5 Ways to Ensure You WON’T Get an Interview with Obsidian

Kerri Guyton

As the summer approaches, my inbox is filling up with resumes from eager applicants looking for both summer internship opportunities and full-time openings at Obsidian. Fortunately for them, we are the type of firm that will open their emails, review their resumes with careful consideration and even respond, as we never want to miss out on the opportunity to scoop up today’s best and brightest PR stars. Unfortunately, some applicants don’t seem focused on shining very brightly. Here are five actual missteps that have halted the progress for applicants at Obsidian.

1. Attaching the wrong cover letter

I understand that applicants are applying for jobs at multiple firms – I’ve been there. But, I’m not interested in reading a cover letter addressed to someone else that gushes over this other firm and how much he or she would love to work there. My assumption: This person lacks proper focus and attention to detail needed to work at Obsidian. 

2. Using bad grammar and misspellings in your application materials 

While it’s important in any industry to submit a resume and cover letter devoid of misspellings and bad grammar, we are hypersensitive to it in the PR industry, as high-quality writing is imperative to what we do every day. My assumption(s): This person is either uneducated on proper writing guidelines or is OK with turning in low-quality work. Either way, he or she will need a good deal of guidance and editing before getting to the level necessary to succeed at Obsidian.

3. Not responding to my email in a timely manner

Most of the time, after reviewing an applicant’s resume, I have to request writing samples. (Side note: Today’s “best and brightest” applicants have personal websites that house all of their writing samples, along with other interesting information about them and their experiences, so my reply email to them often simply requests availability for an interview.) Other times, I’ve shot over a few quick pre-interview questions just to feel out an applicant’s interest in applying with us and maybe dig a bit deeper into his or her experience before setting up a formal interview. It’s unbelievable to me when I don’t get a timely reply – or any reply at all in some cases. My assumption: There is no way this person could work for Obsidian, where we operate on a sense of urgency and immediacy, always being quick to respond to a reporter or a client request.  

4. Lacking prior PR/writing experience

This applies mostly to our Level 2 internship and any full-time position at Obsidian. We do offer an entry-level (Level 1), unpaid internship for students and those with little to no prior PR experience. But, I have to say that if an applicant doesn’t have much PR writing experience – or hasn’t been working in the PR industry in the past several years – I can almost guarantee that he or she is not going to get to the interview phase. The facts: The PR industry is constantly evolving and changing. There isn’t a lot of time for teaching important skills, such as PR writing, or playing catch-up in our environment. We need applicants who are skilled and ready to jump in and go.

5. Having an unflattering digital presence – or no digital presence at all

Guess what? Employers are looking for your digital presence. What I find about an applicant can influence if it’s worth the time for an interview. And, if no one has said it before, let me be the first: If an applicant doesn’t have a digital presence at all, I can’t help but wonder what they know about digital relevance and the power of social media in today’s world. (And, how are they getting their news?) My assumption: If an applicant is on the job hunt and doesn’t even have a LinkedIn profile, I have to assume that they don’t understand how to leverage digital and social platforms for their own benefit, much less for the benefit of a client. 

I would advise anyone applying for any job to consider how every step of the application process – from submitting your materials to conversing with the potential interviewer –represents the type of employee or team member that you would be. From my perspective as the interviewer, my time is valuable. I do spend a good amount of time reviewing resumes and researching applicants online so that I ensure that those I take to the interview phase will be worth the conversation.

Getting Started in Public Relations

Brooke Watson

Given that I’ve recently started my internship here at Obsidian, it seems a fitting time to look back on the steps I’ve taken to get me here and reflect on the lessons learned that will hopefully continue to carry me forward in this exciting career.

I initially started college with my major declared in journalism, but like many others, I became a bit lost down the line as to what career path was right for me. Unsurprisingly and unfortunately, this resulted in me changing my major three extra times. Life is funny, though, and my third and final change landed me right back where I began – journalism, with a concentration in public relations. It could not be a better fit for me. Although this major aligns with my natural strengths, I’ve also come to see that the extra time I’ve spent maturing in my academic career helped me hone certain traits that are crucial for the public relations professional.

