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Category: The Clairemont Team

(S)Amsterdam

(S)Amsterdam

February 19, 2014January 31, 2023 Margot HorganBlog, Professional Development, The Clairemont TeamIntegrated Systems Europe 2014, ISE 2014, PR, Public Relations, rAVe publications, trade shows2 Comments on (S)Amsterdam

Today’s blog post comes from Clairemont intern, Sam Halle, who just returned to the US after working a tradeshow in the Netherlands. Keep reading below for more details about her experience attending the largest audiovisual tradeshow in the world and traveling throughout Amsterdam.

Audiovisual innovation surrounded me – 349,409 square feet at that. Music blasted from the latest and greatest speaker systems. Scenic views flashed across various 4K and LED screens. An entire hall showcased videoconference and unified communications providers; another, digital signage; and another, staging rigs, gear and lighting. And, a record-breaking 51,003 attendees were taking note.

Just the other week, I took a break from my North Carolina life to fly to Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Donning my title as a reporter for rAVe Publications – a digital news organization that provides coverage of the commercial and residential audiovisual trade industries via e-newsletters, blogs, video, social media and more – I was tasked with contributing to the live coverage of Integrated Systems Europe 2014 tradeshow, the now-largest AV tradeshow in the world.

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From stand setup on Sunday, to breakdown on Thursday, it was a whirlwind of a week with quite a lot to digest.

Here are my tradeshow takeaways:

Have personality and be personable: Simply put, tradeshows are exhausting. Immersed in a world where networking is king, business card exchanges can become repetitive. Accordingly, it’s important to have personality! Taking that extra moment to have a memorable conversation with someone can go a long way, and taking the time to follow up with folks in a personalized fashion can go even further. My tip? Keep a pen with you at all times to jot down need-to-know notes on the back of respective business cards.

Attitude is everything: As the tradeshow progressed – and as my swollen feet grew to hate me at an increasing rate – it was critical that I remain present in all situations and conversations. Thanks to my camp counselor days, the mantra “alive, awake, alert, enthusiastic” played in my head (I may or may not have gotten a C-level executive to sing this song with me). Remain enthusiastic and soak up as much information as you can. Stay alert and capitalize on as many moments as possible. Introduce yourself. Read product descriptions. Watch how other attendees respond to different companies. Then, do another lap around the hall to catch up with those who were otherwise occupied when you initially visited.

Take a second to breathe: Never let professional travel become a burden. Whether you are traveling to the-middle-of-nowhere, Idaho or to Amsterdam, there is always something neat and different to experience. These experiences will not only make you more interesting and easier to talk to during the many small-talk sessions, but they’ll also – more importantly – continue to color your life. So, no matter how tired you are or how much work is left to be completed, take a moment to explore. Eat a wheel of cheese or maybe a stroopwafel. Walk along the canal. Take the more-scenic taxi ride (I promise it’s worth the few euros). Talk to locals. Snap at least a few photos that scream, “I am a tourist!” And, of course, enjoy.

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CLAIREMONT INTERNS: INTRODUCING SAM HALLE

CLAIREMONT INTERNS: INTRODUCING SAM HALLE

October 22, 2013January 31, 2023 Margot HorganBlog, The Clairemont TeamClairemont Team interns, Internships, PR, PR Agency, public relations internships, Raleigh Public Relations Agency, Raleigh Public Relations Internships1 Comment on CLAIREMONT INTERNS: INTRODUCING SAM HALLE

Clairemont intern Margot Pien sat down with fellow intern Sam Halle to learn a little bit more about her. Help Margot and Clairemont welcome Sam!

This week, I sat down with Sam Halle, who is one of the two interns I am working alongside at Clairemont Communications this fall. After chatting about school, our past experiences and discovering a mutual love for otters (seriously – she adopted an otter for a year at a local park when she was a kid), I’m here to tell you what I learned about Sam.

A senior at UNC-Chapel Hill (Go Tar Heels!), Sam is a Journalism & Mass Communication major, with a concentration in public relations. She is also pursuing a second major in public policy and a minor in psychology. It’s hard to keep track of all the organizations and activities she has been involved in during the past few years, but they include:

  • Interning at Ogilvy & Mather in Chicago as a strategic brand planner this past summer (where she got to explore all of Chicago’s free concert offerings)
  • Interning in Vietnam last summer with a client of a venture capital firm
  • Serving as chapter director of Camp Kesem NC, which is a free camp run by UNC-CH and Duke University for kids with parents affected by cancer
  • Serving as PR chair of UNC-CH’s Order of the Bell Tower
  • Guest writing for the website “HelloGrief.org,” which she helped develop while in high school

Phew, that was quite the list. Is there anything that girl doesn’t do? Want to know more about Sam? Here are few more facts:

