Your Career and You: "Connecting the Dots"

It occurred to me this morning as I was checking in with my Curry College PR Student Association executive board members that there is a step missing in the communication of information between those of us on the professional side of the equation and those on the hoping-to-become-professionals side.

I asked a simple question: "Does anyone plan to go to the Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Candidate Forum that's being held at Curry College on Monday?"

To put it mildly, the silence has been deafening.

Apparently no one has given even the slightest thought to...as a member of the student-run pre-professional public relations organization's leadership team...going to a FREE, once-in-a-blue-moon major public relations-driven opportunity...right there on their campus!!

Now those who have known me for more than 20 seconds know full well that I can go off in a heartbeat when it comes to taking advantage of opportunities to see and be seen...and to learn something outside the classroom.

It's all about "connecting the dots."

It's all about asking yourself and then answering the question: "If I do this, how might it help me in my ongoing efforts to learn all that there is to know about becoming a public relations professional?"

This is where the process apparently breaks down. Unless someone stands in front of you holding a ginormous poster with a message written in big block letters that clearly tells you why doing something is going to be good for you, you're not going to do it.

Will some of my "Principles of Public Relations" students be at this event? Yes...because I offered them the chance for a good grade if they attend (or watch it on our campus television channel) and write me a short paper outlining the candidates' main themes and how public opinion played a role in the candidates' responses.

My hope in doing this...and offering this bribe...is that at least one or two of them will get it...will see the huge role that public relations plays in government, in business, in everything.

And, by making this connection, they will get as excited about going into the public relations career field as I have been for the past 40-plus years first as a practitioner and now as a professor.

To repeat...it's all about "connecting the dots."

"The people may be made to follow a path of action, but they may not be made to understand it."
Confucius, "The Confucius Analects," bk. 8:9

Your Career and You: "Time's Up...Where Were You?"

I love it when the topic for my next post is waiting in my email inbox when I log on in the morning! Ok...here we go...

Most folks know that, in my "previous life," I was a public relations professional. Still am, but now I teach it rather than practice it.

One thing that was etched into my mind as I was working my way up the ranks was the absolute necessity of setting, as well as meeting, deadlines.

Was I perfect in observing either? No. Did I suffer gigantic pangs of remorse when I missed a deadline? You better believe it. Still do.

But one thing I'm noticing more and more, particularly with students, is their apparent belief that a deadline is merely a target to come close to, not meet.

To wit...email awaiting me this morning: "I know the paper was due last Friday and I didn't have a chance to tell you in class that I hadn't done the work...but I can hand it to you on Monday [three days later]...I really don't want to start out the semester with an 'F'."

Hmmm.........

Another example: A former student (five years ago) suddenly pops up with a flurry of emails to every address he can find that I've ever owned with an "urgent" request for a recommendation so that he can apply for a program. He even called me at home. He was told that I was out at a meeting and to call back later...to which he responded, "I can't do that; I'm going to be out."

So, the way I understand your request, former student, is that you've waited until the absolute last minute, have never communicated with me since you graduated five years ago, and are now in a panic because you need this recommendation tomorrow morning and are just now getting around to asking?

To quote the estimable Dr. Phil: "Good luck with that!"

Maybe I'm shouting into the wind. Maybe I'm old-school. Maybe...

But the fact of the matter is, businesses survive by setting and meeting deadlines...for products, for services, for customer...and media... response. If you can't meet my needs in a timely fashion, I'll find another supplier who can and will.

I doubt that my little hissy-fit here is going to do any good...although I can guarantee you that my Communication classes at Curry College are going to get a double-barreled earful come Monday morning!

But I've gotten it off my tray of things that send me straight up the proverbial wall and passed it along to you for consideration.

You're looking for a job? Or a recommendation? Or just a good grade in our class?

The assignment was due yesterday...Time's up. Where were you?!?

"Better three hours too soon than a minute too late."
William Shakespeare, "The Merry Wives of Windsor" [III, ii, 332]

Your Career and You: "Speak Your Thoughts... Others Will Hear You"

Today has been one of those really cool days when I've come to realize that the things that I've been writing about in this blog are valid and meaningful.

First, the Boston Globe had an article in the "Money and Careers" section entitled "For the ambitious, entry-level jobs are far from a dead end." The advice, as provided by Globe staffer Katie Johnston Chase, was dead-center what I wrote about back in June.

