Tag Archives: PR agency

Can you see the real me?

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This past Tuesday I attended Third Tuesday Toronto (#TTT for those on Twitter), an event hosted by Thornley Fallis Marketing Communications. Their guest speaker was Mitch Joel (@mitchjoel), who came to talk to us about “personal brand”.

A big point of his presentation that really resonated with me was when he told us to be ourselves online. Whether it’s your website, blog, or your Facebook profile, your online persona should be a reflection of the “real you”.

I have always done my best to be as transparent as possible in anything that I do online. I never say anything that I wouldn’t in “real life”, and try to be as diplomatic as possible when being at all controversial.

I think that my online presence matches very well with who I really am, but do you? If you know me in person, I ask you to please leave your feedback on this. When you read my blog posts, or visit my website, do you see the real me? If not it is crucial that you tell me now! The last thing that I want to do is project a false image, and would like to correct that right away, if I am.

I also ask both those who do, and those who don’t know me to give their thoughts on being the “real you” online. What if you have opinions, let’s say political for sake of example, that you fear may be looked down upon by your employer, or potential employers. Do you share those thoughts online? What kind of discretion do you use when writing something on your blog?

Any and all thoughts are appreciated!

The video below is completely unrelated to this post, but the headline made me think of this great song (bear with it, the song picks up at 1:00) ENJOY!:

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Thank you for reading what I have to say today. Signing off, this is Adam Weitner

Why I hope to be a good fit for your agency team

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First and foremost, I would like to send a special thank you to Arik Hanson and Valerie Simon for coming up with #HAPPO (Help A PR Pro Out), and bringing this great initiative to fruition.

The timing for #HAPPO couldn’t be better for me. I’m currently in the midst of a big transition in career focus, from corporate to agency PR, and am making the move from Ottawa back to Toronto. With the move I am, of course, actively seeking work. Not just any work, though.

There are great opportunities in Ottawa, and I could certainly stay here and make a good living. However, my sights are set on Toronto for a special reason – big PR agency work. And the further I make it down the road of pursuit, the more I feel like I’m following destiny.

I’ve known since very early in my career that an agency atmosphere is where I would best shine. However, I lacked the confidence that I felt was required for agency work. I have since had a couple of years to hone my skills and build up my confidence, and I’m feeling more than ready.

So, what traits make me a good fit for PR agency?

  1. With a team is how I achieve my best work. Nothing is better than collaboration – it’s what communication is all about. With a team beside me, magical things can happen.
  2. Challenge brings out the best in me, and I truly enjoy it. In fact, I strive for it. Constant challenge is a MUST.
  3. Creativity is my true love. Being creative is a requirement in any agency, and just the thought of that makes me smile. Going to work to get my creative juices flowing? I’m there! The steady pay cheque is just a bonus.
  4. Just call me Mr. Positive. My focus is, and always will be, to see the positive side of everything. Through positive thinking I have accomplished things I never thought possible.
  5. Energy to make the Energizer Bunny tire out. My outgoing personality and energy have a way of rubbing off on others. Nothing is accomplished without energy!
  6. I carry a work ethic like that of my elders. From delivering newspapers to framing houses, I have done it all. Over the years, through my different experiences, and by following those that I look up to, I have developed a work ethic that I can be proud of. This ethic shows in everything that I do as a practitioner, and will serve me well in the agency environment.

What practical skills can I offer?
Since plunging into the wonderful world of public relations with enrollment into the Algonquin College PR Program, I have been exposed to some great experiences. I spent over a year as a promotions assistant with The Jewel 98.5 FM radio station, completed an internship with Mitel Networks, and managed all events and marketing communications for ServiceMaster of Ottawa for nearly two years. I ‘ve been able to dabble in a few different types of communications, and different work atmospheres, which has helped round me as a communicator.

Through these experiences I have also developed a number of tangible PR assets. A list of those assets can be seen here.

More important than the skills that I have already developed are the skills that I will form and continue to build as I move further into my career. Eagerly soaking up every bit of knowledge I can get my hands on, I am always learning and growing. I make it a point to learn something new, every day, which has been helpful in building my practical portfolio.

