PRSA

Diversity and New Pros: Be a Storyteller, Make a Difference

Lauren Gray Leave a comment

As new professionals in the public relations field, we constantly work with people of all walks of life across many disciplines. Working with a diverse range of people opens our eyes to the possibilities and opportunities out there.

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That being said, the PR profession is not as diverse as you might think despite ongoing and tremendous progress that has been made. According to the PRSA Foundation, ethnic groups make up 30 percent of the U.S. population yet only 10 percent of minorities work in public relations.

When most people hear about diversity, the primary identifiers that come to mind include race, ethnicity and sexual orientation. There are many more than that, some of which you might least expect. What makes everyone unique and different in their own ways most likely falls under this category. To name a few, it also includes income level, religion, disabilities, socioeconomic status and age.

Addressing such issues is no easy task yet very much achievable. Local PRSA Chapters can do their part in working on diversity initiatives custom tailored to their communities in order to help diversify its memberships. PRSA members can serve as mentors to PRSSA students of all walks of life as a way to provide professional guidance and support to help prepare the next generation of leaders.

One attribute of PR professionals is that we are storytellers. We all have stories of our own to tell based on our knowledge, experience and upbringing. As no two stories are completely alike, it is having those unique stories that makes us diverse. By learning from one another about our differences, it helps us become competent professionals as a result. If we want to stand out as professionals getting started in this field, it is important that our individual stories be heard to help ourselves advance in this profession.

Now, I would like to hear from you. Each month, I hope to feature on this blog a new professional of different backgrounds and how it relates to your experiences as a PR professional. Speak from the heart so that we can all understand where you are coming from. If you are interested in submitting your story, email simonoh804@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from as many new professionals as possible.

 

Simon_Oh-5Simon Oh is the diversity liaison for the PRSA New Professionals executive committee. He is currently a graduate student at San Jose State University, studying transportation management. His professional background includes public affairs and community relations within the transportation field. Connect with him on Twitter and LinkedIn.

PRSA New Pros Teleseminar: March 13 on Real-Time Marketing with Arby’s

Lauren Gray Leave a comment

Josh Martin, Social Media Manager at Arby’s, will host our first PRSA New Professionals Section Brown Bag Discussion of the year. Josh gave us a preview of what you will be able to learn from his teleseminar on Real-Time Marketing Done Right. Register for the March 13th teleseminar today.

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How would you personally define real-time marketing? 

To me, real-time marketing is simply making timely responses to mainstream events.

What are some notable differences when executing RT marketing with an agency vs corporate?

Agencies bring a lot of creativity and strategic thinking to the table when it comes to RT marketing. Corporate lives/breathes the brand on a daily basis and often has a better understanding of what will work with their audience. The magic happens when both agency & corporate can work together seamlessly.

What are some of your goals when planning/executing RT marketing? 

My goal for RT marketing: Don’t do anything stupid. RT marketing is about two things: listening and engaging. We want to make sure we’re listening first and understand the conversations that are taking place. If we decide to pursue an opportunity, our goal is for the content to not feel forced and stays consistent with our brand voice.

What advice do you have for brands/companies that don’t have a budget to promote/push out their content?

Brands can still be effective in social media, even with a limited budget. They need to be laser-focused on developing a content strategy and be patient with results.

In your opinion, is there a good ratio to be used of pre-planned content and real-time content?

Specifically during a major event, when brands are trying to stay relative. It’s important to have pre-planned content at the ready so you can move quickly during a major event, but it’s as equally important to be flexible and pivot to real-time content when an opportunity presents itself.

Want to learn more from Josh? Register here.

 

Networking: Keeping Contacts as a New Professional

Jess Noonan 4 Comments

YBusiness Meetingou studied hard, joined PRSSA, did multiple internships, networked, graduated, networked some more and got a job. Phew! Now, you no longer have to worry about your LinkedIn activity, participate in that Twitter chat or attend local industry events, right? Wrong!

In case you haven’t already figured it out, the PR industry is like a big small-town. There aren’t six degrees of separation, in many cases there are barely three. It seems everyone knows everyone (or knows someone who knows someone). This tight-knittedness is capable of swinging the pendulum in your favor–or not. The choice, really, is yours.

How do you hold on to that network you’ve worked so hard to build? How do you continue to build that network, and make it work for you?

