Ice Cream Party!

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A few weeks ago, Nicole wrote about the fantastic social media and on-the-ground efforts of American Airlines when she left her wallet on a plane. I thought I would follow her awesome social media effort post with one of my own.

On April 16th a coworker told some of my team about the Ben & Jerry’s truck that was roaming around San Diego delivering free ice cream until the end of April. Obviously, getting this truck to stop by our office became my live’s priority at the time and I started Tweeting my pleas.

Begging for free ice cream on TwitterFriend Sarah also heard of the awesome ice cream giveaway and we teamed up to get the truck to Downtown San Diego, figuring it could hit both our offices in one day. You can image my intense excitement when only 3 days after my first tweet  (ok, I admit I posted a few more tweets & retweets in that period) I received this message:

I'm getting free ice cream!At this point I’m thinking free ice cream from a fun mini delivery truck is a 100% sure thing. Sadly, April came and went with no little blue truck pulling up to our office. Sarah, unfortunately, also missed out on the frozen, creamy goodness and let me know on Twitter.Complaining on Social MediaYes, yes, my last Tweet there may have been a little over the top but…it got the job done. Within minutes I had a DM waiting for me asking for my company’s address and how many people we had in our office.

Ben & Jerry's RocksA few days after that and Sarah and I both had 10 – oh yes, 10 coupons for free pints of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Do you know what that lead to? AN ICE CREAM PARTY! I went and redeemed every one of those coupons for a variety of flavors, including some of their delish frozen greek yogurt flavors, and had a little party in the office. It may not have been as fun as delivery truck pulling up (and definitely more messy) but in the end Ben & Jerry’s made me a super happy-camper.

Yummy Ben & Jerry's

And, FYI, if you’re in the Los Angeles area @BenJerrysWest will be serving your area through the end of May – get Tweeting!

PRSA Interview

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UnknownEach month PRSA San Diego interviews one of its members to be featured on its website and share about their professional experience. This month, I was lucky enough to be asked to participate and had the opportunity to share more about my experience with the research side of public relations.

Check out my interview here.

My Jet-Setting Wallet

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On March 10, I was flying home from Miami where I attended the International Public Relations Research Conference. I was tired and hungry, so I decided to order some food. I gave the American Airlines flight attendant my credit card and then put it back in my wallet when she returned it. At that point, I believe I left my wallet on my lap, unable to maneuver around my food, drink and tray table to return it safely to my purse. After my sandwich, I took a nap and woke up in San Diego. I didn’t think about my wallet until the next morning when I was getting ready for work and panic set in. I knew exactly what happened.

Over the next few weeks I made a lot of calls and online requests to the lost and found and baggage claim at Lindbergh Field and Dallas Fort Worth (where my plane had headed back to). Also, like any PR practitioner I know, I tweeted about it and included American Airlines’ handle. Now, let me tell you, the social media team at AA is awesome (or they were to me). They responded immediately and made me feel like someone was doing something to help.

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And then the DM conversation went like this…

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Weeks passed by and I replaced my credit cards and driver’s license and lost hope of ever seeing my wallet again. But, I felt like my concerns were heard and I didn’t harbor any feelings of ill will toward AA. I mean, it wasn’t their fault I left my wallet behind and they did try to locate it. Then, on Tuesday (as in 50 days later), I received a package in the mail from AA. It was my wallet and a handwritten note from Mac in baggage claim at DFW: “Please call me when you get this.” My gift cards were stolen, but most everything else was intact. I let Mac know and of course, I tweeted about it. And of course, AA replied.

