I recently saw a job posting for a PR manager position which by all accounts was very basic in what it wanted and was from a rather unexceptional organization. With the help of a good PR person, they might become a decent player in a small, niche organization. What made my blood boil with this company is they wanted candidates who apply to develop a PR plan, including a press release for their upcoming product launch.
Well I have to say this is a sad example of our current economic times and really says how sad this organization is for taking advantage of market conditions to try and score some free PR help. I know a number of extremely talented public relations people, some of whom are looking for work, they all agreed unanimously that they would never submit to conditions such as this without being compensated for it. It is simply unreasonable to expect someone to do something they would normally be rightfully compensated for. Does anyone believe this company would give their software to you so you can test it for an indefinite period of time? Of course not!
We all know that times are tough and that there are probably 5 qualified candidates for each position that is available. Still, we need to be able to maintain our professional quality and temperament. If we compromise on it, we run the risk of diluting our talent and appearing to our new employer as the type of person who will do anything to keep their job and can be bullied about. It's not easy to maintain ones dignity and pride when bills are piling up. Pride does not pay the bills as we all know.
But we must also be aware that we are our own brand. If we slash rates and let it be known that we are able to be pushed around and willing to compromise on our standards then any chance of being seen as a valuable employee are virtually gone. Quite honestly, we will be seen as someone who is expendable from the word go since we rolled over so easily to get a job.
Let me be clear I am not advocating being combative or disagreeable. I believe it is perfectly reasonable for employers to ask for, and receive, references, writing samples and other examples of your success. What is not reasonable is for professionals to be asked to give away what is essentially our product or service to an organization so that we can "prove" our viability. That is nothing but an end run around hiring someone to fill the job as they will now have the blueprint to do the job themselves. My argument is fight on and keep the faith!
Showing posts with label relationship building. Show all posts
Showing posts with label relationship building. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Marketing and bad news.
A few days back I told the story of the CEO who was rude in front of a receptionist and how that resulted in a lost business opportunity. Ironically, the same thing happened to me lately and it is amazing how marketing and PR can have direct impacts on business opportunities that are not in a linear direct line.
My own story is that a few years ago I met with people at an agency about a job and during the first round of interviews things went fine. Nothing unusual and nothing out of the ordinary. Apparently the direct hiring manager was out of the office that day so the HR person told me that I would need to meet with her which again is not anything I thought unusual. I was told that the meeting would take place the next week and we set a time and date.
On the following Monday, I receive an automatic email from the company thanking me for my application but that they had decided to pursue other candidates based on the hiring managers needs. I thought this was odd as I had already coming in for an interview later in the week so I called? I never received a call back and I found that to be both very rude and very unprofessional.
So a few years pass and I am helping on a charity event on its publicity committee. We are told by the charity running the event that they have money for PR and would like to hire an agency. I look at the list and see the same agency on the list and I go to the contact from the charity and explain what had happened and she asks me if I can remain impartial and judge them on the merits of their presentation to which I respond, "of course."
Well they come in and to be honest all the presentations were about the same. No stars, but no one really was terrible either. But this agency's presentation was all about how they care and that with them you will be dealing with human beings and people whose caring for one another was at the heart of what they did. Needless to say that was quite the opposite of what I experienced and they did not get the job for that and several other reasons.
The message here is that unpleasant things happen in business. People get laid off or don't get a job or whatever. It is always better to deliver the bad news in person or at least by a personal method. To be cold and mechanical about it says you don't care and in the karmic universe, what goes around, comes around! Remember to let down any source, customer, potential job candidate or whom ever you need to share bad news with lightly, because today's reject may be tomorrow's opportunity.
There is the classic adage about not burning bridges. Sadly, the market for bridge burning tools is a robust one and many organizations seem to be on a mad quest to see how many bridges they can burn in the least amount of time!
My own story is that a few years ago I met with people at an agency about a job and during the first round of interviews things went fine. Nothing unusual and nothing out of the ordinary. Apparently the direct hiring manager was out of the office that day so the HR person told me that I would need to meet with her which again is not anything I thought unusual. I was told that the meeting would take place the next week and we set a time and date.
On the following Monday, I receive an automatic email from the company thanking me for my application but that they had decided to pursue other candidates based on the hiring managers needs. I thought this was odd as I had already coming in for an interview later in the week so I called? I never received a call back and I found that to be both very rude and very unprofessional.
So a few years pass and I am helping on a charity event on its publicity committee. We are told by the charity running the event that they have money for PR and would like to hire an agency. I look at the list and see the same agency on the list and I go to the contact from the charity and explain what had happened and she asks me if I can remain impartial and judge them on the merits of their presentation to which I respond, "of course."
Well they come in and to be honest all the presentations were about the same. No stars, but no one really was terrible either. But this agency's presentation was all about how they care and that with them you will be dealing with human beings and people whose caring for one another was at the heart of what they did. Needless to say that was quite the opposite of what I experienced and they did not get the job for that and several other reasons.
The message here is that unpleasant things happen in business. People get laid off or don't get a job or whatever. It is always better to deliver the bad news in person or at least by a personal method. To be cold and mechanical about it says you don't care and in the karmic universe, what goes around, comes around! Remember to let down any source, customer, potential job candidate or whom ever you need to share bad news with lightly, because today's reject may be tomorrow's opportunity.
There is the classic adage about not burning bridges. Sadly, the market for bridge burning tools is a robust one and many organizations seem to be on a mad quest to see how many bridges they can burn in the least amount of time!
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