Interviewing skills through Social Media

I have been slightly quiet with regards to posting blogs, but as you can guess my degree has certain demands right now which I need to focus on.

One thing I wanted to write about, and in turn ask about, is interview tips. Particularly for internships, or a future career. I want to enter a profession where a lot of the job descriptions ask for a degree in English, Marketing and PR, Communications or something similar.
I'm guessing that the reason for this is so you have some sort of background knowledge to apply, but for me, the information I have so far is from work experience.

I have volunteered across a wide range of institutes to gain experience, but being able to put that experience into a concise and educated response to questions such as "What sort of marketing strategies would you bring to this company?" is something of a worry for me.

This has been a pressing thought for me for quite some time, and it's actually ironic that today I stumbled across an article on Twitter which talks about a Marketing and PR Internship at Lasa, and this provided me with a 'check-list' of things to research and keep in mind when searching for a career/internship but also what to do if I am offered an interview.

There are several points which I am already doing, including keeping a portfolio of all the things I have been involved in, and researching the company I wish to work for is another key element for interview preparation as it provides an idea of what sort of marketing strategies and skills I already posses and can bring to the team.

This article written by a graduate has offered me some sort of reassurance, and in a few weeks time as part of my Professional Development Portfolio at university, I will be attending an interview workshop which will really help with my confidence and give me some other things to keep in mind.

I have an interview on the 5th December for the Royal Shakespeare Collection for a work placement, and again this is an incredible opportunity to develop new skills and research into an area of history which I genuinely love. My confidence with the interview however is starting to affect my mindframe.

So, as I end this entry I would like to ask if anyone has any tips for interviews and also how do you cope when your mind suddenly goes blank from the pressure of being on the spot?
I'm great with public speaking now, but reflecting on my own strengths and attributes is something which I am still trying to get my head around.

Feedback would be great, and I'll update again soon.

Using Social Media to build contacts

The ultimate purpose of the Social Media Internship is to build professional contacts who we can use to find work experience, part-time or full-time employment and to seek advice in terms of how to develop.

My previous posts have been about the development of my skills but this post will look at how I have been able to use social networking sites such as Twitter and Linkedin to broaden my network of professionals and how I have utilised both services.

The first development came when I applied to become a student writer for grads.co.uk which is a blog relating to student experiences whilst studying and can focus on a wide range of things.
I was emailed back shortly after my application with the news that I had been accepted as a student blogger with the following statement:

"This position is voluntary however it would reflect exceptionally well on your CV, enhance your core skills and your work will be viewed by all candidates who visit our site and clients who advertise with us – who knows, you may even get head hunted. You will have your very own profile page on our website, with links to all your social networks – thus enhancing your profile."
 

This is an amazing opportunity and it happened within days of using Linkedin which is a social media platform which I avoided prior to starting the internship. I will now have experience proof-reading, writing, editing and being involved with a wide community of graduates which is something I know I can use in the future.

The second development has come through meeting a fellow student at the University of Derby who has a love for books. This is not only a common interest, but I have been able to share a project with her which will enhance both of our skills. I am hosting a book sale to raise money for Oxfam, one of the charities which I feel passionate about and I need help planning and managing. Callie has those skills and eventually wants to open her own book shop so this has become a mutual relationship where we can work together to produce something amazing.

Other communications has involved me setting up a meeting with someone whose career is centered around public relations and I have also emailed Big Cat Group which is a company in Birmingham who specialise in Marketing and Public Relations to ask a range of questions such as how I can enhance my CV, are there any recommended courses I need to undertake and potentially arrange some work experience as I feel I need to start branching out.

Ultimately my goal is to work in Public Relations with an amazing team, and I have found one at Bournville College so there is a part of me which hopes that by the time I graduate, I will be considered for employment however this is not a concrete plan and there may be things out of my control so I am not counting all my chickens, so having more experience and extending my knowledge, understanding and contacts within the career field is essential at this point, and even if I gain employment.


Prior the starting the internship, I already used Twitter as a way of connecting with companies around Derby and in Birmingham. I've followed fundraising groups, professionals and individuals who have experience in the field I want to work in and so my goal is to look at how I can build upon my interactions through Twitter and again potentially find some work experience or receive some advice on how I can stand out in 2014 when I graduate.

