Surviving – and Overcoming – Postgraduate Unemployment

Loren Dean

I’ve come to realize that every freshly graduated 20-something most likely assumes that upon post-graduation vacation (or in my case, relocation), they will return home to an inbox flooded with job offers. If they’re like me, they may find themselves thinking along the same lines that I did. I was very involved in college,  maintained my grades while keeping a job, volunteered on various committees and held two internships before I graduated, so what could go wrong?   

Well, after the first two months of postgraduate life, I realized that there was plenty that could go wrong. At first, I wasn’t sure what to do with myself. I had gone to college and earned a degree in hopes of landing a fantastic job (because that’s what was supposed to happen, right?), and it just wasn’t happening. Sound familiar? Well, take courage, because here I am writing this post to you from my desk at Obsidian Public Relations, letting you in on some steps I took to get me through the discouraging time of postgraduate unemployment.

1. Stay positive. Nobody likes a “negative Nancy,” and believe me, it’s much easier to fill out that 15-page job application with an optimistic attitude. Plus, it’s easy for this process to become disappointing, and discouragement often leads to stagnation. This is not the time to not do anything because you’re too down to do it. Keep pushing through!
2. Re-do your resume. One of the best things I did was to get several professionals to consult me on my resume. I had things listed that didn’t matter and had neglected to highlight things that did. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Put your networking skills to use, and ask people that know what they’re doing to assist you.
3. Don’t limit your job search. If you’re like me, you can’t afford to -- literally. I’m sure you decided before you graduated what type of job you wanted to have and the handful of places you’d be “willing” to work, but now’s the time to realize that’s entirely unreasonable. It’s logical that you would find more opportunities by broadening your search, so just do it. You might surprise yourself and really enjoy working at a place that was on your “no” list. 
4. Don’t search alone. I told anyone and everyone that I was looking for a job and that I was interested in anything they could find. I had family and friends emailing, texting and calling me every time they saw a listing that was remotely related to the communication field. As soon as I thought I had every job search website’s listings memorized, someone would tell me about something I hadn’t seen. In fact, that’s how I found the listing for Obsidian, and look where I am now!
5. You’ve got time, so use it. During this time I painted, volunteered for random jobs, worked retail and rode my bike with my fiancé every chance I got to break from all of the time at home. Although you may feel uncomfortable with the amount of free time you have on your hands, instead, take advantage of it. Remember to continue to read and write and use those basic skills you’ll need to have when you do land your first job. Don’t be afraid to wait tables or sell candles and wrapping paper. It’ll teach you patience and help push you in your job search even further. 

There’s a ‘line’ for a reason…

Crissy Lintner

Social media has created a conundrum for businesses. Where is the line when it comes to an employee’s professional life and personal life? How can an employer protect its image when an employee uses poor judgment on Facebook, Twitter or another social media venue? And, is it an employer’s right to dictate what an employee says – or posts – on a personal, yet public venue? 

Case in point – recently, NBC News featured a pretty darn bad military faux pas from some National Guardsmen at a fallen soldier’s funeral. Now, I’m not really sure why any of these individuals would think it OK to silly-pose with an empty, flag-draped casket then post to social media, but they did. And, one took it to an extreme in her post saying, “We put the FUN in funeral.” ::jaw dropped, shaking head in dismay:: 

This is a case that was clearly an “on the job” moment, and I’m sure correct funeral protocol and behavior was taught in training – but was etiquette for selfies and social media included? And, can you account for immaturity of these members of our military? Unfortunately, no. The National Guard took immediate action to reprimand those involved, which was the correct move to make.  

Regardless of what employers want when it comes to employees’ personal social media use or whether employees prefer employers to stay out of their business, there is a line that exists between appropriate and inappropriate commentary on social media. Where crossing that line becomes a problem for both parties is when it reflects poorly on the employer. Otherwise, most employees don’t run into issues for complaining about a bad day at work, a difficult client or an off-color remark. 

