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.

My agency has some wheels in motion and we are looking for a PR professional!  While this position is contingent on pending contracts, we are starting the search now so we can hit the ground running!  One of the non-listed benefits is working with me every day.  It’s not so bad.  Really.

Public Relations Account Executive

Company: From interactive websites to targeted, contemporary print publications, iostudio is a nationally recognized marketing company providing innovative Web, email, print and video solutions for local, regional and national clients. Over the last 13 years, we have grown into an award-winning, multi-million-dollar company built on the passion and ingenuity of a remarkable team of professionals who want more from a job than just bringing home a paycheck.

Named one of the 50 fastest-growing, privately owned companies in the region three years in a row, iostudio is all about finding the talented, dedicated few who flourish in the collaborative environment we offer. If you prefer to “change the world” instead of simply having a job, if you’re committed to doing the best work possible by joining forces with a talented, fast-growing team in Washington, DC, and Nashville, if you want to work for a company that offers opportunity, great benefits and a beautiful open office atmosphere, then contact us to learn more about this position.

Job Location: Washington, DC

Job Description: (Position Pending New Contracts)

iostudio is experiencing rapid growth and is seeking a talented and experienced Public Relations Account Executive. iostudio has a growing array of restaurant, nonprofit and retail clients in need of public relations services. We are looking for someone to oversee clients and 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:

• Independently write and edit news releases.
• Generate and maintain media lists.
• Create and execute PR plans for a diverse array of clients and companies.
• Be able to work comfortably with any outside vendor.
• Be able to develop, plan, organize and initiate grassroots marketing efforts.
• Oversee agency PR efforts and contribute to marketing initiatives.
• 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.
• Travel up to 20 percent.

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

For consideration, please submit resume and salary requirements to careers@iostudio.com. Only emailed submissions will be considered.

iostudio is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status.

Photo via http://www.flickr.com/photos/dm-set/ (Creative Commons Licensce)

Congratulations, Class of 2011!

You’ve graduated!  Hooray!  Huzzah!  Whoomp, there it is!

Now you’ve got to find a job, move out of your parents’ house and start your life for real.

Well, my dear PR and Social Media folk, there is a secret to help you speed up those processes.  (Even though we like mom and dad’s home cooking as much as anyone, you need your own space.  Trust us.)

The secret is so simple that it’s shocking that it’s not embedded into all college textbooks.

But it isn’t.  So you didn’t hear this from me:

Industry professionals want to help you, but you need to help yourself first.

I can’t speak for EVERYONE, but I have yet to meet a PR or Social Media professional that wouldn’t at least let an aspiring professional pick their brain for a few minutes.

Why would we help you?

Easy: We need smart people.  For our companies, for our clients.  We all want to work with the “best and the brightest.”  For the most part, at least.

So, we are here waiting to help you.  But like I said, you need to help yourself first.  Here are five ways to help you connect with PR and Social Media pros:

1) Read – Like a lot.  Like…more than Mashable.  Sign up for blog e-mailing lists, so content can be delivered to you.  One can’t-miss is Spin Sucks, by the good folks at Arment Dietrich.  And if you aren’t getting Sarah Evans’ #Commentz newsletter, you are behind the times, friend.

2) Join the Community – So much of our collective industry is happening online right now.  Be there.  One great community you should be a part of is Help A PR Pro Out (HAPPO).  It launched in February 2010 as the brainchild of Arik Hanson and Valerie Simon to help match job-seekers with potential employers.  Between Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, this community is EVERYWHERE and is made of a network of pros from around North America.

3) Reach Out – Yes, we are busy.  Busier than ever, in fact.  But we will take some time to answer questions, maybe grab a cup of coffee or a quick lunch to talk about our profession.  Pros that want to be reached out to don’t make it hard to find their contact information.  Try looking at blog contact pages or LinkedIn profiles.  (And speaking of LinkedIn, keep that profile updated!  Paradigm Staffing, a top PR recruiting firm, uses LinkedIn profiles like resumes!)

4) Come Armed With Questions – If we do take time out of our day to meet with you, come prepared with smart questions.  The basics like “when did you know you wanted to Tweet for a living?” are fun and all (in all seriousness, that would be the best question EVER!) , and we can definitely talk about ourselves non-stop.  But, help us help you.  Ask us about your potential career path.  Last week, I met with a young woman looking to get into online analysis.  Her questions allowed me to give her to answers she was looking for.

5) Stay In Touch – Once you’ve met/chatted/e-mailed with us, stay in touch.  While there is no fun Bat-Cave we all retreat to after our days at the office and compare notes and job openings, us communications pros are a chatty bunch and often listen to recommendations when making new hires.  And in the crazy world we live in, opportunities sometimes do pop up overnight.  You never know!

I probably shouldn’t have made the secret and tips so public.  So, before a PR/Social Media cops make me remove this post and administer the lashings (“Thank you sir, may I have another?”), go do these things, make connections and launch your career!

Don’t know about HAPPO?  Click here!

