First of all, I want to apologize that this blog post took me for-ev-er to write. On Nov. 3, PRSSA and AdFed were hosts to Craig Pladson and Allison Janney (2010 UST graduate!) from Colle+McVoy and Exponent; and since then, my COJO senior capstone has consumed every aspect of my life. I’m not kidding; I think I’m actually dreaming about media ethics and philosophical arguments.
Anyway.
Craig and Allison came prepared, with a snazzy presentation, and extensive knowledge and advice! The theme of the day: standing out.
For Colle+McVoy, standing out is an expression of its culture and is ultimate work objective. Allison and Craig, though, suggested applying the same concept on a personal level. As students, we constantly have to market ourselves to potential employers, creating a personal brand that enables us to stand out among our peers in a competitive industry. So, our presenters boiled it down to five key ways to do just that, to stand out as a student and young professional:
1) Find your passion. I don’t know about you, but I find that we are preached this so often, but no one really takes it seriously. Allison and Craig do. Most important, don’t fake it because people can tell if you’re not genuine. Find what excites you and do what you love, so that you can love what you do. Truly, it’s the key to a happy working life. Most importantly, don’t settle.
2) Establish your brand. Be who you are. There are so many expectations and protocol that we’re to follow during the job search that I think this sometimes gets lost. Showcase your personality and what makes you unique. Find what you do well and embrace it. Sell yourself passionately and professionally, and be confident in your abilities. Be you.
3) Connect meaningfully. Use your student title to your advantage and talk to people in the industry. Network thoughtfully through genuine interaction and interest. Of course, being informed is expected, but go beyond those basics. Go ahead, do some creeping on Twitter or LinkedIn, find out what the professionals are working on and talk to them about those projects. Although sometimes a little spooky, knowing more than just the basics allows for more relevant conversation sooner, which can lead to great networking that can give you access to internships or jobs.
4) Master the basics. Spelling. Punctuation. Grammar. It may seem like “elementary, my dear Watson,” but you should continue to practice these essential skills and build on your existing knowledge. Many PR jobs require a writing test for applicants, so be sure to review your AP style handbook and the basics you learned in PR Writing. More importantly, you should be willing and able to do the “easy stuff” because that’s what leads to the big stuff.
5) Try and try again. We’re entering into a competitive industry, so chances are there may be times someone tells you “no.” As a perfectionist myself, failure is one of the scariest parts of reality; however, Allison and Craig assured us that it is a normal part of the process. Be open to criticism and feedback, and use that information constructively. Figure out why you failed and improve yourself. Then, be persistent. Try again.
