Emphatic Pause

What goes around comes around

By Niki (Kuhbander) Aldrich CIR, ACIR, CSSR, PRC, Account Manager, The RightThing The University of Findlay, 2002

As an account manager for The RightThing, I’m doing what I love and loving what I do. The RightThing is an ADP company and a top provider of recruitment process outsourcing services. We help Fortune 500 companies in their quest to find top talent.

I am currently managing a team of recruiters working to fill engineering, HR, IT, F&A and R&D positions for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.  We work hard to build relationships with our partners and to help them understand the recruiting process so we can work together to efficiently fill their positions.

Pretty cool gig.  Just last week, I was hanging out in The Blimp. The pic above is me showing off my muscles as I lift it up. Click here for fun Blimp trivia.  Did you know the Blimp weighs over 6 tons…yep, I’m strong.

Speaking of strength, it’s never too early to start building your professional muscles. Below are 10 tips I’ve come up with for new college grads.  I learned many of these lessons the hard way, so I’m sharing them to give others a leg up.

Top 10 Tips to Reach Professional Maturity:

1. When publishing a resume online, avoid inappropriate words in your email address (e.g., BIgDaddy2@gmail.com or candrinkallnightlong@hotmail.com).  While your friends might think it’s cool, a future employer probably won’t.
2. Be careful what you post on social media. More and more, recruiters are using social media as a way to reach passive candidates.  So, again, if your friends can see pics of you dancing on tables at spring break, so can your employer.
3. Understand your audience. There are times to be casual and there are times to be professional.  Assess the situation before you go sending smiley faces in emails to the CEO of a company
4. No one likes a complainer. Don’t bash previous employers or co-workers.  If you have a legitimate complaint, bring a solution to the table with that complaint.
5. Gossip is something that should be left in college high school. What goes around comes around.
6. Always be on your best behavior when you are in and outside of work.  You never know who’s watching or listening.
7. Give credit where credit is due. If you see someone who is doing a good job, tell them.  If you see someone who is not doing a good job, or could be doing a job a little better, tell them. The respect that comes along with bringing a tough situation to the individual themselves instead of to a manager, goes a long way.  Discuss the issue.  If it remains an issue, then follow a chain of command.  Use good judgment on this one of course.  Reverse of that, very important, Admit when you’re wrong.  There’s something to say about someone who says they are wrong and can make changes to correct the action.
8. Train! Train! Train! Take advantage of any training offered to you that will make you a better person/employee.  And take it seriously.  If you are willing to invest the money or time, invest the attention.  There may be times you are asked to step out of your comfort zone.  What doesn’t kill you will only make you stronger.  Take advantage.
9. Be confident, not cocky. Be sure of what you say and do.  Lead by example and let your actions and skills prove the type of person/employee you are.
10. Do what you love and love what you do. When you like what you do, you will make the right decisions to stay in a good place personally and professionally.

In addition to staffing Fortune 500 companies and lifting up blimps, Niki is raising three “enthusiastic” children with her husband in the Findlay area.

By Stephanie Shoffner, Intern, WTOL News 11

(The University of Findlay, 2012)

Influenced by a few “stars” throughout her college career, Stephanie Shoffner learns first-hand what goes into producing the news during her internship at WTOL News 11, “Toledo’s News Leader.”

With any luck students know what they want to be when they grow up.

Unfortunately for me, I have never been a person with much luck. I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up, but there were two things I was sure of—I love to write, and I strongly dislike math. I ended up transferring and changing my major after my freshman year, finding myself majoring in journalism at The University of Findlay. Like I said, I enjoy writing.

• My advice? Thoroughly think through what you want to do after graduation and plan accordingly. I am graduating on time, but life would have been easier and less stressful if I would have chosen journalism in the first place.

I tackled my first internship in the summer between my sophomore and junior years. It was with a newspaper. I took it even though I was fairly certain I did not want to work for a newspaper.  It turns out it wasn’t for me, but it was a valuable experience.  I wanted more—more flashiness and more excitement than the murmur of reporters’ voices and the police scanner buzzing every hour if we were lucky. (It was a small town)

• My advice? Keep an open mind. You don’t know if you will like something unless you try it.

