A while back PRChannel published a series of posts on “Advice for the PR Grad“, PR pros from around the world wrote in to share knowledge and give advice to those recent grads just starting out.  This time we sought out a different point of view – recent grads who have followed all the advice, but in this economic climate are still finding themselves ‘jobless’. Here’s a spotlight written by a recent grad finding herself in a jobless situation despite doing ‘all the right things’.

There are endless tips out there from pros helping recent PR Grads take-off on their professional endeavors. Although I’ve done most everything the pros suggest, I still find myself jobless. Some say that if you haven’t landed a position within the first month after graduation, then it takes an average of eight months to find your first post-college position.

Well, I graduated two months ago, and have followed to the “T” every piece advice given to me from various sources in my efforts to put theory into practice. Thus far I have gained several contacts, secured a few interviews, even was a top ten finalist of the MS&L Worldwide Chicago Internship Challenge of 2009, but no full-time job. All (or at least most) of my efforts started back when I first set foot on my college campus; indeed, I’ve done everything from paid and unpaid internships to workshops on interviewing. But my efforts were put into high gear three months before graduation. Here are more details of what I’ve done.

1. Get involved: Over and over career services, employers and professors will argue that “practice makes perfect.” I’m not perfect but practice has helped me decipher where I want to be in the future. My collegiate involvement and employment background have given me the opportunity to perform various PR activities, presentations—and most importantly—I have worked as a team leader as well as a team member. I completed a B.S. in Public Relations and Broadcasting, but when I declared them as my majors I was unsure what each profession really entailed. Getting involved and networking led me to my first internship in radio allowing me to learn, hands-on, what each was all about. My first internship was during the summer of my sophomore year at a local radio station. I was exposed to every department, including sales, promotions, productions account and even engineering. This hands-on experience started the ball rolling—and I’ve done a total of five internships in both PR and Broadcasting; only 2 were paid. These positions include: Promotions Intern at a radio station; Program Coordinator for a YMCA branch; Public Relations Intern for the Communication Department at NWMSU; Creative Promotions Intern for a television station and Firm Director for a Student-run Firm.

   These internships have helped me narrow down what I want to do. I’ve learned much about the industry, found some of the greatest people and advisers, networked and received stellar recommendations during my internships, but I have not found the position that I want to pursue.

2. Build Bridges: Ever heard of “make sure to always leave a good first impression?” More than just making a good impression with the people you meet and/or work for, it is extremely important to keep in touch with them—they can be your ticket to a better job. This becomes especially important with the media’s rapid change because it not only shows you stay current with the media but it allows you stay connected to those who you are no longer working for but would like their support and, hopefully, their recommendation.

   I have created several profiles on online networks like LinkedIn, Monster, Experience and Facebook, which I regularly update and make sure they look very professional. I have a couple recommendations on my LinkedIn profile, some are from internships I did and the others of supervisors from the University (Northwest Missouri State University) I recently graduated from. I spend an average of 20 hours a week exploring twitter, LinkedIn, and other network links. Having said that, I think it’s actually knowing who I “follow”, contacting them, and the type of content I post on twitter that has generated such opportunities (including this one! I found PRChannel on Twitter) Through Twitter I have found and applied for a total of ten positions.

3. Clean and Revamp: Speaking of updating and looking professional, I have reviewed my resume around fifty times within the last two months. I have cleaned it up so that it looks well-organized and, most importantly, so it shows results. I think of it as a cheat sheet for employers; they can see the results of my projects while I was an intern, or as an employee. I also had several contacts, who are all part of the workforce, take a second look. In addition, I subscribe to several different newsletters where I read about how I can bolster my presence online.
4. Word of Mouth: Talking to everyone you meet and know is the key to networking. I’ve kept in touch with friends who graduated last year for their advice and/or leads as to who is hiring. Through this I found two different companies that I was really interested in and as a result I applied. I’ve found this process to be more efficient due to my friend’s influence and recommendations.I normally request to know more about the position available and who exactly to contact before I submit a cover letter and my resume—if it is through their website. In the case of the positions where I had a contact I will wait to see which method works best for the human resource office, which usually is through their direct email. This is always better than just emailing a generic company email address.

In my research I have also been very flexible about the location of where I apply. I do not mind moving to another state for a job position and I’ve made it very clear in my cover letters and emails when requesting more information.

