Archive for Career

My evil plans for 2013 and stuff

12 January 2013 Rachel Career, Featured, Just For Fun, Student Life No comments
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There are mixed views on making new year resolutions so I chose to do it differently. Rather than begin my aims for the year at the start of the month I left it until the 12th January.

We’re now far enough into 2013 that eating for chocolate is no longer acceptable, the fairy lights have returned to a dusty loft and optimistic hopes and desires for the years are fading as the miserable January weather brings up back to reality. This means that now is the perfect time to decide what I want to achieve in the next year. I did this last year (although slightly more timely), you can read that here. So how did I do? Well I read more books, I obtained some brilliant placements but I didn’t improve the frisbee, in fact I barely picked one up. Instead I concentrated on other areas of fitness.

So my plan for this year incluldes:

1) I want to read and write more I read more last year than the previous one, but I want to read more in 2013. Instead of watching repeats of the Big Bang Theory I want to turn to books. Additionally I want to write more, my job involves a lot of writing but I want to vary styles. The internet offers us all bountiful opportunities to write so hopefully I can take advantage of this.

I did it! I beat the Great South Run! via bark...

2) I want to learn to run I really don’t like running, so it’s a bit bizarre that I popped this on my aims for the year. Last year I had a running low when problems with my asthma meant I struggled to run 5k for Race for Life, later in the year I had a high when I ran the majority of the 10 mile Great South Run. I’ve never had much success with running over the last few years, so I want to be able to build my fitness up to a point where I am able to run 5k with ease.

3) Seriously reflect upon my career I’m currently half way through my placement year and will finish 2013 having already completed a considerable chunk of my final year of university. We may all enjoy our university years but I do feel ready to graduate and take on the big bad world out there. This means that this is a good time to seriously reflect upon my career. Do I have skills I want to develop? Do I have companies I want to aim to work at? I like to plan, so now is a great time to draw up a career plan, I also know from experience very few people’s careers pan out as expected, so not to let my plans get in the way of potential opportunities.

Well those are my evil (and less evil) plans for the year. What are you wanting to achieve in 2013?

 

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PR Students: How do you stay informed?

20 September 2012 Rachel Education, Just For Fun, Student Life No comments
newspapers (Tehrān)

newspapers (Tehrān) (Photo credit: birdfarm)

The successful PR student is curious, passionate and persuasive. They have a natural instinct for understanding the motivations and interests of their audience and understand how to use these. They also understand what results their client desires and expects and is able to meet  these. The only way that you can achieve this successfully is through staying informed.

When beginning a course in PR you will quickly learn that being informed is very important. In seminars and lectures you will be expected to be aware of current news and affairs and how these relate to PR. This can be a daunting prospect, there is so much news out there, how can you possibly stay informed?

Eight tips for staying informed

1) Social Media

I am a self-confessed Twitter addict, I check it when I wake, when I sleep and multiple times in between. However there are great benefits to using Twitter for staying informed, by following news accounts and PR professionals you can learn so much information. The knowledge I have gained through Twitter has even awarded me a box of chocolates following a class quiz!

Twitter also gives you a great idea of what people are talking about. Following Trending Topics and other hashtags can give you a great idea of what is capturing people’s interest at any time. For example, earlier this year in March #Kony2012 took over Twitter and other social media sites, this is the sort of thing that PR students need to know about.

Blogs are another great source of information, I use Bloglovin’ to keep up-to-date with my favourite blogs, and I have learnt so much from them. Everything from new trends in PR to current issues in the news.

2) News Websites

BBC News is my homepage, and lets me quickly get an idea of the latest news stories. There are many other news sites out there which will give you great up to date information and opinion on news. You can follow news directly from News Agencies such as Reuters, or even from press releases on sites such as PR Newswire if you are keen!

3) Broadcast Media

As a future practitioner you need to understand all types of media from new to traditional. I get a lot of my news from the radio. At times I believe I have a middle aged mind in the body of a twenty-something! Radio 4 is my station of preference, and there is a lot to be said to waking up to the morning news. There are also so many great current affairs programmes, and if you do not want to tune your radio, then they are available via iPlayer.

Understanding the types of news and stories that the radio broadcast is also vital in your career as a PR practitioner when you need to get a client coverage.

The TV is also a great resource, I love watching TV News and current issue programmes. If these are not your preference there is a lot to be said for keeping up to date with Soaps and Reality TV. As long as you understand how you can use these types of TV in PR then they are a useful resource.

