This is a post by PR columnist, Alison Kenney.
It’s been ten years since I launched my own independent PR consultancy and I like to think I’ve learned a little along the way. When I look around, the view is certainly a little different now compared to what my life and job looked like ten years ago.
A decade ago I was leading sizable account teams for a top PR firm. I worked long hours at the office and spent weeks working on-site at a client’s office in another city. Today I work for myself and for my small and medium-sized clients – most of whom don’t have internal marketing resources of their own. My office is one room in my home and I sometimes put work projects on hold for an hour in the day to shuttle my two children to their activities or to help them with their homework after school. The one thing that hasn’t changed over the past decade is my excitement for public relations and the satisfaction I get from using my skills to make a difference in my clients’ businesses.
Here’s what I’ve learned over the past decade:
There’s no “right way” to have a career. Smart, senior PR professionals come in lots of different forms. Some are most productive working in a traditional environment with traditional supports, and others only work best when they’re free to be their own person. Some people thrive when they have exciting, award-worthy campaigns and products to lead. Others enjoy more consistent day to day work and relationship-building. Some like to be perceived as “big thinkers,” while other fear flying solo.
There’s also no “right time” – whether you’re trying to plan for a career change, starting a family or jumping into an exciting new project. Rather than basing opportunities on some subjective timing – e.g. “by the time I’m 30 I’ll have reached VP-level,” – it’s more important to find the opportunities that feel too great to pass up and then give them all you’ve got.
You won’t get far at anything without support. Whether you get your support in-person, after-hours or online, clients, co-workers, peers, mentors and friends play a role in so many parts of our day. I credit a former co-worker, who struck out on her own about a year ahead of me, for giving me the motivation to launch my solo career. She also pulled me into her own practice and literally showed me the ropes. (Thanks, Marian!)
Sometimes you have to go with “it” and see where it takes you. Best laid plans and all that — then suddenly you look back on a decade…or even just the past year…and, while inventorying your experiences and where you’ve wound up, realize you’ve developed a nice little niche in a market you would never have known to pick for yourself.
Working alone means you have one tough boss. We’ve all heard about how we are our own toughest critics and that’s true enough. Working for yourself also means you are responsible for motivating yourself, critiquing yourself and pushing yourself toward improvement.
Never put off your life for your career. As I’m fond of telling people these days, “we have our whole lives to work.” While I sometimes create more stress for myself by shortening my workdays a bit, I’ll never regret making time to meet a friend for lunch or a walk.
Keep an eye on the competition. What I mean is this: by following others in the PR world, you can see how they are talking about themselves and their work, see where they’re going and what they’re doing. It’s inspiring to me to follow industry leaders or people who are in the thick of dynamic PR projects. Sales teams do this all the time, for more competitive reasons.
In PR, you are the sum of your work experiences. I feel this more acutely as a solo practitioner, but it’s true whether you work in a big agency, corporate setting or small office. Most of us get hired based on the work we’ve done in the past and the experiences we’ve accumulated. Knowing this has helped me realize that it’s important to be proactive about the type of work I say yes to. It’s not easy saying no, but I consider the industry, the type of work and who I’ll be working with very carefully.
Alison Kenney an independent PR practitioner with more than 15 years of PR consulting experience. She is based on Boston’s North Shore and has worked with organizations in the technology, professional services and consumer industries. She writes a bi-monthly PR column on LindsayOlson.com. You can find her at www.kprcommunications.com. Learn more about Alison Kenney.
Losing a job can be difficult if you don’t have a game plan. Authors Richard S. Deems, Ph.D. and Terri A. Deems, Ph.D. address the emotional stress of losing a job as well as how to create a plan to get your next job and get back on track in Make Job Loss Work for You: Get Over It and Get Your Career Back on Track.
Dealing with the Emotional
This book does a fantastic job of addressing the emotional side of losing a job. The authors have what they call the Job Loss Cycle, which parallels a lot of the general grief process. It includes:
- Shock and disbelief: Feeling like you’re in a fog. Might also include relief. May last hours or days.
