I’m a bicycle commuter. Seriously. Every day I ride from my house to Fleishman-Hillard’s corporate headquarters in downtown St. Louis, then back home again. It’s only about a 10-mile ride round trip, but in terms of a lifestyle change, it’s huge.

Fortunately I’m not alone in my commitment. I happen to work for a company that supports my healthy lifestyle. I’m allowed to park my bike in the coveted covered parking garage, and no one thinks anything of seeing my helmet sitting on my desk. And this is by no means the only way Fleishman-Hillard supports overall healthy living for its employees. In the St. Louis office alone, there’s a running club, yoga class, and a discounted YMCA program. And every year, company teams are formed for walks and runs that support various charities, such as the March of Dimes and the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. A few months ago, our colleagues in the Hong Kong and Beijing offices participated in a run/walk to raise money for victims of the Sichuan earthquake. Here’s a picture from that event.

Mary

September 5th, 2008 | Comment on this.

The phrase I thought my colleague from Australia used was “tall puppy syndrome.” So naturally I conjured up an image from the Disney movie 101 Dalmations. It’s the scene where the puppies are snuggled next to each other in a small room. Then I imagined one of them raising its head high above the others, only to be snatched away by the villainous Cruella De Vil. Only it turns out that I misunderstood my collegue; what she actually said was “tall poppy syndrome.”

Needless to say, this was an amusing way for me to be introduced to a colloquialism commonly used in Australia, New Zealand, and the U.K., among other places. My unfamiliarity with the phrase, combined with hearing it in an authentic Australian accent, was perhaps a good reminder of how much linguistic idiosyncrasies define a person’s world view. Although I am familiar with the poppy plant, I can’t think of a single time I’ve incorporated it as a means of expression.

Conversely, I wonder what my colleague would have imagined had I used the phrase “puppy love” during our conversation. She might have heard it as “poppy love” and wondered about my fondness for foliage. The moral of the story? If you happen to work on an international assignment or have an opportunity to communicate across cultures, remember to use colloquial phrases sparingly, if at all. This will help you avoid mistaken messaging and is considered to be a good rule of thumb. Translation: it’s the smart thing to do.

Trisha

August 19th, 2008 | Comment on this.

As a candidate for employment at Fleishman-Hillard, you’ll likely be asked to complete a writing assessment. For the majority of people, this is the single most stressful aspect of our interview process. It’s also the one that prompts the most questions, so let’s see if I can’t help relieve a little bit of this angst by addressing some FAQs:

Why do I have to do this?

At Fleishman-Hillard, we pride ourselves on the quality of writing that we produce. We want to make sure we’re bringing in candidates who can meet these high standards.

Can’t I just provide writing samples?

We’d love to see those as well, but giving you something closer to a “real world” experience helps us understand how you work. After all, once you’re here you’ll have to turn around sparkling press releases under tight deadlines.

What will I be doing?

This depends on the type of position for which you’re interviewing - we have different assessments for different practice areas. For example, if you’re a consumer marketing expert, it might not make sense to have you do an assessment focused on investor relations. Generally, our assessments consist of some or all of the following components: putting together a press release, creating a plan, conducting some research, and editing a document.

Can I fail?

Not really. We’re looking for a couple of things: We want to see how you write and how you think, but we also want to know about areas where we might need to work with you in the future.

Isn’t having a test like being back in school?

Actually, I’ve had many candidates tell me the writing assessment was fun. Can I promise you’ll have a blast doing it? Not really, but I think some people do enjoy creating press releases and plans around (sometimes) fictional clients.

I just completed the writing assessment and feel like I bombed. What now?

First, give yourself a break. You probably didn’t do as badly as you think, and if you did, well, everyone has an off day. If we see something that concerns us in your writing assessment, we’ll ask you about it. Sometimes we’ll ask you to do another “mini-assessment” for us. This doesn’t mean we won’t hire you - the writing portion is just one component in our entire interviewing process.

Karen

August 15th, 2008 | Comment on this.