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What to Post: Social Media During a Crisis

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No matter where you were last week you felt the effects of the tragedies in Boston and West. You didn’t have to have someone you knew running in marathon or living in Texas, once you heard the news life seemed to stop. But, fortunately, and unfortunately, the Internet and social media don’t stop.
There were some fantastic online and social media efforts on the part of the Boston Police Department (@Boston_Police) who kept the public up to date with correct information and by dispelling any rumors and hearsay about the investigation, and Google who announced their Person Finder to help those in distress find their loved ones. And, of course there were also those social faux pas, mostly caused by scheduled posts that weren’t turned off (like Kim Kardashian’s).
Kim Kardashian Tweet
So, what should you do and keep in mind while posting on social media during a crisis? We’ve compiled a few best practices:
  • Stay current and knowledgeable on all current events (which should not only be during a crisis, but at all times while working in social).
  • STOP all scheduled posts IMMEDIATELY. No one wants to hear your brand’s message at this time and online viewers will be ultra sensitive (rightly so) to any posts that are out of place or are even relatively “pitchy.”
  • Offer to help. But only if you actually have the ability to offer valuable assistance that could truly and positively affect someone. Heck, a simple Google Drive Doc gave hope to many people in Boston.
  • Offer condolences. But don’t feel the need to have to post. You want your voice to remain authentic and real, don’t just become one of the crowd due to obligation. Your readers should know your brand’s tone and know it came from the heart.
  • Go dark. There’s nothing wrong with saying nothing if you have nothing to say – sometimes tragedy is too much and there’s nothing you can do to address it.

Social Media Today Tweet

Everyone Makes Mistakes

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What to do When You Mess Up

We’ve all heard it a million times and I’m still not sure that I believe it, but… everyone makes mistakes. And to continue the cliché, it’s how you deal with them that matters.

Personally, when I make a mistake, all of the sudden, I remember every mistake I ever made. I’m not talking about the many typos in the blog, I’m talking about the embarrassing things that I can’t let go of. I remember the time I spilled Apple Jacks in kindergarten, the time in college that I skipped a page of a midterm, the time I sent that email without the attachment at an internship, and that typo in the acknowledgement page of my thesis. Every time I make a mistake, these things come back with such clarity that all I can see are the fuck-ups. Obviously, I don’t deal well with making mistakes, even though I make plenty of them.

This topic arose because last week both Blake and I made mistakes that we really beat ourselves up over. I made a mistake on a conference submission and she made a few with clients at her new job.

So, in the wake of these personal disasters we did some self-reflection about how we deal with our mistakes and how we should deal with them.

Things we do to cope

  • Cry
  • Negative self-talk
  • Whine about it to each other
  • Turn to vices that make us feel good–wine, shopping and lots of fatty food

Things we should do to cope

  • Learn from the mistake, forgive ourselves and move on
  • Focus on things we actually have control over (as in the future, not the past)
  • Talk it out in an adult manner and determine how to triple check our efforts the next time
  • Turn to positive outlets like exercise

We want to know, how do you react to your mistakes? Have any good coping mechanisms?

I’m moving…to Texas

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Some of you may already know, but I have decided to pursue a Ph.D. at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. They have a great mass communications program that I’m confident will prepare me for a career in academia. My ultimate goal is to teach and do research in public relations at a four-year university, and I think I’ve always known I’d be Dr. Lee someday.

I'll be a Red Raider for a few years, but you know I'm an Aztec for life :)

I’ll be a Red Raider for a few years, but you know I’m an Aztec for life :)

Choosing a doctoral program was the hardest decision I’ve ever made and my huge spreadsheet of pros and cons wasn’t much help. All of the programs I looked at are great and someone else with the same options I had may have chosen differently. I went with what was best for me in terms of faculty, resources, research and teaching opportunities. However, on top of the practical considerations, the people that I will spend the next three years with really sealed the deal.

Tech had me come visit a few weeks ago and every single person that I have interacted with, student, faculty or staff, was incredibly helpful and welcoming. Plus, their facilities are amazing. I probably won’t use the eye tracking machines or physiology lab, but the high-tech focus group room and office with a view got my attention. However, Blake and I have been joking around about the crazy research projects we can do in the labs when she visits. Any suggestions on that?