  1.  My first suggestion is to not just attend your PRSA chapter meetings, but volunteer and get involved. As current president of the PRSA-St. Louis Chapter, I can tell you that having new pros on our committees are just as important as having senior pros. You provide a different perspective, and we need all viewpoints represented. In addition, You will work side-by-side with seasoned pros, who will get to know your solid work ethic first-hand and meet people you may have not have had access to otherwise. Volunteering is work, and creates work experience.
  2.  Participate in Twitter chats. Not just #NPPRSA, but other industry-related chats, such as #PRprochat started by Carrie Morgan, or the #SoloPR chat spearheaded by Kellye Crane. Not only may you meet your next recruit, but many senior pros participate in those chats as well. Doing this keeps you in front of your network, expands your network, and may even provide informational content you can later expand into a blog post!
  3.  Join applicable LinkedIn groups and participate in the discussions. Don’t feel like you can’t contribute if you don’t know the answers–ask questions, there may be others with the same question.
  4.  I’m sure you have certain industry-leading blogs to which you subscribe. Don’t just read those posts, comment and reply to other comments. Add value to the community. Warning: be careful to not over-do it; you don’t want to comes across as a stalker.
  5. Finally, swinging back to #1 – involvement in your local PR organization. You should at least set a goal of attending one event per quarter (4 per year).  And, don’t just attend make a point of introducing yourself to at least three new people at each event. Then, within a couple days of the event, connect with them on LinkedIn—reminding them where you met and thanking them for the conversation, then follow-up. The follow-up doesn’t have to be often but does need to be pertinent and professional.

A case in point: a while back I wrote a post on mentoring for BurrellesLuce Fresh Ideas blog. In it, I mentioned that Lori George Billingsley, director of issues communications at The Coca-Cola Company and past PRSA Multicultural Communications Section chair, claims her mentor has been instrumental in helping her secure all of the PR jobs she’s held.  That’s a pretty powerful testament to her networking, diligence and professionalism!

There’s no doubt that social media makes it much easier to keep in touch with people. However, no matter how much you keep in touch electronically, nothing beats face-to-face conversations to build your network!

Share what you’re doing to build and strengthen your network in the comments below.

Tressa RobbinsTressa Robbins is Implementation Vice President at BurrellesLuce, to ensure successful onboarding of major accounts with traditional and social media monitoring, media contacts and press release distribution, as well as reporting and analytics. She is the president of the PRSA St. Louis chapter, a PRSSA mentor, professional advisor to the Southeast Missouri State PRSSA chapter, and serves on Southeast’s Mass Media Department Professional Advisory Council as well as teaches a special topics course this semester. You may follow and connect with her on Twitter.

Post-grad Internship Turned Full-time Job: A Checklist for Before, During and After

Lauren Gray 4 Comments

There are a number of reasons to take a post-grad internship: specific agency, certain city, more skills in a niche PR industry, test out a new area of PR, no solid job offers, and the list goes on. For me, I interned a handful of times in college and taking on one last internship during my post-grad was my foot into the door of a large agency in a city I love, Chicago.

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Here some tips I learned before, during and after, that helped turn my post-grad internship into a full-time job.

 BEFORE You Apply/Accept:

  • Narrow your search. Whether you want more experience in a certain industry, to work at a certain company or in a specific city, narrow it down and only apply to places you can see yourself working full-time.
  • PRSA and LinkedIn are your best friends. Use them to find, research and apply for opportunities.
  • Look for paid opportunities. At this point, you probably already had one or two unpaid internships (which is more than enough). So don’t take another one.
  • Ask their hiring rate. During the interview, ask them how many interns they have hired recently. If it’s a summer internship program where they have 20+ at one time, the hiring rate might not be as high. But if they hire on need base (when they have new business/client work), there’s a better shot they are looking for an intern to eventually hire full-time.
  • Ask about their environment & professional development. Make sure it’s a place you’d like to continue to work if you were hired on full-time.
  • Ask questions like: do you have events where employees can get involved and get to know each other outside of work? Does the company encourage trainings, workshops, industry events and professional groups inside and outside of the office?
  • Be prepared and set expectations beforehand. You’re transitioning from post-grad and need to be thinking long-term. Ask yourself if you don’t get hired full-time, what’s your next step? If you do get hired, will you want to work there? For how long?

DURING Your Internship/Freelance:

  • Join PRSA. Even as an intern you can join PRSA. As a post-grad, you can use it to not only network in your area, but also discover additional opportunities and build your resume.
  • Act at the level you want to be hired for. Yes, you’re an intern, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take on more responsibility. Make sure to show them that if they could, they would hire you on the spot.
  • Ask for feedback. As an intern, there may or may not be a formal review process. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t check with your team on a regular basis and ask for ways to improve. Set personal goals and communicate them with your boss. This shows how serious you are about what you can learn from the company as well as provide the team.
  • Touch base about two-three weeks before your deadline approaches. Along with your reviews, you want to make sure you’re on the right track to hopefully getting hired. Sit down and meet with your boss to talk over your next steps: if they foresee a full-time position opening up, if there is a possibility it will be extended or if your position will come to an end with the contract. Sometimes they don’t have all the answers – it could depend on budgets with the client or company. Either way, you won’t know until you ask them.
  • Network: Inside and outside of work. Seek out co-workers who you’d like to learn from, grab a drink with an old classmate, or meet for coffee with a fellow PRSA member. Constantly continue to expand your network. The more people know you and the more experiences you have, the greater opportunity you will have to discover your next position.

