Meeting someone with the right connections to give you a shot at an interview can be both exciting and nerve-racking. For the latest Mediabistro feature, industry professionals explain how any job seeker can win over a prospective employer on the fly.

Tip No. 2: Start with the Relationship, Not the Resume

Remember, networking is about creating a connection, not making a hard sell. “Focus first on building the relationship with the executive. It’s important to make a connection before asking for anything,” said Kent Lee, career consultant for Yahoo! and CEO of Perfect Resume. “This can be done by simply asking questions that show a general interest and enthusiasm in the executive’s company.”

Read more in Networking 102: How to Turn a Chance Meeting Into a Career Opportunity

– Nick Braun

With competition as fierce as it is in the job market, finding work in the media biz, let alone in the fiercely competitive advertising world, can seem like an exercise in futility. So, how does someone with solid writing chops but no real ad experience break in?

As much as connections play a role in any field, most ad industry experts agree that your portfolio is always the focal point during the selection process. “Portfolios are the No. 1 must have for ad peeps,” said Allie Freeland, PR director at iAcquire, a digital marketing agency based in Phoenix and New York. “You can talk the talk, but you have to walk the walk with specific examples of your writing, design and media placements.”

Get more tips in How to Get a Job in Advertising [Mediabistro AvantGuild subscription required]

– Nicholas Braun

The full version of this article is exclusively available to Mediabistro AvantGuild subscribers. If you’re not a member yet, register now for as little as $55 a year for access to hundreds of articles like this one, discounts on Mediabistro seminars and workshops, and all sorts of other bonuses.

Here at Mediabistro, we talk to employers and job seekers everyday and have heard that the interview process can be daunting for both parties. It’s easy to lose your train of thought, ask a ridiculous question or get so nervous you trip and fall while entering the interviewer’s office. So, job seekers, we want to know: What is the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done in an interview?

Enter our contest for the chance to win a free seat in Mediabistro’s Job Search Intensive (worth $145) that starts on January 29 online. All you have to do is follow @Mediabistro and tweet us your answer in 140 characters or less.

Include #InterviewFail in your tweet and you’re in! The winner with the answer that cracks us up the most will be announced on Friday, January 25 at 11:45 am ET via our @Mediabistro Twitter account. Good luck!

The Mediabistro job board is the best place to find top media candidates for your open positions. Companies like Google, Amazon, and AOL post with us —you should too!

Here at Mediabistro, we talk to employers and job seekers everyday and have heard that the interview process can be daunting for both parties. Sometimes it’s hard to ask the right questions during an interview and there’s always one that leaves a candidate scratching his or her head. So, employers, we want to know: What interview question stumps your candidates every time?

Enter our contest for the chance to win a free 3-job posting package on the Mediabistro job board (worth $717!). All you have to do is follow @Mediabistro and tweet us your answer in 140 characters or less.

Include #InterviewQ and you’re in! The winner with the answer that stumps us the most will be announced on Friday, November 30 at 12:15 pm ET via our @Mediabistro Twitter account. Good luck!

The Mediabistro job board is the best place to find top media candidates for your open positions. Companies like Google, Amazon, and AOL post with us — you should too!

Asking your boss for a performance review may sound scary, but it often comes with unexpected bonuses. For example, a review may give you the opportunity to highlight your own, perhaps unnoticed, accomplishments.

“If your boss isn’t involved in your day-to-day, she might not know what you’re working on,” said Rachel Dotson, content manager for ZipRecruiter.com. “A review forces her to sit down with you, so you can communicate your impact and value to the company.”

To really impress your boss, prepare in advance a list of individual accomplishments or your role in team accomplishments.

Check out more tips in the latest Mediabistro AvantGuild article, 5 Reasons to Ask Your Boss for a Review. [subscription required]

– Andrea Hackett

For many journalists seeking the security of a full-time job, the PR industry is a viable option, with its emphasis on adept writing skills and attention to deadlines.  But, before you make the full-time switch to corporate communications, it is important to know the real facts about the biz.

For example, one truth about the PR industry is that it moves at a slower pace than journalism. “The corporate review [and] approval process is more challenging, because deadlines are sacrosanct for journalists but much less so for corporate managers and executives,” said Paul Nonnenmacher, director of public affairs for the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority and former reporter. At its worst, the natural inclination to rush and wrap a project can be construed as a half-baked effort by higher-ups that are used to far longer timelines.

Read more in What Journalists Should Know Before Switching to PR. [subscription required]

– Andrea Hackett

If you’re looking to start a new career or perhaps make some extra cash on the side, here is a list of eight unconventional job opportunities for the writing-savvy. There are some you may not even realize you’re qualified for, such as a youth writing instructor.

Take freelancer writer Ellen Engelke, for example, who saw that her town was looking for a literary arts teacher for children. With just her resume, a writing sample and an outline of a curriculum, Engelke was able to secure the gig without any previous teaching experience. Now she teaches several eight-week classes, which meet once a week for a few hours per class. But, she also has a lot of free time to do other things, like freelance work. ”It is really fun,” she said. “I have students who are really loyal and they come back over and over.”

For the complete list of job opportunities and how writers landed them, read Great Side Gigs for Journalists and Writers.

– Andrea Hackett

This article is one of several mediabistro.com features exclusively available to AvantGuild subscribers. If you’re not a member yet, you can register for as little as $55 a year and get access to these articles, discounts on seminars and workshops, and more.

This Thursday, February 16, Mediabistro brings you Social Media Marketing Boot Camp, an online conference and hands-on workshop. Through keynote speeches with the biggest names in social media, practical how-to sessions, and strategic assignments, you’ll create a comprehensive social media marketing strategy and launch your campaign across various sites and platforms. By the end of the online conference and workshop, you’ll be monitoring, analyzing, and improving traffic, engagement, and conversion to sales.

The program includes:

Stephanie Agresta EVP, Managing Director of Social Media, Weber Shandwick

Megan Berry Founder, LiftFive

Leslie Bradshaw  President, COO, and Co-founder, JESS3

Danielle Brigida  Manager of Social Media, National Wildlife Federation

Michael Brito  SVP, Social Business Planning, Edelman Digital

Anthony DeRosa  Social Media Editor, Reuters

Tim Devane  Director of Sales and Business Development, bitly

Lauren Dugan  Co-editor, AllTwitter

Devon Glenn  Staff Writer, SocialTimes

Brendan Irvine-Broque  Content and Marketing Manager, Facebook Marketing Bible, Inside Network

Dave Kerpen  CEO, Likeable Media

Morin Oluwole  Strategic Partner Development, Facebook

Gretchen VanEsselstyn  Managing Producer, Education, Mediabistro

Leo Widrich Co-founder, Buffer

Baratunde Thurston  Director of Digital, The Onion

View full program details.

Check out what previous students are saying about the online event.

Don’t miss the chance to build your content strategy with social media experts and hundreds of innovators. Register now.