Always On? The 24/7 Pitch

This guest post is from Amanda Duncan, a junior public relations major at Northern Kentucky University. She’s also my intern.

As she prepares for a paid summer internship outside of the greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area, I was once again reminded of the similarities between the cover letter/resume and the pitch letter/news release.

This is Amanda’s recap of what it takes today to stand out for a potential employer. Do you think there are similarities as it relates to standing out for the media? – Kevin Dugan
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Remember the days when you sent in your cover letter and resume and hoped for the best? You probably don’t as those days are long gone.

There are so many channels now for networking that relying solely on your cover letter and resume is a mistake. With Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, online portfolios, networking events and more you are essentially pitching yourself 24/7. Not only are you constantly selling yourself but now you must think about how you will maintain those networking relationships and make yourself easily accessible.

Make it Simple
Don’t make a potential employer hunt you down to find out more about you. Kevin once mentioned in his cover letter pitch post that he has scanned thousands of cover letters over the years. If all you have a just a cover letter and resume what is going to make you stand out? What makes you so special?

To stand out in a pile of cover letters you need to create context, make yourself easily accessible by providing access to your social media life in the channels that potential employers use most.

Keep In Touch
As I said earlier maintaining relationships is critical. The tools to do so are right in front of you. Utilize every medium you have as it makes sense to keep in touch with those you could find potentially helpful.

For example, I met Kevin during a class presentation over a year ago. I used Twitter to keep in touch with him because I knew it was the medium that he used the most, hence making myself easily accessible. When I was coming back to school in the fall I pitched myself via a Twitter direct message -- asking him for help finding an internship in the Cincinnati area. Needless to say my timing was perfect. Customizing my approach based on the person I'm networking with is something I've applied for awhile and works well through LinkedIn.

I think students underestimate the power of social media in creating context, relationships and pitching themselves to PR professionals. It’s a 24/7 pitch! So whether you’re at a networking event or online be prepared to sell yourself at any time in any media channel.