This post is the thirteenth Q&A in an ongoing series looking at the usual topics of PR, employability and other hints on getting into the industry, albeit with a particular focus on social media. I’m delighted that Seb Mysko, Managing Director at Rising Digital, the Leeds-based social media and word of mouth marketing consultancy has shared his thoughts with us.

A bit more on Seb, he studied Marketing Management at Northumbria University, but his background is at Leeds’ top PR agencies having cut his teeth at Trimedia Harrison Cowley (now Grayling), before rising to Account Manager at Wolfstar, then on to Rising Music, before taking up his current position at Rising Digital.

Seb works in the hugely competitive music PR sector; dealing with a range of artists including the likes of Deadmau5, Swedish House Mafia and Gorillaz to name a few. He is a shining example to any student, having gone from graduate to Managing Director in just four years.

You can find out more about Rising Digital from its website, blog, Facebook Group or Twitter stream or indeed, Seb from his Tweets and Linked In profile.

1.     As Managing Director of Rising Digital, what does your role involve on a daily basis
For me, it is and always will be about the clients. I have a team of in-house staff and external freelancers that operate under the Rising Digital umbrella, currently servicing more than fifteen artists, labels and brands. To try and summarise a day in my life right now is honestly a bit tricky; loads of client facing work, project strategy and team management, but I also buzz off the creative and techie stuff too. Building podcasts, video blogs, designing EP covers and playing with simple html code… all in a day’s work! ..and then there’s the admin, the legal, the accounts and all the other highly non-creative stuff to take care of. Not so fun, but very necessary.

2.     What’s it like to work at Rising Digital and how does it vary from the other positions you have had?
The banter literally never stops. The team is more like a family now, which obviously has it’s pro’s and con’s, but everyone is driven and self motivated because they thrive off what they do. Not many people have the luxury of waking up every morning and doing 100% what they love. The guys and I are all very humble about this fortunate position we’re in and take every step to ensure we’re doing the best possible job we can for our clients and our team. In comparison to other positions… longer hours, more pressure and less holiday… but, personally, this is the best job in the world.

3.     How did you become Managing Director at Rising Digital?
I left Wolfstar in the summer of 2008 after one of the best years of my career. I had the luxury (professionally that is) of uninterrupted time with Stuart Bruce the MD, one of the true social media guru’s and Tim, a CEO whose passion for driving a business to success is immeasurable. Under those guys, my Account director and good friend Chris Norton and after a VERY slippery start, I found my feet as an Account manager… and then suddenly everything fell into place. My oldest pal in the world, Chris Lake, offered me a job heading up his label’s (Rising Music) marketing. I jumped at the opportunity and less than nine months later, whilst touring the USA together, we decided to set up Rising Digital. Just over two years later… here I am… still loving it!

4.     What attracted you to the social media side of communications?
Ok… apologies if I offend anyone reading this, but I found PR pre-social media integration… well… dull. Draft news release, get approval, sell-in, wait for coverage, see coverage, collate coverage in big document and… hit repeat. JOKE. No seriously, for a time I did really enjoy traditional PR, but I think that was the team I was in and the type of clients. I made some friends in and out of house I’ll never forget who taught me so much. As a student I excelled in socialising… but for some reason, when presented with a full contract to be a Harrison Cowley (now Grayling I think) Account exec, things got more serious. Take all the good stuff in client relations, and add in word of mouth research and implementation, running events through Facebook and creating YouTube videos… that’s when it all got pretty cool.

5.     What do you think are the main advantages of online PR vs. traditional PR?
I could go and on and on about this, but really it boils down to two aspects: One-way Vs two-way dialogue and potential ‘reach’. Great, you’ve landed a full page feature in Q Magazine… what now? Nail a successful viral campaign online and your reach is endless, the feedback is instant, and basic analysis is evident immediately. Our man deadmau5 did a piece with a YouTube team called Epic Meal Time – more than a million hits in 24hrs. This was just meant to be a bit of fun, but this combo has now had +4mill hits, +28k comments and +58K likes.

6.     What has Rising Digital got planned for the next 12-18 months?
We’re just going through the motions of partnering with Three Six Zero Group. We’ve been pals with them since the word go, and share a common sense of understanding regarding business Vs pleasure. At the end of the day we’re still in the music industry, but by taking a more professional outlook on what we do, throwing in some healthy doses of strategy and research, we make a good team. We don’t work with all of the Groups’ Artists, but the guys we do work with… well, lets just say, it’s fun, creative and it always works out well.

7.     Should students bring a hard copy portfolio to a PR interview? What do you think about e-portfolios?
Sure, if I was going for an interview I’d do the lot. First impressions are everything, so why not be uber ‘on it’ before you’ve even walked into the interview room. Then, print out a beast of a portfolio that looks slick, informative and well collated. Get yourself on sites like about.me, and of course cover the basics; Linked In etc etc…. When anyone gets in touch with us, we check them out immediately. The more pics of them at festivals the better

8.     What are the 3 most important skills graduates need to be successful in PR?
1. Organisation; PR is not rocket science. What you want at entry level is to be an asset to your fellow execs and managers. Being organised is the first step.

2. Listen! (And ask). Unlike me, if you actually pay full attention, take notes and get your head around the work, it’s simples. If you become a ‘yes’ person, but don’t have a clue what you’re saying yes too… well, you’re screwed. As I found out on many an occasion.

3. Confidence in your knowledge. One of my pet hates in PR are Account Execs who a) don’t know their client inside out and b) have little confidence due to a). Research, learn and research some more. When you speak to a blogger or journalist at either an online or offline publication, you need to know your stuff, otherwise, not only do you look like a muppet, but you are potentially damaging your client’s reputation too.

9.     What 3 tips would you give to someone trying to land a music PR role?
1. I honestly think something crazy like 80% of people working in the industry have been brought into it through connections, or birthright! If you don’t know anyone and you send a CV, I wouldn’t hold out too much hope, unless of course you’re pitching yourself at one of the majors. So, the solution is… get connected!

2. Be realistic about your salary. We do what we do because we love the music, not the wages. But, and this is a big but, once you’re in; tickets, queuing, drinks, etc etc… gratis baby!

3. Be confident with your creativity. But please don’t be a bullshitter. The last thing the industry needs are more jacked-up kids full of self importance. Be humble and honest and you’ll be respected. Remember, you’re not the artist!

10.  What more can be done to convince clients of the benefit of social media? (ROI, evaluation, sales etc)
Unlike major brands, we have the luxury of operating on a somewhat lighter scale of analysis. Our clients are interested in clear statistics; YouTube hits, Facebook Likes etc. Of course Management companies will work with us to drill further into insights, but overall, there is little need to do any ‘convincing’ of the importance of social media. Everyone in our industry is either doing ‘it’ or is working on getting there as fast as humanly possible. If we do ever come up against clients that put up a resistance to our methodology, we just take it nice and slow, and 10/10 they will be fully on board in a matter of weeks. At the end of the day… you don’t want to scare them!

I would like to put on record my thanks to Seb for sharing his thoughts with us and wish him and Rising Digital all the best for another fantastic year. An increasing number of students I speak to say they want to work for a PR agency that specialises in social media and music, so i’m sure they will find this Q&A insightful.

This post is the twelfth Q&A in an on-going series looking at the usual topics of PR, employability and other hints on making an impact in the workplace, albeit with a particular focus on digital. I’m delighted that Michael White, a blogger well-known for his forthright views on everything from PR to politics has shared his thoughts with us.