In today’s example, I have no explanation as to why a member of the U.S. military would ever feel she could freely dishonor a sacred, important duty like serving at the funeral of a fallen comrade. To quote Forest Gump, “Stupid is as stupid does.” But, companies should clearly outline policies regarding social media and train their employees – department by department, person by person – on what is considered unacceptable and what could negatively impact their careers. 

Here again, the question arises: where’s the privacy line? Well, maybe it’s not about the line. Maybe it’s about an employer taking that extra step to acknowledge, “We know you have a personal life outside of work, and that is fine. But as a general life rule, think twice or three times before you post because social media is never 100 percent private, and you cannot guarantee what will and won’t be shared beyond your circle of trust.” 

So, my quick tips to employers: 

• Be clear about your expectations when it comes to social media use. Create a policy regarding both the company’s and its employees’ social media usage.
• Specifically outline at what point or why an employee’s personal social media activity could be detrimental to his/her career and what action will be taken.
• Acknowledge your dedication to maintaining privacy of your employees with regard to social media, and offer them guidance on what they should do with regard to social media as it relates to their employer. 
• Consider a social media etiquette workshop that is applicable to both the professional and personal sides of life.
• If deemed appropriate, require a statement to be included prominently in the “About” section of their social media pages. We suggest something to the effect of “Opinions are my own and do not reflect that of my employer.” 
• Remind employees that if they want to ensure their social media use is mostly private, be sure to engage higher privacy settings and be cognizant of what is publicly posted. This doesn’t always mean that something they post on Facebook wouldn’t be shared with the employer by a “friend,” but it makes the probability less likely.
• For businesses whose employees may frequently connect with clients, media or other external audiences through their personal outlets, remind them that they can set privacy settings to only show some posts to certain people and always be cognizant of their audience if they choose not to use these restrictions. 

What are your tips for employers when it comes to social media policies? featured a pretty darn bad military faux pas

Do you have #SochiProblems?

Kelli Eason Brignac

It’s Olympics time! I kind of love that the International Olympic Committee decided to stagger the summer and winter games, because it means we get to watch every two years without getting too much “Olympic fatigue.” 

I also love pretty much everything else about the Olympics (albeit not as much as my friend, Parker, who dedicates himself to watching every available second of coverage and blogging about it!). But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Olympic coverage changed forever a few years ago in Beijing, which was then dubbed the “social Olympics.” If 2008 was social, 2014 is a 24/7 two-way conversation between the athletes, the IOC, the media and everyone who watches the games. That can be great – but it can also be not so great. The experience has changed, and the networks and hosts will have to catch up! 

#SochiProblems

If you haven’t heard about #SochiProblems or the related Twitter account, @SochiProblems, you must be purposefully ignoring it! It all started when media began to arrive in Sochi to cover the games. They arrived to find that the hotels weren’t all ready, so many people didn’t have rooms. Those who did encountered “Sochi water,” which they were advised not to put on their faces, as it was dangerous. WHAT? 

In 2014, Russia couldn’t have expected that these things would remain secret for long. The reporters started tweeting about their experiences, resulting in some hilarious articles like this one.

But the issues didn’t stop with the reporters. One American bobsledder reportedly had to break down a bathroom door after he got stuck post-shower. The summer resort the IOC selected to host these winter games is reportedly too warm, and the snow keeps melting. And BOB COSTAS HAS PINK EYE!

Does this mean that these Olympics are a failure? No. Every host city has their troubles.  And my sister, who lives on the other side of Russia, assures me that she is allowed to flush her toilet paper and her water is safe to bathe in. What it does mean is that the host cities are under even more scrutiny than ever before, as any tourist activity that might be generated from the games could just as easily be lost by reports of poor conditions. 

Spoiler Alert! 

With so much media now, my least favorite thing about the Olympics are the spoilers. NBC paid a lot of money to exclusively broadcast the games on their network. But when the games are taking place halfway across the world, they compensate by taping and replaying the most popular sports during primetime. 

