I love to play professional matchmaker, especially for my former students. If you have glanced to the right on this blog, you’ll see that I have three .rss feeds of public relations or new media jobs. And I suppose that I am lucky in that I get contacted by recruiters with some frequency. Many of these contacts, however, are downright irritating.
I am happy at my job and find it fulfilling, but sometimes by networking, you can help people – people that you might need to have a relationship with one day to help you. I have written a couple of times about the candidate side of the recruiting process at Fleishman-Hillard and The Bivings Group, but this one is a real burr under my saddle.
Sloppy, careless recruiting. And it happens A LOT.
Today, I got the latest in a series of poorly formatted, clumsy recruiting and networking attempts. Not the first one. I have edited out the agency name, but it is one of the big ones. Let’s call this one “Recruiter A”:
XXX Chicago is seeking a VP Crisis..would you know anyone? Have you ever int’d with XXX.
Where to start? If you want to take the time to offer your company up as a great place to work and spend time with me so I can help you, you might want to avoid abbreviations – and use punctuation. Maybe I am just being cranky, but I am not sure what “int’d” is. And again, it might just be me, but abbreviating in an email tells me a) you spend way to much time recruiting on Twitter or b) you are WAY busy – too busy to spell out words. Or spend time to do quality recruiting/representing your company.
Here’s a great example of a recruiting email I got a couple of weeks ago. Let’s call this one “Recruiter B.”
Hi Mark,
My name is XXX and I am the US Recruitment Manager for XXX. I was doing some research and came across your profile on LinkedIn and wanted to reach out in regards to a senior level digital media strategist position we have open for our XXX Digital Media Group. You can read more about us at XXX. We are looking for someone to join our D.C. office that has strong experience with creating digital and social media campaigns for clients in the public affairs, issues, advocacy and crisis space. You can actually read about the position at XXX.
I think your backround [Mark's note: typo forgiven] working with the XXX along with your experience XX and XX would make you a great candidate for the position and I would love the opportunity to speak with you further. Thanks for your time Mark and I look forward to hearing from you.
Regards,
XX
Recruiter B’s email above makes me want to contact them or help match them to someone I know. Nice email = nice results. Recruiter A, I emailed back simply because I know the person who runs the DC office. And got a one line response back after I sent a couple of ideas. #Fail.
I am flattered when someone takes the time to reach out to me for a job. Even more so when they do their homework and read my blog. It’s a nice touch. I worked in the private sector for 15 years on the agency side and know a bunch of people, so I am happy to help – I love that matchmaking. But my time is as valuable as you make it; if I am one of 100+ emails you send out in one day, it shows. I will know it and other candidates will too. I am likely not interested, but if you find a decent candidate and turn them off with your approach, it’s your loss.
Slow and steady wins the race, Recruiter A.
Am I the only one who this has happened to? By all means, please comment and share your stories.
Owner [disclosure: and former boss in the 90's] Gary Bivings has offered some perspective to job seekers who are looking to apply their skill sets in the world on online public affairs. This follows my interview with Brian Batchelder of Fleishman-Hillard; different firms, different cultures. Fleishman is a huge firm and Bivings is a smaller firm. Different people prefer different work environments.
Have a read.
1. Tell my readers about the history and makeup of The Bivings Group. What has been your market niche since the firm’s founding? And do you consider yourself a “boutique firm?”
The Bivings Group got its start back in the mid-90s. At the time we were a traditional public affairs and crisis communications firm. Although we were boutique-sized, our client base led us to establish offices in several other cities, in the U.S. and internationally. But very early on we cracked the internet, so incorporating the web into our practice gave us an edge. Of course at the time we actually had to explain to clients what the web was, what it could do for them! Over time, we developed into a more focused Washington, DC-based web development and internet communications firm. Now a lot of our work centers on public affairs, such as The Pickens Plan (www.pickensplan.com), and we offer ImpactWatch®, a media management platform. Of course we continue to develop custom software applications too. The opportunity to invent things is one of the benefits of being on our team.
