Boston Public Relations Source

2011-10-19T08:26:00.001-07:00

new media mavens find your social nirvana at @Conellc http://ping.fm/NHGva

2011-10-14T05:47:00.001-07:00

Seeking a steller presentation coach/public speaking guru for a customized training module I am working on. Referrals?

2009-12-03T12:06:00.001-08:00

And for new media enthusiasts- special digital PR internship available (college credit) aweatherbee@coneinc.com

2009-12-03T12:05:00.001-08:00

Cone gearing up for Spring 10 Interns (college credit only) http://ping.fm/EzqQl

2009-12-03T12:04:00.001-08:00

Cone Consumer AD opportunity http://ping.fm/7I4kS

2009-12-03T12:03:00.001-08:00

Cone Consumer AS opportunity http://ping.fm/idatx

2009-12-01T14:48:00.001-08:00

Cone seeks a Senior Account Supervisor for our Brand Marketing Group.Consumer Brand experience/PR agency backrd a must #jobangels

2009-11-17T06:25:00.001-08:00

Search: Leader with non-profit, + PR agency experience for Cause Branding discipline here at Cone. http://ping.fm/XKXzz

2009-10-27T07:08:00.001-07:00

Sweet PR/Social-new Media opportunity here at Cone. http://ping.fm/4uY0q

2009-10-26T10:30:00.001-07:00

my new cell is 617-512-3274. Learn it. Know it. Live it.

2009-10-13T13:41:00.001-07:00

EVP Cause Branding here at Cone in Boston. An amazing opportunity: http://ping.fm/XwVZC

2009-10-08T13:38:00.001-07:00

Am interested to hear from experienced Cause Branding folks- http://ping.fm/JzeLi

2009-10-01T08:19:00.001-07:00

New postion/new city. HR Director with Cone in Boston. aweatherbee@coneinc.com

2009-09-01T13:09:00.001-07:00

4-6 week paid internship available in LA based Corporate group. aweatherbee@cmgrp.com

2009-08-25T17:25:00.001-07:00

Consumer opening and Lifestyle & Entertainment opening both with R & C LA- email if interested. aweatherbee@cmgrp.com

2009-08-20T13:36:00.001-07:00

Fun stuff today- looking for Consumer folks here in LA and in Boston. Contact me aweatherbee@cmgrp.com

2009-08-13T17:20:00.001-07:00

Integrated Marketing Account Executive opening with Rogers & Cowan - inquire within.

2009-08-13T13:17:00.001-07:00

PR pros are not spin masters w/ link http://ping.fm/6iZqe

2009-08-13T10:58:00.001-07:00

@oakbeat stating the ROI of PR pros/defending the spin doctor stigma w/ nice article link http://ping.fm/jv89O

2009-08-12T16:02:00.001-07:00

Would love to chat with candidates for my Consumer Account Director position at Rogers & Cowan LA aweatherbee@cmgrp.com

2009-08-11T16:13:00.001-07:00

PR pros taking the lead!
http://ping.fm/0V1xv

2009-08-11T15:04:00.001-07:00

PRSA and Vocus Present PR Webinar: Does Traditional Media Still Matter? http://ping.fm/ntoFc

2009-07-28T10:36:00.001-07:00

Rogers & Cowan, Los Angeles seeking 7-10 year PR pro for Consumer & Ent. Marketing. http://ping.fm/4yA6P

2009-07-23T10:30:00.001-07:00

Rogers & Cowan in LA seeking 2 summer Interns (college credit). I'm looking to fill ASAP. aweatherbee@cmgrp.com

2009-07-14T15:33:00.001-07:00

word of the day: Internships. I have two paid ones avail at GolinHarris LA. aweatherbee@cmgrp.com

2009-07-07T17:29:00.001-07:00

Pls. DM a/o RT seeking strong AE candidates with Consumer exp who understand digital- agency exp preferred

2009-06-30T16:32:00.001-07:00

PRSA-LAYP Blog is awesome http://ping.fm/EnoUM #LAPR

2009-06-24T16:04:00.001-07:00

Will "Academy Award Nominated Film for Best Picture" be as impactful? http://ping.fm/XDC8J

2009-06-24T09:14:00.001-07:00

Butterfinger FUNternship screening event. Screening is tomorrow http://ping.fm/ZuB1y
Click the "FUNternship" tab

2009-06-23T11:46:00.001-07:00

is seeking that 1 in a mil SAE with strong national media relations contacts/abilities.

