I placed a lot of pressure on myself to get a job after college. Before I had a job lined up, I had already secured a roommate in Houston and we had already decided on a place to live and a move-in date. You see, she was all set. She was going to be a teacher and had her job already in place… but then there was me. I remember just how difficult it was to find a job after college. In the span of eight months, I submitted a good 60+ resumes and cover letters to PR firms, companies and organizations throughout the country–of course the majority of which were in the Houston area. I mean, I already had a roommate there so what choice did I have? Clearly I didn’t put much thought into the sequence of things. I know, not very smart.
When the day came to make the move from Indiana back to Texas, it hit me: uh oh, what was I thinking? At that point I had no other choice but to move forward with the plan. So, I jumped in to the wonderful world of job interviews. In fact, within a seven-day period, I had 17 interviews. No gloating here–trust me, it was horrible. I had one suit that I wore to every interview. I had to put on the same smile, bring the same materials, answer the same questions. Then there was that morning when I got the phone call with a job offer. I have a job! Hooray! (And of course the huge sigh of relief. Oh my goodness, thank you, GOD.) Needless to say, I got the job before I had to move in with my roommate and pay bills and all that grown-up stuff. Things worked out in the end but the journey getting there wasn’t the least bit enjoyable.
I’m thankful every single day that I have a job to go to. I do what I love and I’ve found a place where I feel valued and needed. On the other hand, many of my friends and colleagues who have been in the PR industry have lost their jobs as a result of the recession and are in desperate need of somewhere to turn for job leads, opportunities, contacts and networking. I’m sure some of you reading this are nodding your heads in agreement. Well if you’re one of those people or know someone who is, SMILE BIG because I found out about something completely awesome and I’m SUPER EXCITED to share it with all of you. Here’s the scoop:
Are you a PR pro looking for a job?
There’s a Web site (helpaprproout.com) that actually lives up to its name. Yep, it’s all about helping a PR pro out. And the best part about it is–there’s now an entire DAY dedicated to this idea! Let me introduce you to… Help a PR Pro Out Day. On Friday, Feb. 19, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. CST, PR bloggers, agency leaders and PR professionals from across the U.S. will donate their time and talents to help fellow PR pros connect with employers as part of this first-ever event. All you have to do is simply use the hashtag #HAPPO to connect with PR pros, job seekers and learn more about the many available PR opportunities out there.
Who’s genius idea was this? This is the brain child of these two lovely folks: Arik Hanson and Valerie Simon. With the help of many HAPPO champions, they have put together a Twitter event dedicated to creating a time and place for PR job seekers and professionals to interact, communicate and share ideas. You can also learn more about this event on HAPPO’s Facebook fan page.
Why should you participate?
If you’re a job seeker, I shouldn’t even have to answer that question. If you’re a PR professional, this is the perfect avenue to share your best practices, provide your insight and resources, and network. For me, I’m tuning in and participating because this is the EXACT thing I wish had been at my fingertips when I was on the job hunt. I’m SO excited and hope to see you there!
- L
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