Ten Questions

I decided to add a new feature to the blog, a monthly feature called "Ten Questions". Pretty self explanatory so let me just say, without further adieu, it is my pleasure to introduce Abby Wambaugh. Abby was one of my outstanding students and landed a job right out of college (just a few months ago) that most recent college graduates can only dream about. Honestly, I was impressed by her selection. Impressed, but not surprised.

Thanks for talking with us Abby. Let me begin by asking you…

Where are you working and why?
I am a communications specialist for Greyhound Lines Inc. at their Dallas headquarters.  I accepted the job because I immediately got along with my teammates in the interview and it is an incredible opportunity for a first "real" job out of college (opportunity to travel all over the US and I get to talk to media, which is unusual for a first job at a large company.)

One Web link we should all click today?
I click on my local newspaper’s link – http://www.dallasnews.com/ – every day to at least scan the headlines of what is happening locally.

Not pr related… www.someecards.com. It feeds my sarcastic sense of humor.

Best advice received while in college?
Get an internship.

The PR tool you can’t live without?
My AP style book and a good editor. There is nothing worse than a PR person who cannot spell and/or has poor grammar. We all make mistakes that need to be caught. Most recently I typed this sentence for a banquet program I put together, "In the shirt time she has worked for Greyhound…"

Which is more important, Facts or Message?
Our messages are facts. We may deliver them in a specific manner, and obviously the deliverance of the message is half the battle, but it is the reporters’ job to dig deeper.

The one college course elective that should take?
Wine tasting and criminal profiling. Just kidding…although I took both and they are very interesting. I minored in English/creative writing, and I think taking more than the required English classes is really helpful. Chances are you will be asked to write feature-type stories sometime in your PR career, and English helps you exercise the writing part of your brain that is not just formulaic, fact regurgitation in a succinct and easy to read manner. It encourages you to be creative and write in a different style. It also forces you to read, which is invaluable regardless what you do. I would also suggest anything that allows you to learn limited graphic design and layout.

With regard to where you work, what is the one thing they place at the top of the priority list?
Communicating effectively, honestly and in a timely manner to employees and the media.

What have you learned since graduating?
I am expensive. If you have never added up the cost for you to live, you should so you can be aware of the minimum amount of money you need to live. Things like car insurance, health care, 401k, rent for the area etc. might not be things you are currently paying for.

Will you ever be a student again or was four (or five) years enough for you?
3 ½ years for me… I would like to go to grad school, but I learned a long time ago that plans constantly change as your life changes. Have goals, maybe not the specifics hammered out, but you have to be flexible. The answer – maybe I will, maybe I won’t. As to what I would go to school for – who knows. I’ve considered everything from public affairs to counseling to law school.

What advice would you give all the current JB students?
GET AN INTERNSHIP! And heck, not just one, but many. I had three internships (yes, maybe overkill) and worked for The O’Colly and I am incredibly thankful for each of my experiences. Internships build on each other (financially and skill wise) and prepare you for a job. I would not hire someone without an internship. Internships get you comfortable with things they don’t teach you in college, like how to act in a business environment, how to get along with co-workers, and how to send a business email and answer the phone appropriately.  Seems simple, but you’d be surprised. They also allow you to put what you’ve learned in class to real situations.They help you build your resume and your list of references.

What question didn’t I ask that you wish I had? And, of course, could you please answer it.
What questions should you ask that you might not think of when applying for a job?

• Do they pay for you to relocate?
• Do they pay for you to belong, and encourage you to belong, to a professional organization (i.e. PRSA or IABC)?
• Do you receive your vacation immediately and how many days?
• When can you start receiving benefits?
• Do they offer a 401k plan or stock options?
• Do their employees receive bonuses?
• When would you be up for your first performance review (consequently, when you are first able to receive a raise)?
• Is there room for you to move up in the company?
• I would suggest not asking financial related questions on the first interview unless they bring it up. That is generally regarded as inappropriate.

Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience with us, Abby.

If you have a question or comment for Abby, by all means feel free to fill out the comments section. I am sure she will be watching and would be willing to chime in when appropriate.

Oh, and yes, I know, that was eleven questions. Let me remind you, there are three types of people in the world, those that are good with numbers and those that aren’t. For those of us that aren’t good with numbers, there is Public Relations.