And that’s part of why I prefer working with students and the newly graduated – often times, they aren’t lucky to have a champion. It’s also why when someone emails me with 5 or more years of PR/SM experience, I make a few recommendations but am not as giving with my time, because if you are at that point in your career you should have your own networks, own knowledge of recruiters, and have your own mentors.

Now, a handful of the women I’ve mentored through the years are amazing people. These are PR professionals with social media skills that I would hire in a minute. These are people that I think are the pinacle of the profession, at different levels in their careers, who will be running things in the industry. And I’ll be proud of them as if they were my own family, as I do think of them as family.

Through that mentoring, I’ve become involved with #HAPPO. The concept, the idea of HAPPO is admirable: helping out other PR pros network and get a job. The economy is bad, and we’ve all been hurt by it. Some of the best PR people I know searched for jobs too long, while some of the worst PR and SM people I know are gainfully employed or have transitioned themselves into “thought leaders”.

Unfortunately, at times, the reality of HAPPO is either a “look at how great I am because I’m helping others get jobs” or “K, I tweeted #HAPPO, where’s my job?”

So what has happened is a bit of self-interest and a bit of self-entitlement. New graduates and others think that by merely posting #HAPPO!!! (or other hashtags) on a tweet, that the jobs will come to them and they should be hired, because dammit, they ARE social media geniuses because they’re the digital generation!!!

That one is a good fallacy, though. The digital generation understands the tools – but that’s it. In reality, many are dangerous as they do no get the big picture of how public relations and social media work together. Nor is there an understanding on how to push back on a client, how to protect them from doing something bad and destructive in social media, or a complex and advanced understandig and knowledge of a little something called strategy and tactics.

PR is not an easy profession. We are always top 5 for stressful professions. PR wears you down, as you’re under attack from all sides: clients, agency, press/analysts/social media. But it’s one of those things that people love: the ability and chance to tell a story, do some good.

But the missing the point of HAPPO – no one is entitled to anything. It’s a hard job finding a job, harder than the job itself, so be thankful for those that help you along the way. And don’t think that just because you send an email you’re owed something. Respect the other person’s time, energy. If that part of HAPPO continues to be ignored, the people that are giving of their time will reevaluate where they are putting their efforts. As they should.

Comments

“I am a recent graduate. I just made a huge mistake in a salary negotiation and am wondering if there is something I can do to fix it. This was the first interview and I was not prepared to discuss salary, as I know it is a huge no-no. Unfortunately, the interviewer’s second question was, “What is your salary expectation?” Instead of answering with the question, “Well, what is the range for the job?” I said, “Between $37 and 45,000, but it is negotiable.” I said this before I even knew what my duties would be. I don’t know what I was thinking! That is well below the average for the position in my area; the range is $50,000 to $60,000 with a median of $55,000. Do I have to stick with what I said at the job offer, or can I begin negotiating at a higher level? The salary that I had given was for a position from another company.”

Well, at some level I feel like it’s too late and you’re stuck, but on the other hand, it’s sure a good test for your future employer for you to have a frank discussion with them about the situation and explain what happened.

In general, if you get a question in an interview that you’re not prepared to answer, I would encourage you to say just that: “Ah, well, I haven’t really thought about a salary: at this point I’m still trying to see if I’ll be a good fit for your company and at what level I’ll be able to contribute” would be a good way to defer.

I’ll also point out that until you were to get an offer in writing from the second company, the number they threw out about a starting salary isn’t worth much of anything, and would certainly be a dangerous basis for negotiation. Remember, if you tell your new employer that you’re not happy with the salary, they could think you’re greedy and invite you to join the other company, who could then explain that they no longer have a position for you.

Am I offering up conflicting advice? Yep. Its a tricky situation you’re in and I would encourage you to tread carefully. Decide which would be worse: having a job and gaining industry experience at a salary lower than you believe you’re worth, or ending up with no job and you’re back in the market?