You’ve probably already read in this blog about the fantastic corporate culture here at Fleishman-Hillard. But what you may not know is that it’s the reason I came back to the agency after being gone for four years. A great culture can mean different things to different people. For some, it’s the work-to-life balance; for others, it’s a foosball table and casual Fridays. For me, it’s the many “lighter” moments I’ve shared with my colleagues that have made the difference. Here are a few highlights that have made my tenure at Fleishman-Hillard so fun and memorable:

• Fleishman-Hillard’s Boston office, where I started my FH career, is located on Boylston Street. A less-than-interesting fact until you realize it also happens to be the 26-mile mark of the 26.2 mile Boston Marathon. What a spectacle. It was definitely fun to “run” out for lunch and watch the marathon. Especially the year Will Ferrell ran by!
• One day, right after lunch, I made a friendly bet with my office mate, Amy. I vowed not to get up from my chair for the rest of the day. Amy was determined to get me to break and went so far as to have the general manager of the Boston office call me about a client matter. He had me on speakerphone and asked me to come to his office. I said, “Sure. By the way, Ben, is Amy in your office?” Of course she started laughing, and it blew her cover. Mission accomplished.
• There are at least two things you can count on from the Washington, D.C., office, where I’ve been working since returning to FH. Top-level strategic PR and top-level office pranks. One day this year, I walked into my office to find it covered with Yankee logos, courtesy of my friend and colleague Silvio. As expected, this diehard Boston Red Sox fan was less than amused.
• I have to include a special mention of my colleagues in St. Louis. Whenever I’m in town on business, they roll out the welcome mat. Our long and productive days at the office are often followed by visits to fabulous restaurants and fun nightspots. One memorable trip was when Betsy, Mary, and I spent the afternoon at the zoo as part of the St. Louis office’s Annual Family Picnic.

Brian

August 12th, 2008 | Comment on this.

Last year Fleishman-Hillard made a global commitment to environmental sustainability that included a pledge to make our agency operations “carbon neutral” by the end of 2008. As a reminder of this commitment, each employee received a coffee mug featuring the agency’s logo. The point? To encourage us to conserve resources by limiting the use of disposable materials. Courtesy of our agency’s sustainability team, here are a few simple ways you can join us in making a difference at your work:

• Turn off your PC and monitor when you leave the office.
• Unplug electronics — phone chargers, TVs, etc. — from the wall when you’re not using them.
• Switch off lights in meeting rooms when you’re finished.
• Fill the kettle only with the water you need to use.
• Use the stairs whenever possible.
• Print e-mail/documents only when it is necessary and use both sides of the paper when printing and photocopying documents.
• Set a standard sentence to your e-mail signature: “Consider the environment: Do you really need to print this e-mail?”
• Recycle everything possible!
• Try to use public transportation or ride your bike more often.
• Please consider the environment when making travel arrangements, because different modes of transport have both benefits and drawbacks.

We’ve already made progress in our mission to do what we can as a firm to make a difference for the environment. Now you can too, by getting involved and making a few subtle changes in your daily routine.

To learn more about reducing your carbon footprint, visit the P3 blog, written by members of Fleishman-Hillard’s Sustainability practice group.

Betsy

August 8th, 2008 | Comment on this.

Act professional. Obvious advice to a potential job-seeker, right? But far too often I meet with people who are eagerly seeking employment yet manage to sabotage their chances by behaving in an unprofessional manner. Below is my list of the seven deadly recruiting sins that will have me tossing a candidate’s resume into the “do not contact” pile.

1. Being unprepared. You would be surprised to learn how often recruiters hear the following: “I’ve been applying for a lot of jobs lately. Can you remind me what the position you are calling about entails?” A statement like this lets the recruiter know that you are unprepared and, therefore, not that interested in the company.

2. Acting apathetic or unenthusiastic about the position or company. Regardless of the position, every recruiter wants to feel as though you are genuinely interested and excited about the opportunity to join their company.

3. Allowing your language or demeanor to become too relaxed. Recruiters expect candidates to be nervous when speaking with them, but we are often surprised when we meet one who is extremely laid-back. Using slang or a tone that is too relaxed can often hurt your chances of advancing in the interview process.

4. Jamming a recruiter’s inbox with menacing e-mail or voice mail messages. I realize that waiting for that important callback from a recruiter is stressful. But be patient and remember, although it may be appropriate to e-mail or make a follow-up call if some time has passed, bombarding a recruiter with emails, or phone messages will likely not work in your favor.

5. Dressing or acting unpolished or unprofessional. Plain and simple, your ultimate goal should be to impress your potential future employer. So if you know that you’re going to be attending a job fair or interview, please remember to iron, shave, comb your hair and coordinate your ensemble. You only get one chance to make a first impression, so do it right.

6. Don’t exaggerate about your experience or interests. Rest assured, most lies end up being exposed. It’s true that some candidates are willing to say anything to get a job, but this almost always backfires.

7. Saying something rude or telling a recruiter never to contact you again. As bad as an interview may be, never burn a bridge with a recruiter. You don’t know who they know within your industry (remember networking?), so there’s a chance that word of your rude behavior will spread like wildfire.

