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Tag: entry-level PR job

What to Wear to a Job Interview

What to Wear to a Job Interview

August 23, 2013January 31, 2023 Margot HorganBlog, Fashion, Free Adviceentry-level PR job, entry-level PR position, interns, Interview Attire, Interview Outfit, PR Agency, PR Internships, PR jobs, Raleigh PR Agency, Raleigh Public Relations Agency

I’m a big believer in the mantra “dress for success.” And, although it’s not yet scientifically proven, I am pretty positive that you will always feel more confident and secure if you are dressed in a crisp, clean and appropriate outfit. This especially rings true for job and internship interviews.

As the internship coordinator at Clairemont, I’ve seen plenty of interview candidates – and often been one myself in the (somewhat) recent past. For an interviewer, few things are more distracting than an inappropriately dressed or sloppy candidate. For a job hunter, dressing the part for an interview can be just as stressful. Is this too dressy? Is this too casual? Is this too boring? As a college student seeking internships and jobs, I often asked myself these questions. From experience (on both sides of the interview table), this is what I have decided.

Sporting a suit should always be your first choice. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but it should fit well without being too revealing. For women candidates, this can be a skirt or pant suit, or the alternative suiting dress, like this one from J.Crew. Suits are classic and classy and show you are serious about the job. For more inspiration, see our Interview Appropriate board on Pinterest.

J. Crew Suiting Dress
J. Crew Suiting Dress

If a suit feels too stiff for the occasion, opt for a tailored pencil skirt or pair of slacks, a blouse and a cardigan or blazer. For a creative job in an agency setting, take the opportunity to show your individuality with statement accessories or a fashionable blazer like this one from Nordstrom. We also love this simple pencil dress with subtle leather detailing from Asos.

Smythe Blazer from Nordstrom
Smythe Blazer from Nordstrom

In the end though, don’t ever minimalism the fact that this outfit is for a job interview. Being fashionable is great, but making a good first impression and landing your dream job is way better. Steer clear of anything too short, too tight or too low-cut. Always err on the side of conservative caution, and you’re sure to be dressed for success. (Here’s a hint: If you’re stuck for ideas on what to wear, check out this fabulous blog stock full of great office attire and where to buy each of the pieces!)

What are your tips for dressing for an interview?

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My First 30 Days at a Raleigh PR Agency: Days 1-30

July 27, 2012January 31, 2023 Margot HorganBlog, Entry-Level PR Job, Raleigh PR Agencyentry-level PR job, entry-level PR position, PR Agency, Raleigh PR Agency, Raleigh Public Relations Agency

Thank you to everyone who read my recent blog series and offered advice and support as I navigated my way through my first month in an entry-level PR job. Since the blog entries are spread out over a period of time, I went ahead and made an archive of all the posts to make finding a specific post a little bit easier! Enjoy!

Days 1-2
Day 3
Day 4
Days 5-6
Day 7
Day 8
Days 9-10
Day 11
Day 12
Day 13
Days 14-15
Day 16
Day 17
Day 18
Day 19
Day 20
Day 21
Day 22
Days 23-24
Day 25
Day 26
Day 27
Day 28
Days 29-30

 

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My First 30 Days at a Raleigh PR Agency: Days 29 and 30

July 11, 2012January 31, 2023 Margot HorganBlog, Entry-Level PR Job, Public Relations, Raleigh PR Agencyentry-level PR job, entry-level PR position, PR, PR Agency, Raleigh PR Agency, Raleigh Public Relations Agency

So, this is the last blog for my 30-day series about life at a Raleigh PR Agency. Here is my final reflection, and the lessons that I’ve learned:

  • It’s not where you work – it’s who you work with that matters.
  • Read the news and stay up to date with what’s happening in the industry. It’s our job to know what the latest is and how it can help them in their respective industries.
  • Awards season: oh so stressful, but rewarding when your agency is recognized for all of its work.
  • Make sure to check your past award entries’ scoring sheets to see how you can improve.
  • When researching and compiling a lot of data, try not to get overwhelmed by the amount of information. Focus on what you really need to show, and everything will fall into place.
  • Great work is based on great writing.
  • Don’t forget to ask questions. It’s easier to clarify an assignment before you start it, then to do it wrong and need to start over completely.

