Career Fair April 2, 2010

Hi Everyone,

This week I will be blogging to you about when I attended the Career Fair that was at the RAC.  The name of the event was Eagle Expo Career Fair.  The event was very organized and well ran.  As soon as I walked in I noticed how organized everything was.  Nicely dressed students were opening the RAC doors for the students and would kindly show were to go.  Once we signed in and received a name tag we were free to go to the basketball courts were the event was being held.  All the companies were nicely set up with information about there companies and were ready to talk business.

 

I did feel that the companies that were there were mostly directed towards Education and Business majors.  I can honestly say I did not see or talk to anyone who was from the field of communications, especially from the field of public relations.  However, I have learned that public relations is a very broad field  and job titles do not contain the name public relations, but do entail a lot of public relations work.   That is why I decided to attend this event anyways.  Before I went to the event I made sure my resume was perfect and printed out some copies to take with me to the event.  I also looked on YouTube on some tips before an interview.  Below is the video I watched.  Hopefully it will help you out too.

After I prepared myself for the Career Fair, I felt confident going.  Career Fairs can often be intimidating and overwhelming.  In the past I haven’t gone to events like this, because I was too nervous.  So to prevent me from being too nervous I decided to go with a couple of my friends.  Once we arrived we all spilt up and went our different ways.  I talked with a few companies and had the opportunity to meet with some true professionals and sell myself.

Luckily, we were all dressed very professional.  This was good because just about everyone there looked great.  They were all dressed up and professional too.  I was neat to see that these are the students that Georgia Southern produced and that I am entering the professional world with. 

I only stayed at the event for about 30 minutes and talked to about three companies.  Overall, I just felt that the companies that were there were not places of interest to me.  I would really like to attend another Career Fair that is on a larger scale.  So I did some research and found a website that gives a lists were National Career Fairs are, check it out. 
I did enjoy attending the Career Fair though because it gave me the opportunity and a real life scenario of being on the job market.  After I complete my internship this summer, I will be looking very hard for a job and I will probably have wished that I went to more of these types of events.

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Informational Interview Recap March 29, 2010

Hi Everyone!

I conducted an interview with a Public Relation’s Professional to increase my knowledge about the real world of Public Relations.  The PR Professional I chose to interview was Allie Burrow.   Allie graduated from Georgia Southern with a degree in Public Relations.  Allie is currently a Marketing Coordinator at Parkmobile USA, Inc. 

A typical week for Allie involves a regular schedule of arriving to work by 8 a.m.  Once Allie gets to work the first thing she usually does is check her Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.  She replies to all social Media and updates what Parkmobile is doing for that day or for the upcoming weeks. Allie also checks the City Bid lists (the city sends a bid out for parking services, meters or anything to do with parking.)  Allie gets the City Bid List emails and fills out forms to be recognized for those bids.

Parkmobile has a lot of conferences coming up.  Allie’s job includes booking the conferences and trade shows.  Since she is registered as a Parkmobile member, she can book the hotel rooms, schedule booth pickups and get all press materials ready.  For this specific week, Allie is writing four press releases.  The press releases are for different cities that her company is being launching in. Allie also coordinates radio remotes for Parkmobile Albuquerque launch that will be in April. Allie will be in charge of booking tables to promote Parkmobile in their current cities/Universities and getting ready to announce the company’s Mobile App on iTunes!!! Overall, Allie’s week entails working with a lot of social media and making sure that her company is ready with PR materials and press kits for all of their upcoming launches and conferences.

Allie is especially proud of figuring out how to write in html to insert Static FBML on facebook.  To keep current in the PR industry Allie lives, eats, and breaths Twitter and Facebook. Allie said that without those two tools she would not even have a job. She also claimed to be extremely active on PRSA’s website.   She follows all of PR’s major people including Barbara Nixon, Scott Monty and other influential PR pros. 

Allie was surprised by how broad the field of Public Relations! Allie said that it is not all “Samantha from Sex in the City” and that you have to do a lot of behind the scenes work!  Allie also wishes that she would have known just how much she would be writing and using Twitter and Facebook.  Allie believes that writing is important part of her career, but not as important as being able to use current social media. 

Allie’s three tips for future PR Professionals would be to stay connected, due as many internships as you financially/physically/mentally can, and know how to write in AP Style.  

After interviewing Allie, I am more likely to want to have a career in Public Relations. Allie seemed excited and passionate about her job.  Allie expressed that she enjoyed her field of work, and really takes pleasure in working for her company. Allie likes PR because it is different than having an ordinary job.  Allie says that PR allows you to be creative and think outside the box and that it’s never the same thing every day. This made me realize that I would love to have a career in Public Relations.