- Anger and resentment: Due to the lack of control you’re feeling, you may direct your anger at the person or company that let you go, or you may keep it internal.
- Denial and bargaining: You may be unable to accept that you no longer have a job.
- Self-doubt and put-downs: You may begin to doubt your abilities and skills.
- Withdrawal and depression: You may be reluctant to start looking for another job.
- Acceptance and affirmation: Finally, you’re ready to move on to the next phase of your life.
Getting into a New Routine
The authors stress the importance of finding a new routine during your job hunt. They say you should structure your day to mimic what you did at work. Richard’s example is that he read the Wall Street Journal each morning at work, so once he was unemployed, he continued reading the newspaper every morning.
They suggest spending four to eight hours a day (five days a week) searching for a job. Break that up with other routines, like exercise and spending time with your family.
Look at Your Skills and Goals
Your next job will be a great opportunity for you to use the skills you’ve learned at past jobs. This book has some great worksheets that help you identify what you’ve done well in the past, as well as determine what you want in your next job.
During the Job Hunt
The authors stress the importance of staying organized while you’re looking for your next job. They suggest keeping a spreadsheet of all jobs you apply for, as well as tracking interviews and communications you’ve had with hiring managers.
Some great tips included on how to beef up your cover letter: For example, using bullet points to highlight your qualifications in your cover letter makes for an easy scan.
The authors also provide five JobGetting steps to help:
- Research the position: Find out who is in charge of hiring, and contact them.
- Research the organization: Go online to learn about the company. Read press releases and social media updates.
- Evaluate your strengths and interests: Determine whether this job would take advantage of your skills and interests.
- Design your positioning strategy: Decide how you will position yourself to be the most sought-after candidate.
- Implement: Deliver your application, and follow up after a few weeks.
Conclusion
Most job seekers wouldn’t think about buying a book to help them find their next role, but this book does a fantastic job of making your work easier. It’s well worth the investment in Make Job Loss Work for You: Get Over It and Get Your Career Back on Track. And one lucky winner will get my review copy! Just leave a comment and I’ll pick a winner randomly on January 18th, 2012.
When is the last time you gave yourself a self-evaluation? Can you easily discuss and demonstrate your professional strengths? When searching for a job, you need to know what makes you different and how you can stand out from the crowd of competition.
Discovering Your Strengths
While you probably have an idea of what you are good at when it comes to your main strengths, you likely take many of them for granted. Perhaps you don’t realize how much you do excel in certain areas in comparison to other people in similar positions, especially in the beginning of your career or if you work in a company that doesn’t offer much feedback.
Look at what you enjoy doing and listen to when you receive a compliment. What skills did it take to accomplish the project you were complimented on? Make a list of the activities or responsibilities you enjoy and that you accomplish easily.
Ask for feedback from friends and colleagues. Save your old performance reviews to reflect upon the comments your previous bosses have given and areas where you have continued to professionally develop.
What to Do with Weaknesses
It’s just as important to understand your professional weak spots. Be honest with yourself. What do you typically try to avoid doing in your job? What tasks tend to be delegated to other team member regularly? The answers are signs that will help you determine some of the areas you need to work on.
Improving Your Resume
Once you’ve identified both your strengths and weaknesses, take another look at your resume. Find ways to inject more of your strengths in for each job listed on your resume. And if you’re applying for a specific job, look to see what the role requires and match your skill set to those responsibilities.
The more detailed you are in terms of numbers, the more qualified and confident you come across on paper.
How to Sell Yourself
When it comes to the job interview, your resume will get you in the door, but it’s up to you to sell yourself. Don’t be afraid to point out your best qualities and show prospective employers how you have taken initiative to work on your weaker areas.
If you’re asked one of those difficult questions, like “what is your greatest weakness,” use it to show your self-confidence and show you are self-aware. Admit where you’ve faltered in the past, and explain how you identified this as something to work on, as well as your progress in that area.
