Back from Extended Vacation

Wow, how the time flies. It’s been one month today since my last post, which is approximately 4 years, 7 months, 19 days, 16 hours, 45 minutes, and 23 seconds in internet time. And that’s about how long it’s felt like with everything that’s happened in that time.

Initially, my break from posting came at the hands of the end of one of my final quarters at Ohio University. I may or may not have had to stay up for 37 hours straight to finish projects and prepare for exams. For all you naysayers who talk of the detriments to working under pressure, I would like to announce that the three courses that caused my self-induced insomnia all came back with a nice, big A on my grade report. In fact, after a solid showing this past quarter, my cumulative GPA has risen to honors status, with an even 3.5- enough for Cum Laude.

So immediately following the end of the quarter, I had to prepare for the LSAT that I decided to take simply to have the option to go to law school if I wanted. (I know, I’m kind of a nerd.) I’ll find out on January 4th for sure, but I feel like I did pretty alright on it.

Then, immediately following the LSAT, I left for Chicago for my interview with Weber Shandwick’s Chicago office. For those of you who have been around a while (hi Grandma K!), this is the interview that stemmed from my Tweet back in August. I was planning on writing about the experience, as I was also supposed to be meeting with Fleishman Hillard and Ketchum as well (via the fantastic Bryan Blaise and Kevin Saghy). However, that plan was soon put to rest by a hard drive failure in my laptop the first morning of my stay. I happened to be in town for the worst day of winter so far, and must say I was not impressed. After everything I had heard about Chicago winters, I was expecting to be unable to move, not walk up and down the city all day. Certainly it was cold (-15 with the wind chill), but with a jacket, a hat and gloves (that would later be unwillingly donated to someone else at a McDonald’s), I was right as rain.

For those of you wondering, the interview went really well. I feel comfortable saying that, as less than a week following the interview I was given the writing test, the next step in the interview process. Having returned the assessment (which was actually pretty fun, again- nerd), it’s now simply a waiting game.

As great as the trip was: seeing old friends, meeting new ones, discovering the rocket-shaped rainbow-colored street lamps of Boys’ Town; it wasn’t nearly as exciting as my trip back to Ohio. It was a hell of a lot more pleasant, but definitely not as exciting.

But that is a story for a post on its own. Suffice it to say, I’m back. And I may not be a PRospective Employee by Christmas. Now that would be enough to renew my faith in the jolly man in red. I’ve got the cookies in the oven big guy.

View from the top… and bottom

During the 2009 PRSSA National Conference, I have had the opportunity to hear some great speakers from a variety of disciplines within the industry. One of my favorite sessions so far was from Ron Culp, Director of Ketchum’s North America Corporate Practice, and Kevin Saghy, an Account Executive at Ketchum Chicago.

The basis for Ron and Kevin’s presentation was providing students with a look from both senior level PR professionals and junior pros who are making their mark in the industry. With information from both presenter’s friends and colleagues, the presentation provided great insight into how students can most effectively make an impression in the workplace.

The conversational style and witty back and forth of the presenters aside, it was the quotes from the (older) and (younger) horse’s mouths, as Kevin humorously categorized them, that packed the most punch.

When asked to provide an example of what young professionals can do to succeed, John Iwata of IBM replied, “They don’t confuse activity for results.” This answer really stuck with me. I feel like too many times young professionals feel the need to constantly be doing busywork, just to maintain the appearance of a good work ethic. Or it could be that you have a great work ethic and want to make the most of your time, but if the work you’re doing is contributing somehow to the end result, you’re not going to be seeing a promotion any time soon.

A particularly rewarding aspect of the presentation was the summarized verbal Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the rookie/veteran insights. For example, both groups were asked what young professionals should NOT do. The senior level management said that PR upstarts should not be credit-hogs, looking to bring more attention to themselves or their contributions to the project. Additionally, it was a consistent message that young professionals should not come in with their own, individual agendas.

“In a culture where teamwork is paramount, there’s really no room for self-promotion,” Nicole Merritt of Cox Communications said.

The young professionals, on the other hand, focused on removing the appearance of the sense of entitlement. It doesn’t matter if you’ve had 5 internships globally, when you start out in a new organization you have to pay your dues.

After the session, Kevin talked about an intern who worked with him that always had a positive attitude, no matter what task was given to her, which led to more responsibility and more enjoyable tasks later on.

For those PRospective employees out there, remember to convey a sense of being a team player who is ready and willing to work in your cover letters and interviews. Have you been a part of an intramural team in school? Done a lot of group work for an organization you’re involved with? focus on those attributes to frame yourself as a team player who’s not just focused on that next promotion. If you try too hard to be a social climber, you may notice your rocks slipping 0ut of your fingers.

Do you have any tips on how to succeed in the workplace? What have you seen that is/is not successful?

PRSSA National Conference 2009

Though the reality of the situation has not yet been fully realized, at this time tomorrow, I will be in San Diego, CA, for the 2009 Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) National Conference.

This is the first year I’ve been involved with PRSSA during my time at Ohio University, despite my heavy involvement in PR activities around campus. My absence from the organization was mostly the fault of my work schedule, which put me on the phones with alumni during the meeting time for half of my college career. Prior involvement excluded, I could not be more excited for my impending maiden voyage to our nation’s western-most state.

I’ll be taking my laptop along for the journey, and as long as the hotel has free wireless, I’ll be live-tweeting from my iPod touch (sweet, right?) during some of the workshops. Look for the Hash-tag #PRSSA09 to keep up.

Also, I’m excited to announce that I recently bought a Kodak Zx1 pocket HD video camera, and will be documenting the trip in moving pictures as well. With any luck, I’ll catch a speaker or two for an impromptu interview to share. And with that, I have to go pack!

