2
Guest Post: Surviving a Dull Economy

November 25, 2008, Kelli Matthews

This guest post is from Anthony Cain (’06), currently an account executive at Staccato Design in Portland, Oregon. He posted this as a Facebook note and has graciously agreed to let me share it with you here. Want to connect with Anthony? You can find him on Facebook or via email at: anthony(at)staccatodesign.com

After hearing countless tales of unemployment woes and an overall industry hiring freeze, that I feel it is important to reach out to those who may be losing hope of finding that golden job.

Those of us who are lucky enough to be employed during these slow financial times want you to know it hasn’t always come easy. Most of us have had jobs and left jobs, but overall, we have all had to keep motivated and keep believing in our chances of finding that perfect fit. Its all in how you market yourself. Since most of you are graduates of the University of Oregon, you should know- the industry wants you! I have found that a degree from the UO, especially in Business or Journalism, will get you far.

Just keep submitting those resumes. Keep leveraging those contacts, both students and faculty alike. Set up informational meetings. Take an executive to coffee. Believe me, it’s all we drink!

Finally, never give up! You should always be networking! I will list a few helpful organizations that could potentially assist you in finding that great job. I will also tag a few industry ‘insiders’ that may have some helpful insight.

www.prsa.org
www.marketingpower.com
www.aiga.org

Good luck!

Related Posts with Thumbnails
Kelli Matthews
  • Diane Gaines

    Thanks to the recent economic downturn, I’ve spent the past three months searching for a new job. I’m finally (happily) employed, and also have a few tips:

    1. Think outside your professional job title box. Instead of just searching Monster.com or others for “public relations,” try “marketing,” “public affairs,” “communications,” etc. Even though your degree emphasis might be public relations, you really are qualified to do more than just work in an agency.

    2. Don’t be afraid to apply for jobs asking for experience beyond your years. An employer may be willing to trade some valuable internship experience or social media savvy for 3-5 yrs. of professional experience.

    3. Write and rewrite your cover letter. Don’t spam the industry with ho-hum generic letters. Take the time to tailor each cover letter to the specific job you’re applying for. Believe me, the job market is competitive right now and if you don’t make the effort someone else will.

    4. Finally, remember that looking for a job IS a job. I spent 2-4 hours Mon-Fri for nearly three months searching every job Web site known to man before I found my current employer. It can get frustrating, depressing and overwhelming, but in the end it’s simply what you gotta do if want to find a job in the PR/Marketing/Comm. industry. GOOD LUCK!!

  • Kelli Matthews

    Diane, first of all congrats!! And thank you for these tips. These are perfect.