The list could go on and on, but I’ll try and keep it concise. I’ve learned a lot in these past 30 days, and it hasn’t always been easy. There have been challenges, frustrations and mistakes. But, in the end, I always learned something and hopefully got better at my job. Thanks for reading, commenting and lending advice and support as I detailed my life and lessons as a brand new account coordinator. This blog series has reached its conclusion, but I’ll be back with more stories, thoughts, ramblings and insights about what it’s like to work at a Raleigh PR agency. Stay tuned!

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My First 30 Days at a Raleigh PR Agency: Day 28

July 9, 2012January 31, 2023 Margot HorganBlog, Entry-Level PR Job, Raleigh PR Agency, Social Media + Influencer Engagemententry-level PR job, entry-level PR position, Facebook, PR, PR Agency, Public Relations, Raleigh PR Agency, Raleigh Public Relations Agency, Social Media

Although Mike and Ike’s split hit the news back in April, it wasn’t until this weekend that I really saw this nasty breakup play out in public. First, it was the billboards scattered along the sides of highways in Charlotte – a very public display of Ike erasing Mike from his life (and his billboard).

Then, of course, there were the commercials. The news obviously devastated fans, coworkers and celebrities, alike, as the cameras caught their reactions on film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwGsxfkROdo&feature=plcp

On the Facebook, YouTube and Tumblr, the drama continued between the estranged duo as fans begged, “Why?!”

Why? Well, for the ratings, of course – there’s no news there. In public relations, we’re usually working proactively to avoid conflict. Yet, here the candy brand has not only welcomed it, but started it. An uncommon tactic, but not original. Barbie and Ken announced their divorce back in 2004, and the brand Benetton is better known for its extremely controversial ad campaigns than it is for its actual products.

So here’s the question I pose: When does introducing a little bit of drama or controversy become too distracting? For Mike and Ike and Barbie and Ken, I think it’s just the right amount. Create a little bit of a stir about a breakup to generate publicity, but still focus on the actual product. Benetton – aren’t you supposed to be a fashion brand? I hear more about your ad campaigns than I do about your clothing.

In my first 30 days at a Raleigh PR agency, I’ve learned that conflicts and crises are sometimes part of the job. But, when did we start creating controversy in an attempt to do our job better? And, when does the controversy become off-putting to consumers? Ignoring the poorly executed posts and bland YouTube commercials, do you think the idea of Mike and Ike’s breakup is just what the brand needed for some renewed publicity, or is it just plain distracting?

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My First 30 Days at a Raleigh PR Agency: Day 27

July 6, 2012January 31, 2023 Margot HorganBlog, Entry-Level PR Job, Raleigh PR Agency, Social Media + Influencer Engagemententry-level PR job, entry-level PR position, PR, Public Relations, Raleigh PR Agency, Raleigh Public Relations Agency, Social Media, Twitter

Late Thursday night Twitter’s Personalization and Recommender Systems Chief, Pankaj Gupta, tweeted, “Search & discovery in @twitter set to change forever after tmrw.” What were these big changes for Twitter that Gupta was referring? According to Mashable, these changes can fall into three categories:

1. Twitter’s slow and primitive search feature has finally been updated to work a lot closer to Google’s instant-like guessing. The new search autocomplete will guess the most likely terms for your entry as you type, and let you select one of the choices from a drop-down menu before you finish typing. How does this help us PR people? Well, besides making our lives easier, it’s especially helpful for trying to follow the hashtag for an event or conversation, according to engineer Frost Li on the Twitter blog. In addition, search autocomplete will also now correct your spelling for common search terms with similar letters.

2. What’s more? Twitter is now more useful when searching for terms, hashtags and accounts. Again, this is a benefit for PR people trying to follow a trend, conversation or hashtag for a client. Now, if you search for a hashtag, which may also be associated with multiple different terms, the search “will provide relevant suggestions for terms where the majority of that conversation is happening on Twitter,” said Li.

3. Lastly, instead of being forced to scroll through irrelevant accounts and tweets to find what you are searching for, the new search function allows you to narrow it down to “click on tweets from people you follow.” In other words, if you want to, this function now allows you to search only among your direct group of connections on Twitter.

Is anyone else thinking, “Well, about time!” Until now, Twitter’s search function was so poor, I often turned to Google to search for accounts and topics on Twitter! Hopefully after these changes, I will stop having to leave Twitter to search for something on Twitter, just to go back to Twitter once I have found it. Sound convoluted? It was! Let’s hope these changes make our lives easier!

 

 

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