely an exhilarating time to be interning at Come Recommended! Our team is reminded daily of the new ideas and innovation surrounds us. Creativity, brainstorming and a wonderful team all helped make this notable service available to all our current and future sponsors. Please contact me on Twitter @SunainaB or via e-mail sunaina.bhatnagar@comerecommended.com if you have any questions. And as always, visit and bookmark our site, as many changes are taking place!

3 Steps to Maintain a Strong Online Presence and Personal Brand

A recent article on Examiner.com discusses how the Class of 2010 will be suffering from a decrease in the job market. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), hiring will be down 7% for the Class of 2010. The Examiner.com article also suggests the importance of building a strong online presence. The following are three crucial steps that I believe are essential to maintaining a strong online presence:

1. Recognize that the Internet does NOT have an erase option: Everything on the Internet is permanent. It is imperative to be careful about the content you post on the Web. With the ease of search engines like Google, it is becoming easier than ever to find out all you need to know about a person before you actually meet them. A 2007 Harvard Business Review study titled, “We Googled You,” is an excellent interactive case study that discusses the information that is now accessible to employers on candidates. Make sure you “Google” your name often, and analyze what appears on the first few pages of the search engine result page (SERP). Most employers will not go past the ninth page on the Web; however, regularly executing this task is a good idea to get to know what type of content pops up when someone searches your name.

2. Make sure your social networking sites are up to par: We all have goofy pictures, but with the ease and mobility of digital communications, personal content is spreading faster than it takes you to read this post. It is important to make sure wild images do not get in the hands of potential employers. When building your online brand, make sure your Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites reveal the image that you would like to portray to a potential employer. Would YOU hire someone with a beer in one hand and partying all over? Don’t think so. Such social networking sites appear on the first ten results page of Google, and can potentially destroy an employer’s image of you.

3. Use social networking sites to leverage your brand: Are you an aspiring artist? A passionate writer? Or maybe you love to bake cupcakes! Regardless of your expertise or personal goals, you can definitely showcase your talents for the world to see via content on the Web. Don’t be shy about leveraging your personal brand and demonstrating your skills. You can give employers a snapshot of your work through a customized and focused blog. Or maybe you could brand yourself as an expertise in a certain field of interest. For example, Heather R. Huhman uses Twitter to promote her years of experience as a hiring manager and public relations professional.

Although Web makes privacy an issue and information more accessible, this can definitely be used to your advantage! Get up to speed on creating an online brand so you are not left behind. Being a member of Gen Y, it is imperative and almost expected that I created a strong online presence to demonstrate and showcase my skills for the world to see, and you can do it too!

Dust Yourself Off—and Try Again!

Hello, everyone!

I have been reviewing an ongoing survey Come Recommended is conducting, which features what frustrates Generation Y most about their job searches, and further, what they would like to see improved.

I could sense the anguish and distress in many of your responses, and my advice is:

Never, and I mean never, give up hope.

I graduated from George Mason University with a Bachelors of Science in Biology and minor in Business, thinking that I wanted to be a dentist. After assisting in the field, I realized that being in people’s mouths all day long was just not for me. After a lot of strategizing, I decided to switch my focus to my other passion—communications.

I had always loved my communications’ classes, but as an undergraduate I never foresaw it transpiring into a career.

That is until an opportunity at Georgetown University’s’ Master of Professional Studies in Public Relations and Corporate Communications arose.

I tell people that communications literally came to me at a time when I was frustrated and beyond concerned about my future career outlook. (Yes—I was hyperventilating at 22!)

Once at Georgetown, I tried to look for jobs in the profession, but I was constantly being shut down for lack of experience. I thought to myself, “Why are even entry-level jobs being so picky…requiring 1-3 years of experience? And why don’t they take into consideration that I’m changing fields, and in the process of earning my Master’s degree?”

Interview after interview, and things were so not looking so bright.

Nothing comes without hard work, though. I decided that my résumé needed some more PR experience, and as you read in my first post, I found my niche at Come Recommended.

I am so proud and honored to be interning for such a great organization that is committed to a cause that affects Generation Y so greatly.

Some of you may need to do what I am doing and go back and accentuate your experience with an internship, maybe even a virtual one (hint, hint: Come Recommended). Prior to this internship, corporate communications was an area that I had yet to practice, but I’m gaining invaluable inexperience with the Come Recommended team and Heather.

Good things come to hard workers who are persistent and have a strong work ethic. Make sure you continue to network with everyone you meet, and by network I mean building a two-way relationship. Don’t just expect to get something from someone and not reciprocate the kind act!

In this weak job market, don’t get discouraged. No puny job market can take away from the strong talent that is stored within you.

As Bo Jackson would say: “Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there!”

Good luck, everyone.