Good luck and let us know what you decide to do and how it goes…

Happiness at Work

Maximizing Your Psychological Capital for Success

By: Jessica Pryce-Jones

Published: April 2010
Format: Trade Paperback, 254pp
ISBN-13: 9780470749463
ISBN-10: 0470749466
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Jessica Pryce-Jones recognizes that the very concept of workplace happiness has not been given the study and attention that it so richly deserves. The author undertook an enormous five year study of the concept and implications of happiness at both work and at home. The result of the intensive interviews underlined the critical importance of workplace happiness, and its correlation with a happier personal life. At the same time, the extensive research proved that companies benefit, as do the staff members, of building and maintaining a happier work environment. The author based the book on four principles:

* You are responsible for your own levels of happiness
* You have much more room to maneuver than you think
* There is always a choice
* Self-awareness is an essential first step

Jessica Pryce-Jones (photo left) understands that happiness in the workplace is a state of mind where people choose to increase their performance, while their companies boost their overall productivity. For the author, employee happiness is a win-win outcome that benefits both the staff member and the organization. To build personal workplace happiness, Jessica Pryce-Jones offers a five part outline to achieve success:

* Contribution
* Conviction
* Culture
* Commitment
* Confidence

Combined with the organizational values of Pride, Trust, and Recognition, the “5-Cs”, form the foundation for each employee to maximize their happiness, while boosting their performance.

For me, the power of the book is how Jessica Pryce-Jones provides a comprehensive, research based case for the positive benefit of workplace happiness. Through her exhaustive study of both individuals and organizations, the author makes clear that happiness creates a better work and life experience for employees. At the same time, Jessica Pryce-Jones demonstrates that employers would be well served by building a happier workplace culture, as happier staff members are much more productive than those who dislike their jobs. The author dispels a number of myths that have grown up around and about happiness, and replaces the myths with research based evidence of the importance of happy employees to an organization. The author also describes a system for creating an organizational culture of happiness that benefits both the employer and the employee.

I highly recommend the landmark book Happiness at Work: Maximizing Your Psychological Capital for Success by Jessica Pryce-Jones, to anyone seeking a research backed analysis of the often misunderstood topic of workplace happiness. This book breaks new ground in the overlooked, yet very critical area of the importance and development of employee happiness.

Read the fascinating and paradigm altering book Happiness at Work: Maximizing Your Psychological Capital for Success by Jessica Pryce-Jones, and discover how happier workers are more productive, and how companies that encourage workplace happiness are more profitable and hold a competitive advantage over their rivals. Let the power of happier employees propel your business to leadership in your industry.

Comments

1. Results Oriented – Most employees do not understand that they work for their employer for only one reason: results. Most employees think that they are getting paid just to show up. As a small business owner, you have likely developed the habit of working hard to get the result you want. You know that if you stop working, you don’t make any money. You can let your prospective employer know that you will always be looking for the next result you can achieve for them. You have come to them to work, not to mess around.
2. Responsibility – As a small business owner, you were responsible for everything that happened within your company. You have no problem handling responsibility. In fact, you’ll take on as much as they are willing to give you. The person who is willing to take on and accept responsibility is rare in the business world, and this quality alone will make you stand out.
3. Self-supervision – You are the type of person who doesn’t need to be told what to do by anyone else. You know what needs to be done, and you do it. You likely supervised a few employees of your own, so you know how much time is wasted baby-sitting employees.
4. Leadership – As an entrepreneur, you have already demonstrated that you are the kind of person who likes to give orders, not take them. If you had employees working under you, then you have already demonstrated that you are capable of leading people and getting them to work together effectively as a team.
5. Able to Meet Deadlines – In your business, it is likely that you were forced to juggle many different tasks, prioritize conflicting demands, and meet multiple deadlines. You are able to determine what is most important, and get the most important task done first. This is an important skill in the business world, and you should highlight it to your prospective employers.
6. Organization – There is a lot of planning that goes into running a business, both on short and long time horizons. Be sure to emphasize all the paperwork you had to keep up with on a daily basis. You likely had to send out invoices, prepare legal and financial documents, create business plans, and manage your budget.
7. Creativity – Besides being an organized person, you were also a creative person. You had to constantly think about how to do things better. You were an innovator. You have the characteristics of someone who is an originator and an investor.
8. Able to Sell – In addition to managing a company, it is likely that you had to learn how to sell. You had to sell and market your product and services. You had to learn how to attract and retain customers. You had to learn how to talk to customers and to put yourself in their shoes.
9. Self-Discipline – As you ran your business, you developed the habit of overcoming the temptation to do less productive tasks. You are a self-starter and a person with initiative. You have the self motivation to get the job done correctly every time.
10. Focus – Another skill you likely picked up along the way is focus. There is no one more productive than the employee who can block out distractions and focus exclusively on one task to completion. While most employees will spend the majority of the day in idle chit-chat and checking their email, you will be diligently focused on the task at hand.
11. Company Oriented – As a business owner, you can see the big picture from the employer’s point of view. You know that their main focus is to make a profit, and you will do everything you can to help them achieve that goal. You are aware that your value to the company will depend on how much you help contribute to that objective.