Be Outgoing.

I’ll admit this used to be a hard one for me. However, in the last year and half, it suddenly became glaringly apparent that in order to be successful in any objective, you have to be willing to step out of your comfort zone and chase it. No one ever crossed a finish line without first deciding to tie on their running shoes and step out the door.

Photo Courtesy to Flickr UserJames Robinson

Be Thorough.

Oh, be thorough! The absolute key to this, without a doubt, is asking questions. There is no inquiry so small that it’s irrelevant or unnecessary, especially when you’re just beginning. Do not allow unanswered questions to hover around and bring about failure or disappointment simply because you were afraid to ask. The way an amateur becomes an expert stems from a constant drive to expand his or her own understanding. Do not let a potential moment of embarrassment keep you from excellence.

Be Vulnerable.

Showcasing your talents is important when getting started in any field, but it isn’t everything. Be willing to seek help in your weaker areas, and give yourself room to practice these skills. Others will remember your progress and tenacity as you develop, as it showcases passion and determination. Besides, no one likes a one trick pony.

Commit.
Ah, perhaps the most difficult lesson I’ve learned. You don’t change your major three times because commitment is easy! However, it is inarguably the most important skill on this list. Deciding to do something is half the battle of any accomplishment, but it’s easy to be intimidated away from it after your first few mistakes. Naturally, everyone wants to be an expert right from the start, yet unfortunately, life rarely goes that way. The good news is, usually, the biggest road block is in your head. Make up your mind to succeed, and with hard work, you will!

Ease In or Jump?

Brittany Bales

 Whether I am relaxing by the pool or lying out on the beach, I always find it interesting to sit back and watch what method people choose to take the plunge into the freezing cold water ahead. Are you a jump-right-in/no-strings-attached type, or do you take the ease-right-in-until-completely-comfortable approach?

Personally, I go for the jump-right-in approach. I want to spend the least amount of time suffering and shivering through the uncomfortable cold as I can.

As a recent graduate of Mississippi State University, my intention was to stick with the same philosophy I have always had. But this time, it was not cold water I was delving into, it was the new, and sometimes cold, corporate world. By jumping right into a marketing/public relations internship directly after graduation in my hometown of Jackson, Miss., my head-first approach seemed to be panning out perfectly. However, three months of non-stop learning and preparation seemed like enough time for me, and I was ready for the “real world.” I wanted to launch into a full-time public relations position and that is exactly what I planned for. A few weeks later, I was fortunate enough to be offered the public relations director position at a well-known company in Jackson. Again, I was a little nervous but ready to jump right in to my new role.

Although this story may seem pretty predictable beyond this point, what you do not know is that in the middle of the interview process for my big job I got engaged to be married. As thrilled as I was to take the next step in my personal life, I knew this meant making a sacrifice in the career I was about to embark on. I now had a choice to make: jump into a full-time career in Jackson until marriage or ease into the public relations world once again in Memphis, Tenn., where my fiancé was in school and where we would soon settle down. After much prayer and support from friends and family, I decided to turn down the corporate world in Jackson for a public relations internship in Memphis.

As it turns out, easing into the Memphis corporate world through this internship was the best decision I could have made. Yes, beginning a second internship after college may seem like more of the ease-in approach but, the new city, state, company and friends that have come along with it has just enough of the jump-in factor I need. So, whatever your method of madness is, do not be afraid to try a different approach sometimes. You might just be surprised at the result.

You don’t know what you don’t know.

Kelli Eason Brignac

This month, I’ll have been in the workforce full-time for five years. And how that time has flown. I still learn something new every day. And when I look back, I realize how much of what I do didn’t even exist while I was in college. They certainly didn’t teach it in the classroom. 

This blog post is not a knock on academia. I did learn a lot from my professors at LSU. But not much can replace real world work experience. So, if you’re about to graduate (or if you’ve already graduated), and you’re looking for a job, what do you need to know? Here are a few things I value in our interns. 

Get an internship! Actually, get multiple internships.  