Michael is coming towards the end of 14 months at Microsoft as a Multinational Account Manager and will shortly be returning to Gloucester University to complete the final year of his BA (Hons) Public Relations course.  But Michael’s talents don’t end there; he is also an accomplished radio presenter, published poet, #AddMe Social Media conference organiser and was previously an online columnist for Your Local Guardian. Not a bad list of achievements, made all the more impressive by the fact he’s still in his early twenties (here’s an interesting list of 21 things to by 21 to achieve Graduateness without a degree).

I’ve only met Michael on a single occasion, but he’s one of the many people I’ve managed to network and form a kind of online professional relationship with thanks to blogging and Twitter. We also seem to have several things in common; having both studied PR, been taught by Richard Bailey and are keen bloggers. You can find out more about Michael from his blog, Tweets and Linked In profile.

1. As a Multinational Account Manager for Microsoft, what does your role involve on a daily basis?
Each day I manage online advertising campaigns which span across Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). The core responsibilities of my role are to ensure my clients receive their Return on Investment (ROI) whilst at the same time confirming my Account Executive achieves their revenue goals.

It is a challenging role which requires one to have excellent organisational abilities due to the hefty amount of tasks which I encounter each day. I have been responsible for 14 clients in total which have traversed across 12 different countries.

2. What’s it like to work at Microsoft and how does it vary from the other positions you have had?
Positions in the past have included a variety of work experience roles which were managed alongside degree studies. All of these have been at smaller companies (with the exception of MindShare). Microsoft is vast! It is a technological beast constructed by a number of separate brands (such as Office, Xbox and Windows) and it takes time to understand how hundreds of teams communicate with each other. The biggest difference with my role is the multinational aspect, each week I am in communication with at least six different countries.

Let’s not be shy, the entertainment side of Microsoft (ie, employee morale boosting) is incredible. Speed boats, glamorous restaurants and London attractions have been on the agenda before.

3. How did you manage to land the year-long internship at Microsoft?
I applied for the Microsoft internship online. The process involved filling in an online application form, submitting a CV, doing a telephone interview and then attending an assessment centre. At the assessment centre I went through five different interviews (one of them was a group task).

Without a doubt I am one of the lucky few who made it through each stage. Eventually I found myself sitting in lecture theatre at Microsoft UK HQ and we were all told that for each of us had been in competition with 50 other individuals for each of our roles. I was shocked. I am still shocked.

4. You’re well known for your forthright opinions in the blogosphere. Why did you start blogging and what have been the benefit?
My journey into the blogosphere began in 2005 and was caused by my love for writing. Over the years I have started and deleted blogs, eventually I stuck with mikewhite.co.uk to keep things central. As I am a keen reader of factual books, current affairs and philosophy it has been difficult to avoid opinion. Some of my greatest influencers are George Orwell, John Stuart Mill and Christopher Hitchens – online is all about freedom of the media and I am thankful for blogging as a medium. It allows me to communicate with friends and followers but invites others to also share their opinions.

Keeping a blog helped me secure a place at the University of Gloucestershire, gain various amounts of work experience and assisted with me achieving a place at Microsoft. The only reason I keep a blog is because I love writing. It can be hard work.

5. The Apprentice! Do you think you’ll get on to it? And win?
I was offered an audition for series 8 of The Apprentice a couple of weeks ago but after much thought and advice from others I decided to turn the interview down. The Apprentice is an entertainment programme, a reality TV show for those interested in business and the £250,000 investment offer is enticing. Yet appearing on the show is a risk as one has no idea how their personally will be edited together. As my degree is more important I decided that The Apprentice is not for me. I’ll be sending out many graduate job applications soon and would not want to risk them for BBC One stardom… that is if I had even managed to make it through the audition!

Would I win The Apprentice? Of course! Although if another candidate like Helen Milligan appeared then it would be a challenge.

6. Should students bring a hard copy portfolio to an interview? What
do you think about e-portfolios?
Always bring a hard copy portfolio to an interview. Most of the time a potential employer will browse through and ask questions based on it. Hard copy portfolios are marvellous for a student to show off their abilities and to sway interview questions towards more comfortable territory.

I have never emailed a potential employer afterwards with an e-portfolio, if anything I tackle that before the interview. On my CV I include the addresses of my Facebook, Twitter and blog. They all serve as my e-portfolio and demonstrate how active I am online. Anybody wanting to go into Public Relations should demonstrate with URLs that they have already built up an online following.

7. You’re currently studying PR at University of Gloucester – do you feel that your university degree prepared you for the world of work?
In the past I have been critical of the PR course at the University of Gloucestershire. During these turbulent financial times Universities across the country are struggling to find money. It just so happens that the PR course at my University has suffered badly because of it; a number of staff have resigned and the course has been restructured. Despite these challenges to the University I am confident that I will have built up a number of skills useful for the working world. Yet I don’t rely on degree alone, most of the learning at University happens outside of the lecture hall.

8. What are the 3 most important skills interns need to be successful?
Being a successful intern relies mostly upon personal traits, rather than just business acumen. Your mentality towards your work will affect the way you approach it. Having said that these three skills are vital:

1)      Organisational skills: University is easy, work is tough. If you are organised the “real world” becomes less painless. Nobody will employ a disorganised person.

2)      Be willing to learn: Do not think that learning stops after University. I have learnt more at Microsoft than in the last two years of my Public Relations degree.

3)      Networking: Make no mistake, being an effective networker is a skill. Whilst on your internship meet new people and build up those business contacts. If you want to be part of an industry then you need to know people who work in it.

9. Your blog covers marketing, public relations, advertising and stuff - which discipline do you think your career will lead?
At this stage I have no idea where my career will lead. The American business culture would have me draw up a list of business goals, put together a five year career plan but such planning isn’t for me. If I were offered a graduate job at Microsoft within a role I enjoyed then I could see myself working there for years to come. Yet the world is so open still, lots of paths remain. We shall see what happens…

10. If you were a student about to decide where to take your year placement, what advice would you give them?
Do not be surprised if you don’t have a clear vision of where you want your career to lead. It helps if you can choose the industry you enjoy. For instance I love technology and so the selection of companies like Microsoft, Google, Yahoo, Apple and Facebook were targets for internship applications. Keep applying to companies, don’t stop. You will be against intense competition, so don’t underestimate the importance of proof reading any document you send off. Finally, remain positive with your search and don’t lose hope.

I would like to put on record my thanks to Michael for taking time out from his busy schedule to share his thoughts with us. I wish him all the very best as he returns to Gloucester University for that all important final year. I expect we’ve not heard the last from Michael and am sure he has a bright future ahead of him, whatever path he takes.

Happy New Year – and what better way to kick things off than by having a chat with one of the industry stars of 2010! I’m delighted that Graeme Anthony, Senior Account Manager at Frank PR, AKA the guy whose C.V.I.V went a bit viral in September has taken the time to speak to SWT.

Graeme had a truly memorable 2010, moving to London, launching a globally acclaimed video and landing a job at Frank PR. I often post wonderful examples of graduates who have used innovative methods to land a job in the PR industry; however I have a feeling Graeme will be used as the case study for a while to come. In short, Graeme’s creativity is a fantastic example to any young person looking to break into and thrive in the PR industry.

