IntegratePR | Houston Public Relations and Social Media Agency

This time of the year always seems to be “job searching” season. With the school year coming to an end, to-be and recent college grads blast their resumes and cover letters to HR departments nationwide. Likewise, spring instills an allure of and desire for a new beginning with a new job or new employee, while both companies and professionals begin searching for their perfect match.

By no means am I a Career Services counselor nor do I pretend to be one. But through my experiences of applying and landing internships and jobs that I have wanted, of both being the interviewer and interviewee and of interning and managing interns, I want to share my thoughts and advice for job searching, interning, interviewing, resume writing and anything in-between to college students, grads and young professionals with these blog posts.

Interested? Let’s get started. For this blog, let’s talk resumes.

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Keep it to one page. You are in college, have just graduated or have only been in the workplace for a couple of years; you do not have enough experience for more than one page. I’m sure your part-time job three years ago and your high-school extracurricular activities were superb, but they do not belong here. Also, avoid using six words when two will do (I’ll come back to this again when talking about interviewing.)

If a couple lines sneak to page two, play around with margins.

Example (Your job title would go here)

• (Your skills would go here)
• There is no reason to have an inch and a half of empty space bordering your text that you’ll have to make size eight font and you’ll need a magnifying glass to read
• ←See this empty space?→
• Maximize your space 

Many people get tied up when they hear that their resume “should stand out.” There is a difference between standing out and standing out. If you get too fancy with your fonts, boxes, graphics or colors, you may draw more (read: bad) attention to those parts of your resume and not to the content. This may be a good moment for me to let you know that if you were hoping this blog would give you a blank resume template for you to use, then I apologize; make your resume your own.

If you are still in school and you are applying for internships, arranging your resume chronologically may make the most sense. Once you have graduated, you should move your school information from the top of the page to the bottom. When you include information about your education, it is unnecessary to incorporate “Relevant Coursework” on your resume. Why? If I see that you majored in Economics, I am going to assume you took Economics related coursework while at school and I don’t need to see those specific classes you took. Containing your coursework is redundant and, let’s be honest, how much studying did you really do? The question of the GPA: do you include it? Sure, why not… if it’s decent. I doubt your hiring manager will ask you what your GPA is/was during an interview if it is not there and I doubt they will talk about it if it is.

Above all else, you want your resume to be easy to read. I’ll say it again: Easy. To. Read. When hiring managers look at a resume, they want to know exactly where you worked and what you did. Bullets and bolding, in moderation, make this easier. 

I have learned a lot since moving to Texas a few months ago and have since compiled an extensive list of two whole points to let you in on all of this newfound knowledge.

The first and most important point is that this sign is untrue:

 If by “friendly” you mean terrible, then yes.

The second point is Texans are serious about Texas. As a Mississippian, I learned very young to take a joke about where I’m from. (The “joke” I hear most is usually about us marrying our cousins; FYI that is actually Alabama, not Mississippi.) But after moving here, I quickly learned not to joke about Texas, blue bonnets or the rodeo because certain things are sacred. Texans never joke about their state.  

It’s a little overwhelming at first, but I soon began to understand. Texas has a diverse culture with amazing people, an absolutely beautiful countryside and is on the rise for all the right reasons. You can’t help but get a little serious about it!

Last week after the heartbreaking explosion in West, Texans did something to be proud of. They gave so much to their fellow Texans that the Red Cross is asking folks to stop donating. Texans literally gave until they were told to stop and yet they still keep giving.  

I’m happy to say, I’m now a proud Texan!

Houstonians are particularly serious. You’re serious about food, with nationally recognized chefs and restaurants taking top honors.  This is the city for young professionals and the number one relocation spot in the nation. Recently Houston was proclaimed better than Austin and I half expected there to be a parade.

So Texans are serious about Texas, Houstonians are serious about Houston and I now understand why. While I will always be a Mississippi girl at heart, I appreciate Texas and all the great things it has to offer and the extraordinary and serious people who call this place home!

April marks my two-year anniversary at IntegratePR, and also living here in Houston. I’ve discovered many amazing things about the Bayou city since moving here from Austin: the great museums and parks, a fun nightlife, lots of great live music, and most importantly: the food. Coming from the Capitol City where I thought the variety of local restaurants couldn’t get any better (I mean, who doesn’t love a Trudy’s Mexican martini or a greasy Don Juan?) I was shocked to find out just how much Houston has to offer a foodie like me. As I’ve eaten my way around town, I’ve put together a few of my very favorite stops that you might want to add to your list: 

Uchi: Uchi Houston hasn’t been open that long, but there’s always a crowd at this amazing sushi and Japanese food eatery. Duck in a jar and champagne cocktails with blueberries. Need I say more? 

