Part of my recession-chic (read: "unemployed and penniless") lifestyle involves making the most of available opportunities, especially the free ones. So when I read on Krishna De's Twitter feed that not only would she be speaking at a networking event on positivity during the recession, but that she was giving away FREE! TICKETS! TO BLOGGERS! I jumped at the chance.
The event was hosted by PA Assist and Osborne Recruitment at the Ballsbridge Court Hotel on Wednesday 22nd April. Thanks to my genetic predisposition to arrive at any event at least 15 minutes early, I had lots of time to grab a coffee and chat to other participants. Unlike me, most people I spoke to seemed to have jobs, but were attending the event because of the near-constant state of fear and uncertainty in today's job market. As I mentioned in my previous post, how does one stay positive when all around us things seem to be crumbling and changing?
The first speaker to address this issue was James Sweetman - a leading business, personal and performance coach based in Dublin. His hour-long presentation was full of encouraging messages, tips and suggestions, combined with an infectiously optimistic personality and a great sense of humour. His tips on how to stay "up" in the down times focused on maintaining positivity, knowing yourself and being aware of what you can control. So I may not be able to control being rejected for a job, but I can control how I react to the rejection.
The next speaker was Brendan Murphy, from Osborne Recruitment, who focused on the employment side of things. He had good tips on jobhunting (yes, I took copious notes!) and emphasised the importance of knowing yourself: your strengths, your weaknesses, and what makes you different from other candidates. Needless to say, I'm hoping that knowledge of these issues leads to increased self confidence which will naturally lead to a job. I plan to test this theory intensively, and will report back!
The final speaker was Krishna De - social media, marketing and personal branding expert, and the reason I even found out about the conference. She highlighted the value of using social networking to help you in your life, your job or (in my case) your job hunt, which I found extremely useful. Being relatively new to sites like Twitter and LinkedIn, I could sense the potential, but wasn't sure how to fully harness it. Her talk definitely helped, and I'm now pursuing everything with a better understanding of how to get the most out of my various sites!
Overall I'd have to say the conference was really enjoyable. It's definitely not an easy time out there in recession-land, particularly for jobhunters, and often "staying up" is easier said than done when you've just received your millionth "Thank you for your application, but..." letter.
Really, it's all about confidence, and having the courage to persevere. A rejection is not the end of the world. Stand up, dust yourself off, go for a walk in the sunshine, and make a fresh start at it tomorrow.
It works. Honestly.
24 April 2009
21 April 2009
Humour and the Jobhunt
"Laughter is the shock absorber that eases the blows of life"
(source unknown)
It's all too easy to get depressed by the state of the world today, particularly if you're unemployed, as I am. You only have to turn on the news to see stories of layoffs, bankruptcy, people losing their homes, their savings, their pensions... you name it.
Ireland's unemployment rate is hovering around 10% and some are predicting that figure will go higher. Competition for jobs is intense. Stories of bankers applying for jobs in McDonald's and hiring fairs attracting thousands of applicants for only hundreds of jobs are becoming all too common.
As a full-time jobhunter, I have amassed enough rejection letters to wallpaper my apartment. It's not always easy to take that much rejection, and as jobhunters we always run the risk of falling victim to depression and despondency.*
Sometimes all you can do is laugh. And I've found some excellent jobhunting-related humour sources!
1. The Most Awesome Cover Letter Ever
Can't you just feel the pain and frustration? Don't you wish you had the nerve to use this as your own cover letter?
Seriously, though... we've all had the standard rejection letters that thank us for our interest in the position, mention how impressed they were with our qualifications/experience/CV, and wish us all the best in our future endeavours/continued jobhunt/life in general. We know what it's like.
2. Overqualified
Joey Comeau, of A Softer World webcomic fame, has published a collection of his most crazy, outlandish, and off-the-wall cover letters. On the book's website, he notes:
"Cover letters are all the same. They're useless. You write the same lies over and over again, listing the store bought parts of yourself that you respect the least. God knows how they tell anyone apart, but this is how it's done."
You can read some of his letters in the archive section. He often resorts to begging, conspiracies, and outright threats, but what results is a bitterly funny picture of your average frustrated jobhunter.
Of course, these are just two examples of the humourous side of jobhunting. If anyone has any other favourites, please feel free to share them!
