Come work with me at iostudio. You know you want to.
iostudio is experiencing rapid growth and is seeking a talented and experienced public relations professional. iostudio has a growing portfolio of fast-casual restaurants, nonprofits and charities, and B2B clients in need of public relations services. We are looking for someone to oversee client projects, create fascinating and innovative promotional tactics, and position iostudio as an industry leader as a full-service marketing communications agency.
This position requires an expert ability to remain organized, work independently and think on your feet. The candidate we are looking for will:
Create and execute PR plans for a diverse array of clients and iostudio’s own program.
Independently build relationships with media to promote our clients’ and iostudio’s internal programs.Generate and maintain media lists using Vocus.Develop, plan, organize and initiate grassroots marketing efforts.
Write and edit news releases.
Travel up to 20 percent.
The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this classification. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required of personnel so classified.
Minimum Requirements:
B.S. or B.A. in public relations/advertising/marketing or related field.
3–5+ years of PR experience (agency or company).
Previous restaurant and nonprofit experience preferred, but not required.
Effective and professional verbal and written communication skills are essential. Ability to communicate ideas to employees, vendors, applicants and others in a clear and concise manner.
Strong proficiency with Word, Excel and PowerPoint on a Mac or PC platform; PR programs (such as Cision, Vocus, MyMediaInfo, etc.); and other applicable software.
Knowledge and ability to research information on the Web.
A wide degree of maturity, independence, creativity and latitude is expected.
Ability to pass a thorough background check as per the iostudio handbook guidelines.
Internships can be life-changing, especially in the PR industry.
I was a summer intern at a PR firm in 2003 as a rising senior in college and I started full-time with them two weeks after I graduated from college in 2004. And then spent the next six-plus years working there.
Naturally, I’ve been a big fan of interns and was able to hire several former interns to my companies — and also help countless others find employment.
That’s why I’m ridiculously excited about the next #HAPPO chat (Help A PR Pro Out) set for Thursday, April 26 from 2-3pm ET where my friend Deanna Ferrari will lead a discussion perfect for professionals and students alike on how to rock summer internships!
What I love about HAPPO and why I’m so proud to be a part of it is that it brings together PR professionals from around the country (at all levels of experience and from all sorts of companies) and some of the sharpest, most talented rising students. The discussions are always incredible and I expect nothing less from this one.
So please, college students, join us. And pros, we need your expertise greatly!
“Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead” by David Meerman Scott and Brian Halligan clearly and simply outline how the Grateful Dead became THE Grateful Dead. Although the book is geared towards business success, I found myself thinking while reading of how I could apply some of these same lessons in my own quest for employment success. Recently laid off and transitioning careers, I’m hoping the Grateful Dead can help me in landing that next gig (and soon!).
Here are some of my favorite lessons from the book:
“Be Yourself” and “Do What You Love”
Scott and Halligan point out that the Grateful Dead were the complete opposite of many of their peers. Most bands of their time were glamorous and packaged whereas “the Grateful Dead were simply themselves-dope-smoking, music-loving San Francisco hippies.”
These are the most important lessons to remember, especially when job hunting. Be true to yourself, do what you love and the reward will come. It is tempting, and easy, for me to find another job in IT. I fell out of love with IT long ago and am now pursuing my new love with my graduate studies in Public Communication.
“Embrace Technology”
The Grateful Dead were always on the cutting edge of music technology to create the best concert experience possible for their fans. Per Scott and Halligan “…in the 1980s a $30,000 harmonic analyzer originally designed by NASA to evaluate the aerodynamic strength of metals was added to the live show equipment.”
I doubt NASA will help me in my job search but I have finally put my long ignored Twitter account to work for me. Many organizations post job openings via Twitter. I now follow multiple organizations and career resources and use HootSuite to help me curate all that content. My Twitter profile also indicates that I am a #jobseeker.
“Build a Following”
The Grateful Dead simply, and brilliantly, communicated directly with their fans in the early years via a mailing list and telephone hotline. Fans responded back with letters, postcards and artwork. As technology evolved, so did their methods of engaging with fans, as Scott and Halligan discuss throughout the book.
I’ve been an active LinkedIn user for years and on Facebook for some time now. I can’t imagine going into this job search without these super networking tools. I found my previous job through my offline network, which was much, much smaller back then. I am confident that I will find the right gig with the help of the much larger networks and functionality that LinkedIn and Facebook provide.
“Give back”
Scott and Halligan talk about how the Grateful Dead frequently held benefit concerts and invited charities to be part of their concert events. The Rex Foundation was later established to help better support the causes the band believed in. “The Grateful Dead was remarkably generous, a brand attribute that contributed to their growth and prosperity over many years,” note Scott and Halligan.
During this time of transition, I plan on volunteering to give back to the world that has given me so much already. Volunteering is a great way of exercising skills, networking and meeting new people, all of which could lead to a new opportunity. I hope to continue volunteering even after I land that new gig.
On December 15 from 1-2pm ET, PR and Social Media professionals from around the US will lead a discussion on how to craft perfect resumes for the communications industry. Full details here.
I am NOT a recruiter. I am not in human resources. I am not a hiring manager.
But over the course of the past year, I’ve come across about 100 resumes of people looking to enter the PR and/or social media fields.