A professor once told me that in order to be successful in your job search you must make it “a full time job to find a job.” His words remain in the back of my mind, making me restless as I’ve had to get a part time job in order to pay bills and stay afloat—sadly I’m still a “college student” in that sense.

This post was written by Alejandra Alvarez, a recent grad from Northwest Missouri State University with a double major in Public Relations and Broadcasting. She lives in the very center of the U.S. but hasn’t always; indeed, before moving to Kansas City she lived in California for a few years. However, her story starts in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Fluent in Spanish and English, she’s still looking for a full-time position where she can exercise them both. Want to give Allie a job? Get in touch with her using Twitter (@alliealvarez) or visit her LinkedIn profile.

Wow!  We’re pretty excited about this…

PRChannel has passed the 1,000 follower mark on Twitter!  We joined mainly as another way to stay up-to-date on current PR related news and topics, but have since found a range of other great uses as well.

We use it to share ideas and thoughts that don’t quite make it into full-fledged blog posts, we tweet PR related news items that happen to catch our eye, we give ’shout outs’ to new companies that sign up for the directory (that now reach over 1,000 people), occasionally do a bit of self-promotion and, probably most importantly, we use Twitter to interact and network with others in the public relations industry.  We don’t tweet every 2 minutes (not even every day), and it’s always meant to be of real use to someone.

Thanks for following! (If you aren’t yet that’s OK…follow @PRChannel here!)

Here it is…the last post of our Advice series!  Just a few more helpful tidbits – then a few extra job hunting resources and more places to go if you aren’t completely overwhelmed by now

“I’ve talked with many recent grads throughout the interview process. Many are missing solid and relevant writing samples for the position they are applying for – but not having gotten your first job yet should not be a excuse. Rather, grads need to find a way to use and sharpen their writing skills. They could volunteer to write news releases or even offer to write or produce an entire website for a local nonprofit. Or they could help a friend or relative get the word out about their business. The idea is to simultaneously grow your portfolio and find a great first job.” ~ Rachel Hunt DPR Group

“Stay current! The media landscape and consumer behaviors are rapidly changing so I always look for applicants who are up-to-date on the latest media news, familiar with the newest media outlets (both online and offline) and understand what consumers are reading, watching and talking about.  My clients are very diverse but they all value us for being ahead of the curve with our expertise and so I look for people that can bring that same mind set to the team when I am hiring. Let potential employers know that even as a recent grad you bring value to the table as someone in the know and on top of trends. I personally subscribe to a large number of daily newsletters, alerts and feeds to stay on top and recommend it highly as way to ensure you’re always in the loop. “Embrace Digital! The digital media space is expanding by leaps and bounds and any recent grad will surely be spending a huge amount of their career working with digital so it is essential to get involved and get confident early on. With all of our clients we make sure digital is a part of the media-mix and with many we execute digital tactics that go well beyond the traditional digital campaign. An ideal candidate for me is someone who sees the value in digital and is willing to constantly learn, try new things and grow in their expertise. If you haven’t had the opportunity to work directly in digital yet there are excellent case studies, seminars, resources and information online to learn from – and the great thing about digital is that it is changing and evolving everyday and there are no hard and fast rules. I think recent grads actually have many advantages over more senior folks in PR because the industry is changing so much right now. They bring fresh perspective to traditional media and, more often than not, they have an innate knowledge and willingness to learn in digital media. Additionally, success is no longer guaranteed by how big someone’s rolodex of contacts is so recent grads have the opportunity to jump into a more level playing field to make new connections and possibly change the game for all of us! In the past 6 months I’ve interviewed and met numerous recent grads, hired several of them and watched them absolutely kill it for our clients with their hard work, fantastic ideas and willingness to always learn, try and grow.” ~Victoria Shaw VP, Integrated Public Relations | AMP Agency

The public relations professionals we reached out to also gave us several resources that grads can take advantage of during a job hunt:

PR Open Mic – An ad-free and nonprofit social network for PR students, faculty and practitioners worldwide. Kristin Maverick, Director of Communications at CarrotCreative says “It’s easy and free to join, they host events and offer a platform to promote yourself and your skills.” She also pointed us to Path101, a career discovery destination that offers an advice column to connect with PR pros and experts that answer questions directly.

