Using Social Media to Find A Job
On Tuesday I moderated a PRSA social media panel and the conversation has me thinking. While we didn’t spend a lot of time talking about how to find a job through social media, we did touch on it and the message was clear. I wanted to share it with you today to prepare you for Help A PR Pro Out (#HAPPO) day on Friday….. More from #HAPPO Chicago Champion Gini Dietrich here
HAPPO News & Information from around the blogs…
- Attention Class of 2010… Sarah Evans wants to help YOU find a job. Be sure to read and take advantage of this #HAPPO opportunity
- Job Hunting Lessons From #PRStudChat Student Moderator Brittany James shares the lessons she learned during last week’s #PRStudChat on the blog of #HAPPO DC champion, Mike Schaffer
- HAPPO Job Seeker Profile: Sharise Crumley looking to profile someone you’d like to help? A great example from Michigan Champ Nikki Stephen
- #HAPPO intro Nate Knox emphasizes putting the “help” in #HAPPO… and that even if you are looking to find a job, being a part of the community includes helping others
- Help a PR Pro Out Tabish Bhimani reminds everyone Canadians Can HAPPO too!
- HAPPO: The Freshman Edition DC #HAPPO Champion Shonali Burke offers a must review checklist for those participating in HAPPO
- ROFLMAO at ‘the (potential) intern from hel’l via @gawker. #HAPPO hopefuls don’t do this! Shonali Burke shares how NOT to get the jo
- A Tip for Tuesday Phoenix #HAPPO champion Abbie Fink gives advice on how to make the most of the final days/weeks before graduation
- Come on, Get #HAPPO Publicity Club of Chicago guest blogger Stephanie Florence offers an overview of HAPPO and encourages
- HOW TO HAPPO (April 30th addition) Our quick action points to answer all of your questions regarding how to participate
My HAPPO-ly Ever After
by Katie Wall
On February 19 I was on an airplane. I was not at a computer and I do not have a smart phone. I don’t have my own blog and I didn’t know of any prospective employers. But what I did have that #HAPPO Friday was a link to a video and an incredible network of people who were willing to advocate for me.
Just over a week ago I started a new job at 360i (which I am loving so far!) and it’s all thanks to #HAPPO and my Twitter community. While I was on that airplane my video link was being re-tweeted by dozens of people using the #HAPPO hashtag and ended up being seen over 100 times on that Friday alone.
Thanks to my friend and Atlanta HAPPO Champion, Kellye Crane, I was connected with a number of local employers and was invited to interview at a handful of places before finding a perfect fit at 360i.
I consider myself very fortunate for finding my HAPPO ending (Get it? Haha!), but beyond just reaching that end goal of employment, I cannot even begin to tell you how valuable continued conversation with the HAPPO community has been. These people are brilliant – from my local champions Kellye and Jeremy, whom I was lucky enough to have met prior to the February HAPPO event; to the incredible Arik Hanson and Valerie Simon whom I have since met – and you should really take the time to be in conversation with them and pick their brains!
So my advice? Do it. Put yourself out there and be genuine. Start conversations early and have them often. You will be absolutely floored by the support of your community, I know I was! And don’t even be afraid to ask for help – you’ll be amazed by how much people truly want you to succeed.
Not sure how to #HAPPO? Click here for details to help you make the most of the April 30th event!
PR student lands the job and shares thoughts on the job search
This is an excerpt from a public relations examiner guest column by Lauren Novo, a senior atFlorida State University, double majoring in media/ communication studies and creative writing. Lauren will e graduating on May 1st, 2010 and recently accepted a position as a public relations account executive at 180 Communications – a Tallahassee-based firm that specializes in national/international sports business PR. To learn more about Lauren, read her blog and connect with her on Twitterand LinkedIn.
Just Another Game-Plan on: Getting the Job
Throughout my final semester as a student, I’ve read countless articles and blog posts on perfecting resumes and cover letters, nailing interviews, standing out among competition and even finding alternative ways to gain experience in the tough market. PR pros have banded together in the #HAPPO initiative to help job seekers connect with employers. And relationships have continued to develop between industry enthusiasts of all ages through #PRStudChat.
But it wasn’t until recently that I transitioned from reading (and writing) about job searching to actually participating firsthand. A position for a PR account executive opened at a local firm and the description enticed me. The chosen candidate would have the opportunity to work with national and international sports businesses, help conduct media training sessions for professional athletes and more. A month and two interviews later, I’m proud to say I have the job.
