Congratulations! You’ll be graduating from college before you know it, and you’ll have the chance to astound the world with your knowledge, talents and abilities.
As a recent grad, you will face the interview stage–the nerve-wrecking interview stage. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by job interviews and even a little intimidated. Here are my five interview tips on how to make your ideas shine while making sure that the importance of appearance and first impressions aren’t forgotten.
Today is my 30th day! Woohoo! Although I thought I would have a serious sense of relief when I finished my ever-present responsibility of daily blogging, I have appreciated the experience of sharing my work days on the blog.
For 30 days, I have learned the ropes at Clairemont, and I am thrilled to share my top moments with you today.
My favorite moments at Clairemont to date: (Cheesy, but they make me grin.)
What was your favorite blog moment of mine?
Editor’s Note: Clairemont enthusiastically welcomes Jasmin Sessoms to our team! Follow this former beauty queen’s journey as she documents her first 30 days in a Raleigh PR agency.
Editor’s Note: Clairemont enthusiastically welcomes Jasmin Sessoms to our team! Follow this former beauty queen’s journey as she documents her first 30 days in a Raleigh PR agency.
Starting a new job can be scary. You may feel bombarded with new information and feel like you can’t catch up.
On my second day, I don’t have these feelings. Although I have a lot to learn, the Clairemont team has an amazing way of making me feel at home. Honestly, it feels like I have been working here for months.
I am pleased to say that my level of comfort puts me the most at ease. Mrs. Hughens has created an amazing atmosphere and comfy workspace. No cubicles in sight.
I can’t go without mentioning that my boss rocks. Mrs. Hughens has the best sense of humor and is an amazing storyteller. I feel inspired about my future just by talking with her. I want to soak up every thing she says like a sponge.
My coworkers are noteworthy as well. Cherith has been my “go to girl” about AP formatting and blog advice. I thank you for your patience. Sarah is a sweetie, and her love for her clients is contagious in a room.
All in all, today has been a great day. I finished perusing through case studies and dove into navigating Freckle (our online time-tracker) and WordPress. Technical things that must be learned. I can honestly say that I woke up excited to come to work today.
While flipping through one of my morning inspirational books, I found a quote that I couldn’t go without sharing:
“Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.” -Ella Fitzgerald
Ms. Fitzgerald, I couldn’t have said it better.
Editor’s Note: Clairemont enthusiastically welcomes Jasmin Sessoms to our team! Follow this former beauty queen’s journey as she documents her first 30 days in a Raleigh PR agency.
I figured my first day at work would feel exactly like my first day of high school or college. You again feel like the new kid on the block or the smallest fish in the pond. I wondered all night about my transition from college into the “real world”. There were definitely a few barriers to overcome. I worried about fitting in and being unfamiliar with small details.
Realizing that student life was at an end seemed overwhelming. Where did the time go? Although there were a few jitters, I could barely sleep from utter excitement. I realized these first-day jitters were merely a rite of passage.
My outfit was chosen four days in advance, and when my alarm clock went off at 5 a.m., I was ready. This was my moment to make the best impression possible on my first day. I arrived early (I figured being punctual leaves a lasting impression).
Before I walked in, I took a moment to pause, take a deep breath and envision my future with the Clairemont team. Today was a brand new beginning. I fixed my hair hoping to look my absolute best.
I opened the door, and my new coworker Sarah greeted me with a smile. The awkward scary feeling I expected dissolved instantaneously. My new boss and the CEO of the company, Mrs. Dana Hughens, offered me a cup of coffee while I got the official tour of the Clairemont House. I must say, this restored house in the heart of downtown Raleigh is the most ideal place to work.
My desk has to be the cutest space in the entire house. Mrs. Hughens took the time to deck me out with office accessories featuring my favorite color, pink! If that isn’t enough, I got my own personal MacBook Pro (talk about official working girl). After my tour, the real work began. I got a chance to sit in on two client calls and actually speak to clients!
When I started my job search, I knew that I wanted to be in the PR world. Interning at a small agency in Fayetteville piqued my interest; so I began to research different firms across the Triad.
After sending out my resume to a few companies, the CEO of RLF Communications sent me a reply. Monty Hagler gave me the opportunity to interview with his company, but unfortunately, he didn’t have the space to offer me a position. Monty seemed impressed with me and passed my resume along to Mrs. Dana Hughens who contacted me on my graduation day!
Two weeks later I got to sit down and meet her entire team; after my interview process Dana thought I would be a good fit. Ironically, Monty popped in today to catch up with Dana. I am forever grateful to Monty for recommending me, and I feel blessed that Dana offered me a job.
I figured my first day at work would feel like my first day of high school or college. I would be the smallest fish in the biggest pond. Thanks to Dana and the Clairemont team, I had the best first day imaginable. -xoxo
I recently had the pleasure of serving on a panel at Elon University for the iMedia Day of Professional Development & Networking. It had been many years since I visited the Elon campus, and I was blown away by how charming it is. Equally impressive was the School of Communication’s facility. Within its School of Communication, Elon offers a ten-month M.A. Interactive Media program – what a great way for communication professionals to add to their skill sets in a short amount of time!
The panelists for the event included myself, a representative from another Raleigh PR agency, a recruiter from a firm in Atlanta and a former graduate of the program (now employed by an interactive agency in California.) We collectively answered questions from the moderator and then fielded questions from the students on the topics of interactive media and successfully navigating the job search. Questions included…what does “interactive” really mean? What are the most relevant tools we are using today? How do agencies incorporate interactive departments?
What really stood out to me during this discussion was the realization that there is very little we are doing these days that is not interactive in some way…and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Whether we are launching a Facebook campaign, providing hashtags for a client event so attendees can share via their social networks or creating animated graphics to be used on a trade show floor, we are interacting with our audience on some level.
The other topic we discussed at length with the students was best practices – the do’s and don’ts – for trying to land a job, and making a good impression once you have been hired. While some of these tips might sound like advice we have all heard before, what came out of the discussion was that even though things have become much more complicated, the importance of simple, basic courtesies have stood the test of time. Here are a few things the panelists shared:
A big thank you to Maggie Mullikin for organizing the event and hosting us. Hope to join the group again next year! Whether you are a professional or a student, what does interactive mean to you, and how has it changed your role as a communicator?