4) Newspapers

You will frequently be told to read newspapers, but this can be inconvenient. I get a lot of my news from online newspaper sites, but it is very important to understand that this is not the same as reading a printed paper. The Daily Mail is targeting a very different audience online to the one they target in print.

I would recommend making an effort to buy one newspaper a week, this will allow you to get an idea of how articles are written, where they are published within the newspaper and what interests the paper’s audience. Vary the newspaper you buy from local to national, tabloid to broadband.

Free newspapers are brilliant as well, imagine how many people read the Metro or the Evening Standard each day on their commutes.

5) Celebrity News

Understanding the importance of celebrity in marketing communications is important. As a result it is useful to keep up to date with what celebrities are doing, what products they are releasing, or what they are currently promoting. Understanding their personal preferences and beliefs can be beneficial if you have a relevant product you need them to promote in the future.

6) Politics

It may not be fashionable to be interested in politics, but this affects you lives and job roles so it is useful to understand what is happening in the political world. If you are passionate and opinionated it may even be worth getting involved with student politics and your university will have societies to meet most political interests.

7) PR Specific News

You need to be aware of changes in the PR industry. It is a vibrant, innovative industry and as such issues such as measurement, definitions and communications tactics being regularly discussed. You can follow such news on relevant industry blogs (see my Blogroll for suggestions) and also by following websites such as Brand Republic, PR Week and The Drum.

It is also good to keep an eye on current PR campaigns, I cut out information about my favourite ones and collect them in a book. This is useful when needing to understand relevant campaigns.

8 ) Sector News

If you have a good idea of what sector you want to work in you need to understand current issues in that area. For example, if you like fashion you want to know the latest trends. I have an interest in Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals and as such websites like Pharma Times can keep me updated on relevant news issues.

Anyone starting a PR degree, you have chosen well, you are about to start a journey learning about one of the most exciting industries! To get the best out of your experience take opportunities to learn in and outside of the classroom.

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Where am I?

9 August 2012 Rachel Just For Fun, Placements, Student Life No comments

My morning commute (image via mbswindon)

It’s funny how quickly 6 weeks will fly by, barely allowing you a moment to catch your breath. At least that is how I have felt over the past month. It seems no time since I packed my bag and moved 130 miles south.

I lead a very different lifestyle here to the one to which I am so accustomed. There I live between a leafy Nottingham suburb, or a student-ridden part of Leeds. Here I live in a small village in the Thames Valley. There I shop at my ease, 24 hour supermarkets make my slightest grocery whim a reality. Here I have endured Weetabix with water for breakfast because I couldn’t get hold of a pint of milk until the next evening. There I am treated to a variety of forms of public transport, would I like to travel by regular bus, train, tram or taxi if I’m feeling rich. Here there is transport, but a lot less.

I’m in Oxfordshire while I undertake my placement year, while this was never what I imagined I’d be doing with my life I learnt long ago life doesn’t stick to your plans, and the placement opportunity was just too perfect for me to pass up. I have high hopes for the year, primarily in building my skills and knowledge but also to continue to develop a strong degree grade. So far, it is proving to be going my way. Six weeks in, I am understanding my job role, the part it plays within my organisation and I have settled in well with my colleagues. Country living is proving to be more challenging!

There are some huge advantaged to the countryside. My commute to work takes me up and down hills with some of the most amazing views I have seen in this country, the 5000 year old Ridgeway is a pleasure to cycle along, even when it’s muddy and defeats my bike, simply because in the worst weather conditions it still looks fantastic. I have seen animals, lots of animals; rabbits run wild in their tens, red kites soar through the skies and I even saw my first cockerel one morning – I thought I’d stepped into a Cornflakes box. Living in the countryside has seen me far more active that I used to be, aside from cycling 12 miles a day, I love walking in the area, have started jogging along the Thames Path and really want to try rowing down the glorious river. Oxfordshire is so breathtakingly beautiful that I can barely keep myself in the house, I want to be outside all the time.

There are major disadvantages, it’s hard to meet people. I am living in a family-orientated village of commuters. The social side of the village is limiting and that can be very isolating. However the village is nicely connected with trains every half hour running between Oxford and Reading, going on to London. Trips to the capital are pain free and I enjoyed my visit to watch Olympic Hockey the weekend before last. The lack of transport to my workplace has been difficult as well, it was that which led me to give up city life as without a car, living any further away would have left me stranded.