Calling all Washington, DC, (and Maryland and Virginia) PR pros, agencies, and job-seekers!

With a MAJOR thanks to Amanda Miller Littlejohn and Margie Newman we are proud to announce:

The First Ever DC HAPPO HOUR!!

Margie was very kind to allow us to join in with the DC Flacks February Meetup event on Tuesday, Feb. 16th at the District Chophouse in Washington!

Please click here for all of the details.

For registration purposes, please join the DC Flacks group and RSVP for the event. DC Flacks is a TERRIFIC group that all DC folks should be a part of anyway!

No matter if you are a seeker or a hirer, come ready to meet some amazing people!

I’ll be there—and so should you!

(By the by, I highly recommend Margie’s site, FlackRabbit.com)

OK, PR Pros, let’s be honest with each other for a few minutes.  How many times have you told someone you’d let them know about any job opportunities that you hear about?  It could be a former intern, someone you are mentoring or even a peer out of work.

And how many of those promises went unfulfilled?  More than we’d all like to say.

Every year, I interact with countless interns, college students and recent graduates looking to break into the industry.  Some of them are exceptional.

Like Heather Mahoney.  I first met Heather several years ago when she interned with my company, and we literally bought the entire produce department from a local Costco for a 10k race on her first day.  It’s a long story.  But it didn’t take me long to see that she has what it takes to be a PR pro.

Here is her story, in her own words

I attended the University of Maryland, College Park, graduating with a degree in Communication with concentrations in public relations and design. While in college I was the Director of Marketing for a university-based club called the Undergraduate Communication Association (UCA); the only undergraduate student chosen amongst professors to vote on policy issues in the Communication Department; a member of PRSSA; and a published writer/editor for UMD publication, The Communicator. I held two internships: one with PR firm, Brotman Winter Fried and another for CBS Radio.

Currently, as a member of the Public Relations Society of America as well as the National Communication Association I am incredibly active in my field. During my second internship I was hired as a promotional specialist for WJFK 106.7 which really catapulted my career. There I met a local television personality that recommended me for a popular newsletter, The Scene Bisnow, where I am currently employed as a reporter. I love the flexibility of journalism and will most likely continue to freelance as a reporter however I am still looking for something full-time.

My ideal career is in public relations, specifically for a large production company. I love the fast paced nature of the field in that every day is guaranteed different. I believe my personality fits this career to a ‘T’. I am extremely reliable, energetic, respectful, and hardworking in the sense that I will not stop until a task is not only finished but done correctly and with class.

Heather’s story is not atypical in this post “Great Recession” reality.  PR and marketing were among the first cuts when budgets tightened.  She is fighting to launch her career.

Helping emerging superstars-of-tomorrow like Heather break into the industry is the main reason I joined the Help A PR Pro Out project.

The good news for those looking for jobs is that the network of pros is out there and energized to help (thanks to a brilliant swift kick in the caboose from community leaders Arik Hanson and Valerie Simon!).

Pros from around North America have donated their time and talents to connect job seekers with job openings. On Friday, February 19, the Pros will Tweet job openings and help facilitate matches, from 10am-2pm CT.  Here is a list of the terrific team:

• Jeremy Porter (Atlanta)
• Kellye Crane (Atlanta)
• Doug Haslam (Boston)
• Jennifer Wilbur (Southern CA)
• Gini Dietrich (Chicago)
• Lauren Fernandez (Dallas/Fort Worth)
• Richie Escovedo (Dallas/Fort Worth)
• Justin Goldsborough (Kansas City)
• Arik Hanson (Minneapolis/ St. Paul)
• PR Cog (New York Metro)
• Deidre Breakenridge (New York Metro)
• Valerie Simon (New York Metro)
• Heather Whaling (Ohio)
• Danny Brown (Toronto)
• Mike Schaffer (Washington, DC)

A number of other super generous folks in the Twitterverse who will be supporting HAPPO in various ways, including Sarah Evans, Dave Fleet, Allan Schoenberg, David Mullen, Shonali Burke, Rachel Kay and a few others.  You can also connect with the HAPPO team on Facebook!

And for those here in the Nation’s Capital, we have developed an excellent group of local industry leaders (listed in no particular order):

- Amanda Miller-Littlejohn

- The aforementioned Shonali Burke

- NicolePRExec

- Debbie Friez of the Washington Women in Public Relations organization (Learn more about their upcoming lunch Wednesday, Feb. 17 with Heather Huhman, discussing Jumping the Generational Gap, at their website.)

- Colleen Campbell

- Patrick Wixted

- Ashley Settle

- Meghan Sager

- …and the list is growing!  If you wish to be a part of this network, just Tweet #HAPPODC or reach out to me though a comment here or on Twitter.

So please get the word out, no matter what city you may live in!  Use the #HAPPO hashtag to communicate with this growing group of pros, agencies and job-seekers.  Hopefully, we can work together to grow our industry and place deserving candidates in awesome jobs!

For more information about the Feb. 19th event, please visit www.helpaprproout.com.