Fortunately, there was a light at the end of the tunnel. I thought about giving up, I will admit that, but with supportive professors and family I kept searching. Then one day I signed up for a broadcast newswriting class taught but by “Ohio’s Best News Man,” courtesy of the professional-in-residence program at UF.

I had the opportunity to study under Jerry Anderson, award-winning news anchor from WTOL News 11. This was not my first taste of broadcasting. Working on campus with PulseTV around the same time had piqued my interest. This class sealed the deal.

Several professionals from the station visited as guest speakers. One was a news producer. This is where my interest in being a producer began.

I learned from the Egg McMuffin® of newscasters. Jerry Anderson brought a large amount of expertise and real world experience into the classroom. I was encouraged to interview him for a feature writing class, so I had the added privilege of talking with him one-on-one. He inspired me to apply for an internship after inviting the class for a tour of the News 11 station. I embraced everything this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity offered because it was scheduled especially for my cohort.  It could not have been better timing. Maybe my luck had changed.

• My advice? There are opportunities everywhere. Some opportunities are not as obvious as mine so you might just have to take a few of Professor Underation’s news classes to recognize when an opportunity presents itself.

When the time came to look for another internship I went to the WTOL website to apply. I heard back within a few days from the internship coordinator, who wanted to set up an interview. The interview was laid back and conversational. It went well to say the least. At the beginning of the interview she told me that I would find out in a few weeks whether I was hired or not. By the end of the interview I was hired. So what caused the change of heart? I was myself and I expressed my passion for broadcast news.

• My advice? Be yourself, relax and express the passion you have for the line of work you are applying for. Interviewers want to know how much you want to be there. Enthusiasm helps express this, but remember it is an interview, so don’t go overboard.

The internship began two months later as everything and nothing I expected. I signed up to do a little bit of everything at the station instead of picking just one department with the hopes one of them would spark my interest and guide me into a career path.

I was right.

At first I started out following a multi-media journalist on story leads, helping her shoot video and write stories. Then I moved to working on the web. I posted content to the station’s website and learned about web work. This work is great, but it is not what I see myself doing for a career.

I was so determined to find my calling that I stepped out of the newsroom and into the marketing department or, as some journalists call it, the dark side. The two areas are sort of the opposite of each other, which in turn is translated into opposites that can combat each other. The writing style is different with marketing versus news. It is more sensational. I enjoyed this work but it was not as enjoyable as news.

• My advice? Be patient and don’t give up. There is hope for those who are slower at finding the direction to take towards a career.

It was not until the last month and a half of my internship that I finally had the opportunity to work with producing. I got an offer from my internship coordinator to come in and help her produce the morning show.

I thought this was my big break. And then I showed up for my first day…at six in the morning and then my second day at two in the morning. This rotates each time I work, but it is worth every minute. I got my wish; there is not a lot of murmur from reporters. In fact, some days there is actually no murmur at all. On the days I am there at two I think I am one of four people in the entire building. There is no flashiness, but there is much more excitement. The police scanner is always buzzing with fires, shootings and accidents.

The truth is I would not have it any other way. It is exciting having a deadline and rushing to finish the show rundown.  I like producing because it is all about content. I get to help decide what news to put on the air in addition to making graphics and selecting fonts.

Producing is just as uncertain as it is to be a reporter. Breaking news can completely unravel three hours of work. And so can a guest who doesn’t show up. Things happen, and that is why it is important to have an open mind, be flexible and manage your time wisely.

I took this internship with an open mind, and now I at least know what I want to do with my life. I may not have a job lined up for graduation in a month but my résumé is out there. Thanks to this internship, at least I know where to send it.

• My final advice? Remember not to get discouraged. A lot of graduates don’t find a job right away. Opportunity awaits, get out there and find it.

A rare but good problem: Landing a job before graduation

By Kathryn Baumgart, Public Relations Account Coordinator, Laughlin Constable

Heather Snyman, Adrian Poston, Katie Baumgart and Elizabeth Scarff attend the national conference of the Public Relations Student Society of America in Washington D.C.