2009-06-23T10:21:00.001-07:00

New VP opening with Weber SHandwick LA. Corporate and Public Affairs http://ping.fm/U0W0R

2009-06-18T10:16:00.001-07:00

Spoke w/ bright PR pros last night at LA PRSA-YP event at GolinHarris. To grow as a pro, join them http://bit.ly/3gzGO and follow @LAPR

2009-06-18T09:16:00.001-07:00

my link to social studio yesterday was a FAIL. Try this one http://ping.fm/SFwNu
Thanks @DwriteN

2009-06-16T12:21:00.001-07:00

social studio is alive http://bit.ly/13UFqn

2009-06-11T12:28:00.001-07:00

GolinHarris, LA opportunities! Pls RT a/o email aweatherbee@cmgrp.com http://bit.ly/17vGUe #jobangels #prsa #prsala #golinharris

2009-05-29T17:18:00.001-07:00

futuristic frozen yogurt place in Pasadena. cool set up and good flavors. Toppings meet with @caseyrex 's approval. http://ping.fm/Z6LSO

2009-05-22T14:55:00.001-07:00

Digital, integrated marketing/PR hiring is heating up. VP Consumer healthcare, SAE Nintendo, SAE Cons/Tech. Have a nice wknd!

2009-05-15T17:03:00.001-07:00

Ur wknd project:update res & apply for new job. VP Cons Health, SAE Nintendo, SAE Cons Tech, general cal 4 digital. aweatherbee@cmgrp.com

2009-05-12T14:04:00.001-07:00

If you haven't already, please friend me on Facebook (Alan Weatherbee)!

2009-05-12T10:05:00.001-07:00

Some excellent openings: VP Consumer, SAE Nintendo, SAE Consumer Tech, Digital PR positions. Email me at aweatherbee@cmgrp.com to discuss

2009-05-08T12:07:00.001-07:00

Seeking Vice President, Consumer, SAE Consumer Tech, SAE gaming, social media strategists/digital PR pros. aweatherbee@cmgrp.com

2009-05-05T11:29:00.001-07:00

PR activities that imrpove SEO http://ping.fm/Y5xjQ

Current Openings

2009-04-17T10:46:00.001-07:00

GolinHarris

Vice President, Consumer. An agency experienced leader who can drive consumer account programs and manage staff, budgets, and creative process.

Account Supervisor, Corporate. An agency experienced corporate communications professional with in-depth experience handling a variety of corporate activities as well as a strong desire to grow new business.

Pipeline talent for technology, digital, and consumer account level staff.

Weber Shandwick

Senior Vice President, Healthcare. An agency experienced thought leader and program developer with deep healthcare experience.

Executive Producer, Digital. A digital PR/Marcom guru.

Account Coordinator, Digital. An eager digital PR practitioner who will implement strategies and produce the-on-the ground results for our clients in the online space.

General call for digital account level staff.

Rogers & Cowan

Account Executive, eMedia. A Freelancer needed for immediate new/social media work.

Meeting with Entertainment Digital account leaders.

Email Alan Weatherbee at aweatherbee@cmgrp.com for details, consideration, or referrals.

Follow me on Twitter at @alanweatherbee

Beat the interview blues: change your tune.

2009-04-08T14:44:00.001-07:00

The five minute walk from your car to your (hopefully) future office can be minutes filled with anxiety or minutes spent getting you in the right frame of mind.

A zillion things race through your head as you check yourself in the mirror, grab your resume and work samples (whew- you remembered to bring them!), and begin to navigate an unfamiliar parking structure and find the elevator bank.

You've prepared for this interview for days. You know that you are a savvy, smart professional who can list his/her accomplishments with efficient ease, and gosh darn-it, people like you. So, once in the room you know you'll be fine. But, how do you transition yourself from road weary to interview ready in moments?

Answer: a sweet playlist.

Music plays a large role in influencing mood and is an emotional experience that can definitely adjust one's attitude. So, I suggest clearing your mind and firing up your MP3 on your way from the parking lot to the elevator. Whether you are nervous, low on energy, or just sick and tired of repeating your "three best attributes" over and over in your head, the right song can really be a difference maker.

I conducted an informal survey (informal=I asked my co-workers and my sister Sarah in Boston) and found that different professionals look to different types of music to get them mentally prepared to interview. Many need inspiration and an energy boost, some just want their socks rocked off, others want the steady beat and confident lyrics of a hip hop song, while a certain few went for alternative rock to get them on track.

