Ensure your cover letter stands out in the PR world

Photo from Careerealism

When it comes to writing cover letters, some processes simply come easier than others. It is painless to write an amazing cover letter for a company you are passionate about. However, what happens when you know little about a company but are eager for the relevant experience? It becomes a little more difficult. Whatever the case, cover letters allow you to stand out and get your resume to the top of the hiring agent's desk. That is why it is essential to put your best foot forward in the process and follow the succeeding tips from The Hoohirewire:

• Structure and communicative skills are important, however, content is critical.
• Do research on the company beforehand. Address the letter to a specific person, find out about their clients, investigate their industry, and discuss at least one of their goals. 
• Read a recent post and find out the tone of the company, so you know whether to concoct a professional vs a creative cover letter.
• Devise an argument in which the hiring agent sees the addition of you to their team as the answer to one of their problems. Are they searching for someone with Sports PR experience or do they need someone with a knack for Twitter? Find this information out and put yourself out there. 
• Next, explain a specific strategy or plan you would follow to solve their current problem. Use specific numbers or percentages. Also, explain why you chose PR in relevancy of this job and be enthusiastic about your future at their company.
• Finally, make sure there are no grammatical errors and that it is less than one page in length. Personalize it somehow to make it really stand out.

Ultimately, your cover letter is the best way to get your foot in the door at a particular company. Be sure to make it personal, relevant, and catchy. 

The Communication Revolution

Photo taken from here

Although I am studying abroad this semester, I am taking two Communication classes which I am very excited for. I have found Communication Revolution to be particularly intriguing simply because I am taking it abroad. This is due to the fact that many of the students in my class live all over the world, including places like Italy, America, Japan, and Mexico. It is interesting to hear everyone's differing thoughts and feelings on the revolution of communication. It is often hard for us to all come to a conclusion, but one thing last class we were all able to agree on is the importance of social media in the business world.

This consensus drew my attention to a particular  Fox News article regarding a New York City restaurant owner, Sean Connolly, who was able to open three successful restaurants despite the struggling economy. He claims to have "majored in babes and minored in booze", yet is adamant that, "social media is as much a part of the job as anything else, and you'd be a fool to ignore it or fight it". 

Resources such as Yelp and Angie's List have always been seen as reliable sources of restaurant and venue reviews. However, recently even these sites have been accused of false reviews compiled by restaurant owners to make their establishment appear flawless.  

Connolly is aware of the impact Twitter can have from a particular instance in which Kanye West tweeted about Eatery's brunch, causing the establishment to go viral. However, he sees greater importance in outlets such as singleplatform.com, where Connolly is able to send specials and menu changes to them. They then update his social media platforms automatically while sending the same updated information to websites such as NYTimes.com and Urbanspoon. The revolutionary aspect surrounding social media is that it allows smaller restaurants to compete with their bigger counterparts, as long as they are able to keep a strong following. Ultimately, social media is a solid way to expand one's business because at this present moment, it is all about social word of mouth.

Would you wear these?

Photo via Mashable

New York Fashion Week consistently displays the most cutting-edge, fashion forward trends and styles for  all of the the fashion world to see. This week's past show was no different, yet it may have set a precedent for future collaboration between technology companies and fashion designers.

Google Glass made its fashion debut at the Dianne von Fustenberg's show in Lincoln Center. Models wore the newly devloped headset/eyeware products called "Glass" down the runway. The product is designed with capabilities similar to that of a smartphone including picture taking, message receiving, and other various functions. 

Google customized the glasses' color in order to complement Diane von Furstenberg's line. Additionally, action shots were taken by models on the runway, thus allowing for a perspective never experienced before, directly from the models themselves. 

To conclude the show, a celebratory runway lap was taken by Diane von Furstenberg and Yvan Mispelaere, creative director of DVF, both donning Glass. Sergey Brin, Google Glass and Google co-founder, also accompanied them. The collaboration appeared to be a huge success.

Despite all of this, however, I remain skeptical about the success of Glass. Will people want to essentially wear smart-phones on their faces? Will marketers target those who do not wear glasses or simply those who depend on glasses for poor eyesight? It will be interesting to see where this advancement goes and whether or not it will in time be the next big thing. 

To read the full Mashable article, click here.

Visuals are the New Content

With rising popularity of sites such as Pinterest and Instagram, it is evident that the appreciation of beautiful photography and breathtaking visuals has increased. Businesses are well aware of this fact and are in turn learning to "showcase" their products rather than simply talk about them. Personally, I follow various clothes stores and jewelry companies on Instagram. Numerous times, I have been prompted to go on their websites and purchase items after I have scrolled through something that caught my eye on my feed. I know that I am not alone and this seems to be the newest trend taking the marketing world by storm.

