Erin, the Carrie Bradshaw of Her Time

I never thought that I would find a full-time gig as a writer, but as luck would have it, here I am in Nashville learning the trade of content marketing. And I absolutely love it. Ask "Erin one year ago" and she would have told you there was no way she was going to do anything but public relations. Her mind was made up. She didn't know that a move to Nashville and one year later would turn her world upside down and she would find a new path developing content strategies for clients. A new passion was formed.

I love planning, as I have mentioned before, and working as a content strategist allows me to showcase that passion. It also allows me to indulge in my passion for establishing myself (or in this case, helping my clients establish themselves) as an expert in almost anything. I have always joked around claiming to be a "jack of all trades" knowing a lot about a lot of subjects. Content marketing feeds this passion with a fury I never knew existed. I sometimes feel like a walking encyclopedia. I like walking around being that person that people can ask questions of and I immediately try to establish myself as an expert in that field. Scarily convincing too. Some find it annoying, I am sure my employer and clients find it endearing.

I have been writing for my company, but wanted to start sharing those posts with you all as well. I am also changing the name of my blog. Originally it was set as Pearls, Curls, & a PR Girl. The name just doesn't fit anymore. The new name change will happen this week at some point. I have a few ideas I am throwing around.

And as luck would have it...

With a simple twist of fate, I find myself at another crossroads. Life has a funny way of doing that. Just when you think you are ready to settle into something good for a while, it bops you upside the head and makes you move along.

Ready for a new adventure, as always.

xoxo-E

Mastering the Phone Interview

It wasn't completely expected, but here I find myself with doors opening up with companies outside of PDX. I suppose I had always imagined doing interviews in person, so the idea of the phone interview seemed a bit daunting. How would I make myself stand out? How could I make myself competitive with those interviewing in person? Ultimately I learned that while the the thought can be quite disconcerting, a phone interview should not be something you are afraid of.

A phone interview should be treated much like an in-person interview - with some advantages.

1. Always, always treat your phone interview like an in-person interview. If you dress up to go to an in-person interview, then you dress up for your phone interview. Do your hair, brush your teeth, and check out my fashion for PR girls for outfit inspiration. If you look your best, you will be more confident. This will translate through the phone.

2. Make sure you have a high quality signal on your phone. The last thing you want is to have lousy connection that may result in a dropped call. If possible, try using a land line for the interview. On a side note: make sure you are choosing a location for the interview that is quiet and secluded. No noisy siblings here please!

3. Try using a simple introduction when you answer your phone. Don't simply say hello, try something a bit more professional, such as "Hello, this is Erin." This will let your interviewer know they have reached the correct person and you come across as being professional.

4. PREPARE, prepare, prepare! I really can't stress this enough - you must come to this interview well-prepared. Do your research on the company and create a fact sheet you can have next to you during the interview. This is definitely where a phone interview can have its advantages. You will not have to struggle to recall company information when you are nervous like you would in an in-person interview!

5. Keep a copy of your resume next to you, but do not use it as a crutch. You should know your resume inside and out. This is your story to tell. Know it.

6. Have questions about the company or job ready to go. Craft creative and reflective questions during your research on the organization. Need some ideas? Check out this article on PR Daily. Want to really blow your interviewer away? This is the time to do it.

7. Just like an in-person interview you must find out what the next steps in the process are. Don't forget to ask this at the end. Follow up in an appropriate manner after the allotted time given.

8. One advantage of a phone interview is your ability to take notes. Have a pen and notebook handy and jot down ideas you find intriguing or aspects of the position company you would like clarification on.

9. Smile. Be enthusiastic and don't forget that you can hear a smile over the phone. Smiling can also help calm nerves. So paste on your smile and let those pearly whites shine.

10. Last, but definitely not least, send your interviewer(s) a thank you note. Since my phone interviews have been with companies far away, I have opted for an email thank you note (if you can, a handwritten note is always best). Make sure to highlight certain conversation topics and reiterate key traits that make you the perfect person for the job/internship.

Best of luck to you in your job search!

Have ideas you want to share? Leave a comment below!

xoxo-E


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Graduating College. Now What?

As college graduates we have a lot on our minds. From ordering graduation announcements to making sure all of our academic requirements are met, the stress tends to pile up. Add to the list trying to figure out a game plan for after graduation, you have the recipe for an uncomfortable last few months of school.

You could push the reality of the situation to the back of your mind, but it is important to create a game plan. While the urge to freak out (trust me it will happen at some point) may come around a few times, try to remain level-headed and realistic throughout the whole process.

Here is my handy, dandy checklist of things to do before you graduate:

• Meet with your academic advisor to make sure you are on track
• Research/Apply for internships or jobs (either for spring term or summer)
• Update your cover letter, resume and portfolio if needed
• Meet with your career center 
• Create a LinkedIn profile and join professional groups
• NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK - order business cards
• Purge your dorm room - get rid of all unnecessary paperwork, supplies, clothing, etc...
• Clean up your Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest and other social media outlets
• Start reading blogs/news about industries that interest you
• Follow thought leaders on Twitter - interact with them
• Start reading national/global news
• Start planning your financial future - if you haven't learned how to budget, do it now
• Go for a walk, yoga class, or anything that will help you relax
• Start waking up at a normal time
• Start wearing more professional clothes

And finally - remember to cherish these last few months. Take time to hang out with friends and create more memories; these days will soon be long gone!

It is OKAY to not have it all figured out, but having short term goals to work towards will help keep you motivated when you are feeling down about the big changes happening in your life! You have to be ready to work hard and go along with the changes that will happen over the next few months. If you have a solid game plan in place, it will make the whole process easier.

One last thing...

I am a big advocate for being up-to-date about current employment trends. This affects you now and it is smart to understand that finding a job after school is more difficult than ever before. Here is an article about the reality of the job situation for those who are graduating in the next couple of months. It is a MUST READ for any soon to be college grad! While it is eye-opening, I hope that this serves as a motivator for you to do all you can now in order to give yourself a competitive edge later! Thanks to the PR Girl for posting this article!

Do your research and know that it is going to take time. Patience and perseverance are key to success.

xoxo-E


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Welcome to my new blog!

Pearls, Curls & A PR Girl: Musings on Life & PR is meant to be a place where I can share my ideas, not only on PR, but also on fashion, sorority and life beyond college, including the job/internship search. My goals for Pearls & Curls are simple. I want to teach about public relations and share the next adventures as I move on from my college years. 

Starting a blog has been something I have wanted to do for a while; I just didn't have a clue what to write about. I couldn't find my niche. It dawned on me one night - I should be writing about what I love! What exactly is that? PR and all things girly. It seemed like the perfect choice. All I had to do was add my own "Erin" flair and voilà a new blog was created!

Why Pearls, Curls & a PR Girl? I mulled over the perfect name for my new blog for a few days. It wasn't until I was curling my hair for work that the name struck me. As I looked in the mirror, I saw a future PR pro who just happened to be wearing pearls with curled hair! It seemed right and so it stuck.

Over the next week I will be establishing my different sections/pages. Things to look forward to: interview tips, cover/resume letter tips, personal branding, thoughts on social media, PR terminology, and a fun little section I will be calling "Pearls of PR" (pearls are little inspirational quotes and advice for aspiring PR pro's - because well, we all need a little inspiration every once in a while). I will also be starting a section called Girl & Book - must reads for every PR girl!

I hope that you take the time to comment and leave your thoughts! 

xoxo-E