Month: February 2007

Happy, happy higher ed flacks

According to this (via FlackLife), all higher ed PR people should be relatively happy.

…Generalists, people with moderately strong attachments to many ideas, should be hard to interrupt, and once interrupted, should have weaker, shorter negative negative reactions since they have alternative paths to realize their plans. Specialists, people with stronger attachments to fewer ideas, should be easier to interrupt, and once interrupted, should have stronger,more sustained negative reactions because they have fewer alternative pathways to realize their plans. Generalists should be the upbeat, positive people in the profession while specialists should be their grouchy, negative counterparts. — Karl Weick

In general, I agree. (What did you expect from a happy-go-lucky generalist?) The college and university public relations folks I know tend to be more upbeat and optimistic than, say, graphic designers. But we’re not nearly as chipper as the marketing, alumni relations or development folks.

Then again, a lot of PR people with a writing background (the best kind, in my opinion) are more introverted than the schmoozing marketing, development and alumni relations types, and they may come off as moody or negative. Much of it is a matter of perception, I think.

I’ve been accused of being a pessimist before by my fellow PR people. I prefer to think of it as realism based on experience.

Blogs and the higher ed marketplace

Catching up on my higher ed blog-reading this morning, I discover two posts about blogging and the higher ed workplace.

One post, from erelevant, is an announcement that Warren Wilson College is looking for a VP of advancement. But it’s interesting that Morgan posted the ad on his blog. I’d be interested in hearing whether any candidates respond to the announcement, and whether any inquiries that begin, “I found your ad for the vice president’s position on the erelevant blog…” will make it past HR’s screening. Morgan, keep us informed, please.

The other post comes from Rob at UBrander, and it’s a lament about the substandard quality of applications he’s received for a web copywriter position.

He writes: “[M]ore than 50 applicants have made it through HR to my desk. Only four have received interviews. None have been hired.”

It seems they haven’t done their homework. But Rob has done his. Read on:

The ones who did get an interview didn’t bother to Google me. If they had, they would have found my blog, my LinkedIn profile, etc. They would have learned that I have a particular philosophy of higher ed marketing related to the IMC process. They would be able to impress me with marketing terms like “brand equity.” They would have even learned what I looked like so they could immediately recognize me when they walked into the department. Those who didn’t get interviews might have checked me out on the Web, but what prevented them from getting an interview was that I checked them out too.

A cautionary tale for job-seekers in the Internet age: Google your prospective employer. And beware what you post about yourself.