Third year – busy busy busy!

Third year in a PR course is always tough. It is no longer only about delivering assignments, chasing deadlines and sitting exams. The new addition to the busy life of soon-to-be-graduates is the hunt for the dream job. Most of us decide to focus on the PR Grad Scheme applications and some start using Twitter and blogging to enhance their ‘digital footprint’ and ‘PR themselves’... there is a lot to do to succeed!!

In November, I started working on a 2010 Grad PR Scheme list. I found it essential to kick off the whole process of applying EARLY because you never know how busy you are going to be after Christmas.

The first Grad Scheme I applied for was the WPP Marketing Fellowship. I didn’t get in but not because I wasn’t good enough. Yes it was a bit upsetting to be rejected but I always wanted to work in PR so Marketing Fellowship wouldn’t give me what I wanted anyway. The WPP Marketing Fellowship comprises of three one-year rotations through WPP companies – PR, Marketing, Research, etc. Yes I’d have gained a broad experience during the Scheme but what for?

After the initial set back, I had to RECONSIDER my aspirations, desires and preferences. It would be a massive waste of time applying for something I wasn’t into. So since then, I have applied only for PR Schemes that I found interesting and felt that they were ‘right’ for me.

I have discovered a hidden passion for the digital world so started looking at agencies offering jobs/schemes in Digital PR, Consumer Technology, and similar. I’ve applied for quite a few and I am now eagerly awaiting THE phone call.

Recently, I’ve been thinking of the benefits of being in a PR Grad Scheme: team building, training, support, etc. These key aspects are highly desirable by most of the students who need some initial introduction. It is quite interesting to see recent graduates counting only on their social media presence hoping that it will do the trick and get them the dream job in PR.

Don’t get me wrong I’ve been focusing on my ‘digital footprint’ too but still made the time to apply for PR Grad Schemes. Some students only ‘PR themselves and their communication skills’ to the agencies via Twitter & Blog, etc. Is it a good strategy? - Certainly yes. I managed to get my PR Internship this way. But is it enough?

 

Digital Footprint

©canadianmarketingblog.com

To conclude, any soon-to-be-graduate has to do his/hers best to enhance the ‘digital footprint’ they have, select and apply for the appropriate PR Grad Schemes that fits their aspirations and desires, and also finish the University in a decent way – with good marks. It is tough! I am in this process right now and sometimes I had to prioritise what was more important to do – Uni or Applications.

But it is totally worth it!

Waw, WHAT A WEEK!

I have been busy since 9 am on Monday. Pitching, Following up on emails, making shipment request, creating social media presence for Hai Media Group as well as for our big American client, updating my database, sending out facebook messages, etc etc etc.

Ha! Now that it’s Friday I can say I did it all plus more. Lisa Devaney has been keeping me pretty busy! But hey, I am not complaining. I am quite enjoying creating ‘relationship’ with bloggers. I already noticed that my pitch perhaps goes straight into the spam box so if I follow up on this, most of them are very kind and excited about getting free samples and writing a review on them. I would be for sure. Give me a great product and I will give you a fantastic review! I am really looking forward to reading these reviews. I was also promised to see a short video...can’t wait! I am sure it will be great!

I have actually managed to get my first ever cutting!!! How great is that? And there will be more, just it’s taking more time. Now I am looking for the best place to create my online portfolio. Maybe wordpress? That would be quite appropriate for a PR wannabe girl. Or is there something better out there? Not sure, will do some research.

Working on building the relationships with my bloggers reminded me of how important it is to see them as normal and nice people and not just as a tool to get the message across. Public Relations are really interesting and as I am getting into in more and more I always discover something new. You need to communicate and relax, don’t push anyone into doing things for you but don’t ignore and don’t be lazy to reach out. Online Public Relation or so called PR 2.0 deals with relationships on a different level – that practically means - via emails. Yes, one of the main differences from the traditional PR is that you spend more time indoors, with your laptop or blackberry and you work unbelievably long hours for clients around the globe.

The last fact makes you spend long hours on compiling huge research into the media structure of different countries. You may think that everybody speak English but nope. The world is not an English –speaking oasis.

Sadly, my Internship is nearly over, I have only one week left now. Then, who knows...

Working on it!

Oh God! I’ve just pitched to some of the most influential bloggers in the US! Hope that they will get back to me soon. I can’t believe that after weeks that I’d spent on building my database I finally started pitching. And in fact, that my boss trusts me enough to do it all by my self –well, with help of course. Lisa created a pitch for lifestyle and parenting bloggers and other media and I just modified it so it will better suit the needs of my bloggers – garden, DIY and Lawn. Taking into account that I didn’t even know what lawn was in the very beginning, I have moved a long way since then. Yeah, laugh at me, but I really didn’t know that you can call the bit of grass in your garden that you cut every other Sunday A LAWN.

The pitch was, of course, checked by Lisa. She made some changes in the beginning. I suppose that she understand the lawn culture & US passion for soccer and football much better that I do. Well, there is no doubt about it. She comes from NY, the best place in the world to live in. (that’s just my opinion)

Unfortunately, some blogger they just don’t want to be reached by PR or don’t want people to know their email so in some cases, I had to fill up an online contact page asking for the provision of their email. This required me to come up with a friendly message rather than send the pitch. It feels like you have no control of whether they will receive it, read it and respond to it. Ohh, frustrating.

At one point I was so thankful that my lecturer for Communication and Technology at London Met, Gareth Thomson, made me start using Twitter. I used it to DM my blogger asking for the email and luckily she DM me back with the much needed detail. How great is that? Nowadays, you don’t need to call anywhere, you go online, send a few emails, post a new tweet, update your blog and facebook page and there you go. You can have a ‘conversation’ with anyone in the world. I wonder what the world will be like in 10 years from now. The technology innovation is so fast.

I have sent out most of my pitches by Friday and now I am getting ready for the follow up as some may think that I was a spammer. Hello, it’s PR people! Don’t be scared :D :D You can actually get something good for free and help yourself to make your blog more popular so get back to me! :)

After a whole week in-house I was so happy to leave my office on Friday and go to the Tuttle Club. I don’t know why but I always manage to be there first or second (that was just ones that Lloyd, the person behind this fantastic club, made it there before me). Me and Lisa we always work, we take our laptops and work beside each other. It’s fun and it also shows the huge commitment that we have. This Friday she introduced me to this very important lady in PR – @Barb_G You can say that she knows what she is talking about in PR. I would love to have her confidence and self esteem. Well, working on it :)