As a member of NewPros, you are exclusively invited to attend the upcoming Public Relations Society of America Jobcenter Virtual Career Fair, April 23 at 1–4 p.m. EDT, for you to gain direct access to employers with nationwide openings who are looking to hire new and aspiring talent.

We have decided to host this Virtual Career Fair as it provides to you a much-needed opportunity to directly connect with employers looking to hire in the field of public relations and communications. Because the event is held online, you will not need to commit to a full day of travel. You’ll also be able to consider employers who are hiring in many geographic locations, giving you the option to begin your career with the most possibilities in place.

Whether you are looking for an opportunity to start that career with an agency, corporate communications, media relations, or health care communications organization, we suggest that you do not wait to register to carve your niche in any of these fields.

Please register for the event at https://www.brazenconnect.com/event/prsa_april_23 and direct any questions torichard.spector@prsa.org or call (212) 460-1406.

Public relations professionals, marketers and communicators cannot go it alone. PR is the hottest category in the fast-changing communications world.  The U.S. Department of Labor expects it to be the fastest-growing profession in America in the next 10 years.

Collaboration, partnership and teamwork serve as a force multiplier that can lead real change in our industry, and new professionals are helping to lead this change. New professionals are also driving a shift in how PR as a profession thinks about diversity.

By getting involved with PRSA Chapters, new professionals can facilitate this change. We encourage new professionals to identify opportunities to serve on their Chapters’ executive boards or serve on various committees within their local area. Being in a leadership role within the Chapter truly provides new professionals a wonderful opportunity to develop professionally and leverage skills and expertise outside of the workplace.

As active members of the PRSA New York Chapter serving on both the Executive Board and Marketing Committee, we became actively involved in assisting PRSA-NY to implement programs that support PRSA’s commitment to diversity as well as attract diverse professionals to the Chapter.

On Tuesday, April 2, PRSA-NY New Professionals Committee hosted the 2013 PR Career Forum with the NYU PRSSA Chapter with a grant from the PRSA Foundation and support from the Council of Public Relations Firms. The mission of the PR Career Forum was to attract top talent to the PR profession and help introduce, develop and prepare students and young professionals for a career in PR.

PRSA NY has hosted this event for the past several years; however, for the 2013 Career Forum, the Chapter placed a special emphasis on attracting diverse talent in support of its 2013 Diversity Initiative. As a result of this new emphasis, this unified mission  resulted in attracting 150 diverse students from different ethnicities, genders, ages, backgrounds and university settings to the Career Forum to hear about and plan their next steps toward a career in PR.

The PRSA-NY New Professionals Committee also leveraged partnerships with local PRSSA Chapters for the Forum, including strengthening the relationship with the host Chapter at NYU. Additionally, some of the top PR agencies in New York that exhibited at the Forum commented on how impressed they were with the quality of students who attended the event.

As a new professional, establishing and leveraging strategic partnerships is an invaluable skill to develop. By doing this at a local Chapter level, PRSA New Professionals can own these skills to make a valuable contribution at work and influence change within the PR industry as a whole.

Brandi Boatner is the Digital Experience Manager for IBM’s Global Technology Services in New York City. In this newly created role, her responsibilities include working to develop and drive the implementation of a C-level facing digital experience and engagement model to enhance the way IBM engages with CXOs in the digital world (including Websites, blogs, social media sites and mobile devices). Boatner is also the former national president of PRSSA from 2008-2009 while attending graduate school at Hawaii Pacific University in Honolulu, Hawaii. She holds several leadership positions within in PRSA on both the local and national level serving as a member of the Board of Directors for the PRSA Foundation and PRSA New York Chapter as Secretary; the Co-Mentoring Chair for the PRSA New Professionals section; the Chair for the PRSA Diversity Committee; a member of the PRSA Membership Committee; and the New Professionals Chair for the PRSA-NY Chapter in Manhattan. Outside of PRSA, Boatner is an advisory council member for the LAGRANT Foundation, an organization that supports minority students in marketing, advertising and public relations.

Jessica Noonan currently works within Burson-Marsteller’s Corporate practice in the New York office, providing strategic communication support to numerous key clients. Her active aspiration to become a PR professional led to her role as the 2012  national vice president of professional development for the Public Relations Student Society of America. She is now a member of the Public Relations Society of America where she is Membership Co-Chair on the New Professionals committee and serves on the PRSA-NY Marketing committee. Jessica serves as the President of the board for the newly developed non-profit the LittleBigFund. Jessica  holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Communication and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, specializing in marketing from American University.

When I began my first full-time position, I was prepared to earn overtime and prove I was devoted to my job and my clients. Three months in, I sat down to breakfast with one of my team supervisors. When she asked me what I did in my free time, I laughed and responded, “What free time?” She answered, “We need to fix that.” When someone five positions above you points out the need for a work/life balance, you take it seriously, and since that meeting I have valued seeking one.

As a new professional in the public relations world, a work/life balance seems like a luxury that is far off in the future, but focusing solely on work can lead to early burnout and, ultimately, lower quality of work. Here are some tips to find balance as a new pro:

Stay focused during work hours. If a project is not due until tomorrow, it can be easy to procrastinate during the day. While a quick mental break (reading your favorite blog, watching a YouTube video, etc.) is good, spending 30 minutes looking through your friend of a friend’s sister’s fiancé’s Facebook photos doesn’t help your project or the possibility to get out on time and meet up for happy hour.