You can find out more about Gramee from his blog, Tweets and Linked In profile.

1. As a Senior Account Manager, what does your role involve on a daily basis?
I don’t think it’s possible to describe any PR role on a daily basis. Whatever position you’re in, you have one goal – to complete your objective through any means necessary. And that’s really a team effort which is my responsibly to ensure that the campaign is on track and flourishing. That’s not to say I don’t get my hands dirty. As I’ve already mentioned, you don’t stop until the job’s done and one day I could be developing and pitching ideas to the CEO of a multinational organisation…the next I could be sampling chilli flavoured ice-cream to journalists – both I have done and both tasks are equally important.

There is no such thing as being pigeon holed in PR – you have to be a jack of all trades and a master of them all also. Personally speaking, the role hierarchy means very little to me. The important thing is what you bring to an organisation – making yourself indispensable. Yes everyone has to earn their stripes, but just because you’re a grad trainee or exec, doesn’t mean you’re restricted. Be proactive; go above and beyond what’s asked from you on a daily basis.

2. What’s it like to work at Frank PR and how does it vary from the other positions you have had?
Frank PR is one of the most talented PR agencies I’ve had the privilege to work with. Headed by some of the UK’s most respected practitioners such Graham Goodkind, Andrew Bloch, Frankie Cory, and Alex Grier to name a few – the passion for PR is paramount and this philosophy transcends throughout the agency. In turn, this fundamental belief is and always has been passed down through the ranks – from directors at the very top, all the way down to school leavers conducting work experience. The result is not only an agency renowned for its unrivalled creativity and precise implementation – but quite simply a talent pool for the next generation of industry leaders.

In terms of variation, there’s actually very little difference between Frank and my last agency, Brazen PR, apart from location of course. I was extremely lucky to develop my craft under the guidance of the agency’s management board whose ethos is actually very similar to Franks’ in terms of uncompromising PR. It’s a winning formula that both companies are prospering from.

3. What attracted you to the social media side of communications?
I don’t think anything in particular attracted me to the area…I seemed to naturally evolve into it like most other practitioners. It was an emerging communication platform and as the voice of an organisation, it was an opportunity for the industry to evolve alongside it.

At the very beginning it was an extremely exciting time for communications and still is today and will be for a long time to come. Although we’ve now been practising social media for many years, it’s still in its early stages of infancy which makes us the founding fathers. We’re pioneering the future of the industry and I want to be a part of that!

4. What do you think are the main advantages of online PR vs. traditional PR?
I never compare the two to be honest. I’m a firm believer that both disciplines integrate but each has to be evaluated on merit in terms of the brief. If I was pushed for an answer, it would be that online PR has enabled us to have genuine two-way conversation direct with our audience – something not possible through traditional techniques. Although this is an advantage, it can also be a disadvantage in terms of the response if the strategy and mechanic isn’t implemented correctly – causing a backlash.

5. Should graduates bring a hard copy portfolio to a PR interview? What do you think about e-portfolios?
It very much depends upon the formality of the occasion but my best advice is to treat all interviews like a pitch in terms of expecting the unexpected and being prepared for every eventuality. E-portfolios are now the most accessible and impressive form of self-promotion but always have a backup plan! Technology can be your best friend and worst enemy – the pen and paper will always triumph in terms of reliability.

6. What are the 3 most important skills graduates need to be successful in PR?
Naturally there is a standard skill set required such as writing and media knowledge but at a graduate level, I personally look for a number of key characteristics:

* Drive
* Determination
* Passion
* Creativity
* And most importantly – the fire in their eyes to succeed

Skills can be easily learnt and mastered whilst character is what makes an individual. Show your true character and show your future employer why you are a worthy investment. That is essential!

7. What 3 tips would you give to someone trying to land a social media role?
1. PR yourself! But with a social media or digital twist of course.
2. Practice what you hope to preach.
3. Be socialable. We all practice social media because we believe in it so don’t be afraid to engage and interact with the industry’s top leaders – they’re all human beneath their avatars.

8. As we look ahead to 2011, what more can be done to convince clients of the benefit of social media? (ROI, evaluation, sales etc)
I’m not sure if it’s a case of convincing any more. Nine months ago…yes, but I think every brand manager is now fully aware of the opportunities that social media and digital PR can bring to an organisation. Unfortunately, I don’t think some clients know where to turn to for the correct advice and become a little overwhelmed by the whole situation. Rather than ask for help, they simply pretend social media doesn’t exist and bury their head in the sand when it really doesn’t have to be like that. The message is clear, when you’re ready to talk we’re ready to listen and will help you and your company evolve.

9. You gained worldwide coverage for your innovative C.V.I.V – what was the rationale behind this idea?
There was quite a few reasons for creating the C.V.I.V. Primarily, it was imperative that I found work as soon as possible after moving to London and following my own philosophy…you have to PR yourself because no one else will. If I’m being honest though, I never had any doubt in my mind about securing employment because I had and do have 100% confidence in my own abilities. The C.V.I.V was more about landing in London with a bang, attempting to generate a splash amongst my peers and more than anything else – experimenting! It’s all about experimenting with new exciting platforms and YouTube Annotations lent itself naturally to my audience and exactly what I wanted to communicate.

However, the rationale evolved half-way through implementation when it was blogged by Paul Armstrong (Kindred) and Robin Grant (We Are Social). It was never my intention to allow the C.V.I.V into the public domain due to its confidential nature – hence the videos are delisted from YouTube’s search engines and still are today because my audience is pretty niche. My thought process was that the URL had been syndicated by media practitioners to other media practitioners – meaning the C.V.I.V was targeting the specific audience who I wanted to see it. As a result, the concept went viral and I received a torrent of support from practitioners across the globe – this is something I am still extremely grateful of. The thing I’m most proud of is what people have taken away from the activity in the form of stimulating discussion and new ideas – it really inspired individuals and that’s what matters the most to me. Essentially, the project was conceived through means of covert self-promotion but ended as something that unified the industry – that’s the unpredictable and beautiful nature of social media.
10. The C.V.I.V obviously worked and you got a job with Frank PR – but what other benefits has it brought you?
Fan mail…lots and lots of fan mail.

I think I should probably point out that it wasn’t strictly the C.V.I.V that secured me a job at Frank. As I’ve previously mentioned, they’re an extremely talented group of individuals and also extremely efficient at spotting talent when it comes knocking on their door.

In terms of benefits, the project has opened doors and allowed me to make connections with people I never expected to meet. Individuals who I describe as PR and social media royalty, brand leaders of huge multinational organisations, key industry leaders – all lending me their support. It really was an overwhelming experience and I couldn’t ask for anymore.

It’s being invited by Bruce Daisley (YouTube) and Justin Pearse (New Media Age) to the NMA Top 100 launch and having individuals personally congratulate me on my efforts. It’s attending a CIPR Summer Social hosted by Philip Sheldrake (Influence Crowd LLP) and Stephen Waddington (Speed Communications) who then go on to use me as a surprise case study…which was also a surprise to me. It’s colleagues at Frank who I describe as PR royalty such as the aforementioned Graham, Andrew, Frankie and Alex who introduce me to clients and personal contacts with pride. It’s obtaining this sort of recognition and simply wanting to emulate it again and again.

I’d also like to credit my good friend and multimedia genius Dan Burdett who I couldn’t have completed the C.V.I.V without.