Also check out the IABC Student Connection, specifically the article Adventures of a New PR Professional by Rebecca Armendariz, and Ned Lundquist’s weekly newsletter featuring jobs for communications professionals.

If all the advice we stock-piled still isn’t enough for you check out these blog posts from various PR pros:

What Young PR Pros can do NOW to Help Their Job Search – from Angela Moore of Starfish PR
10 Places to Find Jobs on Twitter – from Drew Gneiser via the Daily Axioms Blog
5 Tactics to Land a Job Using Social Media (Plus Tips to Do it Right) – from Kelly Rusk’s Web2.What?
Advice For Graduating College Students – from Amybeth Hale
Landing a Great Job – Tips for Success – from Vojtech Horna’s Blog CzechPR

Yes, it’s all about who you know.  Our pro’s had advice on how, when and where to network and build relationships with other professionals…

1. Get involved in organizations:

Allison Fogt, Account Manager for Kidd PR says to “Take advantage of networking opportunities with PR professionals in your area. Introduce yourself at PR organization luncheons. They will appreciate your initiative, and you may have an edge should a job opening become available.”

“Start attending networking events or join a business club while still in college! In most major cities across the country, there are plenty of groups for young people and recent grads who are looking to be involved in the business world, and many college campuses have business clubs/fraternities. You can use CampusCompare to research which schools have these valuable networking clubs.  In today’s job-search world, everything is virtual. Employers oftentimes are overwhelmed with a plethora of resume submissions, so even the most qualified candidate’s resume might just be lost in an inbox.  With the face-to-face interaction you’d receive by attending networking events, you have the opportunity to really shine and make an impression on potential employers. “ ~Brittany Burton

“Join your local Public Relations Society of America and get to know the members. Go to the meetings, talk with people, and offer to serve on a committee and do an outstanding job. This will help you prove your eagerness to work and abilities in the field, and you’ll make a positive impression on the very people who are most likely to find out about PR jobs in your community before they are announced to the general public. If you’re interested in working in PR for a nonprofit, you may want to do the same with your local Association of Fundraising Professionals as well.” ~ Mary White, author of 101 Successful PR Campaign Tips and co-founder of MTI Business Solutions.

“Networking  — I would email PR and Marketing conference organizers and ask for a student discount when I first graduated college.  Conferences like Marketing & Online Communities Conference, SummerMash NYC, Social Media Club and PRSA events are a great place to learn more and network with as many people as possible.  I even had personal business cards printed for free using Vista Print.  Other than that, I networked online.  When I first graduated college a new web site Doostang.com was launched.  It was an invite-only career networking site for top university graduates.  This was a fantastic resource, as I was able to connect with top young professionals in my industry to bounce advice off of and network for jobs.” ~ Matt Clark. Lotus PR

2. Don’t knock the informational interview!

“Join organizations – Organizations like Toast Masters, Junior League, Chamber of Commerce, and faith based groups can give you opportunities to practice speaking, writing, and interpersonal skills. Don’t disdain the “informational interview.” – In tough economic times when many places are not hiring, a positive encounter may pay dividends down the road in better times.” ~ Joseph Starrs – Director, Institute on Political Journalism for The Fund for American Studies

“Call people with the objective of learning what they do and what it’s like. It removes all the pressure. You’re not asking them for a job. You’re just trying to understand what their job is like. If you do this well, you’ll get a mentor who may be a good referral source to other opportunities (shhh don’t tell people, but that’s how people REALLY get jobs.)” ~Antoine Dubeauclard – President, Media Genesis

“Learn to lunch! Lunch is a great way to casually build your professional network and get to know about your colleagues and the profession.” ~ JP Clark Regional Communications Manager, Grainger

Meeting people through professional networks is great, but more than a few of our PR pros pointed out that you should always be on the look-out for potential opportunities.  In other words…

3. Talk to everybody!

“Also- talk to everyone and anyone you can. Airplanes, grocery stores, at the mall… schmooze everyone you can. You never know who’ll you meet. Jobs aren’t found through the classifieds- they’re found through networking. And make sure you keep those connections from the past- a mark of a good public relations professional is the ability to maintain relationships.” ~ Melissa Cibelli PR Specialist

Amy Kauffman, partner at BlueBird PR, advises you to “have an elevator speech ready, sell yourself like you would pitch any of your clients. Go to as many alumni, professional or communication organizations events/happy hours. There are a ton in every city, you just have to look them up! (I know you spend hours on Facebook, aren’t YOU worth that time; invest in your own personal stock!)”