Knowing your professional strengths can only help your job search and will enable you to craft a more appealing presentation to future employers.
This is a guest post by Alison Kenney.
It’s that time of year…when families gather for the holidays lots of things can happen. Those of us in the PR profession have more than likely experienced at least a couple awkward conversations about our work with family members who don’t quite understand PR. Since I’ve already blogged about my family’s inability to understand what it means when I say I work in PR, I’ll focus this blog on the other awkward work-related conversation that inevitably comes up at this time of year: what happens when family members, or friends, ask for your PR help.
Now, don’t get me wrong — I know we all have family and friends who we’d do anything for, and many of us have benefited from the help and advice of family members. Yet sometimes these situations can get sticky.
Take, for example, situations like these:
- A family member is excited to work with you and promises to pay you for your time and expertise…but they have no idea what the cost of your service will be.
- A relative outlines an “opportunity” or “project” that you would never consider taking on if it came from someone who was not a family member.
- Friends dangle in-kind payback that is not at all enticing to you: “I’ll introduce you to all my poker buddies entrepreneur friends so they can call you when they need advertising PR advice.”
- No matter how expert you are, or how respected you are in your industry, when your great Aunt Ruth or your older brother need you, they know how to reach you and they know your personal soft spots and what to say to get you to do their bidding.
- You’re asked to get on board and help with publicity for a product or company that doesn’t exist yet. Maybe it’s more fun to talk about publicity than other business infrastructure issues, but these prospects are nowhere near the RFP stage. They don’t need PR right now; they need to find a manufacturer first.
- After you take on a project with an old friend (even though you knew better) and it ended up going way over the anticipated scope of work, they have the nerve to criticize the (pro bono) work you did. For years to come, they will continue to mutter about your inability to get them results.
- And the #1, most common request from friends and family: asking for your PR help for a product or company in an industry that is not related in any way to the career experience you’ve built over the years.
- Remember, there’s a big difference between doing business with your friends and becoming friends with the people you work with.
If you have any remaining doubt, I leave you with this funny org chart that can help you decide whether it makes sense to work with a family member: http://shouldiworkforfree.com/
.Alison Kenney an independent PR practitioner with more than 15 years of PR consulting experience. She is based on Boston’s North Shore and has worked with organizations in the technology, professional services and consumer industries. She writes a bi-monthly PR column on LindsayOlson.com. You can find her at www.kprcommunications.com. Learn more about Alison Kenney.
With your social calendar full of holiday parties this time of year, take advantage of the opportunity to network and build contacts that might help you find a job. Here are 10 tips to help you.
- Schedule as many networking opportunities as possible. This includes holiday parties at companies you want to work for, as well as networking groups, conferences, workshops and one-on one events. While you don’t want to overbook yourself to the point of exhaustion, you want to take advantage of this season, which has more events than the rest of the year. Plus, people are in better moods right now, thanks to the holidays, which is even more of a reason to kick networking into high gear!
- Don’t pitch yourself at the party. Focus on making friends. Yes, you want a job. But networking isn’t about pushing your agenda. It’s about making contacts and nurturing them. So you might meet a hiring manager at a party tomorrow. Rather than announcing your needs in the job department, follow up with an email. Then invite her to coffee or lunch. Maintain the relationship, and at the right time, you can ask about a job. Tactfully.
- Don’t slack off on the job hunt right now. It might be tempting to forgo your daily job search to wrap gifts instead, but you’d be making a big mistake. Many people assume job hunting is dead during the holidays, but in fact, the holidays are a great time to work on those relationships. Hiring managers are more available with work slowing, so it’s a great time to make contact, either over the phone or in-person.
- Strategically plan to be at parties where you know key decision makers will be. If you’re not sure which parties to fill your dance card with, aim for the ones with people who work for the companies you want to work for. If you’re lucky, you might have a friend who works for that company who can invite you to the annual holiday party. But also look at networking groups (check Meetup and see who the members are) to find the key decision makers.