But there’s one small issue, NBC. All the other networks who don’t have that primetime coverage tend to spoil the results. (Looking at you, ESPN.) All the people who watch it live by streaming it online tend to put the results on their Facebook statuses, in their tweets or on their blogs. If you somehow manage to avoid spoilers all day, watch out for NBC, who often spoils its own results on the NBC Nightly News – which airs an hour BEFORE the primetime coverage! If you want to be surprised, I suggest avoiding social media or news programs altogether before you watch. 

That said, even when I know the results I still love to watch the games. Even knowing Shaun White would come in fourth and miss the podium, I was glued to the halfpipe coverage like something different could happen. As for the Sochi problems, they aren’t plaguing everyone. It’s worth noting that many athletes are very complimentary about the village and the venues. As for me, I’m just hoping to go to the Olympics once in my life. Maybe I’ll pick up speed walking and make an appearance in Rio. Or maybe I’ll just go as a spectator. Whatever works. 

Public Relations or Protector of Reputations?

Bianca Gordon

The term “public relations” holds various meanings for those in this industry. There are times that “PR” becomes synonymous with “Protector of Reputations.” In honor of President’s Day and Abraham Lincoln’s birthday approaching, I want to reference one of Honest Abe’s adages:

"Perhaps a man's character was like a tree, and his reputation like its shadow; the shadow is what we think of it, the tree is the real thing."

Courtesy of Flickr

I’m sure you’re asking, “Trees and shadows, what the heck does that mean and how does it have anything to do with PR?” Here is how I interpret this quote and apply it in my work. A shadow, or in this case, a reputation, is something that is not consistent. Shadows change when there’s a change in the light source and its position, as well as the angle from which you are viewing the object casting said shadow. In turn, a reputation is also not consistent. It can change as a result of behavior (good or bad) and the perspective from which someone views the behavior. The tree (or character), on the other hand, never changes. The shadow of the tree is determined solely on the tree. No matter where you view the tree from, it remains the same. 

So, where am I going with all of this? Yes, as PR professionals, we truly are responsible for protecting our clients’ reputations, but the building of that reputation is dependent upon the character of the client. This is why it is so important for us to pitch media opportunities with outlets that positively portray our clients and the work on which they stand. One slip up, and we could be left with a PR mess faster than you can recite the Gettysburg Address! We wear the hat of reputation protector because without a strong image (character), we as PR professionals cannot cast a strong shadow (reputation) for our clients.

Smile. Say Cheese. And Mean It.

Ali Glemser

Some people really love having their picture taken, some are indifferent and a lot of people truly dread it. I’ve heard a thousand excuses why somebody can’t be in a picture. I admit I’ve thrown out a few myself before. 

Typically, I fall in the indifferent category when it comes to having my picture taken. I prefer some advanced notice, but if someone really must have a picture, I’ll give it a big smile and hope for the best. I stumbled across a magazine article not too long ago on this subject that I thought was worth sharing. It addressed simple things you can do to help show your best side in any photo. Below are the tips I learned:

Courtesy of Flickr

Avoid keeping your hands right by your sides. This can appear awkward or unnatural in many instances. Instead, opt to clasp your arms in front of or behind you, hold onto a glass if you have one or place your arms around others in the photo. 

The light is your friend. The illuminating effects of light on your skin actually help to diminish the appearance of skin imperfections, not broadcast them. 

Get rid of the double chin. You want to be at eye level or below the camera to make sure this doesn’t happen. You run the risk of creating the illusion of multiple chins when the photographer is below you. Also, focus on protruding your chin out about an inch to ensure this doesn’t happen.

You can’t always control what you’re wearing or where you are when someone wants to snap a picture of you, but these simple steps are things you can make count no matter the situation. Next time you are having your photo taken at work, at an event or out with family and friends, don’t shy away from the camera! Stand tall, in the light and with your chin held high because you know how to make that snapshot count.