  • She’s from Richmond, Virginia (not too far from my Maryland home)
  • Sam loves the Dave Matthews Band and even met Dave himself after he came to UNC-CH to perform on a special taping of The Late Show With Jimmy Fallon (side note: the episode featured President Barack Obama – watch Jimmy and Barack Slow Jam the News)
  • She’s a vegetarian who, oddly enough, lives with 3 other vegetarians (and 2 meat-eaters)
  • She loves coffee, chocolate, concerts and rollercoasters
  • When Sam was a kid, she once got her long hair stuck in a vacuum while doing some chores. She had to cut her long locks off after that
  • She loved living in Vietnam during her internship last summer – she fondly recalls buying fruit on the street and visiting amazing beaches
  • Her family just got an adorable Golden Retriever puppy named Zuko (as in Grease’s Danny). I saw a photo and I can vouch that the puppy’s extremely cute

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CLAIREMONT INTERNS: INTRODUCING MARGOT PIEN

CLAIREMONT INTERNS: INTRODUCING MARGOT PIEN

October 17, 2013January 31, 2023 Margot HorganBlog, The Clairemont TeamClairemont Team, interns, PR, PR Agency, PR Internships, public relations internships, Raleigh PR Agency, Raleigh Public Relations Agency

Every semester, we always manage to find some AMAZING interns, and we love to tell you all about each of them. This semester, we have three up and coming PR pros – Kate Fedder (who continues interning at Clairemont after a successful summer internship), Sam Halle and Margot Pien (YES! There are two Clairemont “Margots” now!). Sam Halle (we’ll introduce Sam to you in our next blog post) recently sat down with her fellow fall intern, Margot Pien to learn a bit about her. Here’s what she learned:

Margot is a recent graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill (class of 2013) with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, with a concentration in advertising, and a minor in English.

While at Carolina, she worked with Chapel Hill’s WXYC 89.3 FM radio station. An already avid concertgoer, Margot’s time at WXYC helped her to realize she could work with music. She has since interned at Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, Music Maker Relief Foundation and Merge Records, and she would love to ultimately work in the music industry or arts management. Currently, Margot shares her time between interning at Clairemont and interning at Redeye Distribution, a distributor for independent music of the southeast.

Want to know more about Margot? Here are few additional fun facts:

  • Hailing from Bethesda, MD, Margot now lives in Durham
  • While at UNC, she served as the managing editor for Blue & White Magazine and was an active member of Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed community service fraternity
  • She loves to travel, and her favorite destination thus far is Greece
  • She has a knack for photography and frequents museums and art exhibits
  • She (like myself) is vegetarian and otter-lover
  • Considering her spirit animal is a sea otter, it’s fitting that she has quite the affinity for fountains. Her favorite fountain? Rome’s Fontana di Trevi
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How to Land an Internship

How to Land an Internship

October 10, 2013January 31, 2023 Margot HorganBlog, Free Advice, The Clairemont Teaminterns, interview advice, interview tips, NCPRSA, PR, PR Agency, PR Internships, PRSA, public relations internships1 Comment on How to Land an Internship

Today, the North Carolina Public Relations Society of America is hosting its annual Public Relations and Marketing Seminar at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill. Each year, communications professionals from throughout the state attend the conference to listen to industry experts discuss a variety of topics and share strategy and tactical experiences that are shaping how we communicate for our companies and clients. This year, Clairemont’s Dana Hughens will conduct a session instructing students on the do’s and don’ts of internship and job searches and interviews. In preparation for this session, we asked our interns – Sam Halle, Margot Pien and Kate Fedder – what is your best advice for landing an internship? Here’s what each had to say:

1012127_10151736860421974_329229897_nSam Halle:

If the folder on my computer littered with countless cover letter and resume files is any indication, the internship search can be a draining numbers game. And, while it’s true that you can’t control each outcome, you can control whether or not you show your potential and best self to a prospective employer. Here are a few simple ways I’ve learned to do this:

Check (and then double and triple check) for typos. This goes for both grammatical and spelling errors. Applying to positions at multiple companies? Avoid the copy-paste faux pas by making sure the company and contact names are correct too. For jobs and internships in the industry, it also doesn’t hurt to get reacquainted with your good friend the AP Stylebook.

Study up! Research both the company and specific position you are applying for. This will allow you to tailor the language of your cover letter or introductory email, as well as the experiences highlighted in your resume. Oftentimes, I’ll tweak the word choice throughout my resume to better fit each position. It should go without saying that research is an absolute must before an interview!

Thank you’s aren’t optional. When someone has taken the time to consider you as an applicant, it’s important to show that you’re grateful. This applies to email, phone and in-person correspondence. Importantly, you can use the thank you note following an interview to really drive home why you’re a great fit for the position.

Google yourself and make sure you’re happy with the results. Companies will search for you, so make sure your social media profile pictures are appropriate. If your account is public (and even if it isn’t), you should ask yourself if you’re comfortable with your future co-workers viewing your tweets, photos and posts. After all, your Internet presence is a reflection of who you are.

Use your resources. Check out what’s available at your university’s career center. Not a strong interviewer? Go to an interview workshop or participate in a mock interview. Struggling with your resume or cover letter? Most career advisors will review these and offer suggestions. Overwhelmed with the job/internship search? Most schools offer an online portal with hundreds of opportunities for students just like you. LinkedIn is also a helpful place to find connections.

