Public relations is a field in which classroom knowledge can only take you so far and internships show you various aspects of the day-to-day grind at an agency or corporation. However, a mentor is what gives a new professional a competitive advantage in the industry.
Mentoring goes far beyond asking advice on how to write the perfect press release or pitch a reporter, but rather focuses on how to develop your career as a public relations professional and how to succeed in the industry.
Just because summer will officially begin this month and vacations take center stage doesn’t mean we should all take a break from learning. June starts our annual Summer Book Club on the PRSA New Professionals Section blog, and the first book selection has been made!
When you’re on your way to the beach or sitting in the car or plane, make sure you grab or download a copy of “Putting the Public Back in Public Relations” by Deirdre Breakenridge and Brian Solis. At the end of the month, we’ll have a recap of the book along with discussion around the key takeaways. You may even see these topics appear in our monthly #NPPRSA Twitter chat!
Networking is easy to define, but can be difficult to practice on an ongoing basis, especially when starting a new job with new responsibilities and demands on your time. You don’t want to lose the network you’ve worked hard to build, and you also want to create a stronger one. These simple steps will strengthen your connection pull and help to remain in touch with key industry professionals.
Discover connections through professional organizations
Professional organizations have a variety of resources available to help you meet new professionals and keep in touch with those you already know.
We’d like to thank everyone who participated in the May #NPPRSA Twitter chat.
Specifically, we’d like to thank our special guest for the month Jason Mollica, president of JRM Comm.
Join us again on June 13 at 9 p.m. EST for the next #NPPRSA Twitter chat. The June chat will focus on big data & PR measurement.
Review highlights of the chat below. What did you learn from the May chat? How do you develop new skills and find challenges that will make you a better pro? What are your favorite blogs, books and podcasts to expand your PR knowledge?
Thought you left formal writing tests in the college classroom? Think again. In the world of public relations, writing tests are a common hurdle in the job application and interview process. Especially if you’re working on the agency side, prospective employers will want to test your skills and make sure you can do more than string together a few sentences.
As someone who has weathered my share of writing tests, I’m happy to pass along a few tips that have helped me score high marks in this area.
Brush up on AP style.