While we all know the common rules that apply to job interviews (hopefully), like wear a suit, be prepared with copies of your resume and perhaps, most importantly, BE ON TIME – there are a few things practicing PR professionals or those pursuing careers in PR should know NEVER to say.
As public relations professionals it is our job to be creative and to stand out amidst a sea of similar faces, places and products to present what makes our clients special and worthy of media coverage. So why wouldn’t we look at potential employees in the same manner?
So here’s what we DON’T want to hear during an interview when asked the following:
- Why do you want to work in public relations? “I like to talk to people.”
Yes, while this is an important aspect of public relations (after all, what good would an anti-social PR person be?), it should not be the sole reason you want to get into public relations – there has to be something more … substantial.
- What is PR to you? “Relating to the public” or “Creating positive relations between a business and its clients.”
We work in PR; we don’t need a textbook definition of what we do every day, thank you very much. However, we would like for you to demonstrate that you actually know how to do the job, or rather, explain what tools we use in order to “create positive relations between a business and its clients.”
- What aspect of PR do you like most? “I like planning and going to parties.”
Then become a party planner. Despite what pop-culture depicts, public relations is not all about parties and events – it’s an office job.
- What kind of clients do you like to work with? “Well, I don’t like…”
We didn’t ask what you don’t like, but while we’re on the topic – don’t highlight what you hate! Especially if what you hate happens to be an industry many of our clients belong to.
- What attracts you to a career in public relations? (I know – this is very similar to item #1 on our list, but we’ve actually gotten this answer more than once) “I want to be like Samantha from Sex and the City.”
I don’t really think this needs any explanation.
Yes, we at J. Walcher Communications are the people who will let a restaurant know when a word is misspelled on the menu. We will exclaim in horror at random apostrophes (used for no reason!!!). And we cannot stand a person using the wrong “their” or “they’re.” We are beholden to the AP Stylebook and have a deep affection for spell check (although we cannot understand why it refuses to recognize the term “triathlete”).
So when Judgment Day (May 21, 2011) arrived, The Huffington Post contacted us — not to discuss the end of the world, but why our spelling shouldn’t go to hell in the process (see last two paragraphs):
Rapture 2011: Apocalypse Now… No, Now! (LIVE BLOG) – Huffington Post
by David Moye, Posted on May 21, 2011
Today’s rapture is supposed to herald the coming of Judgment Day.
Passing judgment is supposed to be God’s job, but a lot of word experts, spelling sticklers and — though they hate the term “grammar Nazis” — are passing judgment on the millions of internet postings that are adding an extra “e” between the “g” and “m” in “judgment.”
Seriously, do a Google search. We can wait….
OK, see what I mean?
Although the Good Book says, “Judge not, lest ye be judged,” surely, that didn’t refer to incorrect spelling, right?
Steven Murray, who is the Communications Director at the First Baptist Church in Houston, is praying that’s not the case.
“I try to express grace more than judgment, but spelling it with the extra ‘e’ is a pet peeve of mine,” Murray said. “It’s right up there with people who use the term ‘irregardless.’”
Murray personally cringes when he sees judgment spelled “judgement,” but suspects that the correct spelling is a casualty of a world where Twitter and Facebook influence people to “let spelling slide in the interest of speed.”
Although the Lord works in strange and mysterious ways, he’s not sure if the spelling of “judgment” without the “e” between the “g” and the “m” is his doing.
“It’s more one of the mysterious ways of the people who founded the English language,” he said.
But San Diego-based copy editor Phyllis de Blanche is a little more merciful to those who dare besmirch the proper spelling of “judgment.”
“There are two accepted spellings,” she insisted. “Although that extra ‘e’ is not standard, it is acceptable. I think the reason it’s the standard with journalists is because Associated Press prefers to use the shorter version. For instance, they allow ‘OK’ to be spelled with just two capital letters instead of ‘o-k-a-y.’”
Meanwhile, Los Angeles-based copy editor Karen Spiegelman has strong words for people who add that extra “e.”
“Spelling it that way makes it easier to make fun of you,” she said. “Seriously, it’s not big a deal, but if you, like some people, try and justify after the fact by pointing out the alternate spelling, you just look silly.
“However, being able to spell ‘judgment’ correctly is like a secret handshake.”
