Lindsay Olson

Pay it Back, Pay it Forward — A Moral Imperative

This is a guest post by Gerry Corbett.

More than 100 people have sought advice from me in just the last six months on topics ranging from cold calling, search techniques, bad bosses, jumping ship, jumping fences, compelling resumes, coaching references, and building networks.  I have seen or heard the good bad and the downright ugly.  Consistently what strikes me as I look back is the lack of knowing or understanding "the art of doing well by doing good."  I am talking about paying it back and paying it forward.

While it may be a generalization, so many of the "gainfully employed" are woefully ignorant of the nature of the job search and the incredible frustration endured by job seekers as they pursue the hunt.  Sometimes it bears remembering that the shoe can be on the other foot.  With this in mind, here are a few do′s for those working stiffs who may be contacted by people looking to get out of the unemployment queue.

1. Respond to your friends′ requests for advice, connections or referrals! Sure you are busy.  But take some time to consider helping a friend and even someone who could be a potential friend or colleague.
2. Remember and heed the past! Consider those times when you were in the job hunt.  Do you recall how disappointing it was to get no response from anyone?  Why not shave 15 minutes off your lunch hour to make a couple of calls or emails to help folks connect.
3. Return the favor! Are there folks who have helped you in your job or during your career that are facing bleak career prospects?  How about the supplier who saved your skin at the last minute or the client that kept you in business with more business?  Reciprocity is a two way street.  Get busy helping!
4. Be proactive! In the course of your day, have you received a call from a recruiter looking for referrals?   How much time could it take to provide names of friends and/or colleagues that might fit the job description?   Are there jobs going begging in your own company?  Why not reach out to friends that could be a good fit and get them into your firm for interviews?
5. Say a good word! If you have friends, colleagues or acquaintances looking for new opportunities, consider endorsing their capabilities. Web sites such as LinkedIn are a great platform to sing the praises of folks that have done a particularly spectacular job for you either as boss, employee, supplier, mentor or even nemesis.
6. Students are people too! Get involved in helping young people.  Did you ever have a mentor that showed you the ropes or gave you disaster-avoiding advice?  Sure you did.  Take some time and be a mentor.  Help others avoid pitfalls that may have challenged you.  Spread your wings and take a couple people under them.

Paying it back and paying it forward is just the moral thing to do.  In this economy, or any economy, helping people always pays dividends.

Gerard "Gerry" F. Corbett is the PR Job Coach and  Founder and Consultant of Redphlag LLC, a marketing consulting firm.  He has served four decades in technology PR most recently as vice president of branding of Hitachi for more than 12 years. You can contact Gerry at coach at prjobcoach dot com or follow him on Twitter @prjobcoach.

Image credit: LiminalMike

Eat and Run? Should I Leave the Table Hoping for Something Better?

This is a guest post by technology PR pro and the PR Job Coach, Gerry Corbett.

Thanks to the skittish economy, the job market today is not easy pickings.  I have gotten more than a handful of letters asking whether now is the time to leave an existing role for hoped-for greener pastures.  My answer is now is not the time to jump head first into the job market.  If you read the New York Times on Sunday, September 26, you learned that job seekers now outnumber openings by six to one.  These are not great odds.  So stick with the current gig, try to expand it, broaden your skill set and prepare for better times.

Since you currently have a position, use your time now to plan well and perform the due diligence required to take advantage of any upturn in the job market for public relations professionals. So what would I recommend? If you have the time, use it wisely and judiciously. Here are some rules of the road.

1. If you have not done so already, network and keep building your network. Get out and meet other colleagues. Get active in your local PRSA, IABC, Social Media, Publicity Club organization or chapter of your choice. Go to meetings and engage.
2. Institutionalize your network using tools like Linkedin, Facebook, Plaxo, etc. Tools like these afford you the luxury of never having to update your own Rolodex®.  Your network keeps it up to date.
3. Check your online brand. Google yourself.  If there is nothing about you, start building it on your terms. Craft your profile on Linkedin, Facebook, Google Profiles, Plaxo, etc. in ways that shine light on your accomplishments.  If you are there, insure it is on your terms. Even look at other interesting venues like Slideshare and VisualCV to help you illustrate what you do well and how you do it. Most important, spotlight how you have helped your employers move the needle.
4. Volunteer. Believe it or not, employers do not discount volunteer experiences, they may likely admire your generosity to give back or "pay it forward." Volunteering is not just good for the beneficiary, but you. Volunteering can help you stretch and learn new skills and expand your value add.
5. Try to broaden your current job responsibilities. Look at ways that you can do your job better, for lower cost or greater efficiency.  Volunteer to take on new responsibilities that relate to what you already do.  Demonstrate to your current employer that you have its interest at heart and are the consummate superstar they have always dreamed of attracting.

Again, while you have a gig, do it well. And build your current asset base so when the time comes to change, you'll be ready.

Gerard "Gerry" F. Corbett is the PR Job Coach and  Founder and Consultant of Redphlag LLC, a marketing consulting firm.  He has served four decades in technology PR most recently as vice president of branding of Hitachi for more than 12 years. You can contact Gerry at coach at prjobcoach dot com.

Photo credit: SirWiggle

Mission Impossible? Migrating to a Career in Public Relations

This is a guest post by technology PR pro and the PR Job Coach, Gerry Corbett.

Being a public relations job coach, I am constantly advising folks about how best to manage and architect their growth as public relations professionals.  Lately though, I am receiving queries about how to migrate into a career in PR from journalism.

Welcome to Mission Impossible!  Making a career change in this economic environment is challenging at best.  However, it is doable with some planning and diligence. For certain, if you currently have a job in journalism it is definitely good training for a career in PR.  That said, do not quit your day job until you have done some preparation.

Here are some steps to consider:

1. Enroll yourself in a PR bootcamp. Check the professional development sites of PRSA, IABC and/or other professional communications organization Web sites.

2. Start developing a network of PR professionals who can give you insight into their jobs. You might even ask one or two PR pros to allow you to shadow them for a couple days to give you first hand knowledge of what public relations folks do. You can do this by attending meetings  and workshops by your local PRSA, IABC, or publicity club chapters.

3. Expand your network of contacts and begin to institutionalize them through tools such as Linkedin and Facebook.

4. Start building an online portfolio of your work that you can use at some point when you begin looking for PR positions.

5. Pick up a couple of books on public relations and read them. You can get some recommendations at Amazon.

6. Start assessing your online brand and insure that what is on the web about you is correct and is positioned the way you want. Build, enhance and/or check your profiles on Linkedin, Facebook, Myspace, Google Profile, Twitter, Digg, Tumblr, Ning, etc. etc. Make sure the information is accurate and says what you want.

Gerard "Gerry" F. Corbett is the PR Job Coach and  Founder and Consultant of Redphlag LLC, a marketing consulting firm.  He has served four decades in technology PR most recently as vice president of branding of Hitachi for more than 12 years.