- Send holiday cards as followup to meeting people. Networking isn’t just about drinking eggnog with other people; it also includes the follow-up. This time of year, you will stand out by sending a holiday card to your newly-made contacts. Handwrite a short note telling them how nice it was to meet them at the X party. Include your business card if you didn’t already exchange them at the party. Include a personal mention, playing off the conversation you had (“I hope your son wins the soccer tournament!”) to add a little more intimate connection.
- Schedule a coffee meeting if you feel the connection is solid enough. As you nurture these contacts, you’ll interact with them more and more. It might start out with a few emails back and forth. But if it feels right (you think the person will be receptive), invite your new contact out for coffee. Your objective here isn’t to ask for a job, but rather to get advice. Maybe it’s to ask what this particular company looks for in an employee, or maybe it’s to get mentored on how you can improve your skills to be more hireable. If your contact is comfortable with you and is in a position to help, let her ask if she can give you a reference or set up an interview.
- Find local meetings in your industry and participate. A great way to meet the movers and shakers in your industry is by diving in headfirst. Find groups in your area that meet monthly to discuss topics that relate to your field. This will help you get the behind-the-scenes buzz on who’s hiring and what they’re looking for.
- Don’t drink too much! We’ve all heard about the office party that went a little crazy. While it’s fine to have a glass of wine, remember you’re networking to impress. If the hiring manager’s memory of you involves a lampshade, you probably won’t fall high on the hiring list.
- Focus on giving, rather than getting. Networking is about creating value. Don’t go into it looking for what you can get out of it. Instead, focus on how you can make yourself useful to new people. Maybe you can recommend a good book to read, or connect a new contact to a graphic designer if she’s looking for one. The more you give, the more people will stick around. And they’ll want to give back to you!
- Don’t forget your business cards! This one seems like a no-brainer, but I can’t tell you how many industry events I’ve attended where people had forgotten their business cards! Make sure yours has up-to-date contact information, and that you have enough to exchange. (Better too many than not enough!)
Keep these tips in mind as you network throughout December. Remember, it’s about developing long-term relationships, not getting what you want right now.
This is a post by PR columnist, Alison Kenney.
In the world of PR, solo practitioners have a bit of mystery about them. Without an affiliation to an organization they can be hard to place. And while each individual PR professional has their own unique qualities, here are a few universal truths about solo PR pros that you may not have known:
Solo PR pros are self-motivated – working independently means they come up with their own program ideas and strategies and put it all into action themselves. While there is give-and-take with clients, solo PR pros have to be their own boss when it comes to staying motivated and delivering results. Consider also that solos take on the risk of finding work and keeping their income flowing steadily.
They can become your most dedicated partners – depending on the nature of their PR work (i.e. short projects versus long-term programs), most solo PR pros work with a small circle of clients at one time. Each client is therefore important to them and their workload. They also may be able to accommodate certain needs or workstyles in a way that a larger PR agency can’t do.
Not all types of solo PR pros are the same – I like to categorize independent PR practitioners as either a freelancer or consultant. Freelancers will take on projects or pieces of projects, such as writing, researching, etc., or may fill in as a PR team member for a temporary period, while a consultant will play a more strategic role and take on the development, as well as the execution, of a PR program.
Their work is personal – many choose to go solo for lifestyle reasons, e.g. to balance work with other needs such as child care, a serious hobby or relationship, or perhaps just because they like the freedom of working for themselves. Being the one who calls the shots also means they typically can pick work that interests them personally.
They have a niche – unlike big PR agencies that can serve a wide range of client types in different industries because they have a large staff to draw upon, a solo PR pro’s niche is defined by their actual experiences. This might be obvious, but with those solo practitioners who don’t call out their specialty, potential clients will have to ask questions and find out more about the person, their experiences and how they work. Most PR pros wouldn’t have the guts to go solo if they didn’t possess a solid command of all the PR basics, and they may say they can apply their expertise to any type of program, but a look at their experience and current roster of work will tell you what their area of expertise is.
