Guest Lecture at Auburn U: Using Social Media to Build Your Brand

and what you can do now
BUILDING YOUR BRAND IN THE WORLD OF SOCIAL MEDIA

What we’ll cover
Who is this guy?
What to know about interviewing.
Creating your own personal brand.
Talk about stuff you might not know.
I hope for a lot of interaction.
Stay in touch! contact info on last slide.

15 years (on the agency side) in what they used call “the Internet,” “online public relations/public affairs” and now “social media”
Adjunct faculty at Georgetown
Currently the director of new media at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
How I get stuff done - I teach

What You Need to Know About Interviewing
During the first round of screening, the process is a search for the negative.
Although social media is am emerging field, we’re still in a recession.
Don’t use this as an excuse.
The absolute best candidates have a social media background, but also good, solid communications skills.
Have the ability to tell a good, coherent story

Things You Need to Know
Whether you are a freshman or a grad student, the Internet is FOREVER.
Unlike Vegas, what happens in cyberspace stays everywhere.
Understand the perspective of the employer - kegstands are ok in college, but not in the workplace.

Things You Need to Know
I can almost guarantee you that the first thing that a potential employer will do is GOOGLE YOU.

Building Your Positive Online Brand
PROpen Mic is a great start.
Have a LinkedIn profile - populate it with things you find interesting.
Have TWO Facebook profiles:
One with you in a suit;
One you share with your friends.
Check Facebook’s privacy settings.

Building Your Positive Online Brand
Look at Twitter and blogs as a tools to build your online brand.
It’s ok to have two Twitter accounts - put the professional one on your resume.
Make is easy for recruiters to find the information you want them to find
The key to getting followers on Twitter or on your own blog is lurk, read, do your homework and have something to say.

Once You Get the Interview
From my friend, a senior recruiter at Fleishman-Hillard:
Getting in the door: So, you really need to do your research , talk to lots of PR Agency folks and determine what your unique, specific value proposition is. Think of agencies like a football team. There are lots of specialized roles. What niche skill can you do better than anyone else ? And how will it help client X?
Slam-dunk candidates: These folks basically have checked off all the boxes: relevant experience, great research, great questions, take notes, dress professionally, send a timely, well-crafted thank you note and their personality is a culture fit. They also show a strong interest in joining FH. They don’t “tell me” they want to work at FH, they “show me.”
If you don’t have them, go out and acquire them.

Once You Get the Interview
How do your get your start?
Undergrads: Do as many PR Agency internships as possible. Ramp up your digital knowledge and skills.
Recent graduates: Ditto above.
People with less than two years’ experience: Do a lot of research on our firm. Who are clients are. What programs we lead for them. Have informational chats with our practitioners. Ask a lot of questions. Find out what specialized skills you need. If you don’t have them, go out and acquire them. Ultimately, it’s about defining your value proposition. What skill or niche experience could really provide value to one (or more) of our clients?

Thank you
Find me at:
www.IntersectionofOnlineandOffline.com
Twitter: @mstory123
Facebook
Flickr
http://markstory.posterous.com /
“ For Immediate Release” podcast
PROPen Mic!

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Guest Lecture at Auburn U: Using Social Media to Build Your Brand

by Mark Story on Feb 12, 2010

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