05 April 2009
Job Market Blues
April, 11, 2009 05:02 PM
Ok, we get it. The job market sucks. It sucks hard.
I was recently asked by a fellow student at Salem State, ‘how does one make a good connection?’ Get imaginative, of course! This very website is a creative idea that I thought would help me stand out, and rest assured, it has. But a simple website and some key networking will only get you so far, so again, how do you get the right attention?
A lot of people assume that some simple fix, like getting your post re-tweeted or getting the right meta-tags will solve the problem. However, when we reach too far, we lose focus on what our goals are. Are your goals to simply get a job? Are you trying to actually connect with like minded people? Who is your target audience?
My goal for this blog is to expand on ideas from the public relations field and combine that with my own perspectives, from student to professional. Time and time again, I see a status update saying, ‘bored.... CALL ME!’ or ‘hangn with my kewl frends’ or whatever boring thing they are doing. True, it’s equally as boring when I update that I just had breakfast, but I also make sure to say relevant ideas when appropriate. I couldn’t believe how many people liked my status or commented on Facebook when I simply said I love the weather.
I was recently asked by a fellow student at Salem State, ‘how does one make a good connection?’ Get imaginative, of course! This very website is a creative idea that I thought would help me stand out, and rest assured, it has. But a simple website and some key networking will only get you so far, so again, how do you get the right attention?
A lot of people assume that some simple fix, like getting your post re-tweeted or getting the right meta-tags will solve the problem. However, when we reach too far, we lose focus on what our goals are. Are your goals to simply get a job? Are you trying to actually connect with like minded people? Who is your target audience?
My goal for this blog is to expand on ideas from the public relations field and combine that with my own perspectives, from student to professional. Time and time again, I see a status update saying, ‘bored.... CALL ME!’ or ‘hangn with my kewl frends’ or whatever boring thing they are doing. True, it’s equally as boring when I update that I just had breakfast, but I also make sure to say relevant ideas when appropriate. I couldn’t believe how many people liked my status or commented on Facebook when I simply said I love the weather.
(Classy, huh?)
Clearly, when we get online, we get distracted. Isn’t it nice when something hits home to you? It stands out as diamond in the rough. So, play to the people you want coming to your page/site/email. Make sure you are always working TOWARD something with intention. Creativity combined with determination will always equal success in my book!
Thanks Judi!
April, 08, 2009 10:04 AM
Wow, it has been a week since my last post? Guess my school work has been catching up to me. Finishing up this semester, as well as my studies in general, has been rewarding and scary. Rewarding because I love my peers and faculty at Salem State; scary because I am entering a job market that is at its bleakest in decades. Again, bittersweet seems to define the general emotion of the moment.
I am heading off on a job interview today with a person I connected with through social media tools like Facebook and Twitter. I am very excited and want to make sure I give it my all, so this will be a short post - I need to get ready.
But I wouldn’t be here in this moment if it weren’t for one person in particular: Professor Judi Cook. She has taken the time to show me how to tweet, create an effective website, as well as provided tips for my every day affairs. Judi holds a special place in my head, and in my heart. While I am glad to have built a wonderful working relationship, I am ever happier to have gained a friend.
To appreciate how far your journey has taken you, we have to remember all the people who helped along the way. In public relations, we always try to represent anything in the best light. But I just wanted to shine the light to the best behind the scenes professional I’ve ever worked with.
I am heading off on a job interview today with a person I connected with through social media tools like Facebook and Twitter. I am very excited and want to make sure I give it my all, so this will be a short post - I need to get ready.
But I wouldn’t be here in this moment if it weren’t for one person in particular: Professor Judi Cook. She has taken the time to show me how to tweet, create an effective website, as well as provided tips for my every day affairs. Judi holds a special place in my head, and in my heart. While I am glad to have built a wonderful working relationship, I am ever happier to have gained a friend.
To appreciate how far your journey has taken you, we have to remember all the people who helped along the way. In public relations, we always try to represent anything in the best light. But I just wanted to shine the light to the best behind the scenes professional I’ve ever worked with.
Thank you, Judi. I am so lucky to know you!