Last year, 62 percent of college graduates in the United States had completed at least one internship or co-op prior to graduation. That means they are entering the workforce with valuable real world experience that will give them a competitive edge over applicants without the same credentials. 

But, in my opinion, you shouldn’t complete just one internship. In many cases, you can be paid for your work, meaning you can dedicate more hours to it without having to worry about picking up shifts somewhere else. If you’re working toward a career in PR, I’d suggest interning at an agency or two, at a nonprofit and at a company or other for-profit association. Get as many internships as you can to diversify your experience. Believe me, the work is different everywhere, and more experience can only help you in the future! 

Ask questions. 

I’m not going to say there are no dumb questions. But, no matter what you’re doing or where you’re working, asking questions can only help you. This is especially true in an agency setting where clients may do things differently. 

Read. Read. Read more. When you think you’ve read enough, keep reading. 

In our business, we have to keep up with what’s going on. In fact, my husband makes a game of trying to tell me things that happened in the news. If he knows something before I do, he wins. But it doesn’t happen often, because I read SO much news! 

On top of the news, things change so rapidly that you have to keep learning. My mom, who has worked in higher education for almost 30 years, is continually frustrated by how long it takes for information to show up in textbooks. By the time something shows up on the radar, is sufficiently researched by the people writing the books and is finally printed…it’s out of date. Let’s consider social media in this example. If we relied on textbooks to teach us everything we know about it, we would probably just now be introducing college students to Xanga, AIM and MySpace, all of which are essentially obsolete for most marketers at this point. Now there’s a throwback for you. 

Adapt. 

Everyone does things differently. That’s why I recommend getting multiple internships at a variety of different companies. Working at an agency, for example, will help you learn to multi-task, balance your time and adjust to doing things five different ways for five different clients. But, working at a corporation, nonprofit or member-owned association may be different. 

Don’t assume that your way is better. You might have to change things in order to fulfill the needs of the organization you’re working for. Listen to the people around you and remember – you don’t know what you don’t know! 

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. 

My First Intern Spot

Malcolm Regester

Starting the year off with an intern position with Obsidian is a relief. After having numerous interviews with employers and filling out tons of applications, I was excited about my first opportunity to use my degree in public relations at the Memphis firm. 

My first week was amazing. I started with an orientation of the building, learning about processes and meeting the staff both locally and in Dallas, Texas. As time passed, I began getting acquainted with “Corporate America.” I realized that no one tells me to go on break any more; whenever I choose to take one is up to me. No more inconsistent work schedules and no more searching for a silly nametag. The workload hours of 30 to 40 hours a week was no longer an option; it was a necessity.

Out of all the jobs I’ve had, this is the only one I would actually do happily for free. (I’m in a Level 1 position, and Obsidian does offer a Level 2 paid internship). I get a thrill when I’m asked to do a task for an account manager or to search the newspaper for client mentions. I take pride in working for a respectable firm that handles PR for more than 50 accounts on any given day. I enjoy the perks of having a connection to the real world – outside the walls of academia.

During my time here, I hope to learn the pros and cons of working in a public relations firm to see if agency life is a good professional road for me. Specifically, I would like to learn how the firm handles crisis management. Crisis management was one of my favorite topics in undergraduate studies. I admire it because it spurs creativity in a high-pressure situation.

I also look forward to networking with our clients and our colleagues. Obsidian has a great reputation in the community, and I would love to share their story with other people who are unaware of their work. I plan to improve my writing, learn about the client needs and give my best effort while I’m working in the intern position.

I am excited to know what the future brings working for this firm. I honestly believe this internship is a stepping stone for me to launch a successful career in public relations.

Getting the most out of your internship – a manager’s perspective

Crissy Lintner

As the fall semester kicks off at area colleges and universities, our management team’s inboxes become filled with resumes from hopeful students in search of an internship! Many PR internships for fall have been filled by the point, as most students are finding out (we are still looking for a great intern for our Dallas office, though!). And for those starting their internships, I have a few pointers for you to remember.

