skip to main |
skip to sidebar
So, at this point, you're wondering if a career in communications or media might be right for you. The question you might be asking is this: "How do I know if such a career is right for me?" The answer may lie in what's called an "informational interview."
Click here to find out how to prepare for an informational interview, and how it might help your career, courtesy of About.com.
Contact the Communication Careers Corner
Feel free to comment on any and all posts at http://communication-careers-corner.blogspot.com/.
Send e-mail to communicationcareers@gmail.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/commcareer
By now, most jobseekers know the importance of using social media to get the word out about their job search or business, assuming they want to start their own company. But Linked In is perhaps the most important, if not the only tool, in building a solid network of contacts.
Following is a short list of how you can use Linked In effectively.
1. Find people to connect with: After signing up or logging in to Linked In, find people in your chosen industry that you want to connect with. This can be done by either typing in a particular name in the search box, or browsing the "People You May Know" box, usually found in the upper right hand corner. If you wish to connect with that person, simply click the "Connect" button. Then, it will ask you how you know that person. If you don't know them, click "I don't know (insert first name here)."
2. Following companies: Is there a particular company or organization you would like to work for? If so, you can use Linked In to follow that company on a daily basis if you choose. To do this, type in the name of the company or organization you want to follow, see how may followers it may have, then click the "Follow Company" button on that page. Once this is done, you'll be able to follow that company or organization on your main home page.
3. Join groups relevant to your field: Another way you can use Linked In effectively is by joining groups that are relevant to your chosen field or industry. To join a group, click "Find a group", type in the industry you prefer in the "Search" box, then click the search icon button. Under the "Search Results", there should be a certain amount of groups related to your chosen field in parentheses. If you're interested in joining that group, click the name of the group, click the "Join Group" icon, click any other options of your choice, then click either "Join Group", or "Cancel." After that, it's up to the group moderator to confirm your membership in that group.
These three tips listed above are just several of many that hopefully will help you use Linked In effectively. Do you have any other tips? Please comment at http://communication-careers-corner.blogspot.com, send a direct message to Twitter at http://twitter.com/commcareer, or send e-mail to communicationcareers@gmail.com.
It's deep into a brand New Year. But you still haven't been able to find the right job. Click here for some top tips to land that prime position you've always wanted, courtesy of primecb.com. Also, click here to find out why public relations is a job that's "worth the stress", also courtesy of primecb.com.
If age isn't an issue in not finding a job, then the real problem might not be how old you are, but rather how much experience, or lack thereof, you may have in a particular field. Click here to find out why older job seekers might be struggling more than their younger counterparts in the job hunt, courtesy of JobCircle.com.
Stuck in a job you don't really care for? Guess what, you're not alone. But by being in the right frame of mind, that "fall-back" job can be a good stepping stone for the job you want to get down the road.
Click here to find out why "fall back" jobs can turn into real job opportunities.
Communcation Careers Corner Contacts:
E-mail: communicationcareers@gmail.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/commcareer
Finding a job in the communications and/or media industries is not all fun and games. In fact, it's hard work just to find an entry level job, let alone a regular job, especially in these tough economic times. Companies hire you for what you know, as well as for your ability to do the job, either for the regular eight hour a day position many people currently hold, or for the entry-level/part-time/temporary position you may have.
There are many types of communications-related positions available: whether it's public relations, print journalism, advertising, radio and TV, marketing communications, new (digital) media, and/or related fields. The key is finding the position that not only plays to your skills, talents, and abilities, but also the career you have a passion for.
So here then, is the reality check.
1. What field are you most interested in? If you're a recent high school graduate looking to study communications in college, you need to know what field you're interested in. Do you have a passion for sales, publicizing a company or organization, or maybe being creative? If you don't know what field interests you the most, learning all of the new media in the world can only get you so far when it comes time to start the job hunt.
2. Know what classes/training you need. In addition to the core classes any freshman or sophomore has to take, there are also certain classes related to your college major that you need to take in order to earn a bachelor's degree in communications. This includes finding the right institution for pursuing that degree, depending upon what field you want to pursue.
3. Be willing to start at the bottom: No one goes straight from college, to becoming a spokesperson for IBM, for instance. Therefore, you must be willing to start at the bottom, and work your way up. If that means finding a job in the mail room, or being an administrative assistant, or taking some other not-so-glamourous job to get where you want to be, so be it. Yes, large companies like IBM have media relations contacts all over the world.
4. Don't give up: Persistence is the key when searching for that dream job. It just takes preparing correctly in college (or university, in some parts of the world), networking with the right people, and being in the right place at the right time. So, don't give up, and good luck.
Communication Careers Corner Contacts:
E-mail: communicationcareers@gmail.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/commcareer
Networking has become an important part of job searching, but what are some ways can you creatively do that? Here are at least five, in no particular order.
1. Attend job fairs in your area, or the city/town you plan to move to someday.
2. Use social media to get the word out about your job hunt.
3. Write articles on a specific topic for a newspaper, magazine, or even online publication, and get published.
4. Volunteer at a non-profit organization, for a cause your care about.
5. Go back to school, if needed.
Those are just five ways to get yourself in the running for the job you've always wanted. What are other ways you can build your network in hopes of landing the perfect position? Send those responses via e-mail at communicationcareers@gmail.com, send comments at http://communication-careers-corner.blogspot.com/, or send a direct message via Twitter at http://twitter.com/commcareer/.
