We get a ton of requests monthly for information sessions from budding PR professionals who are seeking a career in PR. I wish we could accommodate all the requests (but work gets in the way), as I know how important it is to these young PR wannabes who need some guidance and some sage advice.
We don’t want to turn down these requests so we’ve decided to hold an “Open Mic” Information Session inside the Maverick Manor. The session is open to any recent public relations/corporate communications grads and current students. We are hosting the session the evening of November 9th at 6:00 p.m. We’ll have several Maverick professionals from various levels and practice areas on hand who can address all kinds of questions.
If you’re interested, please RSVP to Elana, at elanaz@maverickpr.com. We are almost full ... so let Elana know if you want to attend asap. We only have so many seats left.
Hope you see you out on the 9th and come armed with questions (and your resume!) – we hope to answer them all!
I’ve been struggling lately over my blog. It’s been dormant for a while and, quite frankly, it was intentional. There are a million and one things I could blog about, but I want to stay somewhat focused from a PR perspective.
The worst part of blogging is once you start, you really shouldn’t stop, especially when you get so much grief from friends who complain about your long absence from your last blog post.
I’ll let the theme of this blog post centre around getting that first PR internship position. I truly understand how important getting a foot in the door is because it can be a life altering meeting. Believe me, I’ve been there and I’m still grateful to this day that Edward Gould at NATIONAL PR took a chance on me 22 years ago. Thank you, Ed!
When you get a shot in front of a senior decision maker and you’re applying for that one internship position, here are a few pointers from a gal who has been there done that.
1. Do some research on the person interviewing you and the company. Check out their LinkedIn profile, read their blog/twitter posts, do an in-depth Google search on the company, and look for news about the company. Pretend you are cramming for a test. During the interview, pull a “Brian Linehan” kind of question – he was the best interviewer ever and totally shocked celebrities with his breakthrough questions. If you don’t know who he was, ask someone over 40.
2. Look great! Yup, I still believe you need to dress the part. Shoes, hair, makeup, nails – pay attention to the little details. The person interviewing you is not just sizing you up as an intern, but actually thinking, “Could I put this person in front of a client?”
3. When you get asked why you want the job, be really creative, insightful and profound. Comment on the company’s culture being a great fit or the kind of contribution you’d like to make. Make a direct correlation between you and the company.
4. A few don’ts: Don’t fidget, don’t check your mobile device, don’t take a phone call, don’t talk too much, don’t play with your hair and don’t ask stupid questions. Easy stuff.
5. Lastly. Ask when a decision will be made and follow up quickly with something creative. You need to stand out after the interview. Look like you want the job. It’s ok to be a little aggressive. You’ll look hungry. Just remember your ABCs: Always Be Closing... until you hear those three dreaded words, “No, thank-you.”
Good luck!
Recently we’ve been interviewing for a junior position in our office (don’t send me any more resumes please as we’ve just filled it) and many of the candidates were really solid. But something I found a bit odd when reviewing the resumes was the lack of personal interest information. That section in a resume called “Interests” is really of interest to me.
I’m not sure when teachers told students not to add anything personal to a resume. When did resume writing become so stiff, bland and boring? Kinda of like our Canadian elections, but I digress...
At the account coordinator level, I’m not expecting a vast portfolio of work and press clippings to impress me. You and your personality need to impress me. I don’t care to pour over your school project portfolio. It’s meaningless. But what I do care about is your summer job flipping burgers and the fact that you like hot yoga or traveling through Eastern Europe with a backpack.
Don’t skip the interest section. Tell me something about yourself so that we can find some common ground or a point of discussion. That’s called building rapport and it’s essential to winning new clients and getting your foot in the door. In fact, make that section stand out. Instead of saying you like reading, cooking and fitness, reword it and say you love spy novels, Nigella Lawson cooking, and extreme kick-boxing. Be creative and stand out.
I once wrote in my resume that I would one day like to write a book. It was more of an aspirational interest but that little point landed me a part-time job working for one of my professors. He was so impressed by that. Note: I never did actually get around to writing that book.
So my tip for job seekers is this: spice up your resume, be creative, and show me who you really are. Add a little personality to an otherwise dreary two-page CV.
It might be the only section I actually will read.
