Recently the Fleishman-Hillard Washington, D.C. office teamed up with the LAGRANT Foundation on a career workshop for 20 local college students. The LAGRANT Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission is to increase the number of ethnic minorities in the fields of advertising, marketing and public relations.

Fleishman-Hillard’s partnership with LAGRANT goes back several years and includes two previous career workshops in Los Angeles and St. Louis.

Along with a number of FH DC account staff, I had the opportunity to lead a three-hour workshop for students from American University, Georgetown University, George Washington University, Howard University and the University of Maryland.

The presentation provided a global overview of FH, an in-depth look at FH DC, information on FH’s specialty practice groups (Hispania, African-American, Out Front) and internship program, and an interactive Q&A session about social media and job search tactics.

It was a fantastic event and will surely lead to further opportunities for both the students and FH DC.

Brian

September 28th, 2009 | 1 Comment

We all go through job interviews in our professional lives, and we live in a time where we can find advice on how to ace an interview everywhere we look: books, magazines, Web sites, etc. These quick-help books and strategies are a double-edged sword. On one hand, these publications can help job seekers become familiar with interview methods and processes. On the other hand, formulaic responses may encourage candidates to provide standard boiler-plate answers instead of presenting a true picture of who they are and what they’d like out of their next position.

As the director of Talent Development for Fleishman-Hillard’s China offices, I recommend that a candidate take the interview opportunity to really figure out what the interviewer is looking for with the questions he or she poses. A seemingly simple, chatty question may involve complicated and serious thinking.

For example, when an interviewee appears tense and nervous, I may start the interview with, “Did you have a tough time finding this place? How did you get here?” Not that the means of transportation really matters, but this “non-interview” question allows the candidate to relax and paves the way for an open dialogue.

Speaking from experience, every question I ask a candidate has a purpose — from putting a candidate at ease to addressing skills and qualifications to determining a person’s ability to fit into the culture at FH China. At the end of an interview, I want to know the following about a candidate:

• Is this person the ideal candidate for the position given her experience and potential for growth?
• Is the interviewee a good match with the culture of the firm and spirit of the team?
• Is the interviewee a person interested in gaining knowledge and experience, as well as pursuing excellence on the job?

For me, the best way to handle an interview lies not in any particular question-answer method, but rather focusing on how best to present your true self: your experience on and off the job, your potential for growth and your character traits. The key to a successful interview is knowing who you are, what you want, and how you will contribute to the company and team.

Yu Li

September 25th, 2009 | 1 Comment

Lorna Croft is an account manager in the London Healthcare practice. Earlier this year, she spent six weeks working in our New York office. Below are the highlights of that experience.

I’ve been at Fleishman-Hillard for three years now and recently undertook a fantastic opportunity to transfer to the New York office for a short-term assignment. Would you say “no” to the opportunity to learn from some of the most respected individuals in the business, our FH New York healthcare colleagues? At the same time, it was a tremendous chance to get an inside perspective into the evolving American healthcare system under President Obama.

Many people have asked, “How did you do that?” The answer: Well, I asked! Fleishman-Hillard is committed to its staff members and their development, and during a meeting with my manager, I discussed my personal career goal of working in another city. We had an open conversation, and months later I was on my way.

In May I landed in New York City, got settled in and dived right into work. I set about learning the ropes of the New York office and the healthcare team by immersing myself in everything they do, from client brainstorms to internal team meetings and media events, as well as helping organize the social side of agency life.

The weeks flew by as I enjoyed the 24-hour city as a short-term resident. And looking back, it was an invaluable experience where I learned many things:

• The U.S. and UK are very similar in some respects, but also different in many ways. That sounds obvious, but it’s not until you get the hands-on experience that it becomes clear what those differences are.
• I quickly found that the healthcare PR landscape in the U.S. is geared more toward consumers, given the U.S. direct-to-consumer approach. For me, this was a great opportunity to return to my consumer roots and engage with this audience.
• The current U.S. healthcare landscape is dominated by the changes Obama’s administration is proposing in healthcare legislation.

In addition to these key learnings, I was also able to share “London (U.K.)” points of view, listen to New York perspectives and meet many colleagues outside of the healthcare team, including consumer, digital and media relations team members. I had the opportunity to share my time with newfound friends and colleagues, and it reminded me how invaluable our large network is for business and resource sharing.

Lorna

September 18th, 2009 | Comment on this.

My Washington, D.C. colleagues recently put together a video to showcase the culture and people that make FH D.C. one of the world’s leading PR offices. As the cliché goes, without people, it’s just a building.

With approximately 200 professionals and a number of practice groups (digital, healthcare, public affairs, corporate communications, to name a few), D.C. is the second-largest office in FH’s global network and serves as the hub of the firm’s digital practice area.