It is no secret that Social Media trends are constantly changing and evolving. However, I would say that this appears to be one that will be around for awhile. The exact revolution can be traced from lengthy blog posts, followed by brief Facebook statuses, to 140 character Twitter posts, and now finally Pinterest and Instagram posts. It is also much more convenient to simply snap a photo, rather than compose a detailed blog post when on the run. People are busier these days so they are more likely to look at a picture rather than read multiple paragraphs. In fact, a 2012 Study by ROI Research discovered that Social Media Users enjoy viewing their friends' or companies' photos more than any other posts and are more likely to respond in some way to these types of posts.

The evolution from content to visuals allows people to decide what they are interested in quickly and efficiently. Additionally, people can share companies' photos with their friends, increasing the traffic of the company's website while simultaneously encouraging engagement. Ultimately, this new trend is more convenient for both the consumer and the marketer. Companies that engage is this new type of communication will undoubtedly see success and improve their sales.

To read the full Fast Company article on the rise of visual social media, click here.

Hey! I'm Marguerite.

My name is Marguerite and I am officially taking over the blog manager position this week. First, I just wanted to thank Kerianne for being so helpful and showing me the basics of blogging. You did an amazing job and I hope you have a great year in Spain!
I am a junior at Marist majoring in Public Relations and minoring in Business. Currently, I am in Florence studying abroad. It's only day three and I am already obsessed. Back at Marist, I work at Marist Institute for Public Opinion and an account representative for North Road Communications. I am also an active member in H<3art1 and Marist Ambassadors. I lived in Gartland last year and am so thankful to be a part of the Marist community. Just wanted to post a little about myself and let you all know that I look forward to being Blog Manager. Thanks!

Marist PRSSA Pinterest Debut

Pinterest has become an essential social media tactic in the past year for professional and personal use alike. For those who are not Pinterest savvy, the site is essentially a virtual pinboard where you put all of your favorite images in one central location. Popular "pins" are images of fashion, food, wedding inspiration and Do-It-Yourself creations. According to Forbes Magazine, Pinterest could be the next social media giant. With over 20 million users as of July, it's no wonder why the site is a front-runner in the social media world. 

As future professionals in the PR world, we should all recognize the importance of Pinterest in our field. With it's ever-growing popularity, clients at agencies everywhere will be interested in using Pinterest to market to their audiences. That is why the Marist Chapter of PRSSA has created our very own account! Our theme boards will be devoted to intern style, office design, Chapter events, career advice and even a board to cheer you up on those dreadful Monday mornings. We hope you use the boards for inspiration, fun and to learn a new social media skill! . Check out our Pinterest boards here and enjoy! 

Shoulder Surfing: What to do if an employer asks for your Facebook password

I am sure many of you have heard warnings from both parents and teachers to "beware of what you post online because it will exist forever". That is indeed true and I do believe that you should be wary of your privacy settings and what exactly it is that you are posting on various social media websites. However, I am also an advocate for keeping business separate from pleasure. Therefore, it is no surprise that I was severely taken aback when I learned about a new practice going on called shoulder surfing.

Of course, precautions have been made to keep employers from seeing my full Facebook page. I have changed my last name to my middle name and have the privacy settings adhere anyone from seeing anything  unless I accept their friend request. However, if I was in an interview and an employer asked me to enter my password for them so that they could go through my entire page, I would feel trapped. It is not that there is anything questionable on my Facebook, but I just would not want a potential employer to have complete access to absolutely everything on my Facebook page. There could perhaps be things I have allowed only access to myself and a few friends or personal messages I would like to keep private. Whatever the case, it is an invasion of privacy and in violation of Facebook's privacy settings.

This may not be the most popular blog post with professors and employers but I felt that this was beneficial advice for those of us going on interviews in the future who do not wish to have their privacy invaded. Here are a few suggestions of what you can do if you are ever asked to divvy over your social media password:

• Respectfully decline their request. Explain that you take Facebook's privacy policy very seriously and do not wish to share your password.
• Put their request in perspective. Explain that just as their company most likely has a social media policy in place, yours is to only use it for personal reasons.
• Explain that you do not wish to risk their company's well being in regards to OFCCP's regulations pertaining to protected private information.
• Personally, I would explain that privacy means a lot to me and I would uphold their company's private matters just as sternly as I hold mine. I would then explain that I would like to keep my personal life separate from my work life.

Of course, it is essential to be cautious of posting things online. Facebook holds the rights to whatever it is that you put out there, even after you delete it. Also, it is important to keep in mind that if you are desperate for a job or very keen on a particular opportunity, it may not be advisable to refuse to give your password to an employer. If this is the case, make sure your Facebook and social media sites do not have anything you would not be proud of. For the full article and more information on the injustice behind shoulder surfing, click here.