 

Ask questions
How will you learn if you don’t ask questions? And how will you ensure you do work correctly? Asking questions is one of the biggest keys to success during an internship. As a manager, I expect questions from interns. So do our account reps. You are a student, after all, with minimal experience actually working in public relations. So, be sure you are asking intelligent questions to help you do the best job possible.

Listen and take notes
There’s this moment in a conversation with an intern that, as a manager, I dread − when a glassy look comes over the eyes as I’m explaining an assignment while no notes are being taken. We work in a fast-paced environment where not listening and writing down assignments can lead to failure fast – both for you and the project at hand. Pay attention, write everything down and ask questions.

Contribute ideas
Join the conversation! In an environment like ours, where it’s not uncommon for a person to yell out a question about AP Style from three spaces down, interns who thrive are those unafraid to speak up. Whether we’re brainstorming ideas for a client as a team or simply discussing where to have lunch that day, we full-timers love when you interns join the conversation! And, my best interns have always been those who proactively send me ideas for clients. Those are the interns who get hired if timing is right. 

Be a self-starter
Agency life is exciting – no day is the same. But even we have our slow days. If you ever find yourself “bored” as an intern, think of how you can contribute. Proactively send an email asking if anyone needs help. Look around the office – is there something that needs organizing (like the never-ending pile of newspapers we read on a weekly basis)? Is there a media list that needs updating? Have you heard about a project going on with a client that you want to assist with? Showing initiative is a great sign of leadership and of a good PR professional.

Be on time and be present
It is very simple: interns are expected to be on time. And, unless otherwise approved during the interview process, excessive absences not due to illness are frowned upon. If your internship is being completed for class credit, missing days could affect your final review and grade. So, when you commit to an internship (paid or unpaid), be on time and be present.

Treat your manager and co-workers as mentors
We get it – PR people can be intimidating. We’re loud, we’re opinionated and we’re passionate about what we do. But we also want to help you learn and grasp the discipline of PR. So, pick our brains, share your career goals and, here it is again, ask questions. The more we learn about you, the better we can help you hone your skills. And if you’ve let your personality, drive and abilities shine, we’re more likely to have positive recommendations for your career endeavors.

Interested in an internship? We’re hiring for a level 1intern in the Dallas office and accepting internship applications for both the Memphis and Dallas offices for 2013. Visit our careers page for details.

Making the Most out of a PR Internship

Sarah Lichterman

Landing an internship is a very exciting time for a college student, that is, until the realization sets in that the next step in the process of life is to get a “real” job. This being the case, you need to make the most out of your internship while you can. Internships have proven to be an immediate gateway to a graduate’s first job, and they can absolutely make or break a job search. Plus, a successful internship gives you the real-world readiness that college just can’t.

Before my first day at Obsidian, I had no idea what to expect out of my internship. Sure, the leadership team had shared overarching duties with me, and I knew it would be more than just answering the phone and taking notes. But I was still nervous to see what kind of client work I would be doing all summer long. If you’ve ever been an intern, I’m sure you can relate.

I’m a month into my exciting internship, so here is my advice to you about making the most of your experience as a PR intern.

·   First, do not be afraid to be yourself. You were hired by your resume and the brief glance of your personality that your employer gleaned during an interview. Now is the time to show them who you are and what you are capable of accomplishing. 

·   Secondly, ask questions. As the saying goes: No question is a dumb question. That really holds true at Obsidian. Yes, you may have had practice writing news releases and clipping stories for a previous job or class, but make sure you know the proper way to do things at the company you are interning with. It is always better to double check something. If you do happen to make a mistake, that’s OK as long as you have learned from it.

·   Lastly, be attentive. Watching current employees is the one of best ways to grow professionally. This is one of the bonuses of being with a PR agency for an extended period of time. You really get to see how the company works. These observations can help you decide if you like working in the agency sector of public relations, or if you think you are better suited to work in another PR setting.

Overall, just remember that an internship is the greatest opportunity to get the inside scoop into the profession you have been working toward your entire college career. My advice to make the most out of it is to embrace the opportunity. Give it your all because the more effort you put in, the more you will learn.

Are you interested in an internship at Obsidian? We're currently seeking fall interns for our Memphis and Dallas locations. Learn more here.