*depression is a very serious reality, and should never be treated lightly. If you or someone you know has been "battling the blues" for an extended period of time, please consider getting help. For an excellent list of resources, including a 24/7 helpline, visit Aware.
(source unknown)
It's all too easy to get depressed by the state of the world today, particularly if you're unemployed, as I am. You only have to turn on the news to see stories of layoffs, bankruptcy, people losing their homes, their savings, their pensions... you name it.
Ireland's unemployment rate is hovering around 10% and some are predicting that figure will go higher. Competition for jobs is intense. Stories of bankers applying for jobs in McDonald's and hiring fairs attracting thousands of applicants for only hundreds of jobs are becoming all too common.
As a full-time jobhunter, I have amassed enough rejection letters to wallpaper my apartment. It's not always easy to take that much rejection, and as jobhunters we always run the risk of falling victim to depression and despondency.*
Sometimes all you can do is laugh. And I've found some excellent jobhunting-related humour sources!
1. The Most Awesome Cover Letter Ever
Can't you just feel the pain and frustration? Don't you wish you had the nerve to use this as your own cover letter?
Seriously, though... we've all had the standard rejection letters that thank us for our interest in the position, mention how impressed they were with our qualifications/experience/CV, and wish us all the best in our future endeavours/continued jobhunt/life in general. We know what it's like.
2. Overqualified
Joey Comeau, of A Softer World webcomic fame, has published a collection of his most crazy, outlandish, and off-the-wall cover letters. On the book's website, he notes:
"Cover letters are all the same. They're useless. You write the same lies over and over again, listing the store bought parts of yourself that you respect the least. God knows how they tell anyone apart, but this is how it's done."
You can read some of his letters in the archive section. He often resorts to begging, conspiracies, and outright threats, but what results is a bitterly funny picture of your average frustrated jobhunter.
Of course, these are just two examples of the humourous side of jobhunting. If anyone has any other favourites, please feel free to share them!
*depression is a very serious reality, and should never be treated lightly. If you or someone you know has been "battling the blues" for an extended period of time, please consider getting help. For an excellent list of resources, including a 24/7 helpline, visit Aware.
16 April 2009
Life Coach
One of my lecturers mentioned that a colleague of his was offering free life coaching sessions as part of her certification process. All we had to do was write in and describe our current situation, and we'd be able to arrange the sessions.
So I did. Encouraged by the word "free", and the thought (correct or not) that this stranger might hold the key to sorting my life out once and for all, I figured I'd be foolish not to jump at the opportunity.
I had my first session yesterday, and I can already sense the potential benefits. It's so refreshing to have a new, outside perspective on my situation, distinct from the old standbys of the partner and the parents who, despite their best intentions, are incredibly biased in thinking I'm the best thing since sliced bread.
Life Coach (LC) and I went over the steps I'd taken in my job hunt thus far, and analysed what might be some of the barriers to my success. As I've always been confused at how seemingly ideal candidates (not just myself) often are unable to get interviews, it was interesting to get the opinions of someone who has also done executive and business coaching - an "insider" of sorts.
So now I have "homework" to do before my next session. This involves making a list of companies or organisations that I'd like to work for, including the names of the HR managers, so that I can put together a plan for proactive job hunting (rather than relying on advertised positions, which is what I've been doing at the moment).
I'm approaching it with a healthy dose of optimism and confidence. I will land a job if it kills me. I'm so glad LC is there to help me!
So I did. Encouraged by the word "free", and the thought (correct or not) that this stranger might hold the key to sorting my life out once and for all, I figured I'd be foolish not to jump at the opportunity.
I had my first session yesterday, and I can already sense the potential benefits. It's so refreshing to have a new, outside perspective on my situation, distinct from the old standbys of the partner and the parents who, despite their best intentions, are incredibly biased in thinking I'm the best thing since sliced bread.
Life Coach (LC) and I went over the steps I'd taken in my job hunt thus far, and analysed what might be some of the barriers to my success. As I've always been confused at how seemingly ideal candidates (not just myself) often are unable to get interviews, it was interesting to get the opinions of someone who has also done executive and business coaching - an "insider" of sorts.
