Bad recruiters can teach everyone a lesson
As many of you know, I am currently on my rigorous and sometimes disappointing journey throughout the job market. Like many other college students I have attended many career fairs, posted my resume to several job boards and constantly/religiously checked the university’s AccessUT job site for openings. There have been some promising leads, but nothing worth celebrating just yet.
But, my job hunt has frustrated me at times because of ridiculously vague emails from people claiming they are recruiters, who would like to offer me a position immediately. Here is an example of what I am talking about: 
Note: I purposefully left out the company name and job ID to make a point, not to humiliate someone.
Look like anything you’ve ever received before? Why do recruiters even spend their time sending me emails like this one? The scary part is that many people actually reply back to these emails. I understand it is a bad economy, but practices like this should be banned from any job site. The best part is that “Anton” wasn’t the person who sent me an email. Also, did you notice that they want me to reply back to a @me.com account. Surely, any creditable company would have the capital to invest in business emails. Plus, the message isn’t even signed and a PDF is not attached.
The reason I am sharing this email with you is to remind you that you should always double check your sources. I am thinking about sending Careerbuilder a complaint about this, because in practice it has all the signs of fraud and spam. Just because someone sends you an incredible offer from an accredited job site, always take the time to do a quick Google search of the company and the person reaching out to you. And, as you can see from this example, check for signs in the email itself. If you don’t trust it, don’t even bother responding. Send it to trash and keep on going, just like I am!
Seven tips for young PR pros, from a pro
Last semester (Fall 2009) I had, in my opinion, one of the best public relations professors at UT, Terry Hemeyer. Hemeyer has been around the block and knows what he is talking about, so when he speaks everyone listens, especially when you have him for three straight hours. But, on the first day of class he shared with us seven qualities every person entering the public relations field today needs to have. Here is what he said:
1) You need to know how to network and build face-to-face relationships.
2) You need to be able to work in a team.
3) You need to be able to write well.
4) You need to be able to solve and analyze problems.
5) You need to be able to weigh through the crap and figure out what is important and what is not.
6) You need to be well read.
7) You need to be able to fail fast. – Understand when a project is not going well and make necessary adjustments to meet your objectives.
Although I would add these:
- Understand basic HTML, because digital PR is growing at a rapid rate.
- Understand the right social media tools for a client and which ones would make the best fit.
- Be able to multi-task.
- Take initiative and volunteer for special side projects.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions, especially to those people who are experienced in the industry.
What do you public relations pros think? I’m sure I am missing some stuff.
What an independent book publisher has taught me
When people start talking about publishing a book, they think they know everything about the process. Many people have this glorified imagination that a publisher will pay you millions of dollars to write a book and take care of everything else for you. This is mainly true, if you’re a celebrity, but if your just like anyone else, publishing a book takes a lot of time, money, and patience. I have to admit I was one of these very naive people that thought I knew everything about the industry, but let me tell you I was completely wrong!
Having the opportunity to work for Greenleaf Book Group last summer, I have had the ability to understand how the industry works and what it takes for a book to become successful. Although I have only interned here for two months, I have been able to work with different parts of the company to understand how these pieces come together to create a bestseller. In my opinion, the following are four aspects of the book publishing industry that many people need to understand.
1) Understand that your book may fail. An estimated 1,500 books are published each day. There is no guarantee that your book will become a bestseller or it will sell 10,000 copies. When you invest in your book, there is a chance your investment will not break-even.
2) Listen to the advice of your publisher. Publishers realize that you put a lot of time and work into your book and your passion overrides anything. They want you to be successful because it makes them successful. Many publishers have hands-on 
experience in the industry, so listen to their expertise even though it may hurt your feelings on what they have to say.
3) Going along with number 2, be open to any criticisms about your book. Many authors approach a publisher thinking that they know what is best for their book and no changes need to be made on it. Take note to what your publisher advises you about your book and understand it is meant to improve the overall product. But, don’t just agree with everything that the publisher asks you to do, compromise on the things you can agree on and stick to your guns when you absolutely can not change something in your book.
4) BE PATIENT! Getting a book in the stores sometimes becomes a long process because of the different steps a book has to go through. But, if you show a high degree of patience and trust in your publisher, I promise the process will be smooth and the end product will hopefully be a money-maker for both parties.