How to Get an ‘A’ from Your Editor

Kerri Guyton

With my recent job promotion, I took on many new duties at our firm. One of those is editing. I am responsible for editing every piece of news or marketing collateral that our team produces – and let me tell you, our team produces a lot. 

Through this new job function, I’ve learned a lot about how our team members write, the different nuances they use and how they each communicate differently. I have also learned that there are certain mistakes that everyone makes. This is why we have the editing function in our production process – so there is always a second eye (and sometimes a third eye) checking to make sure we’re producing the best work we can for our clients. 

I understand that not everyone has access to an editor to review everything written before it’s turned in to a client (or a class, for that matter). However, I think that anyone could benefit from taking these steps to ensure any piece is client-ready, which will make any editor’s day.

Use Spell Check

This is such an easy step that so many people fail to take. Spell check is especially important for Excel documents that don’t always point out misspellings as you go. Also, spell check can be utilized for something as simple as email. Be sure you have an automatic spell check set to review your email after you hit send to catch any possible errors.

Don’t Rely Solely on Spell Check

Spell check isn’t going to catch everything, so be sure to read through your document carefully to make sure you aren’t using a word that, while spelled correctly, isn’t the word you meant to use.

Read Through a Document Three Times Before Sending

Read once for grammatical errors, a second time for message clarity and a final time to catch anything else you may have missed. As an editor, I follow all of these steps for editing team documents, but I can tell when the author did not. I may find that there aren’t any grammatical errors (so, step one was done), but there may be a sentence that is garbled or confusing, meaning they were probably reworking the sentence in different ways and didn’t delete portions of previous versions. Obviously, they didn’t review the document for message clarity before sending it for editing. Luckily, I did.

Keep an AP Stylebook On-Hand at all Times

AP Style is very important for us to follow at Obsidian because it is important to the end user – the media. We write client news and promotional materials in AP Style so that anything we distribute to the media can be used as is – without having to be re-edited. (We strive for ‘A’ ratings from newspaper editors, as well.) So, our team is well aware of most AP Style rules. However, there are always unique situations that require an expedition through the AP Stylebook or the website, to which we subscribe.  

Google It!

Research company and organization names to make sure that you are using the correct spelling of the entity’s formal business name. Google unfamiliar terms to make sure you are spelling them correctly and using them appropriately. Make sure you find a credible source, such as a national trade publication or Merriam-Webster online, to get this confirmation.

Which Super Bowl ad was your favorite?

Lauren Hannaford

Whether you paid attention to the Super Bowl game or not, you’ve probably seen this year’s ads a time or two by now. Despite the outcome of Super Bowl XLVIII, this year’s ads made us laugh, tugged on our emotions, left us thinking “what did that even mean?” and prompted millions to jump on Twitter and swiftly tweet #EsuranceSave30. What was your favorite ad? Here’s a recap of the Obsidian crew’s favorite spots. 

Loren Dean: My favorite was Budweiser’s “A Hero’s Welcome”

Kim- The Audi Doberhuahua commercial!

Ephiphany- I’m going with U2 and Bank of America’s ad “Invisible.” It promoted three types of organizations at the same time!

Lauren: I “awwwwed” 100 times during Budweiser’s Puppy Love and A Hero’s Welcome ads. I thought Esurance’s ad after the game was the most clever and creative, and incorporated the best social media element. I also really liked Coca-Cola’s America is Beautiful. I think people deeply misunderstood it. 

Bianca- The Doritos cowboy kid was definitely my favorite!

Kerri- My favorite was definitely Bud Light’s “Ian’s Up for Anything” ad

Ali- I thought the Heinz Ketchup one was cute since they celebrated what everyone knows about their ketchup: it's hard to get out of the glass bottles and makes funny noises in the plastic squeeze ones. 

Tiffany- Doritos cowboy kid!

Thomas: I thought radioshack had the best commercial during the Super Bowl from a branding perspective. It quickly got my attention, along with anyone else who grew up in the ‘80s, with tons of pop culture references. But, once the montage featuring Alf, Hulk Hogan and the California Raisins ended, they were able to speak to the new direction the company is going for in its stores. Just as significant, they unveiled a branding change going from RadioShack to radioshack along with a new cleaner font.