There are a thousand different ways to organize a resume, write a cover letter and impress an employer. I’m no expert in these areas. But something I did must have worked and if even one other person can benefit from what I have to say, these tips are worth sharing. So here’s my two cents:
The full article with tips from Lauren, can be found here.
How To HAPPO (April 30th edition)
With our 4/30 #HAPPO just a week away, we wanted to remind everyone of how they can participate. This time, we’ll be focusing on helping the Class of 2010. As Arik wrote in his post last week “This is your chance to make a difference. Pay it forward. ‘
EMPLOYERS: Got a job for an entry-level pro? Please post the job in our jobs section on LinkedIn. We have recently started a LinkedIn Group (which we invite all to join!) We want to make the most of this platform and the easy opportunities it offers to network and identify connections. Please also tweet the opportunity Friday, April 30th, between 12 Noon and 2pm ET using the #HAPPO hashtag
JOB SEEKERS: Use Social Media (a blog post, video, slideshow etc) to provide a creative response to the “Why would I hire you?” question. Please tweet it to your local champion and @helpaprproout using the #happo hash tag on April 30. Be sure to let your network of supporters know to share you response as well. After all, #HAPPO is not just about tweeting with a hashtag… it’s about using social media to leverage relationships. And don’t forget, just because you are looking for a job, doesn’t mean that you can’t help someone else. See a position that’s not right for you? Consider whether you know anyone who may be a match.
PR PROFESSIONALS/ BLOGGERS: Use your blog to help us share news of this event. Feature a senior you have gotten to know, or an organization that you know would be a terrific place to work. Offer some space on your blog for a guest post. Help us spread the word so we can help as many college senior and recent grads as possible. Refer great jobs you know of or students that you know. And, help promote students and recent grads on HAPPO Day next Friday.
EVERYONE: Follow the #HAPPO hashtag on Twitter Friday, April 30th between 12 noon and 2pm eastern. Set up a column in Hootsuite or Tweetdeck. Use TweetChat or TweetGrid to easily participate and not miss a tweet! Join us on Facebook and LinkedIn… both platforms offer different advantages to help us facilitate new connections. Help us to identify and promote the outstanding members of the Class of 2010, as well as the employers seeking to fill positions. If you do have personal experience with an individual or organization, share! Help us to make some great matches.
Here are a few additional tips regarding “How to HAPPO” we offered before our first event
Thank you to our incredible team of champions, for again volunteering their time and using their social media skills and relationships to help make such a difference. And thank YOU for being a part of the #HAPPO community. It is truly inspiring to know you.
Valerie & Arik
Fantastic Candidate Video
Embedded below you’ll find a stellar video from a student at Auburn who’s all set to graduate in August. This one is definitely worth a look by students and employers alike.
Getting the HAPPO Ball Rolling
Note: The following post was submitted by Angela Minicuci, HAPPO supporter and, as you will see, benefactor. A huge kudos and thanks to Nikki Stephan for playing a key role in this HAPPO success story.
I was one month away from graduating when I received the phone call that changed my future. The position I planned on beginning after graduation was gone because Michigan is in a severe recession and budget cuts eliminated my opportunity. I could wait around for a few months until the position was available again, or I could jump back into the job pool and start back at square one. I took the plunge.
December came, and I graduated. In January, I slept a lot. February came, and I began a paid internship that did not have the potential of becoming full time. The search continued.
I was doing everything I possibly could do to get my name out there. But the truth is, I’m young and my network is not yet big enough to spread my name high and low. Sure, I could tweet to my followers that I was still searching, but I had to be careful not to annoy people and lose connections. I could remind people, call, email, send letters (yes, handwritten letters), post things on Facebook, LinkedIn or job search sites, but I had to accept that I could not do it alone. The tides turned when Nikki Stephan contacted me about doing a post on her blog featuring me for #HAPPO. I had heard of Help a PR Pro Out but wasn’t sure how to get involved. This was my chance.
For one full day, a wonderfully written post about me and my qualifications was passed from person to person through social media. I cannot thank Nikki Stephan enough for her kind words and offer to help me. #HAPPO got the ball rolling. An organization hired me because they heard great things about me. But the best part is, they aren’t on a single social media network. Instead, they brought me on board to get them involved.
I think #HAPPO reminded those who knew me that I was still looking for a job, and it drew in those who had never heard my name before. The organization I now work for has nothing to do with social media or online networks directly, but I personally believe my resume would have never reached their desks if it weren’t for this event. I didn’t apply for the position. Instead, local professionals passed on my resume and they called me. #HAPPO served not only as a reminder that I was still out there, but also as a confidence builder. When you’re struggling to find a job, it’s very easy to get discouraged. Optimism is key when you’re trying to promote yourself.
