In recent months, I’ve had a few interactions with individuals who are new to Wisconsin or new to healthcare marketing/PR. Both were happy to have connected with WHPRMS and were looking for additional resources to advance their careers and develop a foundation in Wisconsin. These interactions reminded me of when I was right out of school and trying to break into marketing – not the easiest task in the world but one that everyone should go through. You know, it builds character, develops perseverance, etc., etc. but really how can we help those new to our state or to our field?
In my experience, the best jobs have come to my attention through word-of-mouth, networking and relationship building. Surprise, surprise right? This isn’t a shock to anyone in the marketing field; we know word-of-mouth is important and it’s no different in a job search. We also know that as social media continues to evolve and change our communication channels, the way we organize a job hunt will change. In today’s job market, using social media is a must – for example, keeping track of professional contacts on LinkedIn and personal contacts on Facebook can be very helpful when you jump into a job search. We also need to remember that our lives extend into the online world, so keeping an eye on your online reputation is essential.
Of course, networking and relationship building takes time and sometimes feels like you’re not doing your due diligence in searching for a position. That’s were sites like whprms.org, bigshoesnetwork.com and wisconsinjobnetwork.com come in handy. But what other tools have you used to navigate your career path? What tools would be valuable for individuals who are new to Wisconsin or to healthcare marketing/PR?
Oh, and if you know of any open positions, please let me know and I’ll pass them along.

Sayward Proctor
WHPRMS Secretary
PR Account Manager, KW2