To be fair, “judgment” is spelled with the offending “e” in England — except when referring to a legal judgment. But like many things that are different in the United Kingdom than the United States — such as warm beer — this distinction is illogical to editors like Jill Kuraitis in Boise, Idaho.
“It drives me crazy!” she said. “Yeah, there are English variations, but this one makes no sense. It jumps off the page when I see it spelled with that ‘e.’ It’s one of the words on my 50 most annoying word screw-ups list.
“However, it’s not as bad as when people screw up the difference between ‘less’ and ‘fewer.’”
If the judgment day scheduled for Saturday fails to pass, Kuraitis thinks her fellow word nerds should band together to make sure that people start spelling ‘judgment’ correctly by the next scheduled apocalypse on December 21, 2012.
“We could probably get Bill Gates to fund us,” she said.
Passing judgment over the spelling of a word sounds a little extreme, but manuscript editor Stephanie Thompson sees it differently.
“To me, correct spelling is the difference between taking a story seriously or not at all,” she said. “If you can’t figure out the spelling of a word, what else might be wrong in the story?”
As for the final word on this issue, Public Relations executive Sandra Fong Young, who frequently blogs about AP style and word usage, looks to a higher power.
“Just now, I checked the King James Bible and judgment is spelled without the ‘e’ there,” she said.
Luckily, we now all have until 2012 to work on our spelling.
Top Take-Aways from PRSA Counselor’s Academy Conference, May, 2011, Las Vegas
While conferences are designed to teach us new things, they also remind us of what we’re not, but should, be doing. Here are my best take-aways:
1. Do one less old thing you already know a client doesn’t care about – and one new thing you know they do
2. Watch your staff time! For instance, if an SAE is doing AAE tasks, he/she’s working at the wrong level for efficiency – and income! Also, not all staff needs to be at all meetings, nor does every meeting require composing time-intensive reports.
3. “Find out what they want, how they want it – and give it to ‘em just that way!” (that’s a line from a famous musical which I found out some PRSA Counselor Academy members love but some hate – musicals, that is). This is applicable to client communication too. What’s their favorite style of communicating? E-mail, phone, meetings? Do they need prose in reports, or will bullets suffice? Are they formal or casual? What should you know about a hobby, a family, their non-profit involvements? Clients are people, too!
4. Become specialists in specific industries, professions. Doesn’t mean you can’t serve others.
5. Grow your current clients vs. hunting for new ones. Organic is in.
6. Immerse yourselves in your clients’ industries and issues. It’ll help broaden and deepen your services, and be educational as well.
7. Mandate and budget time for creative ideas – you know, the ones your clients didn’t necessarily ask for …
8. Potential clients: can you proudly include them on your roster? Do they fit your specialties? Value PR? Have any money? Develop a process for evaluating new business.
Props go to Roger M. Friedensen, @rogerfriedensen; Ken Jacobs, @kensviews; Bret Werner, @bret_werner; Kelly Womer, @linhartpr; Michael Lasky
We’re looking for our next incredible intern. If you think you’ve got what it takes, send us your resume, cover letter and writing samples.
Job description and requirements below:
J. Walcher Communications is seeking a creative and enthusiastic individual to work part-time as public relations intern (minimum 16 hours per week).
J. Walcher Communications is a boutique agency specializing in local, regional and national public relations, and strategic communication campaigns. Working in a wide range of industries including real estate, consumer products, professional services, health and fitness, nonprofit and association, sports/entertainment, hospitality, and more, we help our clients build their businesses with smart and effective campaigns that set them apart from the competition.
Scope of Work
The J. Walcher Communications intern will be involved in all aspects of the agency including media relations and research, writing, event coordination, and client and product research for a variety of businesses. He/She will gain a practical understanding of the public relations industry as well as how to develop the tools necessary to compete and excel in this exciting and growing field.
Specific responsibilities include research, database management, maintaining media lists and client clip files, writing, proofreading, preparing presentation materials, as well as administrative support which includes phones, faxing/scanning, word processing, filing, copying and mail distribution.
Requirements
* A college junior or senior majoring in journalism, public relations or communications or related discipline
* Strong oral and written communication skills
* Minimum 3.0 GPA
* Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, internet and database experience necessary. Adobe Photoshop and media database knowledge a plus.
* Social media knowledge required
*Internship begins A.S.A.P.