Then, I received a tweet from Valerie Simon at BurrellesLuce about a blog ("Culpwrit") written by Ron Culp, a Ketchum PR exec who has some very keen insights into the quagmire known as "careers and job searching." Ron has provided some great observations on the importance of "passion," a topic I examined in August.

I can hear you asking: "So what? What does this have to do with my situation?"

Well, for one thing, it should reassure you that you're not in this all by yourself. If people are offering advice in national publications and on global social media platforms, there's a reason...and that reason is that others, just like you, are asking for advice and guidance.

Another more to-the-point reason is that Ron and I, and countless others, are writing blogs, articles, memos...you name it...putting in words our experiences and our opinions in the hope that we will offer some tidbit of advice that will help you.

I can't tell you how many times one of my students at Curry College or at Regis College has come to me asking for advice on how to better position him- or herself to stand out among the hordes of similar job seekers trying to get a toe in the door of a PR firm or in the PR department of a company or nonprofit organization.

Guess what? You've all taken the same courses....often studying the same texts! You've all done two or three (or more) internships. You've all excelled in your studies. And you've all been involved in a gazillion on- and off-campus activities to help flesh out your knowledge and experience.

So what's left? Well, here's a suggestion. Put your thoughts...your experiences...your observations...down in written form.

Blogging is one obvious way. Writing for your college newspaper or some other publication is another. Even updates on Facebook or Twitter...something besides the fact that you partied way too well last night and are paying the price today...can be valid. If you read (you do read, don't you?!?) something that catches your attention, post a link and a comment on Facebook. Or fire off a Tweet.

Why? Because professionals like Ron, Valerie, me and countless hundreds of others pay attention. You apply for a job; I'm going to pop your name into Google to see what bubbles up.

What would you rather have me see? Your most recent blog about your very cool trip, describing the scenery, the ambience, the excitement of visiting and learning about a new location/culture? Or a photo on Facebook of you getting up-close-and-personal with a trashcan after a party???

Read other people's blogs, and get a sense of how they're expressing themselves. Then think about it and decide what topic you might like to write about. Sports? Cooking? Travel? Art? It doesn't matter. Just put your thoughts down...demonstrate interest.

Set yourself a schedule. I do this blog weekly simply because I seem to encounter enough people and situations to always have at least one topic to sound off on weekly. Just try to be regular about it... demonstrate consistency.

And, finally, keep at it. Don't do one or two and stop, telling yourself, "Ok, I did what Kirk told me to do." Demonstrate dependability.

See what you've accomplished? In addition to having now established a written "picture" of you, the individual, you now have answered three of my top questions as a hiring manager!

So now you're a couple of notches up on the job search chain. Your resume looks good because of all the cool things you've accomplished. And now you and I have had a virtual mini-interview thanks to your having written your blog or whatever published form you choose. I've "heard" you!!

"'Do not worry. You have always written before and you will write now. All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence you know.' So finally I would write one true sentence, and then go on from there."
Ernest Hemingway, "A Moveable Feast" [1964]

Your Career and You..."What Will YOUR Legacy Be?"

We had a special orientation last week for first-year Communication majors and COM majors who have transferred to Curry College from elsewhere. Members of the Curry College PR Student Association executive board were conveniently on hand in case someone had an interest in Public Relations as a concentration.

Nearly 70 young men and women had a chance to meet Communication Department faculty members and learn about the many opportunities that are available to them while at Curry and in the future.

The program wrapped up with this question: "What will be your legacy when your time is up here at Curry College?"

I suspect that most of the young men and women in the audience were stunned to have been asked this. After all, they haven't even really figured out where the bathrooms are in the academic buildings yet!

That's a pretty heavy thing to think about when you're just getting a foothold on what it is you want to be doing for the rest of your life. But it's a fair question to ask: "When all is said and done, what will you have accomplished for which you will be remembered?"

I rarely bring personal personal stuff into these conversations, but I think I can offer an example from my own life that can help you get a sense of what "legacy" is all about.

My stepfather, Judge William Malcolm Towson (ret.), is, to me, the personification of a "good" man. "Bill," as I have presumptuously called him from Day One, is a genuinely kind, caring, giving human being. And he does it without fanfare, expecting nothing in return and always willing to do more.