I would like to put on record my thanks to Graeme for sharing his thoughts with us and wish him all the best for another fantastic year. An ever increasing number of students I speak to say they want to work for a PR agency that specialises in social media so I’m sure they will find this Q&A insightful. I’d also like to thank the students, industry colleagues and academics from all over the country who sent me the questions to put to Graeme.

This post is the eight Q&A in an ongoing series looking at the usual Social Web Thing discussion topics of PR, social media and employability. I’m delighted that Ben Matthews, Programme Manager at 33 Digital and Founder of Bright One has taken the time to have a chat with us.

Ben has had a fantastic year, rising through the ranks at 33 Digital and Bright One, a volunteer-run communications agency for the Third Sector has gone from strength to strength. He is also a board member of Charity Comms, the professional body for charity sector communications and founding member of Twestival, so it comes as no surprise to hear that Ben won Young PR Professional of the Year – a thoroughly deserved accolade. In short, Ben is a great example to any young person looking to break into and thrive in the PR industry.

You can find out more about Ben from his blog, Tweets and Linked In profile.

1. As a Programme Manager, what does your role involve on a daily basis?
I make sure that the digital PR campaigns that our clients have planned are put into action and made a success according to the objectives, and beyond. This goes right up to ensure that the client is happy with the work and is portrayed successfully to their internal stakeholders, right across to our own teams and making sure we are performing to the best of our ability and getting things done.

2. What’s it like to work at 33 Digital and how does it vary from the other positions you have had?
I’ve been part of the Hotwire (parent owner of 33 Digital) family for a while now and it’s been one of the more rewarding and enjoyable experiences in my career to date. The company has a fantastic culture despite being just a year old, with a professionalism and underlying confidence in our approach that has led to some of the most major brands around coming onto our client roster.

3. What attracted you to the social media side of communications?
Social media has many parallels with traditional PR – building relationships, having a good story at the heart of the campaign, being human – but social media seems to bring out the best of all sides of PR. Social media really belongs with a PR role and our industry is doing a good job of proving why we are best at managing this side of comms.

4. You’re well known in the PR industry as the founder of Bright One, how did this come about?
As with a lot of ideas, Bright One started due to frustration. In this case it was the frustration that there a lot of people and third sector organisations out there doing some amazing work and helping a lot of people, but for some reason – whether it is through a lack of expertise, time or resources – these organisations haven’t been able to communicate what they do as effectively as other charitable organisations.

5. How can people get involved with Bright One?
It’s best to go to our website, fund out more and sign up if you’re interested! http://brightone.org.uk/

6. How did it feel to win Young PR Professional of the Year and what did you do to win this accolade?
It was a fantastic evening, tinged only by the fact that 33 Digital didn’t win New Agency of the Year. I’m sure 33′s time will come again. I really couldn’t have done it without the support of my peers, but there’s more beyoond this award that I want to achieve and this is just the beginning!

7. You seem to be one of those at the forefront of the London digital scene, what are the main advantages of online PR vs. traditional PR?
Digital PR is more measurable, ultimately – especially if campaigns are tied back to business objectives such as sales or raised awareness.

8. Should graduates bring a hard copy portfolio to a PR interview? What do you think about e-portfolios?
A hard copy is essential as it gives a “leave behind” for professionals to loom through afterwards. A follow up email after the interview with a link to an e-portfolio would work well, almost like a “digital leave behind”. At the end of the day, the person is the one who needs to impress, not the portfolio.

9. As we look ahead to 2011, what more can be done to convince clients of the benefit of social media? (ROI, evaluation, sales etc)
As above, tied closely with business objectives.

10. What 3 tips would you give to someone trying to land a social media role?
1. Network (online and off) and don’t be afraid to contact someone directly even if you’ve never met them – people are willing to help more than you think.
2. Get on,one and comfortable with using digital tools, If you can;t use them personally, you won’t be able to offer consultancy to clients
3. Go for an area of comms you are passionate in. The most successful people I know align their passions with their expertise.

I would like to put on record my thanks to Ben for sharing his thoughts with us and wish him all the best for another great year. An ever increasing number of students I speak to say they want to work for a PR agency that specialises in social media so i’m sure they will find this Q&A insightful. I’d also like to thank the students, industry colleagues and academics from all over the country who sent me the questions to put to Ben.

This post is the seventh Q&A in an ongoing series looking at the usual Social Web Thing discussion topics of PR, social media and employability. I’m delighted that Adam Vincenzini, Lead Social Media Consultant at Paratus Communications - the agency that won Vodafone’s B2B, social media and consumer accounts has taken the time to share his thoughts with us.

Adam has spent most of his career in communications having studied PR at RMIT before cutting his teeth at Hill & Knowlton. Adam then moved on to a role at Cricket Australia and has been the Lead Social Media Consultant at Paratus for the past three years. He is a well known and active member of the UK PR industry often debating the latest issues at Comms Corner, as well as being co-founder of #CommsChat and Contributing Editor to PRDaily.com

You can find out more about Adam from his blog, Tweets and Linked In profile.

1. As a Lead Communications Consultant, what does your role involve on a daily basis?
The majority of my role revolves around clients and new business, but the scope of work is incredibly broad.

One day might involve responding to a new brief, staging brainstorms and developing proposals, and then the next day might involve arranging for mobile phones to be reviewed by journalists. Increasingly however, my role is dictated by what is happening online in real time.

A good portion of each day is spent manually keeping an eye on conversations / exchanges and providing advice on how to respond to those opportunities / challenges as they happen.

2. What’s it like to work at Paratus and how does it vary from the other positions you’ve had?
I started my career at Hill & Knowlton (first in Australia and then London) and got to experience big agency life and the opportunities those environments provide.

I also spent three years with the Australia Cricket team (when we won consistently!) and got to understand the importance of getting buy in from internal stakeholders while working with such a high profile group. Paratus is very different to those places. We have a small central team of 10 who manage freelance independent consultants pulled in based on specialism (whether it be sector or geographical).

The founders of the business have both come from big agencies and have created the best of both worlds – we’re agile enough to respond to changes in the marketplace as they happen, but we also have the resource to service bigger clients appropriately.

I’ve definitely evolved as a consultant thanks to the environment I’m in.

3. What attracted you to the social media side of communications?
It started when I was back at Cricket Australia helping to manage the Australian Cricket Family – an online community of 150,000+ passionate cricket fans.

Then, as social media became more prominent, I started to surround myself with people who knew more than I did and got increasingly excited by the things I was learning.

That enjoyment translated into me taking a more proactive role in the counsel we offer to clients and has continue to grow from there.

4. In your opinion, if you work in social media, how important is it to blog?
I think blogging was (and continues to be) the single most important factor in my development as a consultant in this space.

Once you start blogging you realise you are managing a public property and you alone are responsible for how it looks and feels. You’re not only creating content, but you are getting the best education possible as to what audiences want and how to integrate that feedback into the purpose of your blog.

It is also your hub, a place where all your online efforts come together (and can fall apart). And, it makes you aware of every element of social / digital media from SEO to analytics and design to planning.

My only advice to others is consider topics outside of PR / social media – you can still learn about how it works even if you are blogging about fashion, music or sport.

5. You seem to be at the forefront of the London digital scene, what are the main advantages of online PR vs. traditional PR?
I think everything we do, online or traditional, has to deliver benefits relative to the specific objectives set.

