Here is a list of five questions to help determine if PR is a fit for you:

• Are you able to think on your feet?  From media phone calls and press conferences, to brainstorm meetings and client interaction, PR pros must always be prepared with an articulate answer (even if it is “let me find out and get right back to you”).
• Are you a good writer? Yes, PR involves more than speaking. Written communication skills are essential.  Every email, blog, press release, tweet, etc. is expected to be flawless.
• Are you tenacious? To secure top media coverage, you must not be afraid to pick up the phone and quickly communicate your client’s story to someone you have never met and may not even want to speak with you. A good public relations pro usually sees this as a challenge to be met.
• Are you creative and strategic? These go hand-in-hand in PR campaigns.  The ideas are only as good as the execution and results.
• Are you in-the-know?  From social scenes and business openings, to new technology and world news, it is great to have a pulse on happenings and always be looking for exposure opportunities.

This list is in no way considered conclusive, but these are just a few characteristics that most successful PR pros possess.  And if a career is a good fit, then I believe you’ll enjoy what you do so much more. Think you’ve got what it takes and answered yes to the questions above? We are looking for interns, so blow us away by sending your cover letter and resume to resume@boltpr.com.

What awaits them on the other side is the search to prove self worth within a work force that has seen drastic drops in employment. Nevertheless, even in this economic turmoil, work force productivity is increasing. So the question is, how is productivity developed by employees?

Productivity, as defined by the US Department of Labor, is the relationship between real output and the labor time involved in its production. Milwaukee Public Radio notes that people actually work harder during economic challenges due to employees feeling a sense of purpose and believing their hard work can help their employer stay afloat.  In 2009, labor productivity increased at 6.6% the annual rate, the largest increase since 2003; however, as a direct result, labor unit costs plummeted by 5.9%, proving the theory that tough times equal tough competition.

So how do you enhance personal productivity? Below I’ve listed my recommended best practices:

• Become engaged: Engaged employees are passionate about the workplace, going above and beyond to help the business succeed.
• Think outside the box: Show your value and separate yourself from your peers. Companies thirst for new ideas.
• Log hours: Note the amount of time spent on each project. This is a simple way to track productivity.
• Ask for feedback: You do not have to wait for quarterly or annual reviews to be given for constructive criticism. Feedback is useful in stopping quick-forming bad habits, as well as indicating a proactive approach to career performance.

It has been said that history has a tendency to repeat itself. There was the Depression and now this economic recession. Yet, perhaps the reason Generation Y has taken longer to enter the workforce is because they are the ones destined to save it.

By: Jesse Garner, jesse (at) boltpr (dot) com

Many businesses hire college grads as Twinterns because they believe younger generations are the most familiar with social media. This might be true, but most college students have only used social media for personal reasons, not for business. Gini Dietrich, a Chicago PR manager, said it best when she spoke to bigmoney.com about this issue, “You’re putting your brand and reputation in the hands of someone who has no experience.” The main problem with Pizza Hut’s approach is that it’s allowing a Twintern to speak for its brand, but it’s not monitoring her posts. This is a PR nightmare waiting to happen.

 London home-furnishing retailer Habitat provides a good example of what can happen when Twintern’s post are unmonitored. Habitat has recently been battling an onslaught of bad press after its Twintern included ‘hashtags’ containing popular search terms for the protests in Iran in the company’s tweets. This means that when people on Twitter searched for information on the protests, Habitat’s ads showed up instead. Yes tweets can be deleted, but in a medium that operates in real time, there is no telling how many people will see (and retweet) a tweet before it is deleted. The damage can be done the minute the tweet is posted.

Don’t get me wrong, social media is a fantastic way to connect to consumers and other business professionals, as long as it is managed correctly. Starbucks recently hired one of their baristas to act as the voice for its Twitter account. I like this approach for many reasons.

·         Maintains a consistent voice for the Twitter account (not changing every three months when new interns take over)

·         Ensures better brand representation by utilizing someone who has been trusted to be the face of the brand in the past and by someone who truly understands the brand

·         Leverages the barista’s understanding of  customers’ wants/expectations because he or she has experience interacting with them on a daily basis

·         Utilizes the barista’s experience dealing with consumer complaints because he or she has been trained how to respond appropriately

·         Frees up executives

What do you think about the Twintern craze? Follow Bolt on Twitter @boltbuzz108. But be forewarned, you

won’t find any Twinterns there.

By: Ashley Margo, ashley@boltpr.com

An article published by CNNMoney.com on February 14 (http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/14/pf/unconventional_job_searches/index.htm?postversion=2009011413), explored this question further and identified individuals exploring the good and the bad side of standing out from competing job searchers.

Most experts, including NextWork, agree that attending networking events is still the best approach in proactively searching for a job. Experts also note to expand upon face-to-face networking and to incorporate the wonderful world of online socializing by utilizing such sites as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn (see we keep gabbing about these outlets because they truly are the great wave of the future!). A couple of years ago these tactics were not so widely used, but now many individuals use these approaches and job searchers still need to take their approach a step further and try something unique.

A Web developer profiled in the article distributed an email to his family and friends with his job search objective and resume. He asked all of them to pass the information along to any appropriate contacts and even offered a $150 incentive to anyone who led him to a job opening. Utilizing friends and family can really help you gain the support you need during a job search and is a great approach.

Another tactic discussed in the article was one practiced by a private duty registered nurse and a marketing manager, who both wore printed t-shirts with their Web site, contact information, resume and cover letter. This is a very easy approach that can lead to discussions with strangers that may have a tip to get you in the right direction.

On the flip side, the article noted that while creativity is appreciated, 52% of marketing executives and 26% of advertising executives see unconventional job-hunting methods as unprofessional. One example that was mentioned was an individual who mailed a shoe, noting that the candidate was hoping to get a foot in the door.

The rule of thumb is to absolutely explore your creative side, but to be mindful of what is appropriate for your given industry. For more tips on job searching methods, call NextWork at (760) 420-8444 or visit www.nextworkservices.com.

Posted by: Monica Kenney, monica@boltpr.com