The Sit Down! (Interview Tips)

The Bureau of Labor reports unemployment drop to 8.5 percent, lowest in three years. 

According to Economic Policy Institute, for every one job opening there are four workers ready to fill it. The biggest part in securing a job is the interview process. Here are some helpful tips to interview effectively.

Dress the part.
Interviews are not the time to express individual fashion sense. Below are videos for men and women on interview dress code.

For men, Image Consultant and Wardrobe Coordinator Angel Sanchez

For Women, Global Image Group.

Be on time.
You want to arrive at the interview location at least five or ten minutes early.  Make sure you calculate the time it takes to get there. Know what type of traffic you can except on the day of your interview and add that into your calculated time of arrival.


Stay calm.
It's hard to sale yourself if you have anxiety and fumble over your words. It can take away from the message and image you are trying to communicate to the employer.

Research (Pre-Interview).
Make sure you know facts about the company. Know some of the verbiage used in the company. This can be found on the company website, social media outlet or any media cover the company has receive over the past few years.

Most recruiters will ask, "What do you know about the company?".

Even if you answer some questions in vague detail. It shows the interviewer you did try to place it to memory. Make sure you know the interviewer's name. If possible, call and ask for the name prior to the interview.

Eye contact.
Non-verbals and body language say a lot about an individual. You don't want anything to take anyway from your message. Always keep eye contact with the interviewer. Constant eye contact shows you are focus on what is being discuss and the information is important to you.

Show what you know.
One of the biggest mistake many people make is, bring a portfolio of previous works, place it on the table and never open it. If you know the duties of the job and what is require of you, don't be afraid to show you have prior experience. Showing examples and the results of your work can only increase your chances of getting the position.

Show passion for your craft & not the job.
This is hard to put into words because it involve an individuals make up and emotional drive but I will try.

Intangibles are often hard to measure but a big element in determining the amount of success a person will have in their professional career. I encourage you to remember this saying,

"Hard work beats talent when  talent does not work hard."

Employers are looking for the best talent this is true but they are looking for hard workers as well. Many times, if two individual are equal in talent, often intangibles wins the day. Showing passion and pride in any and everything you do, no matter the pay or title, goes a long way.

If you display passion it will go a long way in your career development. Titles and money are always changing but what has to be constant is the love for what you do.

The follow up.
Make sure to thank the interviewer for the time, opportunity and considering you for the position. If you are interview by multiply people send each a thank you email.

Millennial Job Hunt.

In today's job market we are familiar with nine percent, the current unemployment rate in the United States.

If you are a younger American, between the ages of 17 and 24, you may want to look closer at that number because it hides your truth. Your number is FAR WORSE thnn the national average

According to Tamara Drauts report, "The Abandoned Generation: Creating Jobs and Opportunities for Young Adults, " between the ages of 17 and 24the unemployment rate is at 17 percent in the U.S. The rate for Latinos in the same age range is 20 percent, and in the African American community it is nearly 30 percent. The Millenials must understand this: while the country in recession, they are looking at a depression. Many experts fear the Millennials will be the first generation that will not be better off than their parents.

Even though the Millennials are the generation for which many are scared for, the world is set up to help them not only beat the odds, but also thrive. The fundamental ways to get a job will never change, but the format in how it is done is another matter.

INTERN, RESEARCH & CONNECT.

Intern (Get experience)
All the knowledge you learn in the classroom over a your college years means NOTHING, if you do not apply that knowledge in real situations. Almost, every field of study offered on a college campus gives you an opportunity to work and learn in a professional setting. It's not enough to just go to school four or five years. Employers want to see if students used their time to work on their craft.

Remember your employers were once college students as well. They know there is time each year you can spend outside the classroom gaining professional experience. It's not just helpful for students, but the employer as well. The more you know less the company has to teach you. There will be more than enough on-the-job training/learning in your first job. So try to shorten the learning curve as much as possible.

Professors will tell students, "Do at least one internship." But in a global job market and a generation looking at 17.3 percent unemployment, One out-of-classroom field experiences is not going to cut it. Technology and the work environment changes too fast for just one internship. Many professionals encourage college students to do two or three internships for the four to five years you are in school.

Research (Know yourself and target companies)
To get the best out of your internship or see what entry-level positions are out there, you must do research. It is very important to have a realistic outlook on what is out there and what you qualify for.

Make sure to visit a company's website and look at its mission statement and values, if presented. Mission statements give you an idea of what values a company does and is built on and do those ideas match your beliefs.

Look at any reviews and reactions from current and  former workers. Websites like Glassdoor provide in-depth breakdown of companies. Find approval rating of company CEO, salaries, and pro and cons of the organization from current employees and  former interns. Websites like this helps your job hunt have some direction and insight to what companies best fit you.

Connect (Are you LinkedIn?)  

LinkedIn for those of you that don't know, is a social media website for professionals to build their networks share knowledge and find new career opportunities. With over 120 million users, it allow professionals to take charge of their career in new ways. 

What I find odd is, with a website that provides so many resources in a stuggling economy, why does it seem more college students are not a part of the LinkedIn Community? 

According to Leela Srinivasan's article, "LinkedIn launches Career Explorer for college student," over 200,000 college students join LinkedIn per month. Many professionals argue that many college student are not as active with their LinkedIn account as they are with Facebook and Twitter. Here are some ways to get the most out of your LinkedIn page.