Be positive and persistent. It’s hard work to find work, but in the end, it will all pay off. Remind yourself of that throughout the application, interview and follow-up process. Keep track of deadlines, try your hardest to avoid the procrastination bug and get excited for interviews. My pre-interview ritual? Review my resume and then blast Hakuna Matata.

margotclairemontMargot Pien:

I’ve had the opportunity to intern at a few wonderful companies, and have learned a lot from the application process. For every acceptance letter I have received, of course there just as many – if not more – internships or jobs that I have not gotten. That’s the nature of the game. Here are some useful tips that I’ve learned along the way:

Don’t use your cover letter to rehash everything from your resume. You can refer to it, of course, but use this chance to really catch your potential employer’s attention. Try to tell them something about yourself that they wouldn’t know from reading your resume.

Show your creativity/demonstrate your expertise. If you say that you are an experienced graphic designer, then design your cover letter and resume. I used InDesign to make a resume a few summers ago and ultimately landed the internship I wanted. My employer said that my resume design caught his eye.

Send follow up emails that don’t simply say “thank you for the interview.” Take this chance to re-iterate your interest in the company and explain why you’re the best candidate.

Tailor your resume to the job you’re applying for. If you want to intern at an advertising agency, they probably don’t care about your stint babysitting in high school. Make your resume relevant for each job opportunity.

If you direct your employer to any of your social media sites, make sure they’re professional. Don’t provide your Twitter handle if your tweets consist of you complaining about school and posting party pictures. Consider creating a separate professional account if needed.

kateKate Fedder:

In May of 2014, I will graduate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communications specifically focusing in Public Relations. At this stage in my life, I constantly worry about whether I will find a job when graduation rolls around. This past summer, I had the opportunity to intern for Clairemont and was lucky enough to continue the internship into this fall. Here are just a few tips I’ve found helpful in landing past internships:

Use the career services at your school. You’d be surprised how many opportunities your university offers to help you find a job or internship. Take the chance to practice interviewing by doing a mock interview. The more practice you have, the more comfortable you will feel during the real deal. Don’t wait until the week before summer break to look for an internship or the week before graduation to talk about career opportunities. Go talk to an advisor and have them look over your resume. Also, most universities have databases where you can search for alumni in your desired profession who you can reach out to for advice.

Network. Everyone I’ve ever talked to says finding a job in today’s world comes down to who you know. Try to connect with as many people as you can and reach out to later. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, go ahead and make one – you’ll need it!

Do your research about the company beforehand. Be prepared and knowledgeable about the company so you can ask the interviewer at least two good questions. The interviewers are seeing if you are right for the job, but you should also ask questions to make sure the company is a good fit for you. The more you know about a company during an interview, the better off you are.

Be persistent and follow up. Send your resume and cover letter out to any company that interests you. If you don’t hear back within two weeks, send a follow-up email expressing how interested you are in the position.

Check and recheck emails you are sending to companies. Nothing looks worse and more unprofessional than having typos and bad grammar throughout an email. These emails as well as your resume and cover letter are the first impressions the company will have of you so make them flawless.

 

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Three Cheers/Barks for Pawgust First Friday!

Three Cheers/Barks for Pawgust First Friday!

August 8, 2013January 31, 2023 Margot HorganBlog, Professional Development, The Clairemont TeamClairemont Communications, Counselors Academy, networking, PR, PR Agency, professional development, PRSA's Counselors Academy, Public Relations, Public Relations Agency, Raleigh PR Agency, Raleigh Public Relations Agency

Last week marked August First Friday in downtown Raleigh, and Clairemont celebrated the occasion by hosting our own special event at The Clairemont House – Pawgust First Friday. Part networking, part professional development, part tear-jerking and part tail-wagging, the event was a huge success, especially because we were able to raise money for a local pet charity very near and dear to the Clairemont family’s heart: the SPCA of Wake County.

At the event, local PR professionals and friends gathered to network and listen to two dog-inspired presentations given by Clairemont CEO, Dana Hughens, and HMA Public Relations general manager/vice president, Abbie Fink. Reading a blog post written by Clairemont’s top-dog, Billy, Dana shared 10 social media tips for success, like creating leash-free environments on Facebook, being the master of your territory and riding with your head out the window (make sure to check out the blog to see what all of these mean for your social media strategy!).

PRSA Counselors Academy friends at Pawgust First Friday
PRSA Counselors Academy friends at Pawgust First Friday

Visiting all the way from Phoenix, Ariz., Abbie did an encore performance of the highly rated ignite-style speech she presented at the 2013 PRSA Counselors Academy Conference. A love letter to her late dog, Viva, Abbie didn’t leave a dry eye in the house as she talked about the love of a dog and its owner and the hard decisions you sometimes have to make.

At the end of the evening, guests voted for a local pet charity to donate the Pawgust First Friday event proceeds to, and we are happy to say that the SPCA of Wake County was selected! You see, the oh so loveable chief motivational officer at Clairemont Communication and Hughens family dog, Billy, was adopted from the Wake SPCA so we were thrilled that our guests decided to help give back to such a great local organization.

All in all, the event was a blast, and we would like to thank everyone who came out and made it a success!

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