He has stuck by me and endured my shenanigans through the good times and the not-so-good. And he has firmly established himself in my mind as a role model...someone who I would very much like to resemble when I grow up.

That, to me, is what a legacy is all about...setting an example and living your life in such a way that others say "That is a good person. I want to be like him(her)."

So let's bring this back to you and your own legacy.

First off, don't obsess about this. A legacy isn't a commodity to be bought and sold. It's a natural occurrence that will come over time as you "find yourself" and learn what it is that makes you feel good to do.

But you have to be comfortable with who you are and what you represent. And that's what life is all about. It is, to use one of the old banalities, a "voyage of discovery" during which you will encounter challenges, opportunities, disappointments, and moments of absolute, unbounded joy.

Use all these experiences to shape your persona and begin making your mark. And in the end, when all is said and done, when you've seen all there is to see and done all there is to do, you will have left a "legacy."

People...friends as well as those who you've never met...will say "Yeah, I knew XYZ. He(she) really made a difference because of [fill in the blank]."

Your legacy will define who you are, what you did and believed in, and how you traveled through this world. It will be the real you.

"'If I should die,' I said to myself, 'I have left no immortal work behind me - nothing to make my friends proud of my memory - but I have lov'd the principle of beauty in all things, and if I had had time, I would have made myself remember'd.'" John Keats, "To Fanny Brawne" [c. February 1820]

Your Career and You..."Be All You Can Be...and More!"

...with a nod to the US Army Recruiting Command for whom I worked for a few years.

Once again, young up-and-coming professionals with whom I have had the honor and pleasure of studying are amazing me with their ambition, their abilities, and their determination to succeed. Here are a couple of examples.

I heard recently from a former student now working at a university in Texas. We chat occasionally on Facebook, and she updated me on her plans for the future, which include graduate school. She wants to remain in higher education and...get this...her goal is to eventually become Dean of Students at a college or university!

How cool is that? She has found her place...working with college students. She knows what she ultimately wants to be...Dean. And she knows how to get there...continued studies and hard work.

I have absolutely no doubt that Catie will reach this target, and I plan to be around to celebrate the occasion!!

Yet another friend, starting her senior year now at Curry College, never ceases to amaze me with her abilities as a communicator. When I first met her, I wasn't sure which way she wanted to go as a Communication major. But she ultimately focused on Public Relations, and she has surpassed my wildest dreams as a budding professional.

Three internships under her belt as of this fall, stellar grades from the beginning, active involvement in the Curry College Public Relations Student Association...you name it, she either has done it or will do it as part of her professional development.

Where will she go from here? Who knows? But I can guarantee you that wherever Donna goes she will blow them away. How can I say this? Here's an excerpt from a speech she gave today to the incoming freshman class at Curry College about her evolution: "I am a stronger and more motivated person than I thought I was during my first few weeks in college."

I could go on forever, but the lesson here is that you can do just about anything you set your mind to. Your own inherent abilities, skills, interests, desires and passion will guide you along the way.

And, at the right time...in the right place, you will find that you are capable of exceeding your expectations...that you truly can "be all you can be"...and more.

"I want, by understanding myself, to understand others. I want to be all that I am capable of becoming...This all sounds very strenuous and serious. But now that I have wrestled with it, it's no longer. I feel happy -- deep down. All is well."
Katherine Mansfield, "Journal" [1922], last entry

Your Career and You..."Always Have a Plan"

I had lunch today with one of my PR superstars from my adjunct teaching days. I've tracked her progress from the day she graduated and never cease to be amazed at what can be accomplished with a little determination and a lot of planning.

Amanda has been been working at a Boston-area PR firm since graduation and, from my observations over lunches and occasional conversations, is doing very well. Maybe not rising through the ranks as quickly as she would like, but she has racked up a pretty impressive track record there.

What I particularly like about our conversations is my awareness that she's always thinking ahead...not wondering so much "what's next?"; more like "will this path that I'm considering get me where I want to go and does it make sense?"

I don't think it can be said frequently or loudly enough: "Have a plan!"

I am constantly prodding my students at Curry College, particularly those who are concentrating in Public Relations, to do some self-analysis and figure out, at least in general, where they would like to be in 10 or 15 years.

I know that seems like a lifetime for most of these young people. But Amanda has now been out for five years, and the days/weeks/months have flown by like (to use an old southernism) "greased lightning."