So now I have "homework" to do before my next session. This involves making a list of companies or organisations that I'd like to work for, including the names of the HR managers, so that I can put together a plan for proactive job hunting (rather than relying on advertised positions, which is what I've been doing at the moment).
I'm approaching it with a healthy dose of optimism and confidence. I will land a job if it kills me. I'm so glad LC is there to help me!
13 April 2009
Reading
I haven't started my Crisis PR module yet, but when I do, I'll be sure to use this as an example of how quickly news can travel these days. I've only seen one mention of it in "traditional" media, but it's all over Twitter (#amazonfail is one of the top Trending Topics) and the blogs.
Amazonfail
Amazonfail
A Marketer's Worst Nightmare? (pt. 1)
One of the modules on my PR course deals with marketing, particularly its relationship to public relations. It has its own exam - part of the Big September Exams I'll be facing in a few short months. It's been suggested (or recommended) that whilst writing these exams, we should try to use as many examples as possible of successful campaigns - in this case, marketing campaigns.
Our lecturer always recommends that we "think of the brands you love, and use those as your examples". Well... I have one small problem with that.
I cannot for the life of me think of brands I love. In fact, the very word "brand" makes me cringe inwardly. I can't seem to recall a time when I've ever bought something because of who or what it was. Ever.
I have a much easier time thinking of commercials that annoy me, or companies that I'd never buy from. This probably does not bode well for my marketing exam.
Case in point - I remember when I was about 14 years old I was asked to be part of a marketing research focus group. The company was Polo Jeans - an offshoot of Ralph Lauren, and from what I recall they were attempting to discern how the brand would fare in the Canadian market. Apart from a pair of hand-me-down Guess Jeans, I'd never owned any branded clothing in my life (I still don't). Needless to say this didn't endear me to the researchers.
I recall getting hung up on the Polo Jeans logo. I could not, for the life of me, figure out why the researchers assumed Canadians would want to wear t-shirts with a big American flag on them, albeit one that was adapted to fit the brand. I remember being horrified that everyone else in the group seemed to think that this brand was The Coolest Thing Ever, with one girl saying that she'd absolutely wear that, no question. I argued with those researchers for at least 20 minutes, even going so far as to suggest that they might want to alter their logo slightly to reflect the potential Canadian market. No dice.
At the end of the session, all the participants were given a free gift - a Polo Jeans shirt, complete with American flag-esque logo.
I think they missed the point. Or maybe I did, because I still don't get it.
Our lecturer always recommends that we "think of the brands you love, and use those as your examples". Well... I have one small problem with that.
I cannot for the life of me think of brands I love. In fact, the very word "brand" makes me cringe inwardly. I can't seem to recall a time when I've ever bought something because of who or what it was. Ever.
I have a much easier time thinking of commercials that annoy me, or companies that I'd never buy from. This probably does not bode well for my marketing exam.
Case in point - I remember when I was about 14 years old I was asked to be part of a marketing research focus group. The company was Polo Jeans - an offshoot of Ralph Lauren, and from what I recall they were attempting to discern how the brand would fare in the Canadian market. Apart from a pair of hand-me-down Guess Jeans, I'd never owned any branded clothing in my life (I still don't). Needless to say this didn't endear me to the researchers.
I recall getting hung up on the Polo Jeans logo. I could not, for the life of me, figure out why the researchers assumed Canadians would want to wear t-shirts with a big American flag on them, albeit one that was adapted to fit the brand. I remember being horrified that everyone else in the group seemed to think that this brand was The Coolest Thing Ever, with one girl saying that she'd absolutely wear that, no question. I argued with those researchers for at least 20 minutes, even going so far as to suggest that they might want to alter their logo slightly to reflect the potential Canadian market. No dice.
At the end of the session, all the participants were given a free gift - a Polo Jeans shirt, complete with American flag-esque logo.
I think they missed the point. Or maybe I did, because I still don't get it.
11 April 2009
Rent Reduction
After reading this article in the Wall Street Journal online, I decided to see if it would be possible for my partner and I to have our rent lowered as well.
Our lease renewal was coming up on the 18th of April, and we wanted to give our landlord plenty of time to mull over our suggestions, so we drafted a letter and sent it off at the beginning of the month. Sure enough, on Thursday we received a phone call from our landlord, agreeing to our suggested €250 a month reduction, thereby saving ourselves €3000 per year.