There are about 30 of us. We work with large companies, trade associations, philanthropies, coalitions, and not-for-profits. Our relatively small size means we’re less hierarchical, more flexible than the big guns.
2. Based upon the clients that you serve, what types of employees have your historically hired?
Like so many of our clients, we’re all over the map, quite literally: our staff is multi-lingual, and most have had significant global living and working experiences. But we also look for and attract staff with a cross-border or interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving: a journalist who’s also a graphic artist; an ex-TV news editor who’s teaches self-defense; a self-taught software programmer. But whether the focus is strategy, technology or content, everyone here gets the web and social media.
3. Aside from being a good match on paper, what has traditionally made candidates — then employees – a good match for your firm? What are the intangibles that make him/her a good culture fit?
Simple to say, hard to do. Ideally, we want evidence of an eagerness to learn, a willingness to take (responsible) risks, a comfort with collaboration. All those less tangible qualitites matter, a lot, especially in a firm our size. Naturally you’re looking for candidates who are self-motivated, curious and fun to be around. With a lucky charm you may even get the whole package. We’ve made some very good hires over the years. We’ve got five people who’ve been at The Bivings Group for more than 10 years.
I learned long ago that everything communicates. When you hire someone, you’re also hiring an ambassador. There’s nothing like hearing from a possible client that they like your staff. It may be obvious, but it’s still important to keep in mind: clients who like working with you will tell others. That means your staff, whatever their job description, are also your best sales people.
4. What are your most effective recruiting venues? Placement firms? Job sites like Craig’s List? Word of mouth?
We tried a placement firm once. It didn’t work out. Never tried again. Not worth the effort to explain to a third party who we are and what we’re looking for. So for us, word of mouth is best, and Craigslist works. And then there’s the unsolicited resume that simply can’t be ignored.
5. Working for an online public affairs firm is very different than working in-house for a corporation, for example. Given the online nature of your clients’ challenges, what characteristics do you seek in successful candidates?
What’s interesting about our niche is that the work we do is both very focused and very broad. Focused because of the medium we work in, yet wide-ranging because our clients are engaged in everything from energy to finance to art. Which means each member of our staff has to have certain core skills and at the same time be willing and able to become an expert in virtually any business, market and/or issue-often on a dime.
6. Without naming names, can you recall a “slam dunk” interview in which you knew a candidate was a good match? What demonstrated that to you during in the interview process? [taking notes, follow up, asking the right questions, demonstrated research on the firm, "gut feeling"?]
There’ve been several. At least I thought they were. Then someone else talked to the candidate! So we’ve developed a process here that involves a few folks and a set of questions we’ve learned to ask. It’s not perfect–even our hiring group has made some questionable choices–but we’ve found this process gives us a better batting average than simply going by just first impressions and intuition.
That said, first impressions really do matter. Believe it or not, we’ve had candidates come through the door without ever looking at our website. Once that’s been made clear it really doesn’t matter what else you learn about the candidate!
7. What advice would you give to interns seeking work at a firm such as yours? Recent college graduates? People with traditional public relations or public affairs experience, but maybe not so strong on the online side?
Interns are great–one particularly great employee started here as an intern during his junior year of college–and we have nothing against recent grads. Like anyone joining our staff, interns need to have a skill/talent in the online world, have a feel for computers and/or technology, and be very curious about the world. Smarts counts, and it’s even better when it comes with a personality, because lots of work around here gets done in teams.
But a cautionary note: over the years we’ve found that many younger hires are not well-acquainted with or prepared for the demands of a professional work situation. From what we hear, this is a pretty great place to work—we’re supportive, fun to be with and encourage our staff to have full lives outside the office—but we do expect anyone who works here to be fully dedicated to the task at hand. It’s what we promise our clients and it’s what we expect from our staff. “That’s not my job” or “but it’s 5:00” won’t cut it here. Nipping out in the middle of the day for a doctor’s appointment is a no-brainer, and so is taking extra time at lunch when workflow permits. But when there’s a deadline, it’s all hands on deck and we expect everyone to be fully committed to getting the job done, and getting it done well.