Internships March 11, 2010

Hello Everyone,

This week I will be blogging to you about internships.  I am currently a student at Georgia Southern University.  Over the years, I have taken several classes in the field of Public Relations.  I have done well and learned how to construct press releases, psa, letterheads, press kits, ect.  My point is that I have done a lot of the things that a Public Relations professional would do, but I have only done it for my classes. 

Having an Internship gives people and me the opportunity to apply the knowledge that was gained by taking all those courses.  It is a way that we can really excel and put our knowledge to use.   Also, internships allow for us to learn about the business world and get a feeling of actually working in the field.  It is almost like an internship is a transitional stage, which allows people to move from the college world to the professional world.

Internships are also extremely important for getting hired in today’s market.  Even if you make great grades in college and have some work experience, companies are still asking if you have completed an internship and where you completed it.  Having an internship lets them know that you have experience in the field of work and have been in a professional setting prior to being hired.  According to the Washington Post students and graduates are more likely to get a job if they have completed and internship.

Having an internship is comparable to having a job.  In order to get an internship you need to submit a resume and a cover letter to the company of your choice.  If you are interested in working for a particular company most likely a way to get your foot in to door is by applying for an internship. 

Also, an important thing to remember is that not all internships are the same.  Some require different work skills and other internships are just like being an assistant.  I have talked to several of my peers and have heard that in your internship you are either an assistant or you are like a full time employee that is required to do work.   If your internship is the latter, you will be expected to know how to work.  They will not explain things that you should already know, and do not review what they expect either.  It is your time to work, and put all your knowledge to use.  So, if you are a student who does not pay intention or only does assignment to get by, you really might need to alter your behavior and start paying attention and really learn something if you plan on ever getting hired.  It is a tough market out there, and the only way to be successful is to be prepared, and one way to do that is by doing an internship.

Either way a person can learn from having an internship.  It is a way to see inside the company and really get a grasp on how the company functions and stays successful. 

Thanks for Reading,

Kristin

Trade Book Report March 2, 2010

Hello Everyone,

I did my Trade Book Report on the book Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust. The book is written by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith.  Check out my powerpoint at Slideshare, you can view my presentation and notes on each slide.

Trade Book Review

View more presentations from kbixby1.

Thanks, Kristin

What to Wear to an Interview February 26, 2010

Hello Everyone!

This week I will be writing to you about what a potential professional should wear to an interview.  First off, you should all know that interviews (most likely) are your first time meeting with a company.  This means what you wear to your interview presents who you are and what you have to offer.  Also, it is your first impression with the company.  This is a critical time for you, and you should remember that it is at this time that the company will be judging you.

According to mindtools.com the first three seconds of your interview is the time when the company evaluates you the most. With this information in mind, I think that you need to go into your interview as professional as possible.  You should have a great attitude and being wearing the proper attire.  The attire that you wear to your interview should represent who you are, but in a conservative manner and appropriate for the interview’s setting.

Lets keep in mind that your outfit represents who you are, as well as the company that you desire employment with.  During the interview, the company will be looking to see if you are likely to fit in with the company.  The company may assume that your attire represent the type of work you do.  So, if you dress colorful they may assume that your work is bright and creative.  But, if you show up to the interview in non-matching sloppy clothes the company may assume that your work is disorganized.  I think that it would be a fair judgment too.

Now that you can understand why dressing well to an interview is important, lets go over what you should wear and should not wear.  Women should dress conservative and professional. According to Lamas Beauty, women should wear either pants or a skirt. The skirt should not go more than two inches above your knee. I personally think that if women choose to wear a skirt that they should always wear panty hose, as well as closed toed shoes.  Also, I think that your shoulders should be covered.  Men should dress in slacks and a button down.  A jacket should be worn when you enter the building, but does not have to be worn during the interview if you felt that it was to formal.  Men should make sure that their color scheme matches and that they are not wearing sport socks or white socks.  Also, their shoes should be clean and worn properly.  Men should also wear their pants at a professional height, and should not be to baggy.  All of these are suggestions on what to wear to an interview in order to feel more confident and professional.  According to collegeboard.com, wearing professional clothes to an interview can make you feel more confident and actually preform better in the interview.  They also suggest to look professional, but stay comfortable. If you are uncomfortable, it might be obvious to the company, and they may assume something is wrong with you.