Success!
If you are currently a renter, here are some tips for negotiating a reduction in your rent.
1. Do your research
The last thing you want to do in this crucial letter is appear uninformed. I'd been monitoring property prices in our area of Dublin for the past few months, including rental prices. When we decided to write a letter to our landlord, I was able to inform him that units similar to ours (2 bedroom, 2 bathroom) in the same complex were renting for €250 per month less than we were currently paying. This research worked in our favour, as the landlord quickly contacted the letting agency to confirm what we'd said. The agent did his own research and was able to confirm our findings.
2. (Try to) be perfect tenants
Okay, sometimes this may be easier said than done, I admit. But if you have anything that may work in your favour, bring it to your landlord's attention. For example, we mentioned that we have always paid our rent on time and in full. We also wrote that, apart from one isolated incident involving rusty cutlery, pots and pans and a strongly worded letter, we have always been delighted with our apartment and would love to continue to call it home.
3. Above all, be nice!
You certainly don't want to seem demanding or unreasonable. By writing the letter to our landlord, we tried to demonstrate that lowering our rent would be mutually beneficial. We (as the tenants) would naturally benefit from saving €250/month. The landlord would also benefit from keeping the apartment occupied for another year (at a time when many rental properties are sitting vacant, losing their owners money), and not having to find new tenants (which would likely result in him having to lower the rent anyway to remain competitive in the rental market!) It's win-win, but play nice!
4. Be aware of potential repercussions
In an ideal world, every landlord would be as accommodating as ours. But before you rush off and write a letter of your own, have you considered all the potential consequences and possibilities? What if he or she refuses to lower your rent? Are you willing/able to move? Or are you happy to keep paying the same amount, but just wanted to "test the waters"? These are all important things to think about before writing your letter.
Ultimately, asking for a rent reduction involves a lot of research and some tense negotiations, but if you're successful, it can come as a huge relief, particularly if you're worried about making ends meet in these difficult times.
Best of luck!
Our lease renewal was coming up on the 18th of April, and we wanted to give our landlord plenty of time to mull over our suggestions, so we drafted a letter and sent it off at the beginning of the month. Sure enough, on Thursday we received a phone call from our landlord, agreeing to our suggested €250 a month reduction, thereby saving ourselves €3000 per year.
Success!
If you are currently a renter, here are some tips for negotiating a reduction in your rent.
1. Do your research
The last thing you want to do in this crucial letter is appear uninformed. I'd been monitoring property prices in our area of Dublin for the past few months, including rental prices. When we decided to write a letter to our landlord, I was able to inform him that units similar to ours (2 bedroom, 2 bathroom) in the same complex were renting for €250 per month less than we were currently paying. This research worked in our favour, as the landlord quickly contacted the letting agency to confirm what we'd said. The agent did his own research and was able to confirm our findings.
2. (Try to) be perfect tenants
Okay, sometimes this may be easier said than done, I admit. But if you have anything that may work in your favour, bring it to your landlord's attention. For example, we mentioned that we have always paid our rent on time and in full. We also wrote that, apart from one isolated incident involving rusty cutlery, pots and pans and a strongly worded letter, we have always been delighted with our apartment and would love to continue to call it home.
3. Above all, be nice!
You certainly don't want to seem demanding or unreasonable. By writing the letter to our landlord, we tried to demonstrate that lowering our rent would be mutually beneficial. We (as the tenants) would naturally benefit from saving €250/month. The landlord would also benefit from keeping the apartment occupied for another year (at a time when many rental properties are sitting vacant, losing their owners money), and not having to find new tenants (which would likely result in him having to lower the rent anyway to remain competitive in the rental market!) It's win-win, but play nice!
4. Be aware of potential repercussions
In an ideal world, every landlord would be as accommodating as ours. But before you rush off and write a letter of your own, have you considered all the potential consequences and possibilities? What if he or she refuses to lower your rent? Are you willing/able to move? Or are you happy to keep paying the same amount, but just wanted to "test the waters"? These are all important things to think about before writing your letter.
Ultimately, asking for a rent reduction involves a lot of research and some tense negotiations, but if you're successful, it can come as a huge relief, particularly if you're worried about making ends meet in these difficult times.