The name “solo” is misleading – independent practitioners wouldn’t survive without networks that include connections from pre-solo days, professional associations, partners and other supporters.
Alison Kenney an independent PR practitioner with more than 15 years of PR consulting experience. She is based on Boston’s North Shore and has worked with organizations in the technology, professional services and consumer industries. She writes a bi-monthly PR column on LindsayOlson.com. You can find her at www.kprcommunications.com. Learn more about Alison Kenney.
You know it’s coming. The dreaded interview question.
“What’s your greatest weakness? or “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
Questions like these set you up to be tongue tied. How can you answer them and seem like you’re giving a true-to-self answer, while still pleasing your interviewer?
One thing to note: questions like these are often asked by untrained interviewer. It’s a typical question that usually generates a typical response. It’s easy to say that your greatest weakness is being a perfectionist, or wanting to take on too many projects at once. Isn’t that the answer that the hiring manager wants to hear? Not always.
How do you answer these questions other than to give the interviewer what you think she wants to hear?
Go Into Your Interview Armed with Answers
If you know what to expect in terms of questions, you’ll be less likely to draw a blank for an answer. Read up on the most commonly asked interview questions so you know what to expect. Then, before your interview, sit down and consider how you would answer some of the commonly asked questions (even the dumb ones). Practice your answers in front of a mirror. Aim to make eye contact and be confident in your answer. Repeat this until you stop laughing at yourself!
Aim for the Diplomatic Truth
Sure, you may be applying for a job simply because you need a job, but that’s probably not the answer that will get you hired. Find a better way to word the truth.
Why are you interested in our company?
The truth: They pay well and have a killer bonus structure.
The better truth: Explain that you’re looking to expand your experience. You like the structure. You feel it’s a place where you can help make a difference and find that your core values align with theirs (make sure you know their core values and you’ve read their mission statement!).
What did you leave your last job?
The truth: Your boss had it in for you.
The better truth: You were ready for a new opportunity that would allow you to grow.
What’s your greatest weakness?
The truth: You have none! Of course….
The better truth: Be honest. Pick your true weakness, but be ready to show how you have worked to improve it and how it can also be a strength. Maybe it’s that it’s hard for you to delegate, or the fact that you’re no good at multitasking (that’s actually not a weakness, despite what employers would have you believe). Shape your answer so that the hiring manager sees that you are aware of a weakness, but are ready to make it work for you.
Realize that the interviewer may be trying to bait you to see if you’ll talk negatively about a former employer. Don’t fall for it. Never show your emotion or frustration for a previous employer in an interview.
Also, an employer might present these difficult questions simply to see if you have a realistic sense of self. Telling them with what they want to hear may not score you points. Be true to yourself and don’t pigeonhole yourself into a place you don’t want to be in. If you get the job, you certainly don’t want to have presented yourself falsely in the interview.
Many people assume that the job market slows around the holidays and end of year, but that’s not true. It’s actually a good time to step up your networking and job seeking, so that you position yourself to be the candidate companies turn to when they’re ready to hire.
Think of it like this: Many companies are trying to fill their open requisitions so new employees can start fresh in the new year. Sometimes they need to use up their hiring budget before January. Plus, people tend to be lax on everything during the holidays. People are taking time off to hang out with friends and family. Fewer job seekers are working hard to network, so this gives you the leg up if you dedicate yourself to rubbing elbows with hiring managers. There are plenty of networking events and holiday parties going on, which give you the chance to connect with people from companies where you want to work.
Business is slower for companies, so you’re more likely to get through to the decision maker by phone. You can get more insight about what the company is really looking for in a job candidate (sometimes what the job description doesn’t mention), and you can forge a connection by putting a voice with a name that you only knew via email.
January hiring usually increases a bit, so even if a company isn’t hiring in November or December, you’ll be on your toes by staying up to date on the latest jobs all holiday season long. Your resume will be updated and you’ll know who’s hiring if you continue full-force through the holiday season.