Of all, these are (in no particular order) the top ten tunes to get you revved to interview like a rock star:

MGMT "Kids"

Kanye West "Stronger"

Tom Petty "Free Fallin"

Katrina & The Waves "Walking on Sunshine"

The Strokes "Last Night"

Metallica "Enter Sandman"

Radiohead "Lucky"

The Killers "Somebody Told Me"

Muse "Nights of Cydonia"

MC Hammer "Can't Touch This" or C & C Music Factory "Gonna Make You Sweat" (same effect)

Pretty random, but my empirical, scientific research data doesn't lie. Try them and see for yourself.

And have a great interview!

“I wish that I knew what I know now when I was younger.”

2009-03-27T12:37:00.001-07:00

The first six months on the job is a learning experience for anyone entering into a PR agency environment. There are billable codes to master, client contacts to learn and impress, Outlook meeting requests coming fast and furious, and, of course, a corporate culture to navigate and a kitchen to find.

To give the next wave of agency professionals a head start, some of the esteemed PR professionals in my network agreed to share some lessons learned during their introductory months and graciously agreed that I could pass them along. These lessons learned are pearls of wisdom for the ingénues of the PR agency world:

Learn how to write well and don't be afraid of the phone.
It's all people skills -- figure out skill sets of coworkers, how everyone fits together, how the machine will run.
Never underestimate building social capital. Get face time with senior management and even co-workers to ensure that you are always top of mind.
YOU are in charge of your own PR. Forward your supervisor positive emails from clients and co-workers.
Over-communicate with your supervisor.
Find a mentor! Finding that key person who will help you grow professionally and offer advice on how best to approach situations is worth its weight in gold.
Read everything, even the back files. Arrive early. Make time to attend brainstorms. Find a peer buddy. Volunteer.
Speak up, don't be afraid to disagree w/clients; bring value; know your worth each billable hour = profit for the agency.
Learn your boss' values - all agencies have processes, and some managers want things done a certain way!
Always be proactive. Ask questions. Know your clients and the industry.
Have a distinct interest in one part of PR? Maybe digital? Master it! Then, exploit it.
Figure out where you can show added value that no one else can. Actively look for ways to incorporate it (current projects/accts).
Be genuinely interested/passionate in what you want to promote. Authentic marketing equals great results & career longevity.
Don't spin it. Just chose a compelling angle & arrange the facts in an engaging way that supports that point of view.
Learn not only media landscape and write clearly to engage the broadest audience.
Be sure you understand who covers what. Nothing annoys a journalist more than pitches irrelevant to their beats.
And, last but not least, don't IM the entire office by mistake letting them know you are bored J.

These tips come from successful practitioners and fall under the "I wish that I knew what I know now when I was younger" folder. Please take the time to look this list over, maybe a couple of times. These concepts are things to keep in mind as you enter the profession PR agency world and may come into play at any point during your formative months.

If you asked me for advice I would just say to keep an open mind, don't expect to know everything going in, trust your instincts, and deliver your best possible work product every time.

Thanks to all my PR friends who helped me with this tip sheet!

Alan

Tips for building your personal brand online

2009-03-23T13:50:00.000-07:00

http://jobmob.co.il/blog/personal-branding-online-tips/

Food (produce specifically) for thought for PR agency job seekers…

2009-03-19T10:54:00.001-07:00

Many job seekers have apprehension and doubt enter their subconscious at some point throughout a job search. I'm no psychiatrist (or even a psychologist) but I think it's quite normal and natural. However, a step I strongly recommend to combat such uneasiness is to build your brand as a candidate. If you have a strong brand and you know what you are, it's a great approach to help you stay focused in your search, know which opportunities are for you and which are not (eliminates time wasting), and you can better appeal to a recruiting and a hiring team as the solution to their staffing "problem".

"I'm open to anything" is not a suitable response to the "which practice area within my firm most appeals to you?" question in a recruiting interview. In these times of specialization you need to figure out your brand and create strength behind it. Know what type of PR work you excel at and love doing and find employment opportunities that offer the chance to do it. I know the job market is limited so you may be forced to have some flexibility in other areas of a job offer, however, if your brand is "consumer PR specialist with deep product launch and lifestyle brand experience" don't start casting the net so wide that you're applying to crisis comm. opportunities. Unless you are in a career transition which is a whole other story.