So yes people, it does matter what you wear to an interview!

Thanks for reading, Kristin

Benefits and Pitfalls of Social Media for Job Seekers February 12, 2010

Hello Everyone!!

This week I will be writing to you about social media benefits and pitfalls for job seekers.  First, I am going to talk to you about the benefits that come with social media. According to Talent Management Tech social media is a new way that allows people to stand out from the crowd.  By being knowledgeable and familiar with today’s social media you can increase your chance of getting a job and set yourself apart from other candidates.  Today’s employment opportunities are limited and finding a job can often be overwhelming and difficult.  However, current social media are creating opportunities.  Companies are now hiring and opening up positions that strictly deal with social media.  Some positions only entail updating and keeping the company’s profile information current.  When I interned this past summer at Playa Pilates, one of my jobs was to create a fan page for the company.  It was a good job, because I knew how to do it. The primary reason for creating the fan page was to keep clients and future clients updated on current events and upcoming events.  I also had to create a Twitter account for the company and tweet about current sales or class changes or updates. I think that social media is great because it is a free way to advertise and get your company or product out there.  However, this can also be a pitfall of social media.

 If you are a former public relation’s professional and a current job seeker, your skills may be a bit outdated.  During my Events Management class we had a guest speaker come in and talk about today’s social media.  She stated that with today’s technology and online networking, writing press releases is not always the way to go.  She said that using Facebook and Twitter is almost better, and you can reach your target audience.  Also, she said that it was a great thing to use social media because it is free.

Another pitfall of social media for job seekers is that some people who use the social media outlets put up too much information, or information that is not appropriate.  According to Cummins, bosses peek in on potential employers’ facebook accounts to make sure that they are appropriate and professional.  If too much information or inappropriate pictures are posted, the chance of you getting that job could be at risk.

 Overall, today’s social media does have benefits and pitfalls.  It is your job as a jobseeker to make sure if you are using social media to keep it updated and professional.  According to BusinessWeek.com, professionals who use social media should use a proper code of conduct. If you do this you are using social media correctly and it will benefit you in the long run.  I also feel that we should use these modern tools to help us grow and communicate on a larger scale.  To avoid pitfalls, I think that we should keep focused on what we are presenting to other people and make sure to not expose to much about ourselves.  If too much personal information is exposed you could be putting yourself into harms way, and that is not something that we want to do.

Thanks for Reading, Kristin

Body Language and Nonverbal Communication January 28, 2010

Hi Everyone,

This week I will be blogging about body language and nonverbal communication for my Public Relations class.  Body language and nonverbal  communication are very similar. In fact, both of these terms are used to describe types of communication that do not involve oral communication, but are still able to transfer a message. These types of communication are helpful when a person may be attempting to describe something or when he or she are expressing an emotion.  Being able to interpret and understand someone’s body language could help you become more affective in interpreting what they are communicating to you.

Understanding  some specific types of body language and nonverbal clues could even help you decipher when someone is not telling the truth.  According to Changing Minds.org, when a person is speaking to another person and his or her eyes appear to be larger than normal, as well as,  their eyebrows being lifted at the same time, it is often considered that they are not telling the truth. Changing Minds.org thinks this type of body language can determine if someone is lying simple because those are similar types of body-language found in someone who is not telling the truth.  However, this is not certain in all cases.  Body language is also helpful in other areas such as determining how someone feels about you or when they are expressing a simple emotion.

An example of a nonverbal communication and a type of body language that is very easy to read is a smile.  A smile is a type non-verbal communication that communicates that communicates that the person is happy. Another type of body language that is expressed that exactly opposite of a smile is a frown.  A frown is also a type of non-verbal communication that is signaling that the person is unhappy or upset.  These simple gestures or actions  that a person can do, reveals something about them or how they are felling.  Although these are simple examples, body language and nonverbal communication can go into much deeper communication and are unique to specific cultures.

Overall, nonverbal communication and body language can be effective ways to communicate.  Having the ability to read and decipher certain types of these body languages can help a person be more effective in communicating to others.  However, one most still remember that not all body language and nonverbal means the same thing.  I have learned through out my college career that the semantics of body language do not also go hand in hand in certain situations.  For example, if you and your friends joke around by ‘flipping off the bird’ as you pass one another in your cars as a form of nonverbal communication to communicate to each other a “friendly hello”, and you see the same car your friend has and express that same nonverbal communication, that person who you thought was your friend may not have the same reaction as your friend.  So remember that body language and nonverbal communication can have several different meanings to different people.