Avoiding these common mistakes will help get you that much closer to the job you’ve been looking for.

Andrea

July 25th, 2008 | Comment on this.

This July, I’ll be in Chicago attending UNITY ‘08, a convention that is the largest gathering of journalists of color in the U.S. Nearly 10,000 journalists and media executives will meet to discuss timely issues affecting journalism and the media industry. It’s common knowledge within the industry that some journalists aren’t immediately receptive to considering a job within a PR firm. In fact, some journalists I’ve spoken to won’t even consider a transition to PR.

To explore this mindset a little further, I cornered Marty Richter, a senior vice president for Fleishman-Hillard who happens to be a former journalist. Marty spent 12 years with the Suburban Journals, a St. Louis-based chain of weekly newspapers, serving as an award-winning reporter, editor, columnist, and photographer. Here’s what he had to say:

Q: Tell me about your background. How did you transition into PR? Why Fleishman-Hillard?

I started off as a reporter and covered everything from murders and fires to city council meetings. I lost my job after 12 years, and I knew a few people - former journalists - who were working at FH. They encouraged me to come in and interview. I didn’t get hired right away; instead I joined a smaller PR agency here in the St. Louis area. After a few months, a position became available and I was hired. I was 35, maybe the oldest Assistant Account Executive at FH.

Q: What was your perception of PR professionals and the industry as a whole when you were in the news business? How has it changed?

I didn’t know too much about the PR industry before diving in. I knew PR people sent me press releases and called to get me to write about their clients, but I didn’t fully understand the strategic role they could play in a client’s business. Now I have a lot more respect for the industry and see clearly that it serves a wide range of critical functions for businesses.

Q: Why do you think some journalists may hesitate to consider PR as a career? What would you say to them?

I think most journalists are very smart, tough-minded individuals. They are paid to be cynical, to question things, and to be a little suspicious. Back when I was in news, any reporter taking a job in PR was considered to be “crossing over to the dark side.” Some journalists don’t consider PR as a career because they want to change the world, and they don’t feel PR is a way that they can do that with integrity. But that’s not true. The work we do on behalf of our clients is phenomenal, it often makes a difference, and we do it with the highest ethical standards.

Q: What would you say to journalists who are giving some thought to a career shift into PR?

First, I’d tell them to learn everything they can about the industry. Many of them know PR people through their daily work - talk to them, and if you can, set up a call or a lunch to network and learn more. Also, look for volunteer opportunities to get some initial experience doing PR - perhaps for a nonprofit or a community charity. You’ll gain both exposure and experience and see if it’s something you like. And it will give you something to talk about when someone like Mary asks if you have any PR experience.

Also, don’t be afraid to start in a position that may be a few rungs down on the corporate ladder. I wasn’t thrilled about being the oldest AAE on staff, but I viewed it as an opportunity. It was a way to get my foot in the door with a fantastic company. It’s worked out and I haven’t looked back.

So now you have Marty’s take. What do you think? Come find me at Unity and let’s talk about it.

Mary

July 22nd, 2008 | Comment on this.

Who remembers the 60’s hit game show “Let’s Make a Deal”? Studio contestants wearing Halloween-worthy costumes were given chances to win a variety of prizes. But then, the twist. Host Monty Hall would offer the winners a chance to trade in their prize for…a mystery item behind the orange curtain. Ah, the dilemma. Do you part with the small bundle of cash in hand for a chance to win a dinette set or a new car? Or would there be a couple of goats behind that drape?

Imagine if determining your career direction worked the same way. No strategy or skill required, just a gut reaction about whether to part with what’s in hand for what could be. Fortunately that’s not the case. Although a certain amount of risk-taking is a good thing, job seekers will have a less haphazard outcome by employing a bit of strategy in their job search.

My advice? Try what I like to call the SEEK strategy.

Self: Know yourself. What are your strengths? What do you truly enjoy doing? Then determine how you can channel those strengths into meaningful work that you will enjoy performing. At the same time, be honest about what you don’t like doing and avoid those positions.

Employer: Know your potential employers. Research all possibilities and build a list of desired places to work based on the type of environment where you believe you will flourish. Consider several factors, including company size, industry, and culture. Then carefully select only those companies and organizations that are in line with your personal vision.

Experience: Know what type of experience you will need to qualify for the position you want. If you don’t already have the experience required, plan for ways to gain it so that you can be a contender for the opening. This is particularly important for those who are interested in switching careers. Know what type of experience you have gained in your current position, then think of ways it can help you make a transition.