Thank you for reading, will update again soon.

Time management

I am not the first, nor the last, to admit that before I started my degree I was someone who abused the fact that time was a 'luxury' - by this I mean I wasted time, I lost track of time and I always relied on my mom to remind me of key things such as the dentist, cadet uniform, camping dates.

Then I moved out, and a whole world of things happened. One of the key things I noticed is I was relying more and more upon To Do lists and highlighters, and I eventually purchased my first diary. I was starting to organise my own time and my own responsibilities.

I will be honest, it's something I became addicted to and love. I have colour schemes on my calendar for a range of things, for example orange will always represent a social event, and blue will represent an essay deadline or the date of a seminar which I need to present. I began to respect and admire people who keep mental calendars, or parents who manage their own timetables as well as their partners, their childrens and extended family. I began to respect the fact that time is crucial, and time is precious.

Things such as essay writing, domestic chores (I will never find a love for laundry washing), shopping, socialising, job hunting, part-time work, volunteering... it all collides at once and I found it incredibly hard at times to switch off at the end of each day. I have managed to find a balance now with categorising people and activities, and turning my phone off or diverting calls past a certain time so I have Me Time. I've found that timetabling my weeks, my days important and I rely heavily upon structure.

There are times when structure gets thrown out the window and I refuse to do anything but relax, but I know that by the next day I will be back on form and ready for whatever is coming my way (most of it is essay deadlines at the moment).

Time management is something which I have struggled with but is something I've found to be essential both on a personal level and also within the work place. I've realised the importance of meetings, appointment, getting things done and how important it is to work as a team to make sure each person is on the right track.

My work placement at Bournville College involved me writing articles in time to be published by major newspapers such as the Birmingham Mail. This demonstrated to me how important it was to break down what needed to be done and utilise my love for To Do lists, and remind myself that if I was to be disorganised with my own timetable and my own deadlines, then this has a domino effect on everyone else.

I know that this blog is focusing on how I have developed with each of the skills listed upon my Curriculum Vitae, but I find that being aware of my developments, how they have happened and how I can progress or utilise them is essential if I am to achieve what I want to achieve from this Social Media Internship.

This blog has provided me with a sense of purpose to my writing (ramblings) and it has also provided me with a reflective outlet where I am able to access, evaluate and move forward, and that saves me time in the future when searching for things to say when I hopefully attend an interview to be a Public Relations Officer (time management and effective delivery of projects... key!).

I do have a lot more things to write about in terms of my development but I want to be able to save those for another time.

My goals for the next week though are as follows:
- Finalise my seminar notes and essay reading
- Organise an informal meeting with Callie regarding a fundraising book-sale (we met through the Social Media Internship and she loves books... I'm excited!)
- Research career fields and edit CV for PDP portfolio
- Organise meeting to go through interview techniques
- Get an idea of how to finalise Derby Award portfolio which is stressing me out
- Write 300 word article for a student-led nationwide blog.

I will update again soon and I hope that you have found this blog to be engaging. If you have any advice on how to improve or what you would like to see then you can leave a comment.

Thank you.

Nobody notices what you do

unless you take pride in it yourself.

This post will look at how in just under a week, the Social Media Internship has had a positive impact on my professional and personal life.

Firstly, it's enabled me to branch out online and find people I want to learn from, work with and those who have the potential to inspire me. I've made a conscientious effort to connect with people involved with public relations, media, marketing and mentoring. I have been able to see their stories just through the jobs they have been involved with and I have identified what areas I need to improve upon.

The main thing which has worried me is the fact that my degree is in History, not in marketing. I'm worried that each time I go for a job interview, I will be asked the same question "What marketing strategies would you use for this and this?" and it is something I want to start focusing on. I'm trying to arrange a mock interview where I can receive feedback and research properly what I need to do to have the right effect on potential employers.

Secondly, I have been invited to be a guest blogger for a company regarding student life and related issues such as budgeting, volunteering, job hunting and various others. It's quite exciting, just by putting my experiences online I have been invited to do something which I love... writing! I need to write a 300 word sample article first, and whilst it is voluntary work it's still something to add to my CV (which is a definite plus.)