Rush Chairman, Damn Glad to Meet You: College Edition

So you’re a college student and want to try find a job? Join the rest of the currently unemployed 9.5% of the United States labor force . That equates to about 3.3 job seekers per open position according to personal branding expert Dan Schawbel. So how are you going to stick out from the millions of other prospective employees flooding your next boss’s inbox? Simple: have somebody within the organization deliver it for you.

I realize this may seem like a pretty simple observation, having someone within the organization advocate for you will improve your chances of getting that foot in the door for your interview. We’ve all heard the phrase, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” so what’s your excuse for not knowing the people who have the ability to put you where you want to go? The best excuse is not having an excuse at all. We all know or have heard of somebody who’s uncle gave him or her a sweet gig right out of college, but unless you’re that lucky niece or nephew, you need a strategy. This edition is dedicated to those who are still in the halls of academia, but expect the follow-up for recent grads and other young professionals soon.

So as a student, how are you going to meet those people that can introduce you to your future employer? I’ve broken it down into an easy-to-follow step-by-step process for you.

1. Get Involved Early

Whatever it is that you’re interested in, find a club or an organization on campus that you can pursue that interest. If there is no club, find out what you need to start one: it’ll give you leadership experience, and put you in a great position to meet people who share your interests. Your colleagues and peers of today are going to be tomorrow’s leaders, so make a positive and lasting impression.

2. Introduce Yourself

When you go to the meetings, introduce yourself. Be friendly, polite, and always show a willingness to learn. If you actually participate in the meetings and make yourself known, those upperclassmen will remember you after they graduate. I can’t tell you how many stories here at Ohio University are tossed around about mentors hiring their former mentees from the Public Relations Student Society (PRSSA) once they get into the workforce.

3. USE SOCIAL MEDIA

I’ve already talked about using Twitter to expand your network, twice, but there are tons of social media outlets that can help connect you with the right people. If you’re inclined to write, join a blogging network like BrazenCareerist, create a profile on LinkedIn and join a few groups. Just like Sauron’s ring was forged to rule them all and in the darkness bind them, one principle above all rules the social media waves: PARTICIPATION. It’s not enough just to have an account on a site- read, comment, share, discuss. Let your voice be heard! Which leads us to number…

4. Speak Intelligently

If you’re reaching out to people who likely have busy schedules, it’s important to speak (or write) in a fashion that shows that you are more intelligent than a second grader. That’s not to say that you’re expected to be Tolstoy, just make sure that you are contributing something worthwhile to the conversation. Spelling and grammar rules do apply. Once you’ve found that person or persons that you’ve made a strong connection with, it’s very important to…

5. Stay in Touch

If you spark a great friendship with the hiring director at your dream job in November, but you’re not going to be graduating until the following June, it’s important to maintain that contact. Questions are a great way to keep touch: they give you a reason to reach out beyond, “Hey! Remember me? Well, I’m still here. Welp…see you later!” Additionally, questions show that you care about knowing more about the person or his or her organization.

So what are you waiting for? Go out there and shake some hands! How do you network? What ways do you stay in touch?

Career Fairs: No Elephant Ears?!

As I sit down in front of my computer in my best suit and favorite tie, I can’t help but feel a little disappointed. On the other hand, I try to learn something from any and every experience I come across, and today has been no exception. Allow me to explain.

Today was the annual Fall Career Fair here at Ohio University, where employers come from across the state of Ohio to make connections and recruit fresh young minds. Sounds like a great opportunity for someone looking to burst into the PR field, right? Wrong. Which brings us to the Danny Cox Career Fair Tip o’ the Day #1:

1. Find out who’s going to be present at the event, before you leave the house.

Now, this may seem elementary, dear Watsons, but I’m afraid to tell you how many business-suit-clad students I talked to failed to do this very thing. The title of the event should have read, “Fall Career Fair (for Accountants, Sales Reps, and those looking to join the Military)”. That doesn’t have quite as nice of a ring to it though, does it? Everywhere I turned, it was accountants, sales, entry-level managerial (read: Target) positions. Where were the ad agencies? The PR firms? At least a non-profit? Well, there was a very helpful representative from the American Cancer Society, but that’s beside the point. Nothing could have prepared me for the nearly complete lack of relevant employers. Nothing, except for my Career Fair Tip o’ the Day #2:

2. Research the presenters who seem relevant to you.

How much can you really learn from a 50 word blurb on the Career Services Web site? Not as much as you can from the organizations Web site, or a quick trip down Google lane. Particularly in times of bad economy, Ford Myers tells us, it’s essential to be laser-focused on what it is you’re looking for. If you can do some leg-work beforehand, you can make a better impression and be more efficient with your time and questions. Unless, of course, you’re only there for my Career Fair Tip o’ the Day #3:

3. Use the opportunity to hone your “elevator pitch” and professional networking skills.

I’m really not planning on staying in Ohio upon graduation, and knowing that most representatives were there for Ohio positions, my hopes were not high that I was going to find that first employer today at the fair. However, I was able to go and speak with professional recruiters from some major companies (ever hear of a little jelly called Smucker’s?) and speak with them about their business, my experience and goals, and how the two could fit together. Which brings me to my final Career Fair Tip o’ the Day:

4. You get out what you put in, so keep an open mind and learn something.

As I said at the beginning of this post, I try to learn something from every experience life tosses my way. If you just walk around looking at posters and taking schwag, you’re probably not going to learn much. But if you take the time to talk with some representatives, you could find that there’s an industry you never thought of that’s perfect for your skill set and goals. Above all, you can never have too much experience speaking with people in a professional setting. Practice makes perfect, and the more times you talk about your skills and goals, the better you’ll be able to quickly and concisely communicate exactly what you want to.