Do you as a publisher or author agree with my thoughts? Anything you think is also important?
[Disclaimer - The above post is strictly my observations and opinions after working with a book publisher. The opinions do not reflect those of Greenleaf Book Group. I suggest speaking with your own publisher about the topics I discussed. Thank you.]
Mark McGwire – Thoughts from a young PR mind
A few weeks ago, former Major League Baseball player and current hitting coach for the St.Louis Cardinals, Mark McGwire officially admitted to us that he took steroids throughout his baseball career (shocker!). While many of us could care less about his apology or that he took steroids during an era in baseball when everyone else was doing it, I asked myself, why would he come out now and admit he used steroids? Get it off his shoulder? Because he is a honest man? Future Hall of Fame entrance?
It has been almost five years since he made an appearance in Congress. Are baseball fans and sports writers going to take to heart what he said, or is it just water under the bridge? (Obviously a bridge that is not leading him anywhere near the Hall of Fame)
Although, McGwire’s situation makes for a good lesson in public relations: never be slow to respond during a crisis. From my first PR class at UT, crisis management has always been a topic of importance. In my opinion, crisis management is what separates public relations from any other marketing department. It is the plan of action we put together when a company has some sort of misfortune brought to them or simply when the company screws up. Crisis management is especially important to professional athletes that need help when their image gets tarnished. It is our value to a company, among countless other things public relations practitioners bring to the table. I remember one of my professors saying about a crisis, “The first 24 hours are the most important. It is what you do in these 24 hours that dictates public perception through the rest of the crisis.” McGwire is five years too late and to be honest this probably will not get him into the Baseball Hall of Fame. But, I think it was a nice try.
Another thing to note, that during his interview he said, “I did this for health reasons. I didn’t do this because I needed strength. I’ve always been able to hit home runs.” Ummmmm what? You mean to tell me that a drug tested to increase a person’s strength magically would not help you? In my opinion, this one statement completely negated his apology. If you’re going to admit to using steroids then just go all the way and quit defending yourself. What’s done is done and you have to move on from here.
We’ve seen many athletes get caught for behavior we don’t agree with for a public figure. Although some remarks we make are hypocritical to our own daily lives, but our society has brought immense responsibility to those with enormous paychecks. It’s interesting to note that if McGwire admitted all this five years ago, many of us would have a different perception of him now. He really should have taken a page from Kobe’s, A-Rod’s, or Pettitte’s book because these men are definite future Hall of Famers, even with their misfortune.
What do you think about McGwire’s recent confession?
5 Things To Do Before An Interview
The interview is your first and last impression to show your potential employer that you are an asset he/she cannot live with out. It is your time to shine and convince them you are the best candidate for the position. I have gone through several interviews, as a college student, and realized there are some little things you can do before going into an interview. The following is a list of things I believe you should do before an interview, so that you get a competitive advantage over any other candidate. Now more than ever, taking that extra step before an interview can land you the job you always wanted or needed.
1) Research the company’s website. What do they do? Get a feel of their culture and the company’s mission and purpose.
2) The day before the interview, drive to the company’s location so that you know where they are located. This will take the nerves off when you are headed to the interview the next day, because you already know where they are located.
3) Make a hand-written Thank You note to present to your interviewer after the interview. Make sure you hand write it and DO NOT type out the note. The personal feel will add a special touch and I promise it will completely “wow” your interviewer after you hand them the envelope. If you are not certain of your interviewer’s name, just address the letter to “Dear Interviewer” or “Dear (Insert the company’s name).” Here is an example of a Thank You note I wrote to an interviewer:
Dear Company X,
Thank you for taking the time to discuss the summer marketing internship position with me. This experience has greatly helped me better understand your company and the job.
I hope to hear from you soon!
Always inspired,
Komail Mithani
You can buy small Thank You note cards at any retailer, but make sure it is appropriate for a business setting.
4) Always add the company’s phone number to your cell phone. If for some reason you are running late or there is a traffic jam on the way to your interview, you will have the company’s number at hand so you can relay to them your situation. The interviewer should be understanding of your situation. Keeping an open communication is always important.
5) Arrive at least 15 minutes before your interview time.
Remember always walk into an interview with confidence and preparedness and you should be able to impress your future employer with ease. I hope these have helped you and feel free to leave any comments or things you believe have helped you prepare for an interview.
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