{In today’s guest post, Stacey Viera asks how you feel about bringing gifts to an interview. Is gifting brown-nosing, ignorance or smart marketing? Participate in the poll after the jump.}

Recently, I learned from a colleague at LyonsPR, a Washington, D.C.-area firm specializing in radio, that an interviewee for their summer internship slot brought brownies to the interview.

I thought such a gesture was a fluke, a desperate attempt to get hired in an incredibly competitive industry in an even-more-competitive town. I’ve hired and been hired for jobs and internships since I was a teenager, and never once have I come across a similar situation.

But then journalist Jeff Sonderman at the new TBD.com news organization noted on Twitter that a potential hire sent flowers after an interview. I wondered aloud what the accompanying card read. “You had me at ‘hello!’” was my snarky guess. Read More…

{Our next guest post is courtesy of D.C. flack and photographer Stacey Viera, who ponders how much disclosure to provide when promoting your clients on social networks and/or entering into partnerships with other vendors.}

“In the interest of full disclosure.” How often do you use those six little words? I would argue, probably not often enough.

I acknowledge that full disclosure can be overused. “In the interest of full disclosure, I’m married.” Hey, I didn’t ask if you wanted to go on a date. I just wanted to know if you were done with the Metro section of the paper so that I could read it!

But how often do we see a Tweet from a PR person promoting their “friend,” only to find that it originated from a paid client relationship? Or a Facebook link for a “beautifully designed new blog” that we only later learn was designed by the same person who posted the link? Read More…