Another problem I have is lack of access to the Internet. In the last 6 weeks I have learnt to adapt to a www-free life, but I miss it all the same. Instant information is a commodity I feel uneasy without and I am sure when I get back to connected life I won’t be reminiscing on these web-free days!

So that’s where I currently am, in rural Oxfordshire, working on furthering my career into communications. Who’d have thought it?

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PR placement wish list

8 July 2012 Rachel Career, Communications, Education, Placements, Public Relations One comment

This is where I live now (annescountrygallery.co.uk)

Around the country many of my fellow PR students will be tottering off nervously, excitedly, even confidently into offices to begin their placements years. I love writing about employability, and have looked at the subject of placement years numerous times, so I am very excited to be currently pursuing my own.

We all have our own personal reasons for choosing to take a year out of studying and undertake a placement year, so I wanted to share with you some of the qualities and experiences I hope to gain over the next year.

  1. To become a better writer. There is always room to improve your writing, and this is something I am passionate about. Writing has been an outlet to me since I was able to craft words on a page. In my life I write down everything, from ideas, to lists, to emotions. The real skill in writing is learning to create work designed for a specific audience and succeeding in getting your message across. During my placement year I want to work hard on really refining my writing in order to develop the most effective form for my company.
  2. To understand PR. This by no means translates as my course having been poor so far, but I do still feel I need to understand more about the role PR plays in the business world. A combination of short-term placements and academic theory have given me glimpses but in the next year I want to learn more about the importance of effective PR. By the end of the year I hope to be confidently defending the necessity of PR to any doubters.
  3. Experience the environment. It is not possible to replicate the working atmosphere at university, so this year gives me a chance to enjoy the business environment and be able to get involved in all aspects of working life.
  4. Know my dissertation! The dreaded D word! I am hoping that a year in industry will help me develop my PR interests and hopefully out of this will come a dissertation subject that will keep me interested throughout the assignment period.
  5. Prepare for final year. Dissertation is simply one part of final year, and I believe a placement year will equip me with the skills and knowledge to help advance me during my final years, hopefully resulting in a satisfactory outcome at the end of my degree.
  6. Ignite a love for the outdoors. Random one? Not really, my placement has seen me relocate from my city locations to a rural village in the South East. Being such a foreign environment my hope is that I embrace the access to the outdoors and get more involved with the walking, cycling and other outdoor activities I enjoy but neglect while in the city.

In a year’s time I will be sure to update you on whether I realised my hopes and wishes for the year. In the meantime I will be working hard to ensure I get the best experience from my placement year.

So, what do you want to gain from your placement year? Please leave your comments below.

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Disclaimer: I wish to reiterate that this blog is personal and is in no way connected with any of my employers or companies with which I am associated.
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My interview tips

20 June 2012 Rachel Career, Employability, Featured, Features, Human Resources One comment
Welcoming_Guests

The other week I made an admission about liking writing CVs, well here is another weird one, I also like interviews. When you think about them they are a bizarre event, two parties saying why they would be great for each other. Perhaps it is the pressure, having to think through scenarios, but something means I enjoy the experience.

What qualifies me to write this? Have I got every job I have interviewed for? No, but I have sat on both sides of the table, had interviews go wrong and others go really well. I wanted to share the things I have learnt, they will not work for everyone.

Before getting into my tips I think it is important to make the point that if you do not get the job do not take it personally. We live in an employers market and this means they can be fussy, rather than not getting a job reflecting on your weaknesses it is more likely to represent the strength of another candidate. Not everyone gets their dream job, so we dust ourselves off and move on.

Now for my top 4 tips:

1) Preparation

Preparing for an interview is essential, there are many different techniques that work for people and we have to find what works best for us individually. Things to prepare can include organising your portfolio, showcasing your most relevant work; listing your key qualities and identifying weaknesses, I have seen this preparation go as far as writing out possible interview questions and answers. That may be a bit far for some, however the important point that you walk into the room feeling confident and ready to shine.

2) Research

Research is a part of preparation but it is so important that it deserves its own tip. There is nothing worse than being in an interview room, asked a question related to the organisation and being unable to answer it, it looks pretty bad as well. Research an organisation as much as possible, learn everything you can about them. The more you learn, the less likely they are to ask (in my experience!) and that is far preferable to not knowing something.