If the aim is to create buzz around the launch of a new mobile phone, then social and online channels are great because there are thousands of conversation drivers scattered all over the net who can carry messages for you.

But, in some cases where the participants are not as engaged or plentiful, then traditional media outlets may suit your needs more.

I think the biggest advantage of online PR is the ability to shape your approach based on the people you want to reach. Every day online participants give you more and more insight into what they are passionate about and you can use that to create mutually beneficial situations.

6. Should graduates bring a hard copy portfolio to a PR interview? What do you think about e-portfolios?
Personally, I don’t want to see a hard copy portfolio at an interview because the type of candidates I’m interested are generally so active online already that you know what they are capable of.

E-portfolios a handy, and I know my colleagues increasingly like referring to them, but in an ideal world a relationship will have been built up with the candidate a long way in advance of the formal stage and the ability to foster relationships is far more valuable than any portfolio will ever be.

7. What are the 3 most important skills graduates need to be successful in PR?
1. Listen – while listen to your colleagues is important, listening to what consumers are saying online and watching out for how they interact is the foundation of success.

2. Engage – one of the most overused words of 2010 has to be genuinely part of your skill set in 2011 and beyond – engaging means getting involved in the communities and places you want to be active in and adding value to those environments. It is hard to be passive and have an influence in discussions.

3. Analyse – PR people are increasingly asked to be more analytical because of the data that is now available. This means understanding tools like Google analytics but also using your analytical nous to improve the way in which things are done.

8. What 3 tips would you give to someone trying to land a social media role?
1. Blog, blog, blog – even if you start with a simple posterous site, curating content that you find interesting, just be active.

2. Turn online conversations into offline connections – if you develop a rapport with someone in the industry online, arrange to meet them in real life, even if its just for a coffee – solidifying a connection can open all sorts of doors.

3. Experiment – don’t simply follow the same formula as everyone else, try something different that will teach you something new. For example, set up a video only blog, or create a group on linked in for people in the same position as you – there is never any harm in trying new things.

9. As we look ahead to 2011, what more can be done to convince clients of the benefit of social media? (ROI, evaluation, sales etc)
I think clients are increasingly aware of the benefits (and challenges) of social media.

The best thing we can do as an industry is simplify the way in which we talk about it and position it.

It is not rocket science, it is not an entirely new language, it is just an evolution of what we’ve always done – the more comfortable we make our clients feel about this, the less nervous they’ll be.

10. You seem to have a keen eye for useful Twitter and social media tools – what tool has been your best discovery this year and what tool would make your life easier?
I just wrote a post on this recently – 11 Twitter and social media tools to try in 2011 - with Mention Map being my favourite amongst the bunch.

Blog research and measurement is still the trickiest part of what we do with no single solution out there that can make everyone’s lives easier.

However, I’d keep an eye on BlogDash.com, a tool for blogger outreach, from David Spinks which is set to be launched very soon and could be the answer to all of our prayers.

I would like to put on record my thanks to Adam for sharing his thoughts with us and wish him all the best for another super year. An ever increasing number of students I speak to say they want to work for a PR agency that specialises in social media so i’m sure they will find this Q&A insightful. I’d also like to thank the students, industry colleagues and academics from all over the country who sent me the questions to put to Adam.

In a nutshell, Wolfstar Labs is an engine to create next generation products.

2. What’s it like to work at Wolfstar Consultancy and how does it vary from the other positions you have had?
Well I’ve been at Wolfstar Consultancy for more than two years now so I’ve witnessed it grow from four or five people to nearly fifteen now. It’s been an exciting two years and I’m very lucky to work with some incredible people – in my eyes there are very few people in this space that understand public relations social media as well as the people that work at Wolfstar Consultancy.

Every day is different (clichéd, but true) and because we have such a broad range of clients there’s always the opportunity for creativity.

3. What attracted you to the social media side of communications?
Like most people, I fell into public relations. Once I’d been working in in-house public relations for about a year I realised that the internet was playing a much bigger role in peoples’ lives than a lot of agencies realised, so I started to look at how I could use online tools to connect more effectively with people. And it worked!

Right now I’m obsessed with how we can integrate technology and thinking into how a brand can build better relationships to ultimately sell more products and services! A big part of that is understanding how different communications disciplines fit together and how each can bring its own skill set to online – I always picture a Trivial Pursuit playing piece with each piece of cake being a marketing discipline – each on their own is ok, but together it’s brilliant.

4. Wolfstar Labs was launched in October, what was the thinking behind it and what can we expect to see coming out of the lab in 2011?
Wolfstar Labs publicly launched this October, but we’ve been working on products for over a year now. Wolfstar Labs is an innovation incubator designed to create products supporting online corporate communication and brand management. Products created in Wolfstar Labs are then used by Wolfstar Consultancy to counsel clients on social media and develop and implement online public relations strategy and campaigns.

Wolfstar Labs has a range of other products in development including smart monitoring for crisis and issues management, online consultation tools and products for the semantic web.

5. Where does your passion for innovation come from?
The industry, the consultancy and the people. Public relations is an industry that thrives on ‘the new’ and customers react to the disruption and innovation. Wolfstar Consultancy has always pushed the team to think laterally and wider than ‘what’s been done before’ and having clients that are looking for ‘something new’ always helps too!

Oh, and of course, thinking of an idea, writing it in your notebook and then working tirelessly on it for six months to see it help clients connect with their audience always gives you a rush.

6. How does it feel to be named in the PRWeek 29 Under 29 list and what did you do to deserve this accolade?
Absolutely incredible. It’s a massive honour to even be considered and the list was full of great people so yes, very happy

7. You seem to be one of those at the forefront of the UK digital scene, what are the main advantages of online PR vs. traditional PR?
It’s very nice of you to say that Ben! I think the thing with ‘the scene’ is that it’s very fast moving and you have to constantly be aware of trends and technology so that you can stay with the curve – I tend to live in a constant state of fear of being left behind!

As for the traditional vs online debate, my thinking is very simple: the public doesn’t see the difference, so why should we? A great campaign should breach every communications boundary.

8. Should graduates bring a hard copy portfolio to a PR interview?  What do you think about e-portfolios
Absolutely! If for nothing more than a prompt – I’ve seen countless people forget about their own skills and experience at interview stage – so yes, always bring a hard copy! E-portfolios are a great idea, a nice compliment to a physical portfolio, but it shouldn’t take priority. If you have a fully completed LinkedIn profile or an industry-specific blog then these can be just as useful.

9. As we look ahead to 2011, what more can be done to convince clients of the benefit of social media? (ROI, evaluation, sales etc)
Case studies. Nothing speaks louder than having a track record of exceeding client expectations and it’s our job as practitioners to publicise our work – something the public relations industry has had trouble with in the past.

10. What 3 tips would you give to someone trying to land a social media role?
Research, research, research!

Honestly, the most important thing to remember is to know the agency inside out (its clients, history, its MD, the team, the gossip, the services), know the industry and know yourself! You’d be surprised how many graduates know very little about their own experience and skills!

But three simple things to remember are research everything before you apply, make sure you have an opinion on big issues within the industry and when you’ve got the job work your fingers to the bone. There’s no such thing as a nine to five anymore.

I would like to put on record my thanks to Jed for sharing his thoughts with us and wish him all the best for another great year. An ever increasing number of students I speak to say they want to work for a PR agency that specialises in social media so i’m sure they will find this Q&A insightful. I’d also like to thank the students, industry colleagues and academics from all over the country who sent me the questions to put to Jed.