Searching for your first job out of college can be a very daunting experience. Believe me, I just went through it! I recently accepted a position as a public relations account coordinator at the advertising agency Laughlin Constable.

If you’re interested in a similar career path, the number one piece of advice I can give is to take control of your education early, both inside and outside the classroom. Your education is entirely your own so mold it to fit your aspirations. Here’s how I did this:

• Take advantage of hands-on classes.

One of my favorite parts about the communication program at Findlay is the amount of real-world, hands-on experience I gained in classes like PR Campaigns, Newswriting and Senior Assessment. I used these opportunities to challenge myself, make mistakes and, most importantly, LEARN. The experiences taught me so much about effective communication and turned into great analogies to refer to during the job interview process!

• Get involved with organizations outside of the classroom.

Sometimes, the real learning takes place outside the classroom. As a member and leader of UF’s Public Relations Student Society of America chapter, I gained a wealth of leadership and professional skills. I networked with professionals at national and local events, participated in on- and off-campus campaigns and was able to build my professional rapport and my portfolio at the same time.

• Land a summer internship to continue learning year-round.

I was extremely fortunate to have had incredible internship experiences. (Visit Findlay PRSSA’s website for tips on getting an internship.) During the summer of 2010, I worked as a print production intern at Laughlin Constable; during the summer of 2011, I worked as a public relations intern at the Milwaukee Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, VISIT Milwaukee; and, for the past year, I have worked as a student writer in the UF Office of Public Information. Each of these experiences was invaluable to my education and professional development.

So what’s the next step?

If you’re rounding the last turn of your formal education and you’re looking for your first job, my biggest piece of advice is to network and be patient. Use the experience you’ve gained and the connections you’ve made during the past four years to show employers how marketable you are. And don’t get discouraged if you don’t get the answer you want right away. We work in a rapidly changing business, so be patient, be gracious and don’t give up!

Kontar in the field at the Grand Tetons

By Katia Kontar
Multimedia Specialist/Education Program Associate
ANDRILL Science Management Office

(The University of Findlay, 2009)

If it’s spring, seniors on campuses across the country are starting to panic about what comes next. This was me just a few years ago. I was a recent college graduate in between unpaid internships with no job prospects. It took me six months to find a job. So the first lesson is, don’t expect to find work right away. And don’t get discouraged.

Fortunately, every industry needs a good communications specialist. Case in point, with only two undergraduate-level science courses under my belt, I landed a communication position at the ANDRILL Science Management Office. (ANDRILL stands for ANtarctic geological DRILLing.)

Before this job I knew nothing about geological drilling, or any other kind of drilling for that matter. But I was pretty good at event planning, video editing and desktop publishing…not to mention networking. These days you really have to go the extra mile to reach out to potential employers because the job market is very competitive. Lesson No. 2: Use every chance to network even if it seems insignificant.

I was lucky to have my résumé when I happened to run into my future boss at the 2009 American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco. When he mentioned a media specialist was leaving in a few months, I handed him my résumé and an electronic portfolio on DVD. Four months later I had the job.

I have been working for ANDRILL a little more than two years. My main responsibilities include organizing and holding educational events; putting together educational materials, both print and digital; and designing promotional materials, such as posters, brochures, and videos.

Some of my favorites

• I put together this educational publication using Adobe InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop. This publication is in circulation among a variety of public and private schools and other educational organizations throughout the United States.

• In summer 2010 I was named a runner-up in the American Geosciences Institute (AGI) photo and video contest “Why do I like working in the field” for this 10-minute documentary I made while participating in the geological exploration of the Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Tetons.

I truly love my job, because it’s never dull. I am always working on new projects with brilliant and fascinating people, with whom I also often travel, both domestically and internationally.

When I started digging around for a job after graduation, who knew I’d end up finding my dream job with ANtarctic geological DRILLing. A recent promotion to Education Program Associate has me wanting to learn even more about the field and about public policy…wanting to return, believe it or not, to the classroom.