• Dispelling a Hiring Myth: Companies Do Hire in December

    There seems to be a widely held belief that finding a new job in December is next to impossible (think hunting unicorns) and that professionals wanting to make a career change would be best off on focusing on firing up their searches after the New Year.  The reasons cited are many and though not completely unfounded, the reality is that if your business is growing, as Matter’s is, hiring doesn’t stop for the holidays.  For professionals considering a change in 2013, December is the perfect time to meet about new opportunities so you can fast forward to starting out the new year in your new job.  Hiring managers often have more bandwidth around the holidays than one might think, are motivated to fill openings and you’ll be a few steps ahead of anyone who waits to start their search in the new year. (more…)

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  • Hunting and Farming

    One of my first PR jobs was a firm that held a large company outing every year.  Along with the cookout and music came a fairly competitive set of athletic events.  Employees engaged in tennis, horseshoes, lacrosse, darts – just about anything that you could keep score at.  The centerpiece, however, was the softball game.  Custom T-shirts were made for every edition of this sports classic.  In my first year, the CEO named the teams the Hunters and the Farmers.  The Hunters consisted of the client facing professionals while the Farmers were the support staff, from the receptionist through HR and marketing and the administrative assistants. 

    The Farmers won the game that year, much to the chagrin of the hyper-competitive Hunters, but the thing that stuck with me was the distinction between the groups.  Public relations agencies need both Hunters and Farmers.  In fact, I would say that the best PR pros are a little of both.  You have to enjoy (at least a little) the thrill of the chase, the new business meeting, the pitching process.   But you also need to tend to those tasks that keep a communications program running well, planning, tracking, reporting and client status calls are crucial to overall success.

    Which are you, Hunter, Farmer or a little of both?

     

     

    Matter

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  • Working Through Sandy-esque Disasters

    While there are very few things that stop or slow down the PR world, if it DOES happen, it’s usually justified. Almost three weeks ago, the Northeast was devastated by Hurricane Sandy, and many New York and New Jersey City citizens were greatly affected by loss of power and/or property. Besides the fact that many businesses were unable to operate, there was a sense of respect and even calm across the United States. For many PR professionals new to the industry, or new to natural disasters, there are ways to continue working efficiently, but, they don’t come without consideration.  

    Gut check, and check-in: If your client is based in the affected areas, check-in immediately for major updates such as facility closings. In most cases, if your client is able to work, they will – even if it’s remotely. But, if there is city-wide loss of power or other prohibiting factors for good working conditions, then it’s obviously not possible.  (more…)

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  • Is the News Dying?

    A blogger buddy and I had a back-and-forth recently about the future of news. He had just read a post called, “The incredible shrinking newspaper audience,” and was pessimistic about the future of how people would get their news.

    “Scary stuff if you value real news,” the blogger, Joey Ciaramitaro of Good Morning Gloucester, wrote in our Twitter chat.

    There are plenty of reasons to be concerned.

    Print newspapers are hurting. Last month New Orleans became the largest U.S. city without a daily print newspaper when the Times-Picayune ceased daily publication after 175 years (it now publishes only on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays.) After an 80-year run, Newsweek is also ceasing print publication next month. Close to home, this week the newspaper I grew up with and delivered as a paper boy, the Eagle-Tribune in North Andover, Mass., announced the layoff of 5 percent of its workforce.

    “A distinct lack of interest in newspapers among those under the age of 50 suggests it is only a matter of time before (newspapers’) niche turns from ‘super’ to ‘sliver,’” wrote former journalist Alan D. Mutter on his “Reflections of a Newsosaur” blog.

    Here’s the thing. Even though I’m a former news reporter, I’m not worried about the future of news. Sure, print newspapers are cutting back like crazy as online competition passes them by and advertisers ditch print for the hipper alternative of mobile advertising. As PR professionals, media fragmentation is a big opportunity for us to help clients navigate this diversified landscape and still get their story out.

    But people’s hunger for news isn’t going away. They’re just getting their news in a different way. A study last month by the Pew Research Center found that 43 percent of people who own tablets are reading more news than they were before owning a tablet. Repeat: They’re reading MORE news, not less.

    Transitions like this aren’t new. Once upon a time people read afternoon newspapers, coming home from their day shift and catching up on the day’s news before dinner. TV and the evening news killed those. Remember the first video played on MTV, the Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star”? Same theme: Transition, one medium giving way to another.

    As long as people are curious about the world around them, they’ll still want news. The news isn’t dying. It’s just finding new ways to reach us.

    Disagree? Agree? I’d love your feedback in the Comments below.

    Matter

  • Cory Booker, Super Mayor

    Cory Booker, mayor of Newark, N.J. is not new to the Twitter scene.  He’s long been an example of how politicians can effectively use social media to engage and help constituents. But, in the wake of the devastation brought by Hurricane Sandy to the New Jersey and New York region last week, Booker has taken his Twitter game to the next level.

    Booker took to Twitter following the storm, providing Newark residents with news about the power outages, school closings and where they could turn for help. Many politicians have mastered the art of using social media to disseminate relevant information to followers. But, Cory Booker is not just any politician – this is the guy that saves people from burning buildings (and then tweets about it, of course.) After Sandy, Booker has been responding directly to residents who had questions, offering to bring supplies to those in need and offering inspirational words to residents who were frustrated with their situations. Somehow, he kept a sense of humor through the whole thing too.

    So, while Booker may really only have the power to serve those in the Newark area, let him serve as an example to other politicians, brands and individuals on how social media could – and should – be used as a tool to engage your audience.

    Matter

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  • Mandy Mladenoff to Speak at PRSA Northeast Conference

    Who: Mandy Mladenoff, General Manager Matter Communications Newburyport

    What: PRSA 2012 Northeast District Conference

    When: Thursday, November 8, 2012 at 11:40 a.m.

    Where: Hilton Garden Inn in Troy, N.Y.

    Why: The theme of the 2012 conference is Strong Tradition, Fearless Future and will include presenters, workshops and breakout sessions from many of the region’s best communications professionals. Mandy’s session will cover Start-Up PR Today.  For ten years, Mandy worked in PR in the heart of Silicon Valley, with both start-ups and with established brands. Since returning to the east coast, she’s become central to the renewed focus on tech start-ups on the here, teaching classes to entrepreneurs about PR, and mentoring companies through one-on-one meetings and board presentations. Mandy will address the differences between start-up PR and PR for more established brands and strategies and tactics applicable to both. Attendees will walk away with key best practices regardless of company size, and a keen understanding of how to engage in PR for a start-up organization.

    Media Contact

    Melissa Garabedian
    978-518-4552
    [email protected]

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