Asides from this, I have become more self-aware of my presence online and the fact that I am someone who 'categorises' contacts. I've restricted my Facebook so it's my personal space to keep in touch with friends and family back at home, and Twitter is a mixture of the two whereas Linkedin is something which is purely for professional and academic development.

Tomorrow is another session for the Social Media Internship so will update more then, for now I am preparing for a social event hosted by the History Society.

Communication and fundraising RAG Style

I do love the fact that I now have a specific purpose to write a blog - I do have a personal blog which I write which is mainly filled with rambles, ideas and updates regarding my studies but not one with a specific purpose like this one, where reflecting upon professional development and utilising my skills to communicate my aspirations, my ambitions and where I want to be in the future.

This blog will focus upon how I have developed my communication and interpersonal skills, as well as my role within the University of Derby Students' Union Raise and Give Committee.

Communication:
I have always been someone who has been perceived as pain-stakingly shy, reserved with not a lot to say for myself and at times, I have been described as awkward. This was before I came to study at the University of Derby where I was thrown in the deep-end with seminars, meeting new people who I would study and work with over the next three years and getting involved with the Students' Union (this leads onto the next bit of my story shortly).

Gradually I felt myself talking to random people in queues, voicing my concerns and opinions in a structured and efficient manner, and the 'shakes' stopped whenever I gave a presentation to over 50 people. I even plucked up the courage to stand for the History Society's Social Secretary in February 2012 against a second-year music student who was a lot more vocal than I was. I won with the majority vote, and this is what really set the ball rolling.

People knew my name, and wanted to be a part of what I was doing. I met a wide range of likeminded people and understood the importance of a diary... meetings, events, Union Council, and the Union Awards Ceremony in April. I found myself flourishing and I was anxious with the idea of sitting at home after the first year doing nothing, so pushed myself to research for my chosen career and look into finding a work placement from June to September.

I also applied for the Vice Chair position of the RAG committee... this leads onto the next part of this blog.

RAG, Public Relations... a step towards my dream job.
After successful obtaining a phone interview with VP of Development Jess MacDonald, it was decided that whilst I was the right candidate for RAG, my skills would be better utilised as the Promotions and Publicity Rep - basically Marketing and Public Relations. This alongside being elected for the History Society's Social Secretary for the 2012/13 full term boosted my confidence and gave me an insight as to what I enjoy, and what I am good at.

It seems communication, creative writing, project management and socialising are key and this was proven as I completed a three month unpaid internship as a Public Relations assistant at Bournville College in Birmingham where I managed press releases and interviewing success stories which were published on the Bournville College website.

This resulted in an excellent working relationship between myself and the Marketing Manager, and I have been accepted to carry out my Work Based learning module there in September 2013 (starting in early May as I am too excited to wait). The project is confidential so I will not be able to discuss in details until things are clarified and such, but it is definitely the right way to go in terms of professional development.

This year I am working with RAG on a variety of events to raise money for three charities, and with this blog I will be reporting my experiences and reflecting on how they have helped me to develop and become more self-aware as an individual and what I want to achieve.

Thank you for reading, I will update again soon.

Social Media Internship - introductory post

What do I want to get out of the University of Derby Social Media Internship?

Today is the first session of the Social Media Internship – something which I am incredibly excited to start and develop my knowledge of social media network sites, and how to utilise them effectively to improve my career prospects.

As someone who is pursuing a career in Marketing and Public Relations, this internship not only provides me with the skills to research, network and become part of the ever expanding global career-community, but it also encourages the development of my Curriculum Vitae which is incredibly important as I feel that the best way to enter my chosen career path is to have a substantial portfolio which demonstrates my skills of communication, commitment, essay and report writing, project management and having the enthusiasm to want to improve myself as a professional individual.

The first session was interesting as it started by using a social media platform I have never actually accessed (which is a first) with LinkedIn. This instantly has provided me with an insight and provided me with what I wish to achieve from this internship: by 21^st December 2012 I want to have a substantial and effective portfolio which I can use to my advantage to connect with professionals already within the Marketing and Public Relations sector, develop my portfolio and skills, and possible research work placements to develop my CV and represent me as a more employable individual in the future.