Coppa: This place has the perfect atmosphere for a date night or a fun girls’ night out. Amazing pizzas, pastas, salads, and wine selection make this Washington spot one of my very favorite places to dine. Try the crispy prosciutto pizza!

Underbelly: Delicious farm-to-table selections and a vast assortment of local beers is why Underbelly is one of my favorites. Plus, chef Chris Shepherd might just come sit down at your table to chat with you about what you ordered. Try the Wagyu tenderloin or the pork belly if you’re in the mood to beef up your dinner.

Goode Company: Yes, Goode Company is one of our beloved clients, but I’ve enjoyed dining at this local BBQ, Seafood, and Taqueria restaurant group for years. Everyone knows about their famous pecan pie, but try the burgers at the Taqueria or the fried chicken at The Armadillo Palace.

Baby Barnaby’s: You can find me at this hole-in-the-wall Montrose favorite almost every morning on the weekends enjoying a cup of coffee and a giant waffle with my friends or fiancé. Come say hi if you spot me!

Houston has so much to offer, so why not get out and try something new this week? Email me if you’d like my full list of favorites and the best places to try! Happy eating! 

Jessie

On Valentine’s Day, our office helped Al’s Formal Wear surprise couples getting married at the Harris County Civil Courthouse with pop-up wedding receptions! As a day that was established on the tradition of “courtly love” in honor of Saint Valentine, it should come as no surprise that hundreds of couples choose to get married on this very romantic day.

The week of the event was a whirlwind of wedding planning for us! In only a few days, we were able to secure food and drinks for the bride and groom, create fabulous mobile wedding decorations (including signs, banners, bubbles, flowers, a wedding cake, umbrellas with hanging paper flowers and much more), choose the perfect wedding song (“Marry You,” by Bruno Mars), recruit 10 spirited individuals to help create a flash mob effect and establish a detailed plan of attack for the big day. Each person participating in the flash mob was assigned a specific task for Thursday, and once the planning was complete, we were ready to celebrate couples getting hitched on Valentine’s Day!

As a wedding present, Al’s Formal Wear outfitted three couples free of charge for their wedding day. The suit specialists “upgraded” the brides and grooms to tuxedos and dresses in celebration of Al’s Formal Wear’s new marketing program, “Discover Your Formal Side.” 

On the morning of the event, we were all giddy with excitement and eager for the upcoming nuptials. Dressed in our finest wedding apparel (some IPRers even opted to wear bridesmaids dresses!), we took our posts outside the courthouse and waited for newly married couples to emerge so we could celebrate them. When the brides and grooms came down the Harris County Civil Courthouse stairs, a designated flash mob participant started playing “Marry You” as a cue, then one by one, we all gathered around the couple to toast to their marriage, cheer as they shared their first dance and kiss, and applaud their new life together. 

Last Thursday was a beautiful day filled with teamwork, fun, and of course, love! We were all so honored to be part of different couple’s wedding days and felt it was the perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. 

What would you think if you had a flash mob wedding reception? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page!

Super Bowl Sunday is a day of “super” indulgences. Everyone treats themselves to an excess of hot wings, dips, beer and of course, hours of football [and commercials]! The coveted game is as American as apple pie, and it prompts people to celebrate football, extreme marketing efforts, and delicious food and libations. Always up for festivities, the IntegratePR team members each partake in their own unique Super Bowl activities. Read below to see what the ladies said when asked about their Super Bowl traditions, favorite memories, or plans for this Sunday!

Allie- “At the party I went to last year we played Bingo that included things from the commercials (a talking animal), as well as things in the game, like players making certain plays, and at the party (as in a square when someone spills their drink). It was a lot of fun!” 

Adrienne- “My friend from Baltimore special ordered crab cakes from Maryland and we’ll be watching the game at his house enjoying authentic crab cakes.”

Andrea- “I generally enjoy the Super Bowl. For the past few years, I’ve been watching it at home, but this year I might find myself at a watch party. I’ve been perusing Pinterest for fun, healthy Super Bowl snack recipes, and I think I’ve found a few that I’m going to try out. I’m looking forward to seeing what the ad executives have cooked up for their respective Super Bowl ads, which is always an exciting pastime. What I’m most looking forward to, however, is Beyonce’s half-time performance! My friends and I started a countdown the week after she was announced as the headliner, and have generally been discussing the game as a Beyonce concert flanked by two halves of football!”

Jenny- “I make my famous “buffalo hot wing dip” and head to a friend’s house (this year I’ll be at my cousin’s house) and hang out with friends! I always eat too much and end up falling asleep way too early, or mid-game.”