How about some proof?
Anyone can claim to be able to do this, that, and the other thing, but without anything to show for it, it means squat. That’s why I have pulled together a few samples of my work to share with you. I won’t overload you with piles and piles of stuff to sift through. Just a few good examples of what I can do.

Check out some of these samples here.

Want to know more?
If I have managed to pique your interest and you want to know more about me, I will gladly answer any questions you may have. I would also love an opportunity to meet with you and further discuss how we can benefit from a relationship with each other.

You may also want to check out a printable, download-able version of my hard copy resume. If so, that can be found here.

I would love to hear from you:
If I sound like the kind of person that will make the perfect fit for, and be of benefit to, your agency and its clients, please get in touch today. I look forward to hearing from you.

adamweitner@gmail.com
613.697.2326
@adam_weitner_pr


My #HAPPO Dance
In anticipation of landing an interview with you, I have come up with my very own #HAPPO Dance. You can get a quick glimpse of what it will look like by clicking here.

As you can tell, I put a lot of time and practice in to my dance, and I would love to perform it, live, just for you. All you have to do is invite me to meet with you, and sit back and enjoy the show. Alternatively, you could meet with me in an effort to convince me to never dance this way again. Either way, if it means meeting with you, I’m there.

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Know of someone who’s needs align with my traits? Send them a link to this post :)

Also, please share this post on Twitter and be sure to include the #HAPPO hashtag. Thank you in advance for your help!

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Thanks for reading what I have to say today. Signing off, this is Adam Weitner.

Well, that sure was helpful

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As part of my quest for meaningful employment in the Toronto PR job market, I have created a short-list of agencies that I want to work for.  A top three that’s built based on a number of criteria, such as: their team dynamic (many minds are greater than one, and I feed off of others), their clients both current and past (who the team and I will be communicating for is important to me), the possibility to move vertically within the organization  (if you don’t plan to climb the ladder, you won’t), and, perhaps most importantly – professional growth potential (the real pay for me is knowledge. If I’m not learning, I’m losing).

It began mainly through word-of-mouth; recommendations made to me by other PR professionals who have either worked with, or for, an organization. Then it was on to exploring the online identities of said organizations on my own, digging up as much info as I could get my hands on.

I have been impressed with what I have found online. Creative by nature, most PR agencies have fun, interactive websites that reflect their innovative personalities. The Thornley Fallis website is a prime example of just that. It is cosmetically appealing (I’m sure having your own in-house design team helps), easy to navigate, but most importantly, it is useful. First off, it appeals to potential clients and provides them with a good glimpse into what TF does, and can do, which is of course a given. It also, however, features a number of different blogs, written by some of TF’s PR big guns, or gurus if you will. One such blog is TF’s Pro PR. The articles it features often provide a learning experience for the communicator both experienced and non. Like this one on Integrating Social Media with Traditional Media, for example.

I’ve also come across some other very informative blogs – much too many to list. As I am currently seeking employment, however, there are a couple that really stand out, and I was astounded to come across them.

This posting by Environic Communications’ Andrew Berthoff: “Tips for PR agency job interview success (well, at least this agency)”, is incredibly useful for someone in my shoes. And though the title may lead you to believe it is only helpful for getting work with Environics, in my opinion it goes far beyond that.

Another blog posting that comes to mind is one brought to my attention by a friend and colleague, Robyn Kuehl. It is posted on the Social Media Group’s blog, and is entitled “SMG is hiring – A LOT”. While it may not provide as much in the way of resources, it is very appealing to me. It, of course, aligns very well with what I’m currently trying to accomplish, and that is, get work!

So, I would like to take this time to say thank you to the many great PR minds out there for taking the time to share their knowledge. The boat-load of resources that I’ve found through your websites and blogs, like that of Environics, are the tools that are currently driving me toward success. Let me assure you all, it is much appreciated.

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Thank you for reading what I have to say today. Signing off, this is Adam Weitner