With all of these skills, it is important that you don’t speak of them as personal accomplishments. Rather, what you want to communicate is that each of these qualities will be a contribution to the company. They will help the employer get what they want. Be confident in the fact that you are probably the candidate who can contribute the most value to the employer, and then strive to communicate that.

#ENTRYLEVELtweet Book01

Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle

By: Heather R. Huhman

Published: January 25, 2010
Format: Paperback, 112 pages
ISBN-10: 1616990244
ISBN-13: 978-1616990244
Publisher: THINKaha

Heather Huhman understands that graduates don’t always receive helpful advice from well meaning family members, friends, or college staff members. As a result, many graduates find themselves lacking the essential job finding skills necessary in today’s challenging employment market. Even though young graduates possess the skills that are in demand by employers, many find difficulty in receiving interviews or job offers. The author recognizes this dilemma, and starts at the beginning, by sharing techniques to get that employment search started on a solid foundation. Heather Huhman begins her book with guidance for the graduate in finding their real inner goals and career plans. Once the grads discover their own values and personal identity, they are on the path to finding a career suited to their skills and ideals.

Heather R. Huhman (photo left) has made a career from helping recent graduates find entry level positions that lead to rewarding careers. Because job finding skills are not part of the curriculum at most colleges and universities, Heather provides a valuable service with this book through sharing her experience in the real world of employment. Presented in the form of tweets, that are a staple of many internet savvy job seeker’s experience, the book provides straight to the point answers to the most challenging employment seeking questions. From the critical importance of networking, to how to apply for entry level and intern positions correctly, Heather Huhman shares a wealth of valuable information in bite sized pieces. A Millennial graduate who follows this advice, will have a real advantage, in the quest for that all important first job.

For me, the power of the book is how Heather Huhman distills complex job finding information into short, easy to read and digest portions. Each page contains only one or two tweets of advice, but each tiny block provides critical career information. The author stresses the vital importance of developing networking skills, as eighty percent of all jobs are filled through networks. The book fills in that crucial information gap with practical, and actionable tips that can be applied by anyone. The book also recognizes the growing importance of the internet, personal websites, and social media for job seekers to help in the search and to provide solid evidence of technological skills. Heather shares tips for interviews to nail that job interview, as well as sound advice for making a great first impression when arriving on the job. While many books stop where the job is secured, Heather Huhman carries the new recruit through the critical first months at the new job.

I highly recommend the short and direct book #ENTRYLEVELtweet Book01: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle by Heather R. Huhman, to any new college graduates who are seeking that all important first entry level position or an internship. The book can be read in one sitting, and can be opened at any point in the job search process for additional wisdom.

Read the handy and very useful book #ENTRYLEVELtweet Book01: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle by Heather R. Huhman, and through discovery of your authentic self and your dreams for the future, you will find that rewarding first job. This is a book that will be read and reread, and will continue to provide advice and wisdom from the beginning of the job search until long after the reader is established in that entry level job or internship.

Comments

If you are utilizing a large job site such as Monster.com or Career Builder chances are you are one of a couple hundred thousand people searching for a job. The number of resumes being thrown at open jobs is at an all time high so it makes it hard to stick out from the crowd.

By applying SEO or search engine optimization to our resume it can help you stick out from the crowd or get your resume viewed. Recruiters who log in to find potential applicants search for terms related to the job opening. If they are hiring someone for an in house search marketing position chances are they will search for terms such as the following:

• SEO
• Search Engine Optimization
• SEM
• PPC
• Paid Search
• Search Marketing

If these “keywords” do not appear in your resume frequently then your resume is going to be passed over. Think of your resume title as the Title or URL of your resume. If it includes a high searched keyword phrase your resume has a high chance of showing up when a recruiter is looking for potential job suitors. Then think of your job history as the content of a website, making sure it is rich in keywords and thoroughly explains your experience in your field.

Large companies also usually use software that scans submitted resumes for certain key terms and only forwards those selected resumes to hiring managers. If you are applying for an Account Management job with an ad agency it would be beneficial to include words such as brand management, media buying or media placement.  This way when your resume is being scanned your resume gets forwarded to the hiring manager.

Hopefully this tip can help you get your foot in the door or your dream job. Good luck!

Comments