 The one thing that separates LinkedIn from other social networking sites. It gives you the active email of the employees at the company, organization or field you have an interest in. It's a great way to great inside information and up-to-the moment reviews of the company you would like to work or intern. 

Below is the email I sent out to several employees about the Internship and Trainee program at Edelman, the public relations giant.

"Hello [ place name here]

I am interested in applying for the Edelman Intern and Trainee Program. 


I am currently a student at Illinois State University, majoring in the Public Relations. 


Before I apply, I want to ask current employees at Edelman about their work experience at Edelman?  What is the work atmosphere like, and what are some of the things I can expect as a trainee? 


If you can provide any information or feedback, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time.

[Your name here]"

Notice in my letter I kept it short, simple and clear. Always be mindful these are working professionals, so their time is very valuable. You are collecting information for yourself, but it's on their time, so make it as easy and as quick for them to answer as possible.  

You do not want to leave room for miss interpretation. Make sure your message is clear about why you are contacting them and what questions you would like answered. 

Finally, always thank them for taking time to read your letter, even if they do not reply back.

Getting involved in discussion forums is another way to increase your reach and connect with professionals. Feel free, to voice our opinion because you never know who may value it.

Most of us have been in school and heard nothing but how bad the economy and job market is. The horror stories of former classmates returning home to work at McDonald's. There are resources in place to insure that four or five years of your life was not wasted, if you so choose to use them. Be proactive in securing your future. 

Micheal Gartner's Gift

As a young inspiring public relations professional I learned early that writing is the fundamental skills you need to excel in the profession.

The great thing about Gartner's piece, "12 Step Program to Good Writing" it's a writing for dummies guideline that I think all writing professionals should follow and use as a reminder EVERY TIME they place their hands to a keyboard or pen to paper.

Though all 12-Steps are important but their are four elements I hope young writers, public relations professionals and students would place at the base of their professional foundation

Listen

Gartner 

" The good writer must listen for the nuance, the emotion, the detail, the odd fact. The good writer must listen for the GREAT quote-- a quote, after all, is just the print version of a sound bite--must listen so carefully that he, or she, can follow through on a dropped hint, a fumbled answer or a punted reply."

For public relations professionals becoming an effective listener is the second most important skill, it's after writing and before working well with others. PR is a service and you have to remember your success is often judged on your clients reaching their goals and objectives. Good listening can save a client from making a mistake or finding a new innovative way to reach the audience they are targeting.

PR acts often has the middle man between an organization or individual and multiply audiences. So your ears must be open to both ends to create successful communication. 

Simplify

Gartner

"The easiest thing for the reader to do is quit reading." So you have to keep the reader interested. You must not bore him. You must not confuse him. You must not alienate him or her.

You must cut the complex to the simple, you must turn the simple into the eloquent. You cannot be lazy, and you lose the reader often enough, you will lose your job"

We live in an era were NO ONE HAS TIME. I encourage PR people to remember that when trying to pitch something to a journalist or media outlet. The fact they took the time out to even read your pitch is a blessing in it self, so do not use up your good fortune by giving them pages of useless information. Often. you could have said that same information in one page.With that in mind remember, KEEP IT SIMPLE!

Your pitch letter should have the general idea of what yo are doing and why it's important. If they decide it is newsworthy they will call you, that why you leave contact information. The follow up call or email is the time you can give them more details.  

Trust 

Gartner

"Trust means honesty and respect, openness and courtesy. You simply cannot work with someone you don't trust."

Trust is everything, not just in your career but life in general. You can have all the accomplishment and experiences in the world but if you can not be trusted it's all for nothing. Nobody will never down you for being honest and straight forward with them. 

Remember you have a duties to the clients you service to give them honest feed back and truthful input.  

Trust is the NUMBER ONE ELEMENT in establishing creditably.

LOVE
Gartner
"You cannot be a good writer if you do not love writing and love reporting. It's simply impossible. If you do not love what you are doing , quit now and find another job, another line of work. For you'll never be happy--and you'll never be good."


You can not progress in a profession if you do not LOVE want you do. I am not talking about the good times but you have to love the bad ones. They low moment that keep you up at night.  Often in those times is when you have the opportunity to become better.

You can only enjoy the finish product if you love the PROCESS. When i say "process" I mean the step by step tasks that get you to the end result. If your employer see passion for the process and you excel at given quality work consistently. You will find yourself taking on bigger roles and larger company projects.

Michael Gartner's testimony is valued wisdom to ANY writing professional both young and old. Its always good to see a very accomplished professional share their experiences for future generations to follow. I just hope we all listen. Beside no matter where you are in your career, you can always improve your writing.



To view the Full Micheal Gartner's "12 Steps Program to Good Writing" Click link below
http://journalism.unl.edu/cojmc/alumni/jnews/archive/97spring/gartner.html

  

Welcome

The Open blog was started to create discussion about many issues facing multiply audiences. Young and old, blue and white collars workers, high school, college and grad students and so many more. 

This is a blog for the people, many of the articles are from my personal experiences, interest and observation but will always supported by fact and professionals in the field.. 

I hope this blog creates great discussion and debate. I pray this blog is helpful to every  individual that decides to read.