I like Strive Notes but Sherrilynne's recent post containing tips for graduates on their PR job interview techniques seemed a little, well, odd.
Did someone's Mum really call up and vouch for their fledgling Associate Director? Do budding applicants really turn up for a job interview without having checked out the agency website first? Will a printed CV really seal the deal?
Fair play to Sherrilynne for adding her thoughts to the mix - grads deserve all the help they can get, and I'm sure the tips are from personal experience.
To complete the set and make a PR-friendly Top Ten, here are five tips of my own. Hope they're useful.
1. Overdress. And tuck an FT under your arm to finish off the outfit. (Don't forgot to read it, or at least have seen the news that morning.)
2. Namedrop. Know more about PR, the industry, the key bloggers, the top journos and the innovators than your interviewer.
3. Go social. Have a blog, active Twitter account or inspiring Flickr stream. But limit your Facebook profile and de-tag any pics of you puking, fighting or naked.
4. Be punctual. Lateness screams laziness, no matter the excuse. Getting there early and people watching may even give you an interview ice-breaker*.
5. Relax. PR is a people business. 'Being good with people' is, in fact, critical. Be yourself... Or at least a calm, friendly and relaxed version of yourself.
Good luck out there.
* Note: "That tall ginger bloke obviously fancies your receptionist" isn't a good ice breaker.
Monday, June 01, 2009
More interview tips for graduates
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2 comments:
They are odd, I agree. That is where my frustration lies. Every tip is based on a real candidate experience from the past year or so. (I've had two parents ring.) Maybe I'm just lucky in attracting odd grads?
Nice post,
With the global economic downturn, job interview is becoming increasingly competitive. Prospective candidates are now coming out of their misconception that a job interview guaranteed them the job itself. There is fierce competition in the professional world and every candidate is hell bent on proving his/her worth at the few job interviews coming their way. In their bid to do so, some become over confident, while others lose out midway by becoming nervous. It should be remembered that a call for a job interview only suggests that the prospective employer would like to test you verbally as you have satisfied the required job profile.
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