This post is the fifth Q&A in a series looking at the usual topics of PR graduate jobs, employability and other hints on getting into the industry, albeit with a particular focus on social media. I’m thrilled that Amy Johnston who is an Account Manager at Wolfstar, the award-winning PR, social media, WOM and communications agency has shared some of her thoughts with us. I’d recommend signing up to their blog to get the latest thoughts from MD Stuart Bruce and the rest of the Wolfstar pack.

A bit more on Amy…she is a fellow graduate of the PR course at Leeds Met and has previously worked at Citypress PR, Waterside Communications and the Morrisons press office. Despite graduating in 2006, she has quickly risen up the ranks to a management position and last year, Amy was a finalist for the CIPR Outstanding Young Communicator award. In short, she’s doing rather well.

You can find out more about Amy from her blog, Tweets and Linked In profile.

1. As an Account Manager, what does your role involve on a daily basis?
My role is very varied and although it sounds cheesy, no day is ever the same. Generally, the first thing I do is have a quick meeting with my team of execs and find out what we all have on for the week, it helps with priorities and deadlines especially when we’re busy. Then I’ll check my emails and RSS feeds, plus scan for any coverage for my clients.

My daily tasks change depending on what projects we’re work on, but can range from anything including blogger outreach programmes, writing social media news releases, advising on social media comments or clients’ profiles on Twitter and Facebook, selling in news stories to the media, drafting copy for blogs and websites and writing strategy documents for clients.

As we’re a growing consultancy, a big part of my job is new business. This involves spotting potential new business leads, pulling together credentials presentations, attending pitches and writing proposals.

2. What’s it like to work at Wolfstar and how does it vary from the other agencies positions you have had?
Wolfstar is a really creative and busy place to work. Our team is very varied and everyone had their own area of expertise, but we all get on really well. I work for some fantastic clients and feel there’s always the opportunity to do something totally new. Having worked in two other agencies and in-house before coming to Wolfstar the main difference is how embedded in the social media world Wolfstar is. We’re growing fast so it can sometimes be stressful, but at the same time it’s exciting and feels great when you’re involved with winning new clients for the company.

3. You studied PR at Leeds Met – do you feel that your university degree prepared you for the world of work?
I did a year placement and think this was the most valuable year of the entire degree. I learnt so much and really got a feel for what the industry was like; I’d strongly recommend all students take this opportunity. I think my final year was helpful, doing the pitch module and communications audit definitely had relevance with the world of work. I’d say my first and second year were less helpful…

4. What do Wolfstar look for in a graduate? How can a graduate stand out from the crowd?
I think it’s so difficult for graduates at the moment, PR has always been competitive but the economic climate has added even more pressure. We look for people that are being proactive and positive despite these hard times. It’s always impressive when someone who uses their initiative to get in touch or catch our eye in a unique way – like Jed did. We do Google prospective employees, so someone who has a strong personal brand, a good social presence on a blog or Twitter, always stands out.

When we meet in person there needs to be a sense of passion. It’s nice to see a spark in someone and get the impression they’re fired up and happy.

I think it is essential graduates know who we work for, what our ethos is, what’s happening in the industry as a whole etc. This information is extremely easy to find so there’s really no excuse for not knowing!

5. How important is it to have an online presence? Are there any social media platforms that PR students must be on?
The online and offline worlds are becoming so merged it’s essential students have some kind of presence. Using Google to find out more about someone is now second nature. If you have a positive presence online, you’re helping promote yourself if anyone does chose to find out more. If you’re in control of that information and making things like your CV and personal interests available, you’re already ahead of the game. Having a blog, being on Linked In and having a Twitter account are all good ways to get an idea about a person; however I wouldn’t say you have to have one. Chose the tools that are right for you, there’s no point setting up a blog if you don’t write on it!

6. Should graduates bring a portfolio to an interview? What do you think about e-portfolios?
I’d say yes. It’s always good to have a look through someone’s work in an interview and see what they’ve done in the past. I think it helps bring out people’s personalities too – you can see what their passionate about and really get beyond a few lines on CV. E-portfolios are a great way of displaying your work and can be easily attached to email covering letters. It shows initiative and that you’re proud of the work you’ve done.

7. If you were a student about to decide where to take your year placement, what advice would you give them?
Definitely do it! It really is an invaluable experience and its good fun. Make the most of your time there too. Be as proactive and helpful as you can, try to always help the team in any way, roll your sleeves up and get stuck in!

8. What are the 3 most important skills graduates need to be successful in PR?
This is a tricky one… I’d say communication skills (both externally with clients, bloggers and journalists and internally with colleagues), organisation skills (as it can be hard juggling so many responsibilities) and good writing skills. People may disagree with me there, but they would be my top three!

9. You mentioned in a recent post on the Wolfstar blog that a majority of journalists use social media to find stories. If PR practitioners pitch a story to journalists using social media, how do the traditional “story pitching” rules apply? Do journalists typically prefer one social media channel over another?
I don’t think you can really apply any rules to pitching a journalist, neither in the approach or the communication channel. Journalists and bloggers are just people, and everyone is different. The main thing is to be 100% sure what you’re selling them is relevant. If it’s for a newspaper, read the column, look at the style of the writing and what this journalist covers and ask yourself if you could see it there. For radio station, think about how the story would convey on the air, think about sound-bites or possible interviews, something to make their job easier.

When selling into TV, take into account the forward planning deadlines and be wary that everything can change on the day. If you’re approaching a blogger, make sure you’ve actually read their blog! Reference it when you approach them and make them feel like you’re genuinely interested and have something that fits. In terms of the channels I use, I try to match to theirs. If they Twitter all the time and say it’s their favourite way to communicate, I would DM them. If they email or have said in the past they prefer emails I’ll do that. Sometimes picking up the phone is the best way.

A good tip is to ask the question. The first time I sell in to someone I’ll try and ask which the best way to contact them is. Make a note of their answer and always approach them in that way. I also write little notes about journalists and bloggers so I have a point of reference next time I speak to them. For example where they live, what they’re interested in, their family etc.

10. What 3 tips would you give to someone trying to break into the PR industry?
Be proactive and positive. Do as much work as possible whether that’s paid or voluntary to get experience and also make contacts. Once you have these contacts, keep them! You never know when or where people might crop up or be able to help. Don’t be afraid to use your contacts for help or advice, most people in the industry will be happy to help a graduate trying to break into the industry.

Look after your own brand. You don’t need to become a social media whiz kid, but having simple things like a good Linked In page or e-portfolio can be really beneficial. More and more employers will use the internet to find out about potential candidate, by having your best work and an up to date CV available online you’re making this easy for them and also showing you’re organised and technically savvy.

Read! This means everything from relevant industry websites and RSS feeds to newspapers and blogs. But also when it comes to interview time, read about the company and you’re interviewers. We may be Googling you – you should do the same!

I would like to wish Amy good luck for the future and thank her for participating in this Q&A. An ever increasing number of students I speak to say they want to work for a PR agency that specialises in social media so i’m sure they will find this Q&A insightful. I’d also like to thank the students, industry colleagues and academics from all over the country who sent me the questions to put to Amy.

