Standing Out in the Crowd
By Renee Dunn

With thousands of personnel lay offs in the last six months, the PR job market is tougher than most of us have experienced in over a decade. In addition to the challenge of layoffs, some corporations and PR agencies are "restructuring" PR resources, forcing some employees to take on different (often reduced) roles. While many street analysts predict some kind of rebound after the first of the year, the situation remains unchanged- it is not an easy time to be looking for work.

I recently spoke to a Vice President-level candidate named Maria who had just taken a voluntary severance package from a global PR agency in New York. With over fifteen years of public relations experience (seven with the agency), she left of her own accord after working "her tail off" with marquee Internet clients. "I just didn't feel like the agency had a real vision," Maria said. "I am 40 years old in the prime of my career. I thought it would be easy to find something new. Now it seems there are hundreds of candidates like me, and we're all applying for the same handful of jobs," she continued.

For PR job seekers today, the key to a successful job search is to overcome the near-term obstacle of increased competition. In speaking with a wide variety of job seekers, HR managers and recruiters, we compiled the following tips and best practices on how to stand out and market yourself successfully:

• There are no short cuts, do your homework. Target the industry that best matches your skills and experience. The more you know about the company and its key executives, the better chances you have of being heard amidst the noise of other candidates.

• Be smart about where you apply - quality vs. quantity. Choose your top five companies to approach and do the appropriate research. In a competitive candidate marketplace, it is more difficult (but not impossible) to switch to an entirely new career, so be realistic about your experience and where it can be best used. Keep in mind you are competing with candidates with equal or greater experience, so customize your approach to each company, and market what is unique about your professional background.

• Spend the time (and money if needed) on your resume. It is your calling card and personal representation to HR managers and recruiters. Keep in mind most recruiters are bombarded with hundreds of resumes each day, so if the facts and/or "meat" of your experience is not obvious at first glance, the resume will be discarded. Include a targeted objective highlighting the individual company and industry you want to work for. HR managers are always looking for candidates who have chosen their company specifically (vs. a generic resume that has been sent to many companies). Skip the "fluff" and get to the core work experience quickly. Market the skills and results you gained in each position (vs. just listing responsibilities and tactics). Also include detail about the customer and business problems you helped to solve - that is what companies are looking for; people to help them solve tough problems.

• Maximize the Internet and "go vertical". Focus on your industry of choice and aggressively target the appropriate job boards and community sites for that specific industry. Chat rooms are another good location to monitor discussions on layoffs, personnel changes and/or new growth opportunities. The more specialized a resource is, the more likely you are to establish contacts and quality job leads.

• Establish personal contact. It is not enough anymore to just send a quality resume and then sit back and wait for a call. Targeting an organization or using a recruiter to help reach a decision maker within the organization is extremely important. When an executive or HR manager feels a personal connection (even over the phone) there is obviously more commitment to ongoing communication. Also, when looking for a job, view everyone as a potential lead - friends, family, previous co-workers. Spread the word generously, and don't be shy about asking friends for HR contacts or leads for informational interviews even if a company is not hiring. Aggressiveness and persistence pays off.

• Pursue the position you want, not just what's being advertised. For the right candidate, a company will often create a position that meets the needs of the business, and likewise satisfies the individual's career goals. The key to this non-traditional approach is to understand the business needs well enough to sell a new role. Headcount in most companies never comes easy, but progressive executives usually reward "out of the box" thinking if you can convince management of the upside opportunities.

• Be different. A senior level PR candidate was recently promoted (internally) to a Corporate PR Director position with a global computer firm on the West Coast. On the first day reporting to the CEO, she asked him for advice on how to succeed working with the executive staff. The CEO responded, "Be different. Otherwise, why do I need you?" Creative thinking and strategic counsel is core to the PR function. Establishing yourself as a risk-taker and change agent may open the door to failure but most executives surround themselves with PR professionals who can offer a fresh perspective and viable PR solutions versus following the status quo.

Happy hunting!

Renee D. Dunn
President, Workinpr.com