I don’t think my story is conventional or normal, but it’s true. I’m now happily employed. I live in the Lansing, Mich. area, and if there are any PR hopefuls out there that would like my help, please feel free to email me at angminicuci@gmail.com. I’ve been in your shoes, and I can only hope to be as helpful to you as #HAPPO was to me.
HAPPO hash tag conversation: March 8
As promised in last Friday’s announcement this week we’re starting the first in a series of ongoing weekly hash tag conversations around topics relevant to today’s PR job seeker.
We’d like to start by throwing out the following question: What was the best career advice you were ever given?
Weigh with your thoughts throughout the week and track the conversation using the hash tag (easiest way is to set up a column in Tweetdeck or similar approach with other Twitter desktop apps).
We’re planning to summarize the conversation at the end of the week on the HAPPO blog, so if you miss it, you can always check there for the highlights.
Side note: HAPPO champion and supporter Deirdre Breakenridge also took time to create a social media release for HAPPO. A great tool for champions and other HAPPO supporters to use in promoting the next HAPPO event on April 30, 2010.
Any questions, just ask Valerie or I or one of the local champions.
@arikhanson
HAPPO: What’s next?
It’s been 14 days since the HAPPO event on Feb. 19. In that time, we’ve heard great stories. A number of job seekers shared with us how HAPPO made a difference, including:
Jackie Lloyd: Today’s HAPPO was fantastic! As a job seeker, it let me connect with so many professionals I would have never had the opportunity to communicate with or follow on Twitter.
Sarah Haas: My most helpful contact was Mary Barber who not only posted my HAPPO blurb on her blog but also connected me with experienced senior level public relations professionals in my area. I am very excited to connect with these individuals and it would not have happened without HAPPO.
And, read Aubrey Mondi’s comment if you want to see the full effect HAPPO had for one job seeker last month.
We’ve also seen continued momentum after the Feb. 19 event. Between 150-200 tweets each day using the #happo hash tag. People still want to help–and clearly, people are still looking for work.
But what’s next? That’s the question we continue to hear.
On April 30, we will hold our next HAPPO event. And, with this event, we’d like to focus on student job seekers since graduation will be just weeks away. After brainstorming and discussing with many of the HAPPO champions, we felt a quarterly HAPPO event made sense–at least for the foreseeable future. Look for more specific details about this event later this month.
We also wanted to find a way to keep the conversation going between events. A way to connect job seekers with PR practitioners between those quarterly HAPPO dates. So, starting Monday, March 8, we’ll start a weekly hash tag-based conversation around a number of topics relevant to today’s PR job seeker. You’ll be able to chat with pros and fellow job seekers about topics ranging from the best resume format to interview tips to networking best practices. It’s designed to be a weekly event, so if you can’t hop on Twitter to chat Monday, just check back later in the week. The topic will also change each week, so while one topic may not interest you this week, next week the discussion may pique your curiousity. Check back with the HAPPO blog Monday for more information, including next week’s topic.
We have a number of other great ideas on the table, too. Including Justin Goldborough’s notion of asking current pros to review resumes of those looking for work and offering advice. We’re definitely going to find a way to keep that going. But, we’re also considering a number of other ideas. We just have to figure out what’s feasible given people’s time and interest. Stay tuned for more.
In the meantime, if you’re a job seeker, look for the hash tag conversation next week and start preparing now for the April 30 event. Dust off your resume and update your LinkedIn profile. Start connecting with colleagues and new people–on and off Twitter. And, think about different ways to approach your job search. Those are the foundational elements of HAPPO. And, we hope we can continue to make a difference for you in your hunt.
5 creative approaches to the question: Why should I hire you?
On Feb. 19, we asked job seekers to develop a creative approach that answered one simple question: Why should I hire you?
The following were a few of the more creative submissions we saw on HAPPO Day and beyond. We hope these submissions can spark ideas for job seekers as they start to think differently about the job search and creative tactics to help differentiate themselves.
Also, note, we’ll have more information to share later this week regarding the future plans for HAPPO.
KT Wall’s #HAPPO Video from Katie Wall on Vimeo.
A #HAPPO Haiku for you: PR rainmaker * 20 years experience * LinkedIn says it best* Profile: http://bit.ly/8XYEiP #HAPPO #HAPPOPHL
Nate Knox (resume in word search format)
Bonus: Not a HAPPO submission, but a brilliant execution of a musical resume/cover letter (see above)
What submissions did you see on Feb. 19 that left an impression?