It comes down to this: Be the best apple in the bunch if an employer is hiring for an apple. If an employer is hiring for an orange, well, it's not the right opportunity for you and you can move past it quickly. More accurately, it's be the best Granny Smith apple in the bunch or be the best Fuji apple in the bunch or be the best Red Delicious apple in the bunch or be the best…(well, you get my specialization/fruit analogy I'm sure by now).

So, ways to create, strengthen, and market your brand in the PR agency job market takes some project work but is not altogether daunting and is definitely not impossible. It starts with interspection (which is a useful practice to engage in occasionally- not too much or you'll end up a neurotic) about your likes/dislikes, strengths/weaknesses, clients that you've LOVED working on/clients you haven't, how you like to work (team/autonomous)….basically, it's not so much "what color is your parachute?" but it's how and where to you like to go parachuting.

Then, it's about creating a resume that clearly defines you and shows your actions and results while emphasizing your passion areas. Examples of client work and of your day-to-day responsibilities need to highlight your brand, references need to be in synch with your area of expertise, and professional affiliations should complete the picture of you.

Next is making sure your online and social media touch-points are all in synch and that your digital brand is not only a reflection but a clear pronouncement of it.

Lastly, in terms of your application, interviewing, and follow-up make sure it reflects the brand. Create email and documents with like fonts and styles, be focused and enthusiastic in all correspondence, research and understand the firm and their clients prior to applying and definitely prior to interviewing, dress for success, and follow-up in a way that you feel is professional and appropriate.

Each application process is different and each job opportunity unique so be ready to shape yourself to the target audience (in this case employers) is a smart and strategic way.

To end this little entry, please find a listing of PR Agency resources to tap when job seeking. Of course, first on your list should be my job boards (I recruit in Los Angeles exclusively):

Rogers & Cowan- http://bit.ly/1vLNwX

Weber Shandwick- http://bit.ly/IEx8R

GolinHarris- http://bit.ly/4EKWA5

These other targeted resources should be tapped as well:

Industry Associations

PRSA http://www.prsa.org/

Local chapter:

http://www.prsa-la.org/

IABC http://www.iabc.com/

Local chapter:

http://la.iabc.com/index.shtml

Council of PR Firms http://www.prfirms.org/

Publications

The Holmes Report http://www.holmesreport.com/agencies/bestagencies_top10.cfm

PR Week http://www.prweekus.com/

Online Resources

Ned's Job of the Week http://www.nedsjotw.com/

Bulldog Reporter's PR Job Mart
http://www.bulldogreporter.com/ME2/Default.asp

http://www.prweek.com/

http://www.hr-guide.com/data/088.htm

http://www.online-pr.com/prjobs.htm

Facebook Groups

"PR Jobs" , "Official Facebook PR Group", "PRWeek Networkers", "PR Job Watch", "IABC", "PRSA"

LinkedIn Groups

"Tech PR", "PRSA", "PR Professionals", "Network of PR Professionals"

And, Alumni services at your University!

Happy hunting!

Interview Questions

2008-11-13T15:25:00.000-08:00

This one is more for those who are doing the interviewing out there in the PR world...the shot callers. When meeting with potential team additions, keep in mind that candidates are screening you, just as you are screening them. So, make the interview questions relevant, conversational, and, if possible, inspiring enough to evoke meaningful responses so that you can begin the process of truly determining if the person sitting across from you could someday be on your side of the table with a client or in a new biz pitch.

I did an informal survey among some PR folks I know here in LA and asked them what the best interview question they were ever asked was. Here are just some examples for you to consider. Maybe try one out in your next interview:

"Describe a difficult client or request and how you dealt with it?"

"If you could do anything besides PR, what would it be?"

"How do you respond to stress?"

"In the context of PR, what is your dream account and why?"

"Describe a failure you were involved in and how you handled it."

"What is your greatest accomplishment professionally?"

"Why do you think, in a down economy marketing budgets are the first cut in a company's conservation efforts and what would you argue towards saving it should the cut directly affect you?"

So, as you can see, PR folks like to be challenged in an interview and enjoy being given the opportunity to answer a thoughtful question in a thoughtful way. Don't be afraid to make your interviewee think on his/her feet. It will give you a good crystal ball view of how they might perform for you on the job.

Conversely, here are some examples of the worst interview questions ever asked (of course I asked my survey population for these as well):

"What type of car do you drive and how many miles do you have on it?"

"Do you like to party?"

"Do you golf?"

"What would you say your three best and three worst skills are and why?"

And, generally, candidates do not like it when the interviewer does ALL the talking and just explains the position and the company. They like to be lead to tell you what their strengths, capabilities, and ambitions are.