8. Which do you value more: a candidate whose experience closely matches a job description, or someone who is eager, malleable and intellectually curious with the potential to grow into a role?
Tough one. The truth is we value both. There’s a technical side to our business, even our client-facing people have various skills – graphic arts, video editing, etc. But it’s real hard to turn down a critical thinker who’s a superb writer and is fun to be around!
9. If one were interested in working for the Bivings Group, how would he/she apply?
As it turns out, we are looking for someone in the DC area with experience in the public affairs world and expertise with social media. The job description is at here.
Editor’s note: I spent the better part of five years at the Bivings Group – my crowning achievement was being manager of the softball team.
Since I talk a lot about finding jobs, I thought that a a Q&A with someone who does the actual screenings and meetings that help get you in the door would benefit a lot of folks.
So I asked my friend and former colleague, Brian Batchelder, to answer some questions that give you the recruiter’s perspective – the person sitting across the desk from you when you are wondering “what is this person thinking?”. His very good answers are below. And not that I need this disclaimer, but this is WTF to the FTC (sounds like rap, doesn’t it?): I was a Senior Vice President as Fleishman-Hillard. And here’s Brian’s disclaimer: “The following is my personal opinion and does not necessarily represent the views of my employer or its clients.“
Brian Batchelder is an in-house senior recruiter for Fleishman-Hillard based out of Washington D.C. He recruits for a wide array of PR and digital positions across the U.S. and overseas. He has a personal blog focused on networking and job search tactics: www.brianbatchelder.com. You can also follow his inner monologue on Boston & Syracuse sports, career advice and FH job opportunities on Twitter: http://twitter.com/b_batchelder.
I have said for a long time, “you can’t teach someone to be smart.” When you are looking for talent for Fleishman-Hillard, how much of a role does experience vs. interview presence – just “smarts” make?
You need both. At the levels I typically recruit for (mid and senior level) you need relevant experience and have to be a culture fit. If you’re smart, but have never led the types of campaigns we’re seeking, that won’t be enough.
We’re in the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. What would you say to job seekers who are looking to enter the agency side of public relations?
The PR Agency world is ultra-competitive, even in a good economy. When you look at the largest firms, you’re talking 2,000-3,000 people. That is tiny compared with other industries. So, you really need to do your research, talk to lots of PR Agency folks and determine what your unique, specific value proposition is. Think of agencies like a football team. There are lots of specialized roles. What niche skill can you do better than anyone else? And how will it help client X?.
Can your remember a candidate or two whom you interview and thought “this is a slam dunk.” Why? What circumstances or characteristics did this individual possess that she him/her apart?
This happens a few times per year with informational interviews [EDITOR'S NOTE: THIS POINT ABOUT INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW IS REALLY IMPORTANT]. These folks basically have checked off all the boxes: relevant experience, great research, great questions, take notes, dress professionally, send a timely, well-crafted thank you note and their personality is a culture fit. They also show a strong interest in joining FH. They don’t “tell me” they want to work at FH, they “show me.”
I have written a few posts about honesty within agencies during the recruiting process. After all, agencies are a profit-driven business. Some agencies promise a lot of “work-life balance” and deliver all nighters? What are your thoughts about this?
The agency world is unique, and as a recruiter I almost always try to recruit people with agency experience so there will be no culture shock. You’re right, it’s a fast-paced environment driven by clients. You need to be flexible.
Digital is the fastest growing component of most of the top agencies. What advice would you give to a mid-level job seeker looking to latch on to an account manager role in digital (I am specifically leaving out the technical ones, because those are more obvious).
Well, my take is there are two types of folks: pure digital and hybrids. If we are going to hire someone into a purely digital role, that person must demonstrate real deep knowledge and practical application of many digital channels: social media, SEO/SEM, e-mail marketing, etc. You really can’t fake it. However, a traditional PR person or journalist can really ramp up their digital skills and become a valuable hybrid (offline and online communicator). People should check out Gary Vaynerchuk’s book “Crush It!” for a tutorial on how to get digital savvy.
