Pitch Yourself — Round 1

Man and woman at desk with LED sign saying big pitchLast month, we announced the launch of a new feature on PRBC which we like to call “Pitch Yourself“.  In case you haven’t heard about this exciting initiative of ours, “Pitch Yourself” gives our PR job-searching readers the opportunity to have their very own video interview live on PRBC.

We really want to help anyone who is struggling to find a job in the industry by putting them in front of our terrific audience of PR professionals (yes, that means you!) and giving them a chance to toot their own horn.  And, as we figured, what better way to do that than by staging the one time where you’re supposed to talk about yourself and your experiences as much as possible- a job interview.  A video job interview- for everyone to see.

Finally (after making you all wait on the edge of your seats I’m sure) we’d like to present you with our very first “Pitch Yourself” video! In a surprise move, we turned the interviewing duty over to Paige Holden (@paigeholden) of Bliss PR and had her ask questions that she would use in a real entry-level interview.  We’re sneaky like that.  Paige spoke with Holly Grande, who has been looking for a full-time job in PR since she graduated from Boston University in 2008.  She is currently interning at Edelman in Washington D.C. and is ready for her next great PR experience.  Want to learn more about Holly and see how she did on her interview? Watch the video and check below the video for Paige’s comments on the video.

Comments from Paige Holden, Senior Account Executive, Bliss PR

Holly did a great job with this interview and it was a pleasure speaking with her.

Strengths:

  • Holly did a fantastic job drawing on her both her college and internship experience. I was able to get a really good sense of her work at Edelman and left the conversation feeling confident in her social media experience, especially  when it comes to blogging and blogger outreach.
  • Holly kept her cool when I asked a difficult question about why her time at Edelman ended. She was able to compliment Edelman and her experience there, while also providing a good reason as to why she is not working there now.
  • Holly was honest, friendly and approachable.
  • Holly came across as passionate and willing to learn, which is critical in PR. I left the interview with the sense that she would add good energy to any team.

Weaknesses:

  • When I asked Holly what news story had recently got her attention, she said the Google Wave launch story, but didn’t reference a particular outlet.  I actually wish Holly had referred to a different news story from a specific publication. This would have been an opportunity for her to show that while she likes social media, she is also interested in traditional news outlets. This is important since most clients still value traditional placements versus a blog hit.
  • It’s very important for interviewees to ask at least one question at the end of the interview. This is critical for two reasons. First, it shows that they are interested in the company and not just going through the paces. Second, it is the best way for the candidate to find out if the company is a good fit for them. Even though she did not know she was talking to BlissPR until right before the interview, there are generic questions about corporate culture, position descriptions, etc. that would have been appropriate in this situation.

About Paige Holden

PHolden-smPaige has six years of experience in public relations and specializes in developing and implementing wide ranging communications strategies with a focus in high visibility media relations campaigns. Lately, Paige has been focusing on creating programs that leverage social media for BlissPR’s B2B clients, including blogging, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, SEO and much more. The sectors that she works with regularly include accounting, retail and consumer products, executive search, HR consulting, health issues and social networking. In addition to her client responsibilities, Paige drives entry-level recruitment for Bliss PR.

Looking for a job in PR and not having much luck? Want to build up your online portfolio?  Check out our Pitch Yourself Page for more details on being featured on PRBC.