What You Should Be Doing
Make the most of the holidays for networking opportunities. End of the year networking opportunities are abound – from neighborhood get togethers and year-end events for your kids’s school to company holiday parties and holiday networking events. You never know where you might meet your next job connection.
Talking about the holidays is a great way to put people at ease this time of year, whether you’re in a job interview or attending a professional function. Work to build relationships with people, not by announcing your availability and need for a job, but taking an opportunity to get to know them and show a genuine interest in building a relationship. Then follow-up by email or phone occasionally, and when they’re ready to hire, you’ll be top of mind.
You could also send holiday cards to anyone you’ve submitted a resume to or interviewed with recently. Include your business card and a personal note reminding them how you met. Don’t mention anything about the job; stick to holiday wishes.
If you’ve recently graduated or are having trouble getting your foot in the door in your industry of choice, have you considered interning? Interning gives you experience in a variety of areas, and it’s easier to get in a company as an intern than as a full-time employee.
Working as an intern in PR, you can learn how to write press releases, pitch editors and maintain media relationships: all of the skills you will need in a full-time role. You may get invaluable experience in a particular industry that will also make you more marketable.
Having an internship on your resume impresses potential employers and makes you more hireable. It may open the door to a full-time position at the company you intern with if you network with the right people. When my public relations search firm, does get the occasional entry-level positions, our clients almost always ask for a candidate with at least two solid internships under their belt.
Maximize Your Internship
Having an internship is your chance to beef up your resume. Come to the role with ideas of what is it you hope to get out of the internship and seek opportunities to learn. You’re in the position of being able to expand your skillset, getting real world experience, so take advantage of it!
Observe others; you can often learn from other people, not only about how to do a job, but also how to be professional in the workplace, and how to interact with co-workers. If you’re lucky, you’ll find someone who will take you under her wing and teach you what you need to know to succeed.
Where to Find Internships
If you’re in college, check to see if you have a career center that can help you find an internship. Talk to your professors to see if they know of companies who may hire you as an intern. Often the good word from a professor who knows you is enough to get you in, even if you have zero experience.
Many colleges offer recent graduates similar services, so check your alumni network to see if there are any internship sources.
Online, there are several sites that focus on helping you find internships, like USAIntern and About’s Internship Page. If you’re looking for an internship in marketing, PR or social media, try Hoojobs.
Social media offers some inroads to interning as well. Check out hashtags #entrypr, #printern, and #happo on Twitter for internship listings, as well as great advice from PR pros for beginners.
If there’s a specific company you’d love to work for, approach them directly with a pitch on how you’d help them as an intern. Just be sure you can show you competencies because the firm will want the sense that they won’t have to spend a lot of time babysitting you.
According to Heather Huhman, Generation Y Author, Columnist and Mentor,
“In order to determine if an internship program is a good one, look at the following characteristics: mentorship, education, meaningful work, culture, recommendations, and networking opportunities. It shouldn’t matter if you intern at a “big name” company–startups and small businesses provide great experiences, too!”
Things to Know
Internships don’t always pay, so you need to be able to afford to work for free. Not everyone has the flexibility of being able to work without pay, so make sure it’s the right time in your life to do so, or try to find an internship that pays at least minimum wage.
If you’re in college, you may be able to get credit for your internship. Talk to your career center to find out what you need to do to qualify for college credit. You may need some documentation signed by the company who hires you, so arrange for all of that up front.
Your internship should revolve around the types of work you want to do. Unfortunately, some companies take advantage of interns and use them as gophers (“go-pher a cofee for me, go-pher a stapler…”). Set your expectations up front so you know what roles you will be assigned.
Dress up, dress down, a black suit, skirt or pants, hair loose or pulled back….. how you dress for the interview may influence the hiring manager’s decision. See my post on US News & World Report for the tips from industry experts: How to Dress for a Job Interview
This blog is to share my recruiting experiences and discuss thoughts on the job market, PR industry and technology.
Alison Kenney is an independent PR practitioner with more than 15 years of PR consulting experience.