Sarah: Puppy Love by Budweiser! 

Katie: My favorite had to be Love Hurts by Turbo Tax.

Kelli: Budweiser, as usual, had some of the best, most well-rounded ads. They never disappoint. I actually really liked T-Mobile's #nocontract campaign. I thought it was funny how they played off Tim Tebow's lack of a contract. And I was legitimately talking about it with a friend today who was fed up with her carrier! 

Crissy: I was on the road during the Super Bowl this year, but I got a good laugh from USA Today’s Joe Namath-inspired logo. 

Think Twice, Speak Once

Kim Morrison

Yep, I’m borrowing from the old adage “Measure twice, cut once,” which is perfectly applicable in the world of PR. 

How often do we hear or read something and want to immediately react, sometimes without truly considering the implications of our knee-jerk response? In the world of PR, it’s our job to do this at lightning-fast speed, if needed, but there is always that middle point of analyzing our response before putting it out there. 

An average Joe may not have this internal check, but it is something you can develop with a little practice. A good place to start is in your written/digital communications - email, text and social media. Once you’ve completed your response, take an extra second to review it. Does it say what you want it to say? Could the recipient easily misinterpret your message? Does it carry the tone you want? Does it explain your point? Could it possibly offend the other party without intending to? Does it add anything to the conversation? And my personal favorite, edit it to make sure that everything is spelled properly, you have proper punctuation and that autocorrect hasn’t decided to make you the next autocorrect fail sensation. (There’s SO MUCH bad grammar on the web and in social media, but that’s another post for another time. ^_^)

In this age of digital communication, despite being easier to communicate, the quality of our communication has taken a bit of a nosedive, but with just a few extra seconds, you can help prevent a texting war over a minor miscommunication.

The strong bond brewed between coffee and work

Tiffany Cunningham

No matter what coffee shop I drive or walk by, Starbucks, Sip | Stir Café, etc., there are always people working, studying and conducting meetings at the coffee shop. This recently intrigued me and I stared wondering what it is that draws people to coffee shops and how they’ve turned into the modern working space even when you have an office. Not all work environments allow for working outside the office, or “coffee shop days,” but those that do may increase the creativity in their employees. Here are a few reasons why it might be great to try working at a coffee shop one or two days every month. 

Courtesy of Flickr

Change of environment = stimulates creativity. After so long in an office environment it typically becomes routine. Routine isn’t a bad thing, but creative thinking, motivation and inspiration can dwindle without someone realizing it happening. Changing your environment, even for a day, brings new types of ideas and stimulation to increase motivation and productivity. 

Fewer distractions in a bustling area. It seems strange to think that more interaction creates less distraction, but the majority of the time a quite office can be more distracting. The coffee shop environment combines the benefit of obscurity with the dull buzz of excitement and interaction. You’re able to have human interaction when you want and not when someone request it from you in the office. 

Networking possibilities. Saying hello, people watching or meeting someone new most of the time provides new ideas, a different perspective for different situations, or an interesting connection to a new person. Never hurts to hold a five-minute conversation that may lead to a story idea, published article or potential client. 

Work and coffee will always have a strong bond and if you haven’t experienced it, give it a shot – never know what ideas will come next for your clients. And, out of curiosity through my  “working in a coffee shop” research, I found an interesting website: http://coffitivity.com/. It’s actually an app that produces coffee shop sounds to boost creativity while you’re in the office – great for those who can’t leave the work space, but want to experience the “creative buzz.” 

A few more tips: 

1. Rotate coffee shops if there are a few near each other to avoid a routine. 
2. Purchase a coffee or two. The owners and employees will notice and will acknowledge you appreciate their space for your business. 
3. Make sure your computer is powered up or you have your power cord –you’ll need it if your there for half a day or longer.