Valerie Simon
Tuesday evening, January 25th, I had the pleasure of speaking to a room filled with PR recruiters and those seeking a job in the public relations industry at the HR Roundtable, presented by PRSA-NY New Professionals Committee and NYU’s PR League. The HR Roundtable offered attendees the opportunity to meet with recruiters from New York City’s top agencies. Special guests included:
Jami Secchi, Edelman
Katie DiChristopher, Marina Maher Communications
Lucy Cherkasets, Clarity Media Group
Marie Raperto, Cantor Integrated Marketing Staffing, Inc
Mindy Gikas, Ruder Finn, Inc
Sara Whitman, Peppercom
Jennifer Greenberg, Quantum Management Services.
Each offered their advice and insights in small group sessions.
“As the old saying goes, it’s not always what you know, but who you know,” explains Jason Brownely, co-chair, PRSA-NY New Professionals Committee and assistant account executive, M Booth & Associates Inc. “It is for this reason the PRSA-NY New Professionals Committees number one goal is to connect public relations professionals entering the job market at every level with opportunities to meet their peers and gain advice from experts in the industry.”
Other important insights overheard at the roundtables:
How do I get my foot in the door?
“With the volume of requests I receive, I can’t do informational interviews with everyone so it helps to make a connection, whether through LinkedIn or through someone you know who works in the company you want to work for, says Secchi.
Should someone accept a lower position or even entry-level position if they are moving to a new country, but have experience working in two or three other countries (including the U.S.)? “I thought that was very intriguing, and obviously many people are having to “come in” at lower or entry levels so they can break into agency life or just get a job,” said Whitman. “In this case, I told the person to focus more on identifying how her skills will translate and add value in her new home versus looking for entry-level positions. One of the strongest things a communications pro (and PR pro in particular) is to spend time positioning his/her self first, which will make matching skills and experience with an open position – or even just with a company – much easier.”
How often should candidates touch base or follow up with a recruiter? Once a month, recommends Secchi. “You want to be consistent but you don’t want to be a nudge,” she explains. “Because of the volume of resumes and emails companies receive, we can’t always get back to everyone daily so a monthly check in is totally appropriate. I also wanted people to know that they shouldn’t be discouraged or take it personally if they don’t get an interview.”
Secchi also reminded those she met that, “It could be timing, it could be the particular specs of a position, it could be that the position was filled internally so you just never know.”
Brownely notes that the New Professionals Committee will be hosting a number of events similar to this one, throughout the year. He encourages anyone looking to succeed in the public relations industry to become a member of PRSA-NY and to join the New Professionals section.
I Want To Live In The Future Too! QR Codes And The Storytelling Experience
Wednesday, October 27th, 2010Denise Giacin*
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending a PRSA-NY book signing at Baruch College/CUNY for Nick Bilton’s new book I Live In The Future & Here’s How It Works. New York Times reporter and Bits blog technology writer, Nick Bilton presented his book and offered his perspective of the changes in the world’s media landscape. Bilton stressed the need and importance for people to adapt to these changes (no more “this is too advanced for me” excuses).
One of the changes Bilton points out is the shift in people paying for experiences, not content. Without giving too much away, he talks about when he actually cancelled his home delivery of the New York Times. This was shocking for me to hear at first. But when I read about why he chose to cancel, I completely understood. Staying true to his beliefs, Bilton’s book provides the reader with a unique experience by having a QR (Quick Read) code – a type of bar code – at the beginning of each chapter.
I downloaded ScanLife (one of many applications available for reading QR codes) onto my Droid X and was able to scan the QR code. The code prompted my phone to open its browser for additional content on nickbilton.com related to the chapter I was reading. There were videos, links, and even a comments section. I was very impressed and certainly felt like these additions enhanced my experience of reading the book.
Another important topic, in I Live In The Future & Here’s How It Works, is the idea of “anchoring communities” and pertains to how we organize all of the information we receive through the web. Who we are friends with on Facebook and who we follow on Twitter, for example, help make up this community as a way to filter what information we pay attention to. I think it is imperative for organizations to realize people are receiving their information quickly and from many different channels.
Bilton’s book is straightforward and honest. He writes, “I’m not going to wake up one day and say, ‘Hey, the Web isn’t for me, I’m going to start buying CDs, print books, and newspapers again.’ I’m among the era of new consumers and contributors, and we’re looking for new forms of content and storytelling.”
If you are struggling to get a grasp on these concepts, I strongly suggest you pick up I Live In The Future & Here’s How It Works. Other topics in Bilton’s book discuss the correlation between video games and the performance of surgeons, how our brains adapt to change, the concept of “1, 2, 10”, and technologies in the not-so-distant future.
If you’ve read Bilton’s book, what are some of the points you found most relevant to the communications industry? How will you be applying his concepts to your next PR or marketing initiative? Please share your thoughts with me and the readers of BurrellesLuce Fresh Ideas.
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*Bio: Prior to joining the BurrellesLuce Client Service team in 2008, Denise worked in the marketing industry for three years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Connecticut, where she gained experience interning in PR and working for student organizations. By engaging readers on the Fresh Ideas blog Denise hopes to further her understanding of client needs. In her spare time, she is passionate about Team in Training (The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s charity sports training program) and baking cupcakes. Her claim to fame: red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. LinkedIn: dgiacin Twitter: @denise10283 Facebook: BurrellesLuce
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