Media in the New Millennium

posted by Elaine

Last week Lauren Preston and I staffed Metzger’s table at the JobGobble hosted by Andrew Hudson. My first thought? Terror. For nearly two hours, Lauren and I spoke to more than a hundred plus people about Metzger and the job market. I left thankful for my job, but after reflecting upon it, wanted to share some thoughts about standing out in a very crowded market.

Know Your Companies Inside and Out
What shocked me most was how many people weren’t familiar with the companies they were speaking with (ours included). While the majority of people we spoke with weren’t public relations professionals, the lack of knowledge among professionals was frustrating. Attendees who wanted to stand out could have researched all the companies they knew who were attending, asking specific questions related to their culture and company besides “Hey, Are you hiring?” It would have stood out if anyone had been that prepared. Most came with a cursory knowledge of the companies, which is understandable, but standing out wouldn’t have been hard to do with a little research.

Professionalism Matters (and is Remembered)
One attendee remembered me from my last agency as she had organized a visit from a professional group from her university. You know what I remembered? How the group was unapologetically an hour and a half late. Agencies aren’t open houses. That said, I would never write off anyone for a mistake made in college. Certainly, I made my fair share of mistakes at job fairs including telling one company that I was impressed with their mentoring program. Problem was I was talking about one of their rival’s mentoring programs. One candidate insisted on speaking to me during Mayor Hickenlooper’s speech even though I was clearly trying to listen, which made both of us seem unprofessional. One candidate asked if we had any open positions currently and when we said we didn’t she just walked away. Essentially, she walked away from any chance of us hiring her now, and in the future.

Follow Up is Critical
By the end of the night, both Lauren and I had run out of business cards. I was a little nervous about being deluged with e-mails, but a week later only four people have followed up with me. In public relations and probably any other industry, follow up is critical. Those who did follow up with me did a phenomenal job by helping me remember the specific things we talked about, or giving me some information on how I would remember them. After meeting more than a hundred people, this piece is critical as names tend to blur. Three of the candidates asked for informational interviews, which is one of the best ways to build networks. Agencies, especially in Denver, don’t do blanket hiring the way other big companies do. Smart agencies keep talent in the pipeline, so they’re prepared to move quickly if new business comes through.

I know it must have been frustrating that the majority of companies at the JobsGobble didn’t have any open positions, yet that will change week to week, especially for agencies. Meeting with them before they’re hiring will give you the competitive edge. Once you meet with them, continue to follow up on a regular basis. A recent informational interviewee before the JobGobble set the bar - she was knowledgeable about Metzger, asked my recommendation on who else to meet with in the Denver community AND followed up with them in 24 hours. She also sent me a thank you note within 24 hours, kept in touch with me and even sent me a note to let me know she got a job from a lead I sent.

Job Karma and Networking
If you’re lucky enough to be employed right now, this is a good time to practice job karma. Kristy Bassuener taught me this term when I was starting out in the industry as helping fellow professionals out . Take time to meet with qualified candidates, help them increase their network and let them know if you have freelancing  work available. I am still grateful for all of the people who willingly met with me when I started out my career and have stayed in touch with many of them. Not only is it a great way to keep talent in the pipeline, but it’s a good way to increase your professional network.