Take research a step forward and make a case study on part of the organisation, for example how they have launched a product. I have seen people have great success with this technique, and even if you do not share it with your interviewer it will help you gain a better understanding of the organisation.

3) Don’t worry about being perfect

As I have said, interviews are bizarre. We may think that the interviewer is expecting perfect answers, the reality is that they are not. You do not have to say the first thing in your head, you can take a moment to think about your answer. Although taking too long can start to look bad!

Interviews are also designed to test you in different ways, for example to see how you react under pressure. Try to remain as unflustered and calm as possible, remember that the interview is all a show, so play it well.

4) Be yourself

We may hear it all the time, but it is true. Do not walk into the interview room pretending to be someone else because that rarely works. I once went to an interview on crutches having fractured my ankle two days before, I had no expectation of getting the job but I felt it was too late to cancel, the result was I entered that room without the nerves or pretence that I might have, and the feedback showed my personality shone through.

 

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What does your CV look like?

2 June 2012 Rachel Career, Human Resources No comments
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I have an admission to make, I love CVs. This may be considered strange, but I really like them. I like writing my own, helping others write them, and during my period in recruitment I enjoyed reading others. The CV is a snippet of your life, one way you choose to represent yourself to potential employers.

Recently I have been looking at the future of the CV, the trend shows recruiters are looking to alternatives to the CV. One of the most popular alternatives being LinkedIn. My friend Liz introduced me to vizualize.me which takes your LinkedIn profile and turns it into an infographic.

Click on the image below to see my full infographic.

Rachel Barkley Aim High

It is an interesting way to look at your LinkedIn profile, and it allows people to easily interpret the information.

There are things I do not love about it, for example it does not show voluntary work as part of the Experience, when we all know voluntary work can be very important for adding employability particularly amongst young jobseekers.

Overall this is a fun and interesting way to look at your LinkedIn profile, useful for helping develop your profile or share your information effectively.

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How important is Maths in PR?

27 March 2012 Rachel Education, Public Relations 2 comments

Image via Matt Banks

My Public Relations course contains a lot of great modules, but one thing that I feel it has lacked so far is the development of maths skills. This may sound like a slightly bizarre desire considering my course does not inspire images of studying numbers. Perhaps it is explained by understanding that I am the daughter of not one, but two maths teachers. I never took maths past GCSE level, preferring to concentrate humanity and media subjects but I have always had a soft spot for maths.

In my previous job my maths skills came in handy almost constantly, from checking payroll to designing spreadsheets. Undeniably maths is a useful skill in life, ensure that you are getting the best value for money at the supermarket and not being ripped off by dubious offers, cooking the required quantity of food, even in planning your day a good understanding of numbers can be beneficial. But I ask myself, where does the value of maths lie in the world of PR?

Budgeting

It would be lovely to imagine there is a pool of endless resources out there, but there are not. Budgeting plays a vital role in any PR professional’s life. Being able to offer cost-effective strategies to create a good return on investment, or even the dreaded AVE. I have been picked up on my tendency to bring budgeting and finance into my university projects, from our first PR campaign assignment the finance was at the forefront of my mind.

Measurement

Back to ROI and AVE (you may not like it, but it is still used), being able to measure the success of a campaign is essential. Having a good understanding of numbers can only help in this case.

Research

You will not always have the opportunity to pay for your research to be analysed and therefore having a good grasp of mathematics is required to understand and rationalise research required.

Administration

We may not like it, but administration involves itself in many roles. My previous experience of admin has involved me needing a great understanding of maths. While it is not always necessary, it is endlessly beneficial.

I would be interested to hear other examples where maths skills have benefited you during your PR career.

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All students should gain internships

28 February 2012 Rachel Career, Placements No comments
A degree

Is a degree enough? (Image via Wikipedia)

A government report says that all students should gain a minimum of 12 weeks work experience while studying for a degree (read more here). As internships, voluntary and compulsory, are a common theme on my blog I could not ignore this article.

I am passionate about increasing people’s employability, and as a student I am well placed to understand the opportunities and challenges that we face trying to obtain a career. As students we choose to make an investment in university, this does not just include the significant and rising tuition fees, but also the cost of living for 3/4 years, and the loss of a potential wage in an alternative job. We make this investment in the hope that it will be advantageous to us in the future and help us to get a great job. However with the huge number of unemployed graduates something is simply not working. Undoubtedly the current financial situation is a huge contributor to these numbers, but another common reason is that graduates are not suitable for the workplace, whether they are unable to do the basics, or do not have the global knowledge required.