Final question: Let’s say that candidates at the following levels want to work at FH. to “Get their foot in the door,” what advice would you give to:
Undergrads: Do as many PR Agency internships as possible, including one at Fleishman-Hillard. Ramp up your digital knowledge and skills.
Recent graduates: Ditto above.
People with less than two years’ experience: Do a lot of research on our firm. Who are clients are. What programs we lead for them. Have informational chats with our practitioners. Ask a lot of questions. Find out what specialized skills you need. If you don’t have them, go out and acquire them. Ultimately, it’s about defining your value proposition. What skill or niche experience could really provide value to one (or more) of our clients?
Mid-level people with five years’ experience: Ditto above.
Thanks, Brian. And readers. Do your homework on Fleishman-Hillard. Find out if they have an office near you. And note the part above about informational interview.
I did this a few times last year, culling from Ned Lundquist’s “JOTW” or “Job of the Week.” Given that we are now in 2010 and hopefully in an economic recovery, let’s start the year off fresh with some hot-off-the-presses job openings.
I focus the openings mainly in the Washington, DC area, because that is where my Georgetown peeps are, many of whom have that lovely sheepskin in hand and have gotten zippy help from the university.
So here goes:
About JOTW:
Ned Lundquist’s “Job of the Week” free e-mail networking newsletter and website for professional communicators has a cult following of more than 10,000 readers (the 5-digit milestone was reached October 6, 2006). The job leads are just one reason his faithful followers begin their Mondays (and sometimes Tuesdays through Fridays) with a cuppa and JOTW.
So here’s a few that I found that may be of interest to my peeps in the Washington, DC area — with a big thanks to Ned to keeping this up all those years:
I have posted the entire opening below for “Manager, Corporate Communications-COM00006, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Franklin Lakes, NJ.” In its entirety. And I can tell you, that if you read the job description, replete with grammatical and punctuation errors as well as little ditties like “COVER LETTER” required, you’ll know how badly they need a proofreader too. And hell, if you are local, I’ll buy lunch for the reader who can find the most grammatical errors and bullshit bingo terms. Just put in the comments form below. And bring your calculator.
Manager, Corporate Communications-COM00006, Becton, Dickinson and
Company, Franklin Lakes, NJ
This position supports implementation of the strategic global Corporate Communications plan. It coordinates corporate and business messages to ensure consistency and alignment with global business objectives and corporate messaging. It also has responsibilities involving work on
change management/organizational and transactional communications, crisis communications and site/facility communications for BD locations
around the world. This position is a key overseer of quality of communications material globally, helping ensure consistency and conformity with corporate guidelines. Work with the Director, Corporate Communications and Manager, Internal Communications to support strategic global Corporate Communications plan deliverable. Serve as the primary liaison with the product Public Relations team to coordinate corporate and business messages to ensure consistency and alignment with global business objectives and corporate messaging. Assist with production ofthe Company’s Annual Report and Sustainability Report. Work with various locations and departments to create or edit internal news items for global intranet; uses content management tool to post news articles and updates to intranet. Serve as a copyeditor to ensure adherence to
corporate style and identity guidelines. for announcements, newsletters and other collateral originating from regional offices, Human Resources, Diversity/Inclusion, Social Investing, Marketing, etc. Enhance and maintain department’s infrastructure for both internal and external purposes such as responses to media inquiries, presentations, surveys, awards programs, etc.
Additional responsibilities include:
Working on change management/organizational and transactional communications, crisis communications, and site/facility communicationsfor locations around the world.
Working closely with senior management as well as departments including
Investor Relations, Government Relations, Regulatory Affairs andFinance.
Qualifications
REQUIRED
Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible communicationsexperience, including some time at a public company.
Media relations experience, including pitching stories to national media outlets.