What I’m about to share with you is what I personally do when I’m sent a job application AFTER it’s been vetted by the proper folks in my organization. And remember, this is ONLY for those in the communications world.
- While applications should be emailed, I like to print out applications and take them with me to read out of the office. I like to go to a coffee shop where I can turn off the phone and focus on the task at hand. As such, if you can, it’s nice to put the cover letter and resume in the same PDF document. It requires printing ONE document instead of two. Not a big deal, but a nice thing.
- I will check your Twitter. I don’t care about Facebook. I’ll cross-check your LinkedIn to make sure it matches your resume. But I will read your Twitter feed. I’m not looking for anything in particular, but it helps me understand who you are. There is no formula or scoring system or anything like that. However, if you protect your Tweets, that doesn’t make me like you.
- I’ll took for when you graduated college. Does it matter? Yes and no. I want to make sure your professional experience is commensurate with what we need from that position. If we have an entry level job and you graduated in 2006, we may not be the right fit.
- I look for how long you were at each stop in your career. Everyone has a job they didn’t like and can consider a mulligan. Heck, I was with one company for just four months. But if you have bounced around many times, that may raise a red flag. You’d better be able to explain the constant job-jumping, because we’re looking for committed team members. If we don’t think you’ll stick around for a while, do you think we’d offer you a job?
- In my office, there are usually three steps in the interview process: written applications, phone chat and in-person meeting(s). Make sure you are well-prepared for all three, because if your application stinks, you likely won’t get a phone chat. And if you bomb the phone chat, you aren’t likely to get a face-to-face interview.
- Not getting a second interview isn’t always about you. Take heart – you can do well on the phone chat and not make it to the next round. If the person doing the interviews doesn’t think you’d be the right fit, they may not pass you along, no matter how much they like you. Feel free to ask them why you didn’t advance.
- Not all processes are created equal. Some positions can take days to fill, while some can take months. It’s a fact of life that can sometimes be out of the hands of the company.
- End well. Sometimes when you are interviewing for one job, the company may envision a slightly different role for you. Or may alter the job description to suit your talents if they really like you. Always finish the interview process positively, because you never know what possibilities may be out there down the road.
In the PR/HAPPO world, we always talk about being creative when searching for a job. Present yourself differently, make a splash, be remembered.
There is a great case study going on right now, as former DC101 (WWDC-FM) DJ Flounder found himself cut loose after over a decade of on-air and behind-the-scenes work at the station. He was a sidekick on the insanely-popular syndicated morning show and hosted his own Saturday night mash-up show, which became a listening staple in the DC market.
He teamed up with another DC101 alum, Kyle Benham, to announce his job hunt VERY creatively. Take a look at the video, then read the release below. Definitely check out BootcampLights, a marketing company on the rise.
Here you go, from a news release:
Former DC101 Employee, Bryan ‘Flounder’ Schlossberg Takes to the Air with ‘Hire Me’ Campaign
Washington, D.C. (August 4, 2011) – Last Friday, EITM Fans broke the news of Bryan Schlossberg’s (better known as Flounder) exit from DC101 after twelve years with the Elliot in the Morning show.
Flounder stated via Facebook, “Friday was my last day working at DC101. Over the last 12 years, I have met some amazing people and have done amazing things. Thanks to my friends and family for their amazing support.”
With his sights on the future, Flounder has already begun searching for his next opportunity. He teamed up with former DC101 employee, Kyle Benham to launch an innovative “Hire Flounder” campaign.
Benham launched Bootcamp Lights earlier this year, reaching 80,000 U2 fans at M&T Bank Stadium with a custom built R22 Helicopter, outfitted with a 36-foot digital billboard.
Authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly digital advertising over metropolitan areas, the Bootcamp Lights Helicopter, operated by co-founder, Robert Schapiro displayed “Hire Flounder – DJFlounder.com” above rush hour traffic on I-270 and I-370 just outside of Washington, D.C.
Kyle Benham stated, “It isn’t easy finding work in this economy. Flounder is a creative genius with the discipline needed to succeed; I hope this campaign will help him discover a fulfilling career.”
One commuter tweeted, “@DJFlounder, even though you slowed down traffic this morning on 270, I thought that was some great advertising.” In response, Flounder commented, “Get used to it because I am not going away.”
Bootcamp Lights has a full service video production team; using the latest technology to capture campaigns in 1080p. Creative services director, Dan Yar says, “Our digital videos provide original content which can be shared across multiple platforms.” To watch Bryan ‘Flounder’ Schlossberg’s “Hire Me” campaign, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjwKMqXX4oE.
About Bryan ‘Flounder’ Schlossberg:
After twelve years, Bryan ‘Flounder’ Schlossberg exits DC101. Flounder was the station’s creative services director, on-air personality and hosted/produced a weekly two hour show called “Flounders Mash Ups.” Flounder owns a full service DJ company; hosting concerts, clubs and private events. For additional information about Bryan ‘Flounder’ Schlossberg, please visit Flounder’s website: http://www.DJFlounder.com.
About Bootcamp Lights:
Bootcamp Lights is an innovative advertising company, utilizing a custom built R22 Helicopter, outfitted with a 36-foot digital billboard. The Bootcamp Lights Helicopter can hover directly above prime locations or fly customized flight plans, targeting multiple areas. For additional information on Bootcamp Lights, please visit the Bootcamp Lights website at http://www.bootcamplights.com.
