In The Spirit of HAPPO: Get The Scoop on Tom O’Keefe

What is HAPPO? Co-founded by Arik Hanson and Valerie Simon, Help A PR Pro Out [HAPPO] started in February 2010 and developed into a social media movement to help connect out-of-work PR pros (or soon to be job seekers) with employers to build relationships and network. Use the hashtag #HAPPO or follow @HelpAPRProOut on Twitter, or check out their Facebook fan page or LinkedIn group. Today, I am happy to let my friend, Tom O’Keefe, take over my blog in the spirit of HAPPO.  He holds a B.S. in Communications with a Business minor from Villanova University and is currently teaching through the Jesuit Voluneteer Corps until August 2010.  In the short time I’ve known Tom, I can tell you that he will be an incredible asset to any Public Relations agency.  Don’t believe me?  See for yourselves below.

The Bare Bones

Name: Tom O’Keefe
PR Experience: Buchanan Public Relations Intern (September 2008 to April 2009). Brodeur Partners Business to Business Team Intern (May 2008 to August 2008).
Position Sought: Entry-level public relations, marketing, and/or social media.
Where: Baltimore, Boston, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, New York.
When: September 2010.
Education: Villanova University. B.S., Communication. General Business Minor.
E-mail: TomOKeefe1 [at] gmail.com
Twitter: @TomOKeefe1
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/tomokeefe1

The Meat and Potatoes

Hello! My name is Tom O’Keefe and I would be a great addition to your public relations team. I am a diligent, reliable, and outgoing recent graduate with internship experience in business-to-business, law, health care, technology, and financial public relations. I am a critical thinker and a problem solver who enjoys interacting with others to reach common goals.

Since October of 2008, when I first joined Twitter, I have gained a solid understanding of social media through direct participation and client monitoring. In the changing world of public relations, I am constantly reading, learning, and exploring in order to attain a better understanding of the many tools available to help clients. I am eager to capitalize on these tools in my first full-time public relations job.

I have had two fantastic public relations internships. Most recently, at Buchanan Public Relations, a small agency in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, I was able to write press materials, help plan events, and explore social media for client implementation. With Buchanan, I gained the valuable hands-on experience needed to enter into the public relations field, while working with a dynamic team of professionals and executives.

Previous to working with Buchanan Public Relations, I interned with the Business-to-Business Team at Brooder Partners. There, I learned the “ropes” of public relations. I analyzed editorial opportunities, created media lists and clip books, and pitched media members for clients. It was my internship with Brodeur Partners that exposed me to the world of public relations and convinced me that it was the right profession for me.

Currently, and ending in August, I am completing a year of post-graduate service with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps as a teaching assistant for a high school in Baltimore, Maryland. As a teacher, I have been able to work on relevant public relations skills such as clear and effective communication, speaking to groups, facilitating conversation, handling crisis situations, thinking on my feet, and, most of all, patience and flexibity. After teaching for a year, I am confident that I can handle most any situation thrown my way.

Now, I am hoping to gain employment with a dynamic and fun public relations team with room for growth beginning in September 2010. Though I am open to other places, I am actively searching in Baltimore, Boston, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and New York City.

With my various experiences, always-positive attitude, and passion for public relations and social media, I can be a valuable part of your public relations team, helping your clients to achieve the results they need.

I welcome you to e-mail me (TomOKeefe1 [at] gmail.com), follow me on Twitter (@TomOKeefe1), connect with me on LinkedIn, or read my volunteer blog. I look forward to hearing from you!

[A special thanks to Christa for offering her blog as a space for this. It means a lot, Christa! Thank you!]

Some HAPPO-ning Things Go On Through Twitter

Can we talk about how amazing social media is for networking with other professionals in your industry?

On Friday, February 19, the PR pros of the Twitterverse came together for an event called Help A PR Pro Out (HAPPO).  PR pros from around the country used the hastag #HAPPO included in their tweets to alert job seekers about great new opportunities.  When a community as large as the PR industry comes together to help out others, it really brings out the good in everyone and makes us feel that much closer.  As lucky as I am to have a job right now, I couldn’t help but follow the HAPPO-ness going on and participate as much as I could.  There are some preliminary feedback about how the effort went for PR pros all over the place, and the numbers to me are astonishing (information from Examiner.com):

• 1218 fans on the HAPPO Facebook Fan page
• 10,000 mentions of HAPPO between February 5 and February 20
• The HAPPO blog has (so far) 18,456 views, including 5,194 on February 19!

So, if you are looking for employment, here is my advice to you. Get on Twitter. Start networking with professionals in your industry! When used correctly, Twitter is a great way to connect with other people in your field, display your work, and find job opportunities in your metropolitan area.

I mean, what do you have to lose?