Knock: If you want an opportunity, express an interest. Find out the company’s preferred method for receiving applications and follow its standard. Consider attending networking events that will connect your professionally with individuals who work at that company. If you don’t land your desired position right away, be patient. And believe in your strategy.

Putting a little SEEK into your career direction may just take you from being a mere contestant in a game of chance, to being the winner of the ultimate prize — a meaningful and positive career experience. Now that’s the best deal!

Trisha

July 18th, 2008 | 1 Comment

If you read my last post, I’m sure you now have an amazing resume that succinctly speaks to your strengths and experiences in PR. This one page stunner has no typos and sets you apart from the pack. You’ve got a great cover letter, your samples are at the ready. But wait, are you prepared for the phone call? For the in-person interview?

I talked about attitude and enthusiasm in my last post, and here’s where it really comes into play — when you’re talking to real people at real PR agencies, either over the phone or in person.

Phone Interviews: Getting Your Foot in the Door
Depending on the agency or company, a phone interview is often the first step in the recruitment process. The recruiter or hiring manager will either call you directly or set up a time to talk via email. (I do both, just for the record.) And remember, just as your resume is a tool to get a recruiter to call you, the phone interview is an opportunity to land a meeting at the agency. So how can you ace this call?

• Be prepared, even if this means you need to call the recruiter back.
• Be enthusiastic, and thank the person for calling you.
• Answer questions, and play to your strengths. (If you haven’t done something, say so, but offer an example of a similar accomplishment.)
• Ask for next steps, and send a follow-up email. (Seriously, in the land of entry-level candidates, this can really help you stand out.)

The In-Person Interview: Your Time to Shine
OK, you did it. You aced your phone interview and you’ve just received confirmation of your in-person interview in two days with your dream company. What now?

• Do your homework: Find out as much as you can about the company and, if possible, the people you’ll be meeting with. (Need I remind you this is PR? At the very least you should be able to find press releases the company has put out for its clients.)
• Find out about the company dress code expectations. (It’s OK to ask the recruiter.)
• Be prepared for everything: allocate extra time, arrive with resumes, references, and any samples.
• Be prepared, part two: The company may want you to do a writing assessment. Again, building in extra time means you won’t have to worry about rushing out of the interview.
• Talk about your accomplishments, including your role in team projects. At this point in your career, no one will expect you to have large project management experience, but articulating a clear understanding of goals, outcomes, and your role will really set you apart.
• Be ready to ask questions about the company and position.
• Ask about next steps, and send thank you notes (written or electronic) to everyone you meet.

That’s it! Well, not really. My final words of wisdom: just as job searching is hard work, interviewing isn’t easy either, so don’t be too hard on yourself. Like so many things in life, interviewing takes practice. And practice makes perfect.

Karen

July 15th, 2008 | Comment on this.

In the past several weeks, countless aspiring PR professionals have graduated from colleges across the country. If you’re reading this post, you’re probably one of them. As my graduation gift to you, I’ve compiled a list of 10 tips that will help you in your search for a PR job.

1. Get job search advice from experts (that includes the Stand Out team, by the way). Meet with your college career counselors and professionals in the PR industry. Don’t rely solely on your family.

2. Have your resume critiqued. (See numbers 1 and 3 for suggestions about who should do the reviewing.)

3. Identify fellow college alumni in the city that you are targeting and contact them for informational meetings. This is a great way to network and build contacts in the PR industry.

4. Have a plan. Determine which resources you’re going to use to do research, identify the city you are targeting, create a list of companies that interest you, and, finally, find contacts at those companies and reach out to them.

5. Begin (or continue) reading newspapers and watching the news. A huge component of PR is media relations, so you should already be familiar with your local daily newspapers as well as National Public Radio, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, etc.

6. Join PR and professional networking organizations, such as PRSA or Linkedin.com.

7. If you don’t already have one, buy a suit to wear to interviews. Start with a conservative-looking base ensemble, then add a small touch of creative flair. Make sure your hair and nails are well-groomed and remember to skip the perfume or aftershave.

8. Consider an internship. Many PR firms require recent grads to intern for a few months before getting hired as a full-time employee.

9. Treat your search like a full-time job. You should be spending 30 to 40 hours a week doing research, going on informational interviews, and performing other search-related activity.

10. Network! Network! Network! It’s likely that you will find an internship or full-time job because of your contacts.

I really hope that you’ve enjoyed this one-of-a-kind graduation gift. (What’s that? You would rather have gotten cash?)

Brian

July 11th, 2008 | 3 Comments