*For College Credit Only
*Flexible Hours
Interested candidates should send cover letter, résumé and writing samples to:
Email: jacqueline@jwalcher.com
Visit us at www.jwalcher.com
As the public relations agency for the Lung Cancer Alliance’s San Diego Breath of Hope Lung Cancer 5K Walk, we thought it would be a good idea for us talk the talk and walk the walk for what we were promoting. Please join us on Sunday, May 1 to support the Lung Cancer Alliance Walk — grown-ups and kids welcome. Your walk contribution of $30 (kids $15) is greatly appreciated and includes a free ticket to the June 4 Padre game. We are equally thankful for general contributions to this great cause.
Facts:
- Lung cancer is commonly misperceived as a “smokers’ disease,” but more than 75 percent of all diagnosed cases occur in people who have never smoked or people who have quit smoking.
- Every year, lung cancer also kills nearly twice as many women as breast cancer and three times as many men as prostate cancer. However, lung cancer receives the lowest amount of research dollars compared to any other major cancer.
To register for our team or donate, please visit:
http://budurl.com/jwcbreathofhope
Full press release:
Third Annual San Diego Breath of Hope Lung Cancer Walk Set for May 1
Walk Benefits Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) for Leading Cause of Cancer Death in Nation
SAN DIEGO – For La Jolla resident Mike Stevens, it began with a cough. At 43 years of age, he was a healthy non-smoker with a wife and two kids – he never thought he’d have lung cancer. Over a dozen rounds of chemo therapy and six years later, Stevens is one of the three to five percent of people that survive stage 4 lung cancer.
In 2009, Stevens and three other San Diegan lung cancer survivors started the San Diego Breath of Hope Cancer Walk. This year, the event will be held on Sunday, May 1 in association with Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA), the only national nonprofit organization that provides support and advocacy for the lung cancer community. All proceeds will benefit LCA.
“Most people do not know that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the nation and in California, taking more lives than breast, colon, prostrate and pancreatic cancers combined,” said Stevens, who is also the co-chair of Lung Cancer Alliance-California. “Our goal is to raise awareness about lung cancer throughout San Diego County and increase early diagnosis and research funding for this deadliest of cancers.”Pre-registration online is $30; on-site registration is $35. Children 12 years old and under are $15. All participants will receive a t-shirt and ticket to the June 4 Padres game. For more information about the San Diego Breath of Hope Lung Cancer Walk or to register, please visit http://www.sandiegobreathofhope.org. For more information about Lung Cancer Alliance, please visit http:// www.lungcanceralliance.org.
The LCA’s San Diego Breath of Hope Lung Cancer Walk, emceed by NBC 7/39’s Whitney Southwick, is a 5K walk that brings together lung cancer survivors, patients, families and friends, among many others. It will be held at Cancer Survivors Park on Harbor Island (4100 North Harbor Drive, San Diego). Registration and expo begin at 7:30 a.m., and the walk starts at 9 a.m.
The walk aims to raise the public’s awareness regarding lung cancer and more specifically address the common myths surrounding the disease. Lung cancer is commonly misperceived as a “smokers’ disease,” but more than 75 percent of all diagnosed cases occur in people who have never smoked or people who have quit smoking. Every year, lung cancer also kills nearly twice as many women as breast cancer and three times as many men as prostate cancer. However, lung cancer receives the lowest amount of research dollars compared to any other major cancer.
The LCA’s San Diego Breath of Hope Lung Cancer Walk is possible because of
the generous support of numerous sponsors. To date, Torchbearer Sponsorship is being provided by NBC 7/39 and Innovator Sponsors include UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center and Genentech/(osi) pharmaceuticals. In-kind sponsors include EDCO, Bare Escentuals, La Jolla Printing & Imaging, Palomar Mountain Premium Spring Water and Whole Foods. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Emily Eyres at 202-742-1424.
About Lung Cancer Alliance
Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) is the only national nonprofit organization dedicated solely to providing support and advocacy for people living with or at risk for the disease. LCA’s mission is to lead the movement to reverse decades of stigma and neglect by empowering patients, elevating awareness and changing health policy. Fifty percent of LCA’s work is patient support, with the remaining 50 percent focusing on advocacy and awareness.
Participation and support of LCA’s San Diego Breath of Hope Lung Cancer Walk allows LCA to continue directly helping patients, survivors and their families each and every day, while raising awareness and advocating for change that is now leveraging multiple millions in public health dollars for lung cancer research and early detection.
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