This post is the fourth Q&A in a series looking at PR graduate jobs, employability and other hints on getting into the industry. I’m thrilled that Oliver Money who is on the Fishburn Hedges graduate scheme has shared some of his thoughts with us.

This follows on from the 2010 PR Grad Schemes, Q&A with high-flying SAE and Q&A with Edelman HR ace posts which I hope people will find useful. With many graduate schemes closing shortly I thought it would be a good time to speak to someone who has successfully negotiated the graduate recruitment process.

You can follow Ollie on Twitter too.

1. What did you have to do to get the  job at Fishburn Hedges?
It’s a long process! There’s an initial application stage where you send in your CV with 400 words on why they should interview you. Then there’s a phone interview stage followed by a face to face interview where they whittle it down to about 15 candidates for an assessment day. The day included a presentation on a current news story of your choice and a writing test which was a simple essay question. That was followed by a roundtable discussion of a couple of issues facing clients. And crucially, I had to hold it together at the end of the day for a buffet where a certain Mr Hedges was kind enough to quietly introduce himself.

2. Do you have a portfolio?
I had never heard of using a portfolio to apply for a PR job so I kept it old-school with a CV and a haircut. I think for a training scheme nobody is expecting you to have a portfolio of experience, it might impress, it might not. Personally, I don’t think they make a difference but if you have to, go for an e-portfolio – always good to demonstrate that geeky edge PR 2.0 needs these days!

3. Do you feel your degree helped you to get the job?
I did History and Politics at Nottingham and I got a 2:1. It’s important to have a solid academic background but I don’t think it helped me particularly. In my interview I ended up talking far more about a promotions company I ran in Nottingham than the finer points of Marx’s economic theory.

4. What does your role involve on a daily basis?
Fortunately it is so varied that I couldn’t give you a picture of a typical day because there really isn’t one. One day you might be calling journalists and selling-in a story, on others you might be monitoring a political event or trying your hand at drafting a press release. There are administrative tasks that you just need to get done but at the same time FH puts you in front of the clients virtually straight away and you can find yourself offering an opinion to a CEO of a major company. One thing I do every day is spend at least half an hour going through the RSS feeds of the key media outlets, blogs and Google-searches that interest me and my clients.

5. How much responsibility do you have on the scheme?
It’s clear when you arrive that it really is up to you on how much responsibility you take on. If you can prove to your team that you can take charge on a certain issue or a project then they will let you. The opportunities are definitely there, you just have to prove that you can handle them.

6. What is it like to work within FH?
FH is different from every other office I’ve worked in because it has a non-divisional approach to both its work and the office itself. This means that you can end up sitting next to a Board Director, which can certainly make your first few phone calls a bit intimidating, but very quickly it makes everyone a lot more approachable and human – no one is locked away behind a big scary door. There is always lots going on outside of work – there are official drinks twice a month, not to mention the unofficial but sacred watering hole that is The Newton Arms.

7. What made you accept the job at FH?
I accepted the job because it has the reputation as pretty much the best place to start a career in communications in the country. The opportunity to work with the clients we have and in a company that allows you to try your hand at everything from financial pr to public affairs made it a bit of a no-brainer. I was definitely in full internship/application mode and though FH was the first scheme I applied for, I was certainly looking AT the others that were out there too.

8. What gave you the competitive edge to get the role on the FH scheme?
I think the key was demonstrating passion and enthusiasm in a way that they could see was transferable to the needs of clients.I hope I managed to demonstrated my interest in politics and the media and proved that I was a pro-active person that really wanted the job. It was the first interview where I really felt like I was being myself so I’m sure that helped.

9. What are the 3 most important skills that graduates need to be successful in PR?
An ability to multi-task, a creative mind and the gift of the gab!

10. What advice would you give to graduates looking to get into PR?
If you can, try it out. Internships can be bankrupting affairs but nothing beats experiencing the atmosphere of the kind of place you want to work. For interviews, I would make sure you always have a couple of columnists or bloggers up your sleeve to drop in to conversation and always completely geek up about the company you want to work for.

I would like to wish Oliver good luck for the future and thank him for participating in this Q&A. Many graduates will shortly be hearing back from agencies whether or not they have made it past the first stage of the graduate recruitment process, so I’m confident Oliver’s words of advice will be well received. I’d also like to thank the students from all over the country who sent me the questions to put to Oliver.

This post is the third in a series focussing on PR graduate jobs, employability and general tips on getting into the industry. I’m delighted that Antonia Katsambis, Senior HR Assistant at Edelman kindly agreed to take the time to answer this Q&A.

It follows on from the 2010 PR Grad Schemes and Q&A with high-flying SAE posts which have proved immensely popular and I hope useful. I thought it would be worthwhile to get some pearls of wisdom from somebody working within the HR team at one of the world’s biggest PR firms.

Toni is involved with graduate recruitment at Edelman, so the answers really are from someone who knows their stuff. You can find out more about Toni from her Tweets and Linked In profile

1.    What key things do you look for on a CV?
In the current climate recruiters receive such huge amounts of applications for entry level roles that they can be very picky about what they’re looking for. Therefore, if a brief has been posted, make sure every point in the job brief is matched in your CV.

Also, it may seem rather basic, but it’s amazing the amount of CVs that come through with spelling mistakes, grammar and formatting issues. Always get a friend to look through your CV to spot anything like this, you can stare at the same CV for hours and not realise you’ve spelt the company name wrong – it does happen!

2.    What are your top 3 tips to prepare for an interview?
(I) Ask before the interview who you will be meeting, make sure to do your research on these people and how they fit into the company.

(II) Do as much investigations as you can into a company, not just looking at their website but also reading any publications they may have published, e.g. Edelman’s Public Engagement essays . Find out who their clients are and what issues they face.

(III) Know you CV inside out and your dates of employment. Make sure that they all tally up and any gaps in employment or study are explained.

3.    Should graduates bring their portfolio to an interview?
Sure, why not. Anything that helps sell yourself.

4.    What are graduates expected to do at an Edelman interview?
At our graduate assessment days we ask candidates to do a number of tasks; the first stage is an application form including a 250 word writing test, the second round is a telephone interview and the third round is coming in for an assessment day with about 10 other graduates. At the assessment day you will be required to complete a variety of tests, present on a topic of your choice and hold your own in an interview.

5. How much do you really value a PR degree and is it likely to be overlooked in favour of an Oxbridge graduate?
Absolutely not. Whilst academic results are important, work experience, personality and skills are far more weighted in my opinion. However, after reading Jacqueline Cooper’s recent blog and the comment listed beneath, this is a subject that has a lot of conflicting opinions.

6.    Students are constantly being told that if they are not active on all platforms of social media the PR world is going to leave them behind. Are social media skills a must have for today’s PR graduates?
It certainly helps, I won’t lie. Graduates need to be visible as a ‘brand’ just as much as anyone else. Showing you understand the principles of social media in your own life means that you will be able to do the same for our clients.

7.    Is a degree or career in journalism a good stepping stone for a move into PR?
It can be, however we have people with previous experience in all walks of life that helps their PR career, so it’s not the only route into PR.

8.    Some graduates produce e-portfolios – are they a good idea and do they get taken into consideration?
They can be very useful to bring along to interview, but remember that when applying for a job the HR contact will have a lot of different candidates speculatively applying and therefore will be looking at the basics first.

9.    How can graduates stand out from the crowd?
Firstly, use of social media to build networks and engage in conversation with contacts within the PR industry. By showing that they are switched on and enthusiastic and by getting some work experience on their CV, even if it is pro bono work, it all helps.