Proven writing capabilities in a variety of formats, including executive speeches, press releases and other collateral materials, employee newsletters, organizational communications, video scripts and PowerPoint presentations.
Ability to prioritize and multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
Excellent interpersonal and verbal communications skills, in addition to written skills
Advanced editing and proofreading skills, along with extraordinary attention to detail.
My caveat – I know nothing about the jobs, the organizations, the salaries, etc., but encourage you to check them out. The job market is not dead, it’s just really tired.
I did this a few times last year, culling from Ned Lundquist’s “JOTW” or “Job of the Week.” Given that we are now in 2010 and hopefully in an economic recovery, let’s start the year off fresh with some hot-off-the-presses job openings.
I focus the openings mainly in the Washington, DC area, because that is where my Georgetown peeps are, many of whom have that lovely sheepskin in hand and have gotten zippy help from the university.
So here goes:
About JOTW:
Ned Lundquist’s “Job of the Week” free e-mail networking newsletter and website for professional communicators has a cult following of more than 10,000 readers (the 5-digit milestone was reached October 6, 2006). The job leads are just one reason his faithful followers begin their Mondays (and sometimes Tuesdays through Fridays) with a cuppa and JOTW.
So here’s a few that I found that may be of interest to my peeps in the Washington, DC area — with a big thanks to Ned to keeping this up all those years:
I have posted the entire opening below for “Manager, Corporate Communications-COM00006, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Franklin Lakes, NJ.“ In its entirety. And I can tell you, that if you read the job description, replete with grammatical and punctuation errors as well as little ditties like “COVER LETTER” required, you’ll know how badly they need a proofreader too. And hell, if you are local, I’ll buy lunch for the reader who can find the most grammatical errors and bullshit bingo terms. Just put in the comments form below. And bring your calculator.
Manager, Corporate Communications-COM00006, Becton, Dickinson and
Company, Franklin Lakes, NJ
This position supports implementation of the strategic global Corporate Communications plan. It coordinates corporate and business messages to ensure consistency and alignment with global business objectives and corporate messaging. It also has responsibilities involving work on
change management/organizational and transactional communications, crisis communications and site/facility communications for BD locations
around the world. This position is a key overseer of quality of communications material globally, helping ensure consistency and conformity with corporate guidelines. Work with the Director, Corporate Communications and Manager, Internal Communications to support strategic global Corporate Communications plan deliverable. Serve as the primary liaison with the product Public Relations team to coordinate corporate and business messages to ensure consistency and alignment with global business objectives and corporate messaging. Assist with production ofthe Company’s Annual Report and Sustainability Report. Work with various locations and departments to create or edit internal news items for global intranet; uses content management tool to post news articles and updates to intranet. Serve as a copyeditor to ensure adherence to
corporate style and identity guidelines. for announcements, newsletters and other collateral originating from regional offices, Human Resources, Diversity/Inclusion, Social Investing, Marketing, etc. Enhance and maintain department’s infrastructure for both internal and external purposes such as responses to media inquiries, presentations, surveys, awards programs, etc.
Additional responsibilities include:
Working on change management/organizational and transactional communications, crisis communications, and site/facility communicationsfor locations around the world.
Working closely with senior management as well as departments including
Investor Relations, Government Relations, Regulatory Affairs andFinance.
Qualifications
REQUIRED
Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible communicationsexperience, including some time at a public company.
Media relations experience, including pitching stories to national media outlets.
Proven writing capabilities in a variety of formats, including executive speeches, press releases and other collateral materials, employee newsletters, organizational communications, video scripts and PowerPoint presentations.
Ability to prioritize and multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
Excellent interpersonal and verbal communications skills, in addition to written skills
Advanced editing and proofreading skills, along with extraordinary attention to detail.
My caveat – I know nothing about the jobs, the organizations, the salaries, etc., but encourage you to check them out. The job market is not dead, it’s just really tired.
but this one is a real burr under my saddle.
perspective to job seekers who are looking to apply their skill sets in the world on online public affairs. This follows 