Aim for quality, not long hours. Remember, you are evaluated by the quality of your work, not how many hours you’re in the office. Drawing out a project does not make you look better; turning in high quality work is what makes a true impression.  Finish your projects efficiently and take on more tasks as possible.

Minimize after-hours Blackberry usage. While checking your Blackberry may seem like your only priority after leaving the office, stay focused in the moment of whatever you’re doing. Check it as you’re leaving dinner or after you’ve watched your favorite show, not during these activities.

Remember that you will be back tomorrow, and work will still be there. As an intern, my responsibilities were project based, and I was used to leaving each day with every project complete. As a full-time employee, I learned long-term projects could wait a day, so it’s okay to go home and eat dinner.

You earn vacation for a reason. Vacation is earned, so take it. Utilize your vacation wisely to make yourself feel like you’re taking a break. You’ll be much more interesting to your co-workers if you talk about your recent ski trip instead of that time your client was featured on Good Morning America.

Seek a work/life balance by following the example of balanced co-workers around you. Need guidance outside of the office? Meet with a PRSA member of your local Chapter. While it may be a guarantee in PR that you will have some long nights, it shouldn’t be every night. Keep work a priority among other priorities, and you’ll find your stride.

What are your tips for maintaining a sense of work/life balance? How do you take time for yourself?

 Jessica Noonan currently works within Burson-Marsteller’s Corporate practice in the New York office, providing strategic communication support to numerous key clients. Her active aspiration to become a PR professional led to her role as the 2012  national vice president of professional development for the Public Relations Student Society of America. She is now a member of the Public Relations Society of America where she is Membership Co-Chair on the New Professionals committee and serves on the PRSA-NY Marketing committee. Jessica serves as the President of the newly developed non-profit the LittleBigFund. Jessica  holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Communication and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, specializing in marketing from American University.

We’re public relations professionals. That means we’re expected to be connected, accessible and consuming a steady stream of news and content. Yet, with information coming at us from every direction, it can be difficult to know which sources are the best ones to follow.

So let us point you in the right direction. If PR is your career of choice, you have plenty to glean from each Twitter account on this list – be it a brand, media member or industry expert.

• The Associated Press (@AP) – As PR pros, we’re expected to have a pulse on what’s going on in the world, across industries, so we can identify trends and be well-rounded, knowledgeable professionals. Following The Associated Press on Twitter is one of the best places to start.
• Jonah Peretti (@peretti) – Having co-founded The Huffington Post, BuzzFeed and Contagious Media, Jonah Peretti knows a thing or two about the media industry. His Twitter followers can expect plenty of entertainment via his BuzzFeed links, as well as a peek inside the world of a successful, millennial media tycoon with a “work smarter” attitude.
• Laura Ries (@lauraries) – If you’ve ever read anything about PR, chances are you’ve been influenced by the work of Laura Ries (alongside her father, Al Ries). This witty researcher, author, speaker, brand strategist and media personality keeps her Twitter followers engaged with the perfect combination of style and substance.

• Mark Ragan (@MarkRaganCEO) – Want access to the mastermind behind PR Daily, Ragan.com and many of the resources we use every day? Following Ragan is like getting your own personal digest of top trends, best practices and industry-specific career advice.
• Mickey Nall (@mickeynall) – Not only is Mickey Nall the fearless leader of PRSA National, but he also helps to keep Ogilvy PR running. On Twitter, Nall serves as a link to some of the most insightful thought leadership in PR.
• Oreo Cookie (@Oreo) – When it comes to striking up a consistent chatter in the Twitter community, Oreo is best in class. The social team regularly tweets back at its followers, always using creative messaging that captures the classic, tongue-in-cheek tone of its ongoing marketing platform.
• PRSA New Professionals (@PRSANewPros) – We may be a little biased, but we’re confident that the PRSA New Professionals Twitter account delivers the most relevant, targeted content available to you as an emerging professional in our field. Learn more about opportunities for you as a PRSA member, keep up with the latest industry trends and hear from peers who are experiencing similar challenges and scenarios as those you’re going through. If you have something to say, we’re listening – and we’ll get right back to you.
• Scott Spirit (@shanghaispirit) – Recently named one of Advertising Age’s 40 Under 40, Scott Spirit works as the chief strategy officer for communications holding company WPP and is based in (you guessed it) Shanghai. In other words, this guy has a unique take on the agency world, the business of media and the global consumer market.
• Stuart Elliott (@stuartenyt) – Who doesn’t love the New York Times’ most renowned advertising reporter, Stuart Elliott? Rather than just pushing out his own content, Elliott’s Twitter feed provides a running commentary on top brands– with humorous blurbs about his day-to-day scattered throughout.
• Whitney Johnson (@johnsonwhitney) – A regular contributor to the Harvard Business Review, Whitney Johnson’s Tweets are practical and career-oriented. Want to learn how to find your passion and leverage it for professional success? Follow this powerhouse.

Who would you add to this list? Let us know!

Keri Cook is an assistant account executive with Hill+Knowlton Strategies’ consumer marketing practice in New York. She graduated from Liberty University with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies and writes on topics ranging from media relations to marketing trends, to corporate strategy and crisis communications. While completing her undergrad, Cook was named PRWeek’s 2012 Student of the Year.