10.    What type of skills and experience do graduates need for PR?
Motivation, enthusiasm, passion and organisation.

I would like to thank Toni for taking part in this Q&A. It’s tough out there at the moment for graduates and any advice; especially from someone working in the industry is valuable. I’d also like to thank the students from all over the UK who sent me the questions.

This week I have adopted a slightly different approach to the blog and carried out a guest post Q&A with Matt Churchill, Senior Account Executive at Edelman. For those looking to get into the PR industry, Matt offers a valuable insight, as well as some great tips and words of advice.

After the success of the 2010 PR Grad Schemes post which has had over 1,000 views so far, I hope this will prove just as useful for graduates and people looking to get into the industry. I will also be having a Q&A with someone working in PR HR in the not too distant future…so watch this space.

A bit of background: whilst I have known Matt for several months via Twitter, email and blog posts – I have never actually met him…until this week. You can find out  more about Matt from his blog, Tweets or Linked In profile.

Right then, Matt in his own words…
I graduated from Westminster Uni with 2:1 (BA Hons) in Journalism in 2007 and alongside my part-time job in a music shop I started writing for several music blogs until I did an Internship with Zest PR from October-December 2007.

In January of 2008 I started working with Chocolate Communications, a consumer and lifestyle agency, across a range of tech, gaming and corporate clients. I then started at Edelman Digital in February 2009 working within the social media team.

I’m a purist in my approach to working digitally. As a blogger, and generally subversive type, being honest, transparent and holistic in what I do both personally and professionally, is very important to me which is what attracted me to social media.

I’m fascinated by the media and the different ways we spread messages and interact with each other, be that through PR, advertising, marketing, word of mouth and new social networking platforms, and I happened to stumble into PR!

1. What did you have to do to get the job at Spook?
I saw a tweet from the team which said that Edelman Digital and Spook were looking for an Account Exec, so I messaged them and went for a chat. I then got invited back for a second more formal interview and got offered the role shortly after a third final Interview with all of the team.

Spook were an independent web design/build agency and were bought by Edelman in 2008, at which point the Edelman Digital team and Spook were thrown into together, and the start of a loving relationship was born. There’s a very definitive culture at Spook which is unlike any I’ve experienced anywhere and that was one of the major factors in moving. I can wear my hat and bright yellow shoes in client meetings, that’s all I needed!

2. Do you have a portfolio?
I don’t have a portfolio, I’ve never been to an Interview with one so I can’t really offer an opinion other than to say that it’s never been required that I bring one. I also think it depends on the culture of the company you’re speaking with – the more formal and corporate, the more likely they are to want to see something, it’s always worth asking if they would like you to bring something.

I think sending an e-portfolio in advance is a good idea – it gives them something to read and allows them a better perspective of you as a person and how you go about your work.

3. Do you feel your degree helped you to get the job?
I’m not so sure – my degree is in journalism which I hope allows me to approach PR & social media from a different perspective. I know that having a degree didn’t affect me getting an Internship which then led to my first job.

I think to be able to demonstrate a certain level of education is useful, but I’m more of the opinion that if you can get your hands dirty and get some actual experience with an internship before applying for a permanent role, it’s more valuable.

4. What does your role involve on a daily basis?
Working in social media means that I do a lot of different non-traditional PR work than someone in a different PR discipline, say B2B or Tech.

I work across a range of different clients and my role varies on each account. In the mornings I tend to do the initial rounds of monitoring, going through RSS feeds, looking at activity on Twitter, and sharing relevant news and blog posts with other members of the team.

We do a lot of monitoring and listening for clients, it’s arguably the most important aspect of the job, so I might then spend some time working on developing various taxonomies for these programmes. The use of language is an ever evolving space so we need to be on the ball when it comes to the way people are referring to things online.

There are also elements of outreach, doing the communications bit of the job, speaking with bloggers on a daily basis – this is my favourite bit of the job

Then, there’s usually a brainstorm or meeting thrown in for good measure where I’ll provide feedback on progress that’s being made.

5. How much responsibility do you have in your current role?
I’m very lucky at Edelman and Spook where I’m given a lot of responsibility. I think to try and grow in your role you need to be prepared to take on more responsibility than you might expect – the more proactive and enthusiastic you can be, the better.

I’m responsible for the day to day execution of tasks, reporting and researching. But what’s great is that the culture at Spook and Edelman is that you’re encouraged to have time to think and try and work out new ways of doing these things, and to be encouraged to share this and then develop an idea you’ve had is extremely rewarding.

6. What is it like to work within Edelman?
It’s actually pretty cool! The philosophy is great, we take a very holistic approach to communications which I think is very forward thinking. There are many agencies who seem to shy away from organically developing their business model and taking whiter than white approach to the work they do, and it’s really refreshing to work for a company who are very tightly managed, but also give you the freedom to express your opinion.

7. What made you accept the job at Spook?
The job with Edelman and Spook was the only role I’d even thought about. I was happy in my previous job, but the digital space is where I felt I could be able to contribute more effectively and provide a greater value to a team. I accepted the job because I wanted to move into digital, and despite having very little experience in that area, I was delighted that they were willing to take a risk!

8. What gave you the competitive edge to get the role at Spook?
I would like to say it’s about attitude – I went to the interviews and was totally honest about what I knew and didn’t and I think that I just happened to be the right fit for the team at that time. I was, and still am, enthusiastic about the way digital comms is developing and there’s a real opportunity for the work we’re doing to be the catalyst for institutional change within huge multinational companies.

It also helps if you’re intimately acquainted with Lolcats

9. What are the 3 most important skills that graduates need to be successful in PR?
I think that there are three behaviours, rather than skills that are important:

Proactivity – You’ve got to be willing to take the initiative without being prompted, and want to develop in your role as an individual and as a team member

Enthusiasm – A want to learn and become ensconced in the space is always useful. As is the willingness to speak to people you’ve never met before about something they may never have heard of.

Organisation – You’ve got to be organised in agency work, keeping track of lots of different clients can be tricky. I’m not the most organised person in Edelman Digital and Spook, so I write everything down in a big list. It helps keep track of everything!

10. What advice would give to graduates looking to get into PR?
I think there’s three things to focus on:

Do your research, and work out where the best grad schemes or Internships are, and try working in different places if you can to get a sense of how different agencies work – remember you might find after three months that you’re not enjoying it, so it’s worth experimenting with different sectors. I thought I’d be a great music PR, but I found it very formulaic so moved into consumer PR.

Don’t be afraid of asking difficult, or seemingly easy to answer questions to people who you perceive to be unaccessible. Most of the time they’ll get back to you with an answer that will be really enlightening. There’s no harm in contacting a PR over Twitter or e-mail. If they get back to you, that’s the start of a relationship right there!

A knowledge of PR isn’t essential, but an understanding of communications overall is pretty useful, and most courses teach this. Taking the seemingly traditional route into PR means that you’re going to be up against many other grads so if you can demonstrate a good level of detailed knowledge about the media in your chosen sector (knowing all the IT trade mags for example) is just as important as knowing how to draw a process diagram and analyse how effective it is.

As well as thanking Matt for taking the time to answer this Q&A, I’d also like to thank the students from all over the UK who sent me some excellent questions to put to Matt. I hope you will find this a useful post.