The idea of including internships within a degree enables students to gain the skills that are required for their graduate jobs, it also has the advantage of letting them experience their career and decide if it is what they wish to pursue, and allows them to gain a certain type of maturity which is only learned through real work. I talk from personal experience for all of those points.

In my degree we are actively encouraged to gain work experience from our first day on the course! We also benefit from a brilliant placement service which offers us short and long term opportunities, but I was interested to see what it was like at other universities. I spoke to an Engineering student from  University of Warwick, an English and History student at University of York and an employed graduate of the TV Production degree at Bournemouth University. Each of them had a different experience of internships at university, from compulsory placements required at Bournemouth University, to encouraged internships at University of Warwick but very little help in gaining such opportunities. In conclusion it appears that universities do encourage students gaining experience, however the support they provide can vary considerably.

I can see a strong argument for making placements a part of degree courses, and I have previously written about compulsory placements, how can you claim to be qualified if you have never experienced the job you want to do? I also believe that the strongest students will already have obtained placements without being pushed by their university, and currently a full CV can separate the weak from the strong. I would recommend you read the comments on my compulsory placements post as they contain lots of interesting opinions from students on this subject.

The report also considers the financial implications on students from poorer backgrounds, concluding that universities ought to use their (Office for fair access, the universities access watchdog) fund to support those who may struggle to afford long internships. With the current financial situation and universities being required to cut spending and tighten their budgets, is it practical and fair to put this additional strain on universities?

Overall I would say that there is no right or wrong answer, but if internships became a requirement of degree courses I would not consider it to be a bad thing. In fact it can only be beneficial to employers and future graduates, however whether it is a practical solution, or now, is another question.

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Five considerations before working for free

23 February 2012 Rachel Career, Placements, Student Life No comments
Bookstand with large textbook
This article features a popular theme in my blog, that on unpaid placements and work experience. Rather than ask whether or not it is ethical or moral, today I ask you as a student or graduate looking to gain valuable experience to consider important factors before you accept working for free.
1) Would someone else pay me to do this job?
If you were offered an identical position at a similar organisation tomorrow would they be likely to offer you a salary? By accepting an unpaid position are you undervaluing your skills and allowing employers to exploit you and take advantage?
2) Can you afford to work for free?
The demands of work experience can result in significant costs, from travelling to food and even accommodation, not to mention lost salary from alternative work. If you cannot practically afford to carry out your work experience you may need to ask your employer to offer a financial incentive, if only to cover travel expenses. If they are not willing, do they value you enough to offer you a good placement?
3) Is the organisation in a position to pay you?
Some organisations simply do not have the human resource budget to offer you a salary, perhaps you are working for a small charity or new company. Maybe you are doing a favour for a friend who simply is unable to offer you financial remuneration. However if they can afford to pay you, ask yourself, why aren’t they?
4) Do the benefits outweigh the costs?
Through your placement are you gaining skills that you simply could not gain elsewhere? Are you receiving valuable training that could further your career? Are you building up a portfolio to wow future employers? You need to ensure that any potential sacrifices you are making to complete the placement will be worth it in the long term.
5) Will you enjoy the placement?
Most importantly, if you are working for free, you need to enjoy the placement. You need to learn, develop your skills and have a great experience.
Some organisations are seen to take advantage of students and graduates who are willing to take unpaid placements, but the majority of opportunities will allow you to apply theoretical knowledge and build skills that will be invaluable to you in the long term. And if that dream placement turns out not to be what you were expecting? Consider an alternative placement.
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Claire Mascall PR prize 2012

20 February 2012 Rachel Education, Featured, News 2 comments
Claire-Mascall-award-winners-2

Image from behindthespin.com

I am very honoured to be among the winners of the Claire Mascall PR prize. This is a fantastic award in memory of Claire Mascall and the experience was challenging but interesting.

We were tasked with writing a letter to London Mayor, Boris Johnson, analysing the damage caused by the London riots and financial crisis in relation to the London Olympics, we were then required to suggest strategies to improve London’s reputation.

I am particularly proud to be associated with my fellow winners, Lauren Sizer who won first place and Adele Roberts who took joint second.

My winning letter is available below.

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