The office has a broad base of local, national and international clients in the private, public and government sectors. There are dozens of Silver Anvil and Webby Awards in our lobbies on the 10th and 11th floors.

It takes a lot of great talent and a positive corporate culture to do all this award-winning client work. But maybe the two foosball tables, basketball arcade game or 25-cent vending machines have something to do with the office’s success as well …

I guess you’ll just have to watch the video below and find out FH D.C.’s winning formula!

Brian

September 8th, 2009 | 1 Comment

Fleishman-Hillard is a global agency with a strong — and quickly growing — presence in Asia Pacific. Our Kuala Lumpur office is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and Ku Kok Peng, the office’s general manager, was recently interviewed on BFM Radio’s Breakfast Grille. Listen to Ku discuss how he started his PR career and his views on what makes good communications strategy.

Shirley

September 4th, 2009 | Comment on this.

Martha Boudreau’s life has taken her from sailing ships in the Carribbean to running the ship at FH Washington.

Martha, who now oversees the Mid-Atlantic and Latin American regions for the company, was interviewed by The Washington Post. She shared some great advice: “This is my 23rd year at Fleishman-Hillard. The key to longevity, at least for me, is that I personally share the values of this company. If you’re going to stay somewhere, you have to have shared values and support the mission of the corporation. It’s a tough business and the work is very demanding. But I was lucky early in my career to find a company that supports personal growth and promotes teamwork.”

You can read more of the interview at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/02/AR2009080202097.html

Congrats, Martha!

-Brian

September 1st, 2009 | Comment on this.

Each year, the St. Louis Business Journal nominates 30 young professionals from the St. Louis area who exemplify a commitment to their profession and their community and set an example for their peers.

This year, Katy Lachky, Managing Supervisor at Fleishman-Hillard, was nominated and received the prestigious 30 under 30 award.

Katy, who joined Fleishman in 2007, currently works on global accounts such as Great Wolf Lodge, Boston Market, Save-a-Lot and national pitching throughout the network. In her spare time, she serves on the steering committee of the GenNext Program, which is dedicated to strengthening the community by organizing various community service projects across the region.

Congrats to Katy — we’re very proud you call FH home!

Mary

August 14th, 2009 | Comment on this.

If you follow me on Twitter (@mskarenmahoney) then you’ve probably already seen the exciting news that Fleishman-Hillard is endowing an annual scholarship in honor of John D. Graham. Read about the scholarship, and learn how to apply. Deadline is October 19, 2009!

Karen

August 11th, 2009 | Comment on this.

A few months ago, I wrote a post about how my colleagues don’t chase awards. That’s still true, but I want to take a moment to highlight a highly coveted internal award. In 1992 the agency created the John D. Graham Award for Excellence to honor Fleishman-Hillard Chairman John Graham on his 25th anniversary with the firm. Since then we’ve awarded it each year to recipients who embrace and live the firm’s values, inspire and lead teams, and serve as role models in their approach to client service. It’s a big deal because recipients are nominated by peers throughout the Fleishman-Hillard network and then selected by a committee of former winners.

Lynn Oppelt receives the John D. Graham Award for Excellence from Chief Talent Officer Agnes Gioconda.

This year I’m particularly thrilled because my Talent Development colleague Lynn Oppelt, senior vice president and senior partner, has been selected as a JDG award winner. Among her many roles, Lynn has responsibility for developing talent in our Asia Pacific region and for the PR groups at our headquarters in St. Louis. In her 10-plus years here, Lynn has shown an unwavering commitment to making Fleishman-Hillard a great place to work.

The fact that someone on our team was recognized with this award really reinforces that FH takes people management very seriously. Huge congratulations to Lynn and all the 2009 recipients for their amazing work at FH!

Karen

August 4th, 2009 | Comment on this.

As Canada Day approaches, I wanted to take a moment to put the spotlight on our offices up north and wish them a relaxing and fun-filled holiday. This has been a very busy year so far. FH Canada has had some exciting new business wins and has worked across international borders to add staff to both the Toronto and Ottawa offices, with more recruitment expected later this year.

As Canada celebrates its unification into a single country on this national holiday, we at FH are pleased to recognize milestones in FH Canada’s history — also a joining of sorts. Canada has been an integral part of Fleishman-Hillard since the Toronto office opened in 1994. In 2000, we welcomed High Road Communications to the fold, and in 2001, GPC Public Affairs and iStudio joined the FH network. We now operate under three banners in Canada: Fleishman-Hillard Canada, High Road Communications and iStudio. We have offices in Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Vancouver and Montreal, and they all support clients around the globe.

Check out some of the recent successes from our dedicated Canadian counterparts. (Once you take a look at the list, you’ll see that Canada Day will be a well-deserved break.) Also, be sure to keep tabs on our careers section to see the latest position openings in Canada.

Mary

July 1st, 2009 | Comment on this.