To find more tips on networking, check out an earlier blog post here.

  • Keep resume updated. Halfway through your internship, begin researching and applying for other jobs. If you have an interview somewhere else, take it and be upfront with your boss about it. The bottom line is that you need to get hired. Your boss understands that. Not only is interviewing at other places helping you line up additional opportunities, but it also shows your boss how serious you are about full-time position.
  • If your position is extended, don’t worry. This means they want to hire you full-time, but can’t right now. Take this time to re-evaluate where you really want to work: is at this company or somewhere else? If you take the extension, make sure to continue asking for feedback, touching base, networking and applying for other positions in the meantime.

AFTER: You’ve got the job offer, now what?

  • Negotiating the contract. urlIf you can, ask fellow co-workers you trust about their salary when they were interns and offered a full-time position. When you’re given the contract, take it home and read through every detail. Look for all it includes: responsibilities, salary, insurance and other perks such as compensations for a phone, gym membership, professional development, etc. When negotiating, make sure to talk about all the work you’ve completed and if you’re asking for an increase, give a range or a few options and reasons for why you believe you deserve more (for example, between 3-5K more because of X or PRSA membership compensated because X).
  • Check all other opportunities. If you were pursuing other jobs and in the middle of other interviews, decide what’s best for your career move. Creating a pro vs. con list and talking with your mentors are always helpful.

Finally: Find that work/life balance. As an intern, you weren’t expected to work more than 40 hours a week. As a full-time employee, it doesn’t always work that way. Just make sure to strive for a work/life balance. You’re expected to meet deadlines, but you also need to enjoy yourself.

NicoleBersaniNicole Bersani is an assistant account executive Social@Ogilvy and also serves as the PRSA New Professionals Section mentorship co-chair. Connect with her on Twitter @NicoleBersani and on LinkedIn.

5 Tips to Make Business Travel a Breeze

Lauren Gray Leave a comment

Unfortunately, traveling for business isn’t as easy as packing up your car or shoving your carry-on items in the overhead space. To make the agony of travel a little more bearable and keep you from looking like the new kid in the airport, here are five tips to travel like a pro:

tips for a business trip1. Research your travel destination before you board the plane –Typically, you’re going to have down time on business trips so it’s a good idea to look up popular bars, restaurants and coffee shops in the city. And, if traveling with a client who isn’t familiar with the area, it’s a good idea to get a feel of the land ahead of time. That way, when the down time comes, you can suggest things to do and get to know your client a little better in the process

2. Pack the important stuff in your carry-on – A co-worker shared a horror story with me once that went a little something like this: “I flew to Germany for a meeting with a global company’s executive team and made it there without my luggage.” Be sure you have the essentials with you at all times – a business suit, contacts, medicine, glasses, basic toiletries, jump drive with your presentation and chargers  should all find room in your carry-on to avoid headaches and frantic shopping trips around an unknown city.

3. Know how travel expenses will be handled –Talk to your office travel coordinator, finance department or supervisor before you leave about how to handle expenses acquired during your time away from the office.  Some offices choose a per diem, while others require employees to keep track of their receipts and fill out an expense report upon returning. Clearing up any confusion about how to handle finances before you leave will make sure your company and your pocketbook are left surprise-free. Also, don’t forget cash. You’ll need it to tip the folks that make your life easier, like doormen, bellhops and maids.

4. Confirm all the details of the trip before you leave – Make sure everything is in check prior to leaving the office – including your flight, hotel and car rental – and be sure to bring the confirmation emails with you so you have it if any issues arise. If you have to ship product or additional materials to your destination ahead of time, it is best practice to call the location ahead of time and give them a heads up as to exactly what and when your things will be arriving.

5. Download travel apps – If you’re flying, there’s a good chance your airline has an app that lets you check your flight status, change your flight time and check-in online. Plus, car service apps, like Uber, make sure you get from Point A to Point B on-time, without worrying about trying to hail down a cab or navigate through an unfamiliar city. If your destination is within driving distance, apps like Waze can give you inside information on traffic patterns, slowdowns and construction areas. Also, the likes of Yelp and UrbanSpoon give you quick access to nearby restaurants and cafes.

Most of all, don’t forget to have fun. Take the opportunity to reconnect with old friends, develop a more personal relationship with coworkers and connect with your clients. After all, there’s no better place to learn than on the road.

Kelsey SpellmanKelsey Spellman (@kelseyspellman) is a social influence manager at The Adcom Group, a full-service communications agency in Cleveland, Ohio. Kelsey works with a variety of B2C and B2B clients, specializing in media and blogger relations and experiential marketing. Kelsey graduated from Ohio University in 2011 with a degree in public relations and blogs over at starfishsnacks.wordpress.com.