College of Media and Communication building

College of Media and Communication building

While the program is a great fit, Lubbock will be harder to get used to. There is more there than I realized and university towns tend to foster creativity and forward thinking, but it still isn’t San Diego. There’s no ocean or city-wide recycling program, the shopping isn’t great, and everyone drives big trucks while talking on cell phones. I’ll be leaving my family, Blake and Whitney, and other friends, but luckily, I have an amazing partner by my side to navigate this adventure with. My boyfriend, Paul, and I, and our cocker spaniel, Tiger, will be moving in August. Trust me, we’ll only be in Texas for three years.

Jobioz – The Future of Job Hunting?

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Lately we’ve been seeing a bit of buzz on our social media channels surrounding a new, online job site called Jobioz. Initially we didn’t take too much notice since we’ve both just been taken out of the job-hunting pursuit (read about Blake’s new job and stay tuned for Nicole’s announcement!). However, a friend reached out to us about the site and since we know how hard finding a job can be for newly graduated young professionals, we decided to delve in a little deeper. Thanks to a virtual interview with our contact, Samantha, we were able to find out a ton more info about this new site spearheaded by SDSU students (our alma mater!).

Jobioz

What is Jobioz?

For starters, Jobioz is a website where college students can host a multimedia portfolio, and search and apply for jobs and internships. The idea behind it is to empower students to tell their story in their own way so that employers know the value that the applicant can bring to the company.

Can you tell us anything about the pool of recruiting companies at this time?

Though we are not officially announcing just yet which companies we will have on the platform, we have at least thirty employers right now interested in trying out the platform when it launches. The companies range from startups and family-owned businesses to national corporations, as well as third-party recruiters and HR specialists. We are starting with businesses in San Diego and Los Angeles, with plans to expand further. We’re confident that we will eventually be able to offer students job openings from some of the top entry-level employers in the country.

How is it different from LinkedIn or other online resume sites?

Jobioz is a multimedia portfolio platform. With Jobioz, students will be able to showcase videos, graphics, photographs and past products on their portfolio to give employers a better sense of all that they have done. For instance, if a student studies abroad, goes on a volunteer trip, or does pro bono work for a nonprofit, a resume cannot capture or convey the value that those experiences can bring to a company. But, if you could post a video introducing yourself and how you built a well in Ghana or was immersed in Spanish culture while studying in Spain for an entire year, employers are going to be able to better understand who you are and what you’ve done.

The fact that Jobioz allows for additional information to be presented in an interactive way makes so much sense to us. In marketing and PR we see big themes of wanting to engage the audience and there’s no better way to do that than showcase images and videos alongside an appealing color palette (I mean, I’m sure we’ve all Pinned a “new fun look” for our resumes we’ll eventually get around to).

Jobioz Funders

Another current trend that Jobioz is following is starting their venture by crowdfunding the startup. When asked the thought process behind this choice Sam replied:

Jobioz is a very lean startup. Most of us are working two or three other jobs to fund this business, some even while taking a full load of classes or working a full-time job. We love what we do and know that Jobioz is going to help a lot of students find jobs and internships–but we need a little help. We are trying to raise $30,000 on Indiegogo to fund the final stages of development. We’re offering some awesome perks, like a lifetime subscription to the pro version of Jobioz, and some fun ones too like a homemade chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake. AND when we get to $5,000 we’re going to do something special for our contributors (stay tuned to find out!).

So, be sure to check Jobioz out and contribute to their Indiegogo campaign so they can help you find your next career! Would you be interested in trying a service like Jobioz?

Young Professional Series: Laura Peterson

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Today is the third installment of our Young Professional Series (you can see the others here and here)! This interview is with Laura Peterson, a close friend (who Blake has known since pre-school) and K-12 teacher with a passion for education.

me wine tasting

What is your favorite thing about being a teacher?

My favorite aspect about teaching is getting students excited about school and inspiring them to be life-long learners.  I love helping students become more confident in academic areas that they previouslystruggled with and motivating them to succeed. As a teacher, I get the opportunity to positively influence students’ lives and to see the progress they have made over the school year.  The best thing about teaching is that you get paid for doing what you truly love.

