Category: Professional Development

How to Get an Internship at a PR Agency

Josephine ButlerBlog, Professional Development, Public Relations, Raleigh PR Agency, , , , , , , , , ,

Our intern Erin Kelley not only landed an internship here at Clairemont – she also wants to share a few tips with you on how to do the same! Isn’t she sweet?

This could be your desk, too!

In the public relations field, internships are crucial for networking and eventually landing your dream job. Since I went through the internship process recently, I thought I would share six easy steps that helped me find my place at Clairemont:

  1. Research: Searching through massive amounts of internship postings and websites can be stressful and overwhelming at first. If you’re doing a Google search, try to narrow it down first by location, then by interest. Just from my experience, your best bet is networking. Don’t be afraid to connect to public relations agencies through social media! I actually found out about the Clairemont internship program from then-intern Margot Horgan’s post on the UNC Public Relations Facebook page.
  2. Understand the application process: Unless an agency specifically states otherwise, it is usually a safe bet to include your cover letter in the body of the email, with your resume attached. Employers may also want writing samples from past internships or class assignments, so choose from your best work! I usually include a news release and then something that shows my creative side, like a feature story or design project.
  3. Cover letter: The purpose of the cover letter is to go into depth about important experiences or previous internships that you couldn’t fully explain on your resume. You’ll also want to throw in a sentence or two describing why you would be an asset to the company. Always include a cover letter, even if it isn’t mentioned – it can’t hurt!  
  4. Resume: It wasn’t until this past year that I learned that your resume, specifically the relevant experience section, should be tailored to each position. For instance, if I were to apply for a nonprofit internship, I would highlight my work with the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina; however, for an agency position, I would include my experience as PR director for an on-campus organization.
  5. Email: The worst mistake you can make with an email is the dreaded typo or grammar mistake. As I learned in my public relations writing class, you can never rely on spell check! Sometimes it’s best to whip out the good ol’ AP Stylebook. Other than that, just be professional yet personable when explaining your interest in the company and past public relations work.  
  6. Follow Up: Arguably the most important part of the process is maintaining communication with the agency. I always make sure to keep a record of when I applied, sent writing samples, talked with them, etc., so that I can stay in touch and provide any information they may need.

These are just a few tricks of the trade that I used this past year when searching for an internship. Overall, the key to securing a PR internship is perseverance and a bit of luck!

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Meet Erin: Another “E” Summer Intern at Clairemont

Josephine ButlerBlog, Professional Development, Public Relations, Raleigh PR Agency, , , , , ,

Say hello to another one of Clairemont’s summer “E” interns, Erin Kelley! She joins us as a rising senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she is a J School student. Already, Erin has shown us what she can do, and without further ado, we’d like to share this interview with you (no, we did not mean for that to rhyme – it just did).

Meet Erin!

So Erin, you’re from Winston-Salem. How long have you lived in North Carolina?

My entire life…so almost 21 years.

That’s a long time.

Yeah, and my family has always stayed in the same house, even. We never moved.

Sheesh. You’re quite the NC lover. Is that why you love UNC so much?

It is!

So, about that. How did you decide to study PR in college, anyway?

I declared public relations as my major the day after I finished up my freshman year. The real answer is that I took Business 100, and it wasn’t what I thought it would be…so I added marketing and communications to the mix to make things more interesting.

And now you’re going into your senior year. What are you looking forward to the most?

A class called Branding of Me with Gary Kayye. I want to integrate all of my social media accounts and have a website where you can find me on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest and on my personal blog. This class should really help me with that.

Do you know Gary Kayye? He’s pretty awesome. I spoke to his class last year.

He presented at one of our PRSSA meetings this past year, and that’s how I heard about his class.

So how involved are you in PRSSA?

I was attended a lot of meetings this past year, and next year, I will be the treasurer, making everyone pay dues! It has been such a great experience because it has helped me with my resume and cover letter, and it’s great for networking. It gets you in with the speakers, and from there, you can build meaningful relationships and get a better understanding of what life will be like after college.

So you realize the importance of networking?

I feel like with today’s economy and the way journalism is evolving, that’s the only way to get into an agency. And, of course, having the UNC connection is always really helpful.

I’d say so. That’s why I was so excited about your resume – I saw the UNC email address!

Thank you! I guess the thing I am really working on right now with networking is keeping in touch with important contacts and making sure I reach out to someone if I have any questions or need advice.

And that’s really important. It can be the difference between forgetting about someone and keeping them at top of mind….So what have you learned so far at Clairemont?