Jessie- “My favorite Super Bowl tradition is pretty low key: having friends over to grill burgers, drink some frosty beverages, and discuss our favorite commercials. They get more and more ridiculous ever year! I’m also really excited to see Beyonce perform this year!”

Kaitlyn- “I’m more of a basketball fan but I love it when the Super Bowl rolls around because of the food, obviously. All the unhealthy, cheesy dips and then hamburgers, followed by cupcakes decorated like little football helmets. Seriously it’s the best. Especially the cupcakes.”

Laura- “I am too much of a girl because I prefer to watch the Puppy Bowl, go shopping, or see a movie. Stores and movie theaters are always empty on the afternoon of the Super Bowl, so I take advantage!” 

Mary- “When my team isn’t playing in the Super Bowl (which unfortunately has been happening much too frequently), my favorite part of the Super Bowl is watching the commercials. There is always a ton of hype around the commercials and since they spend a crazy amount of money on them, judging them is more exiting. This year, I will be watching the commercials but I will also be rooting for my fellow Blue Hen, Joe Flacco.”

What are your Super Bowl traditions and what are you planning for the big game against the Ravens and 49ers? Let us know on our Facebook page!  

Everyone in our office is beyond excited for The UP Experience, a one day event which brings together 16 of the world’s thought leaders for 20 minute onstage presentations.. These passionate, exceptional thinkers will speak on topics including technology, trends and global movements. Each speaker is said to provoke unique ideas, thoughts and stimulating conversation among attendees; Allie is closing the office for us to all be able to attend and walk away inspired.

IntegratePR will be attending UP, so if you’re unable to attend, check back in on our blog afterwards so you can see what we learned!

For more information on the conference, or to purchase a ticket to The UP Experience, go to www.theupexperience.net/.

If you haven’t had a chance to hear our founder and president, Allie Herzog Danziger, you will get the chance on Wednesday, August 23rd. She will be speaking on one of the subjects she is most passionate about, social media!

The event will be at LIMB Design during their seminar series. Consider this your personal invitation to join us!

Do you have an intern? Are you an intern? Then we want you to join us for our inaugural #internSIP happy hour! We’re inviting interns across the city from every industry to join us at OTC Patio Bar on Kirby this Thursday, August 2^nd. It’ll be a chance for you to meet other interns across the city – come out and have a great time!

Questions? Comments? Leave them below, or connect with us on Facebook or Twitter.

While just about any person can speak on just about any topic with the right preparation, a lesson that is truly important to learn in order to become a great and effective speaker, is using your voice appropriately. In one of our favorite Ragan’s PR Daily articles, we learn that Jackie Kennedy Onassis, was able to leverage her voice to support her causes – and the importance of wisely selecting when to use that voice. While her name was widely known around the world, the fact that she did not attach herself to every cause available truly showed her PR prowess.

Over the past weekend in Houston, Danny Glover met with a delegation of Houston janitors at the Third Ward Multi-Service Center to talk about fair wages for workers cleaning offices in some of the city’s largest companies. Glover is a noted civil and social rights activist, and although he may have a few past campaigns under his belt, the fact that he positioned himself to be an authority on civil and social issues, gives him clout when undertaking the cause of a new organization.

At Integrate Public Relations, one of the most important things that we do is help clients find their voice. Sure, we are communicating their voice on social media channels, but additionally, we help our clients find their brand and what that means in how they interact with their publics. In some cases, that means selecting only one charity to work with instead 50, thus avoiding the dilution of your overall message. Whatever the case may be, the team at Integrate believes in finding each business’ individual voice and making that voice heard. We love when we see other Houstonians that share our same ideologies!

Even though we love social media every day of the year, tomorrow we’re giving some extra special props to the tools that help us do our jobs because – it’s social media day 2012! Since this is the global day of sharing, make sure you do everything you can to connect across all of your channels using our handy checklist below:

Checklist for social media day:

• Post at least one Facebook status that says Happy Social Media Day! and add at least one new friend
• Check in to at least two places that you go on FourSquare and leave one review
• Pin 20 things to your Pinterest board
• Write a blog post about how much you love social media
• Write a 5 star Yelp review for your favorite restaurant
• Instagram a picture
• Make a visit to your Google Plus page and see what’s going on – just kidding.
• Scan one QR code (you’re allowed to judge the website if it’s not capable of mobile access)
• Try playing around with one new social media tool – if only to see why everyone talks about it – Path, Highlight, SCVNGR,
• Tweet happy tweets from your Twitter account all day, and follow 5 new people

and while you’re at it…

Check out the official celebration! Mashable is hosting meetups in 510 cities across the globe! Houston’s will be at Yardhouse and more information is available here. Will you be celebrating Social Media Day 2012?