david j. garcia

Welcome to the first in a weekly interview series.

Every Thursday this month (and hopefully longer), I’ll feature an interview with a communicator. If you’re at all interested in public relations, writing, publishing, broadcasting, or any other aspect of communications, you won’t want to miss these.

The first interview features my good friend, Dave Schefcik (aka @drschefcik). Dave is an account executive and social media strategist with Coltrin & Associates, a smaller public relations firm, headquartered in New York City. He previously worked for powerhouse Fleishman-Hillard as an intern and as a freelance associate. His clients include tech companies like Ericsson and Smiths Detection and quick service restaurants like Quiznos and Cold Stone.

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Thank you for your time, Dave. First, tell us about what you do at Coltrin & Associates:

I put together public relations plans, craft strategies and form friendships with the media. I also do media pitching and monitoring, as well as edit other people’s work. A lot of the job involves knowing what’s going on in your sector of expertise. If you don’t know what your competitor is doing or about a piece of news or legislation, how can you provide timely public relations counsel for your clients?

What do you like/dislike about your job?

I like that every single day is different. I like that I get to communicate with a vast variety of people. I like having a cause to advance. I like the people I work with. I like writing and suggesting ideas that end up becoming a reality. I like making a difference. I like good, persuasive conversation. And I like New York.

The downside of working at an agency is not having the time to devote to each project and having very little time to get a lot of work done. On the other hand, it teaches you about priorities and that you can really get a lot done in a short amount of time. One of the difficulties of my job is people who have made up their mind before I even talk to them. Another challenge of the job is keeping up with technology. You’re never satisfied with the level of understanding that you have. I also don’t like when the subways are behind schedule.

Now let’s talk about your background and experience before working for Coltrin & Associates: How did you first get started in public relations?

I discovered that I liked public relations in high school when I realized that I could get out of class for organizing things for clubs and organizations. Public relations wasn’t work for me. I went into college knowing I wanted to study PR. I got involved with the PRSSA chapter [he was president] and my student firm. Through that I got involved in a lot of non-profit organizations that gave me great experience in addition to the academics I was learning in class.

My internship launched my interest in agency work. I interned at Fleishman-Hillard’s digital group and worked on clients like Forrester Research and AT&T. That solidified my niche focus in social media and technology.

How did you land your internship with Fleishman-Hillard?

I got the internship through networking, alumni connections, and sending portfolio examples and a writing test–as well as luck and timing.

And how’d you get your job now?

I got my job at Coltrin through the same combination.

What prepared you most for your current position?

Having a wide variety of background experience to build on (journalism, research, building campaigns, writing, etc), topped off with a specific, focused area of expertise.

What prepared you to get the job?

Maintaining a large, yet meaningful, network of people I had met along the way. Not just digital friends, but people I had worked with and created relationships of value with.

What advice do you have for people looking for entry-level jobs in public relations?

Maintain a meaningful network. Network with public relations professionals, as well as people outside public relations. PR can be applied to every field, and you’ll be surprised about the opportunities that are out there beyond just in agencies. Connect with alumni and friends along the way. Stay actively involved in classes, campaigns and non-profits. That way you’ll be able to submit current examples demonstrating your communications skills.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Keep your resumes and your portfolio current. In terms of staying active, keep on practicing writing. Find a way to use those skills. Become an expert in something—one particular field of public relations, whether it’s corporate, non-profit, financial or tech. Find something that interests you. will let you add unique value, and separates you from the crowd. Not something crazy, but talents that will be seen as valuable by employers and clients.

And, of course, there’s always luck and timing.

Thank you again for sharing your experience and insight.

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For more about Dave, check out the comments section. He’s really a great guy.

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