Well, first off, I have learned that I love working in downtown Raleigh! I have also learned the importance of using the correct tone when you’re speaking to different audiences. For instance, when I am helping to write a Drexel Heritage blog post, I am always cognizant that I need to be using the voice of a fashionista. I have also learned a lot about the importance of media lists and thinking about strategy when you’re pitching. Oh, and I’ve been thinking a lot more about the appropriate channels to go to with my stories. I never realized how involved it all is!

Indeed, it is! You’re a quick learner, Erin! Anything else you want people to know about you? Any hobbies?

I signed up for the City of Oaks half marathon in November. It will be my second. I am following in the footsteps of Dana!

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Hug it Out of Slug it Out? More from Summer Brand Camp

Dana PhelpsBlog, Professional Development, , ,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PJakiUSfF8&feature=relmfu

In my last post, I talked about some of my favorite things about Summer Brand Camp. Today, I wanted to dig a little deeper into the first thing from that list which was the collaborative song writing exercise, led by Banding People Together. In addition to thinking things like this are just really fun, I love to observe the human dynamics in these types of situations.

The first thing I noticed was all the different backgrounds represented in the room. People came from different states, some were in marketing while others were in HR or operations, we had cat lovers and dog lovers (if you know me at all, you know…), we had people who thought we should write our song in a major key to make it sound uplifting and others wanted the darker sound that comes from a minor key, and we had those who enjoy curse words and those who do not. Sound familiar? It should. It describes most people’s work environments.

Our first task was coming up with a name. Brant, our facilitator, stressed the importance of consensus to teamwork. When it seemed there wasn’t one choice that everyone loved (sounds familiar again, eh?), Brant did something that I thought was brilliant to bring in the few folks who didn’t agree with the majority. He gave them something special… or I suppose you could say he played to their egos. Either way, it worked! The females in the room agreed on The Summer Brand Cramps. Two guys, George and Michael, were opposed. So, we became George Michael and the Summer Brand Cramps, and eventually George Clay Michael and the Summer Brand Cramps to include the name of the third guy in our group. With their names getting the spotlight, we reached consensus. Hmmm, I’m going to remember that little trick.

Next we debated style, lyrics, should we use the f word in our song, all kinds of fun things! Then, we were down to the wire to finish our song in time for the performances, and we had the biggest debate about how the song should end. When you read the lyrics below, you’ll get a sense for the path the song was taking and musically, there was a lot of angst in it. Brant advised that it wouldn’t go with the flow for it to end all happy happy. It came down to one line. Should it be “slug it out” or “hug it out?” “Slug it out” really fit more with the overall tone and feel of the song, but really everyone in the room was of the mindset of resolution when applying our song to real life and we just couldn’t feel right with “slug it out.” Plus, @IamCathyMac (follow her — she’s new on Twitter. Tell her she’s doing a great job!) who was so sweetly persuasive really wanted “hug it out.” See, sweetness can get you so far in negotiations!

The last thing I have to say is that I was originally adamantly opposed to putting something about a cat in our song. But even my canine loving heart found myself agreeing to change a “now” to a “meow” because from across the room I had started to adore and respect a (gasp!) cat lover for her creative ideas and the collaborative way she played the game. We even added a little kitty choreography, and man oh man, what a great time we had performing our song! We were a team that overcame our differences, and we were proud to be teammates. And we still think we were better than all of the other teams! With that said and without further ado, I give you the lyrics to “Meow”….

I hear you b!+@#ing but we ain’t listening

Your lips are moving but words aren’t sinking in

You say you really care, but I just don’t see it there

We gotta do this or we’ll be outta here

Just shut your big mouth

Stop messing around

Let’s get the job done

It’s time to have some fun, MEOW

You say you’re trying, but it’s not working out

I think you’re lying, so let’s just hug it out (awwww)

Just shut your big mouth

Stop messing around

Let’s get the job done

It’s time to have some fun, MEOW

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This One Time at Brand Camp…

Dana PhelpsBlog, Professional Development, , , ,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6zBvrHkCWc&feature=relmfu

This week I’m attending my first Summer Brand Camp, a conference hosted by People Report for people in marketing, operations and human relations, in the restaurant industry. Having worked with several national restaurant brands and franchised operations, it is really fun to be here and feel like I’m part of the inside circle of such a passionate group of people.

