12 Steps to Stand Out From the Crowd

Recruiters report almost a thousand applications flowing into their agencies for each new summer internship and coveted entry-level job. With that in mind this is the season to focus on differentiating yourself from run-of-the-mill candidates. Based on observations from the recent PRSSA national conference “career exhibition” in Atlanta, a few agencies drew the attention of…… Continue reading 12 Steps to Stand Out From the Crowd

Ready to Start Your Own PR Shop? Probably Not.

As a stay-at-home dad the past few years, I had no intention of getting back into the public relations business for awhile. Finding a home in Charleston three years ago changed that. July marked the one-year anniversary of starting my own communications consultancy. I’ve read plenty of “lessons learned” articles marking 10 or 20-year milestones – life…… Continue reading Ready to Start Your Own PR Shop? Probably Not.

Counter Offers Seldom Pay Off Long Term

Q. I accepted a job offer from a competing agency last week and told my current boss that I was leaving on Friday. She was upset and told me not to announce anything internally until she could arrange a counter offer. On Monday, she came back with an offer matching the 20% increase from the…… Continue reading Counter Offers Seldom Pay Off Long Term

4 Ways to Kill Your Career

In a recent PRSSA Twitter chat, Ron Culp tweeted, “Don’t pretend to know something if you don’t. It’s a career killer. Ask questions sooner than later.” The tweet sparked the question, “What else could kill my career?” among students and professionals alike. I asked a few seasoned professionals to share additional career killers via email.…… Continue reading 4 Ways to Kill Your Career

Knowing When to Switch Careers and How to Take the Leap

Young professionals are looking for more from their careers than a corner office and a paycheck. They want a sense of purpose, freedom to control their schedules, and the opportunity for continued professional and personal growth. If you aren’t getting those from your current position, it might be time to consider a move. It’s never…… Continue reading Knowing When to Switch Careers and How to Take the Leap

10 Reasons Why A Job Interview Can Go Wrong

The atmosphere of today’s shaky economy and overcrowded job market easily affects attitudes about job interviews. Pass the initial candidate screening is already a great achievement and when people rush off to their interviews, they’re really stressed and often forget about some basic, but important details. When going to a job interview, you simply must remember…… Continue reading 10 Reasons Why A Job Interview Can Go Wrong

7 Signs You’ve Been at Your Job Too Long

Even if your job is paying the bills, it’s natural to feel unstimulated at work if the tasks or profession become dull or uninspiring in your mind. This is a fairly common feeling among those who have been at their jobs for an extended period of time. Even if they feel like they may want…… Continue reading 7 Signs You’ve Been at Your Job Too Long

Writing, Time Management and Presentation Skills Are Keys To Success in New PR Job

Walking into the office on the first day of your first PR job without having an understanding about the basics of good PR is not a great idea. If you want to shine in your job, you must keep in mind the following tips. Writing high-impact press releases Writing press releases is an integral part…… Continue reading Writing, Time Management and Presentation Skills Are Keys To Success in New PR Job

“You work in PR? So you do advertising, right?”

PR is not (just) taking calls from journalists and selling people products and ideas they don’t need. It’s so much more than you can see on the surface: Creative writing, editorial work, strategic planning, project and event management etc. When you’re talking about PR, you’re talking about the interface between a brand and the opinion…… Continue reading “You work in PR? So you do advertising, right?”