How do you think you have to build a “brand” around yourself, to show administration, the kids, the parents? How does this brand/persona change with each of these people (markets)

As a young teacher in this unfavorable education job market, it is very hard to find a stable, full-time, high paying teaching job.  However, I have found that I am able to “brand” myself by showcasing my strong attributes and being assertive both in an interview and job setting. I make sure to go out of my way to get to know other faculty, especially the veteran teachers and administration, so they know I am a “team player” and ready to help out as much as possible. I also make sure I am very fun and caring towards my students so that they will want to report back to their families with positive feedback about my teaching. As for parents, I make sure they feel welcome and know that there is open communication to meet with me and share their thoughts and concerns about their child.

What’s the hardest thing about finding a teaching job right now? How do you stay positive in your search?

Due to severe budget cuts and teacher layoffs over the last few years, I have struggled with finding a permanent teaching job, which can be very disheartening at times. Teaching is my passion, therefore, I try to stay positive and remind myself that all the applications were worth it and that I will ultimately land the perfect job I want. Even though it is not ideal, I do feel that each part-time job and tutoring position I have taken over the years was still building my resume, adding to my overall experience, and making me more valuable for when the right job comes around.

Have you seen similar difficulties out there when you’re job hunting? How do you stay positive?

A Recap of IPRRC

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Last week, I ventured to Miami for the second year in a row to present research at the International Public Relations Research Conference. IPRRC brings practitioners and academics together in order to share and advance the latest PR research. Unlike other conferences, IPRRC is made up of informal roundtable sessions where the presenters can share their research, then discuss it with a fairly small group of people. This facilitates conversation among practitioners, faculty and grad students and often leads to new ideas and collaborations.

SDSU had a great group of representatives in Miami!

SDSU had a great group of representatives in Miami!

With three very full days of presentations, I was pretty exhausted by the time I got to my own presentation (the very last session!). Luckily, it’s a very positive environment and there didn’t seem to be any judgment as I tripped over my words a few times. In fact, everyone was very kind and encouraging, just like they were last year.

IPRRC really has something for everyone in PR, as you can see in the program. If you are a practitioner, you are sure to find presentations relevant to your practice. If you are an academic, you are sure to find presentations relevant to your research interests. Right now, I’m both, and I found both.

Social media was one of the most popular research topics. From best practices to ethics to creating dialogue to measurement, there was a ton of discussion about social media. My paper was also related to social media, but focused on new PR professionals and why they are often the ones to take on social media tasks. If the topic interests you, go read my thesis! Haha… I know that won’t happen, but if you want a shortened version, I’d be happy to chat about it!

I Can’t Keep Calm…

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I GOT A JOB

Yup, you read that right! I landed myself a job!

If you’ve followed Masters of What? for any time at all, you’ve learned that ever since snatching up that MBA I’ve been furiously searching for my “Big Girl Job” (you can read more about my pursuit in some past posts). But today I’m here to reveal that starting Monday I’ll be a full-fledged team member at Red Door Interactive.

Doing what, you ask? Well, I will be the newest member of their Cross Channel Marketing team as a Social Media Coordinator working with some great clients and helping on some exciting social campaigns (you can check out some of RDI’s clients and past campaigns on their site).

So, enough about me. Let’s turn this back to a new-pro, business learning situation. How did I land such a sweet job with a killer company? Internships. That’s right folks, all those internships you’re looking at PAY OFF!

If you’ve done your appropriate online-stalking of my LinkedIn profile you know that I spent the Summer of 2011 as an intern at Red Door. Well, as of January 2013, I was back as an intern (albeit in a slightly different role as social media intern). So, make sure you’re always keeping your eye out for available opportunities and staying in contact with past connections – that’s how I even found out RDI needed someone in their social department (thanks, Anne!).

Want to start your career at RDI? They’re looking to fill a few positions. If you know a stellar Senior Paid Search Specialist or a Senior Interactive Copywriter, be sure to send them the lead.