Here are some of my favorite things that have happened at Brand Camp so far:

  1. The first night, as a total newbie in this group, I went into a room with about 15 other people and wrote a song. As a collaboration exercise led by Banding People Together, this was the perfect icebreaker and a wonderful way to learn more about my fellow campers and the challenges they face in their daily jobs. In a short period of time our “band” named George Clay Michael and the Summer Brand Cramps created a hard-driving song with a lot of angst about the communications struggles that occur between departments and colleagues. Watch the video to see for yourself how the words “shut your big mouth,” a hug and meowing can all come together in one song.
  2. One of the absolute best stories came from two guys, Jason Lauritsen and Joe Gerstandt, who talked about how difficult it is to always be authentic during a time when the words authentic and authenticity  have turned to buzzwords. Jason and Joe encouraged campers to work hard at being original and for people and brands to shake their tail feathers and fly their freak flags. The story they told was about a doctor they both went to for vasectomies. (I’m telling you, these folks at Brand Camp REALLY share a lot.) Picture Dr. Sloan who comes in for the procedure with a “Surgery for Dummies” book under his arm as he asked the nurse (in front of the patient) “Was this the vasectomy or the sex change?” The point is, you might not think of a doctor as being funny and perhaps a tad inappropriate, but that’s who Dr. Sloan is. He’s authentic, and being his patient was a memorable experience. And Jason and Joe endorse him everywhere they go!
  3. Simon T. Bailey challenged the campers with defining their Vuja De moments. You know what deja vu is, right? Well Vuja De is when you say, “I haven’t seen it yet, but I intend to create it.” How do you know you are getting close to having a Vuja De moment? You start becoming uncomfortable with being comfortable. Wow! That gave me a flashback to the moment I decided I wanted to open a Raleigh PR agency. Simon offered some other interesting thoughts including this: A job is something you are paid to do. Creating a moment of brilliance is something you are made to do.
  4. William Tincup, Bryan Wempen and Craig Fisher talked about the importance of having a social framework versus a social strategy. The energetic and interactive discussion about how to let your audience influence your online engagement and asking the question of “what are you trying to do” before deciding which tools seemed like a page out of the Clairemont playbook. Such validation to hear these highly regarded experts in the HR industry — a different space than PR — reinforce the advice we give our PR clients about social media and overall communications.
  5. Christopher O’Donnell told an inspiring, funny and motivational story about becoming the CEO of Famous Dave’s. My favorite part was when he was in a company meeting and told the founder, the board and the franchisees, “I am the CEO. I’m Christopher O’Donnell, and I am the CEO. CEO’s are hired to be leaders, and that’s what I plan to do. I plan to lead.” Then he went to his office, locked the door, took a couple of deep breaths and said, “Oh, shit.” Great example of the responsibility you accept when you take on a leadership role.
  6. Marc Buehler, president of O’Charley’s, said the answer to the question of, “How do you turn a business around?” is simple…. go back to what made the company great. Why did people love it in the first place? I’m going to be honest, I’ve refused to eat at an O’Charley’s for a few years now. But knowing that Marc has been at the helm for a year and seeing his passion, I just might have to give it another try.
  7. Realizing that two shout-outs in the same post to William Tincup and Jason Lauritsen will likely fuel their already healthy egos (and you know I mean that in a loving way!), I have to share the link to their performance at last night’s talent show. LMFAO would be proud, don’t you think?

This has been a wonderful learning and networking experience, and I hope I am able to attend Summer Brand Camp next year! Fellow campers, what have been your favorite moments?

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My First 30 Days at a Raleigh PR Agency: Day 4

Margot HorganBlog, Entry-Level PR Job, Professional Development, , , , ,

It takes time adjusting to a new team, club, internship or workplace. Some lucky people can fall right into step with a new experience, but for the most of us it takes a little practice before we can perfect a new routine.

In a public relations agency, it’s necessary to think quickly on your feet and transition from one project, to the next, then back to that project and then on to a new one. Slowing down for a few seconds or even a few minutes to think something through or clarify the instructions feels too time-consuming and trivial. Better to just figure it out as you go along, right? Wrong. Don’t be afraid to ask questions!

Today, I was tasked with organizing and assembling several e-books that we use for professional development. It seemed like a simple enough assignment, but I misunderstood how the books should be organized, bound them incorrectly and needed to redo it. This was a mindless blunder on my part, and it could have easily been avoided had I clarified the instructions beforehand.

The lesson of the day? It may feel unnecessary to clarify a seemingly obvious assignment, but it’s better to ask for help than to do your work completely wrong. Take some time and ask questions. You’ll end up wasting more time redoing the project than you would have if you had asked the necessary questions before you started it.

For any readers out there looking for an internship or entry-level job, this lesson is for you! When working at my various internships, I was tentative to ask questions or clarify instructions given to me. I felt like I should already know how to do certain projects and didn’t want to look stupid for asking. This was a bad habit to develop, and it hurt my productivity today! Stop focusing on looking dumb, and start focusing on getting it right! That’s my biggest lesson today, and it’s all about the learning process, right?

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