Best of luck!
08 April 2009
Taxi Drivers and Interview Prep
If you want to know whether or not you are well prepared for a job interview, might I suggest taking a taxi to the venue? Particularly one driven by one of Dublin's trademark chatty taxi drivers?
Best thing I ever did. Honestly.
Driver: "So are you running late for work or what?"
K: "No, actually I've got a job interview at 10.30."
D: "Oh that's great. With who?"
K: "[Company X]"
D: "Oh right. Who are they now? What do they do?"
K: "Oh they're a [insert company description here]. You know, they do things like [insert lengthy description of company's activities]."
D: "Ah that's great. Good luck with that. I hope it goes well for ye."
Now, on the surface it seems like your average small talk - the type everyone is used to on taxi journeys of a certain duration. What it proved to me, however, was that I actually did know what I was talking about. I had done my research on Company X and could explain quite confidently (to someone who had never heard of them before) who they are and what they do.
I'm not sure how the interview itself went, and I won't find out for a while yet. But at least I can thank my Dublin taxi driver for helping me realise that I was adequately prepared for it.
Best thing I ever did. Honestly.
Driver: "So are you running late for work or what?"
K: "No, actually I've got a job interview at 10.30."
D: "Oh that's great. With who?"
K: "[Company X]"
D: "Oh right. Who are they now? What do they do?"
K: "Oh they're a [insert company description here]. You know, they do things like [insert lengthy description of company's activities]."
D: "Ah that's great. Good luck with that. I hope it goes well for ye."
Now, on the surface it seems like your average small talk - the type everyone is used to on taxi journeys of a certain duration. What it proved to me, however, was that I actually did know what I was talking about. I had done my research on Company X and could explain quite confidently (to someone who had never heard of them before) who they are and what they do.
I'm not sure how the interview itself went, and I won't find out for a while yet. But at least I can thank my Dublin taxi driver for helping me realise that I was adequately prepared for it.
07 April 2009
Welcome!
Hello, and welcome to My PR Quest!
I'm starting this blog to chronicle my journey through the world of PR and Communications. I feel like every day I am learning so much, by reading books, blogs and articles on what is obviously a dynamic, ever-changing subject, and I'd like to be able to share my thoughts and findings with the wider community.
My name is K, and I'm a 20-something Canadian ex-pat who relocated to Dublin, Ireland in 2006. My educational background is International Relations, human rights and ethnic and racial studies.
After several wonderful volunteer experiences in the Dublin NGO community, I was hired to work in the communications office of one of the organisations, where I discovered a knack for project management, particularly in events. Unfortunately, due to a number of factors, not least of which being the recession, I was let go in November 2008, and have been actively job hunting ever since.
In early 2009 I decided to go back to school part-time to become properly qualified in PR and Event Management, especially after developing a keen interest in social media and its uses in business. I've always been interested in communications - after reading a book or an article on any topic I can hardly wait to tell everyone I know about what I've just read!
I hope readers will find My PR Quest useful, informative and entertaining. Please feel free to leave comments and suggestions, as I always appreciate feedback!
Thanks for reading!
I'm starting this blog to chronicle my journey through the world of PR and Communications. I feel like every day I am learning so much, by reading books, blogs and articles on what is obviously a dynamic, ever-changing subject, and I'd like to be able to share my thoughts and findings with the wider community.
My name is K, and I'm a 20-something Canadian ex-pat who relocated to Dublin, Ireland in 2006. My educational background is International Relations, human rights and ethnic and racial studies.
After several wonderful volunteer experiences in the Dublin NGO community, I was hired to work in the communications office of one of the organisations, where I discovered a knack for project management, particularly in events. Unfortunately, due to a number of factors, not least of which being the recession, I was let go in November 2008, and have been actively job hunting ever since.
In early 2009 I decided to go back to school part-time to become properly qualified in PR and Event Management, especially after developing a keen interest in social media and its uses in business. I've always been interested in communications - after reading a book or an article on any topic I can hardly wait to tell everyone I know about what I've just read!
I hope readers will find My PR Quest useful, informative and entertaining. Please feel free to leave comments and suggestions, as I always appreciate feedback!
Thanks for reading!
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