Amanda has a plan. Right now, it's pretty general and very long-range. But she has a sense of where she wants to be years from now. And she has an equal sense of what she needs to know, do, and learn to stay on track for that goal. And she is very good about testing ideas on others, to get feedback and guidance.

She's very carefully assembling all the blocks to build that future, and I am thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to watch from the sidelines as she progresses.

The nice thing about this sort of "pre-planning" is that you are able to set standards that you know you have to meet to move on to the next step...you know what you need to do or where you need to be next to keep moving.

I just wish I had been that organized and focused when I was her age! Engineering to English to Business Management to Public Relations. Oh yeah, great planning!

These young, future professionals are graduating into a world of intense competition where their peers, armed with college degrees with stratospheric grade-point levels and multiple internships, are vying ferociously for a scarce resource at this particular point in time...an entry-level job.

But that's only a starting point. While it's nice to have an actual salary that allows you to start trimming your college loan burden and eat something besides mac-'n-cheese, you need also to be looking over the horizon...to the future.

Amanda's in the healthcare space where tangible credentials are valued, so she's now focused on a doctorate in some area of healthcare... already has her master's, so she's two steps ahead of a lot of her competition. But she has identified this higher degree as the differentiator.

She also thinks that she would like to teach at some point in the future, so this doctorate will kill the proverbial two birds with one stone... credibility and eligibility.

Is she the only bright star in the sky? Happily, no. But she certainly sets an example for others.

She does this by a wholehearted commitment to her current professional requirements, all the while weighing experiences and opportunities to make sure that what she's doing fits into the plan.

"We never know how high we are
Till we are called to rise
And then, if we are true to plan
Our statures touch the skies."
Emily Dickinson [c. 1870]

Your Career and You..."Passion" Is Key

Earlier this year, I wrote about one of my favorite topics, "Passion."

Not the steamy Victorian heaving bosoms and sweaty brows type of passion.

This was the "I love what I do for a living and can't think of anything else in the world I would rather be doing" kind.

The kind that, sadly, seems to be vanishing from the workplace with all sorts of not-so-good results. The kind that I shout about daily from the podium to my Communication major students at Curry College.

There are, of course, two sides to the "Where's passion?" story. One is that of the manager who seems to have forgotten what the most crucial piece of a successful business really is...the employee.

The other is that of the employee who more and more is looking at his or her place of employment as a "job."

I was delighted to read a Harvard Business Review post by John Hagel III and John Seely Brown entitled "Six Fundamental Shifts in the Way We Work" this morning that speaks to just this issue (among others).

Hagel and Brown list as their sixth change that of "Passion is everything." Here are two excerpted statements that, for me, sum up the whole thing: "Passion is when people discover the work that motivates them to achieve their potential by seeking extreme performance improvement...If you can help make your employees more passionate, you can create value in today's economy."

So what does this mean for you as the job seeker? It means two things.

First, identify and zero in on the type of business that really gets you excited. You do this through various types of experience...internships, summer jobs, informational interviews, networking.

The second step is a little trickier...when you go on actual job interviews, try to assess the passion that your potential boss and others in the organization have for what they're doing. Look for the fire that tells you they wouldn't want to be any other place than where they are.

I once had an informational interview with the CEO of a major PR firm in Boston. She was so excited about what she and her employees were doing that she had to show me everything. And when I talked with various staffers, I saw the same enthusiasm. When I left the firm...an hour later than intended...I was hooked! Even though I wasn't looking for a job, I wanted to work there!

Is this a fool-proof plan, though? Nope. I often regale my PR concentration students with the story of an actual job interview that I went on.

Met with the guy to whom I would be reporting and was impressed with his seeming enthusiasm for what he was doing and his vision of how we would work as a team.

Didn't meet any other members of the organization. Hmmm.

Long and short stories? Potentially great opportunity. And the working relationship from Hell.

As I've also said in a previous post, "Stuff happens." You learn from it.

To circle back and close out this conversation, though, it's all about passion...yours and theirs.

Learn as much about yourself as possible...likes, dislikes, wants, needs, dreams, and nightmares.

Then learn as much about the area that holds the greatest amount of interest for you...the people, the expectations, the rewards, and the punishments.

Finally, look for the passion.

"We may affirm absolutely that nothing great in the world has been accomplished without passion."
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, "Philosophy of History" [1832]