“Create a home-made business card with your contact information, alma mater and degree. Take every opportunity to network, whether it be with the person you stood in line with at Starbucks or the friend-of-your-cousin’s-boyfriend you met at a party. Here’s a personal anecdote: After college I was waiting tables while I was searching for a full-time job, and began talking to one of our guests about my job hunt. After dinner I gave him my information, and after a series of emails we met for lunch and he passed along information for every contact he had in the PR/Marketing and business world. This type of personal connection is invaluable and we still exchange emails.” ~Brittany Burton, Campus Rep Coordinator,  CampusCompare.

Mike Santoro, President of Walker Sands Communications says “Network, Network, Network. You should start and maintain connections with PR professionals early because you never know when a position will open up. It’s all about who you know, since great references will often provide a verbal boost to your resume that can give you the upper hand and land you the job. Plus, the PR profession is truly about networking and how you can connect with the media. Demonstrating those networking skills early is a great way to get started in the field. Keep updated with online social media opportunities, but realize that face-to-face interaction is also important. Join Twitter. This is a fantastic networking tool to meet professionals, get advice, get job/internship leads and find out about PR events to attend.”

4. Network Online

Many pros pointed out that while building relationships in person is crucial, a PR grad should also take advantage of the online networking resources available.

Heather Huhman, founder of entrylevel-pr.com encourages people to “sign up for Twitter, start following thought leaders in public relations (specifically, the area of public relations that interests you most, such as health care), and get engaged via the various PR hashtags: #PRadvice for asking pros questions, #EntryPR for entry-level jobs and #PRintern for internships. “

“Networking is crucial. Anyone you know can potentially know someone who is looking to hire. Use social networks like Facebook and Twitter to spread the word that you’re a talented, bright grad looking for a job. Don’t stalk anyone, but it’s good to be persistent. Plus, knowing your way around social media is a huge plus these days. And don’t think that because the firm doesn’t have an ad up on Craigslist that they aren’t looking to hire. Apply to all of the firms you want to work for, even if they aren’t advertising any openings.” ~ Termeh Mazhari

“Put your best “Facebook” forward. Social networking sites are great ways to stay in touch and share information with friends – but prospective employers are watching, too. Last fall’s Greek mixer may have been a blast, and you may really covet the “Beer Pong Champion” trophy you earned that night, but do you really want to share those memories with your future boss? Once you start looking for internships or full-time employment, your social networking pages need to undergo a thorough review. It’s fine to keep photos of your friends, hobbies and interests up, but keep everything in good taste. If you wouldn’t want it broadcast on TV or in the paper, take it down.” ~ Jason Menke, Communications Consultant

5. When you network, you are your client

The road ahead is largely determined by the bridges you’ve crossed. It’s trite, but the advice of “don’t burn any bridges” is still sound. Communicators are a tight knit group, and they seek each other counsel, advice and guidance. They also talk amongst themselves about their experiences working with other communicators. You are undeniably the most important client you’ll ever represent, so make every effort to build good relationships and keep them intact. Even if you end up working for a difficult boss, do what you can to leave on good terms. In my 15 years as a professional, I’ve been hired by the same manager twice, and my first boss out of college was instrumental in getting me my current gig – she’s now a co-worker who recommended me for my position.” ~ Jason Menke

Amy Armstrong, PR Partner with Armstrong Troyky, sent us a sample from a cover letter she actually received – it said “…After spending the last year of my professional life in public relations and event planning, I am convinced that PR- unlike, say brain surgery or local area network design- does not require special education, knowledge, or background for success…” Ouch.  Amy’s take on the email?“In my entire 25+ year career in PR and marketing, this is the WORST job query I have ever received!  I have hired hundreds of candidates out of college for entry level positions and have never seen anything like this! Quick tip….never insult people in the profession you are trying to get into!”

Which brings us to our last bit of advice for this section.

“Don’t burn any bridges.  The PR world is smaller than you think and you never know when you will cross paths with members of the media, PR-related vendors and other agencies in another life.” ~ Dan Lobring

Coming Tomorrow: Interview Tips