PRSA New Pros

February 2016 Twitter Chat Recap

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The February #NPPRSA Twitter chat, earlier this month, was all about big ideas on a small budget.

Special guests during this month’s chat were Adrienne Wallace, Managing Director/COO, at 834 Design & Marketing and Todd Butler, President & CEO, at Causewave Community Partners. Delivering big results on a small budget can be challenging as you work around the parameters, but it can also challenge your creativity and help you break through with new ideas and successes. Click through the Storify below to see highlights from the conversation.

Mark upcoming Twitter chats on your calendar and view past chat recaps here.

A Match Made in Heaven: Finding Your Mentor

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how to FindAmentormakesmydaySo, you want a mentor. You realize that at this stage in your career, you can benefit from building a relationship with someone who can guide you in your journey. If you’re really savvy, you already know that a mentor is not something you “get,” but someone who you come to know, trust and confide in.

Here are some ways to find a mentor.

1. Identify your purpose for finding a mentor. It’s important to know what you want in the mentoring relationship. Whether you’re actively job hunting or trying to identify the next step in your career path, knowing what you want to achieve will help you find a great mentor who can help you navigate the terrain.

2. Broaden your definition of a mentor. Mentors come in all shapes and sizes. Some are lifelong coaches, others are confidants for a short period of time. You may find a mentor with wisdom in all things, or someone who is uniquely positioned to help you through a specific challenge. Remember, when looking for a mentor, consider the person, not their position. Your peers and colleagues may have experiences and perspectives that prove useful.

3. Participate in a structured mentoring program. Established mentor match programs are great, because they jumpstart the process of building a meaningful relationship by introducing you to someone who is ready to be a mentor. The good news is that PRSA and the New Professionals section are in the midst of refreshing our mentoring program. Members will be notified by email when updates to the program are made. In the meantime, head over to Mentor Match and introduce yourself to one of the mentors from the College of Fellows. You can also ask your local PRSA chapter or company if they have a program. And if you’re currently job seeking, ask about mentoring programs within the organization. If being mentored is important to you, this is one way to determine if the company culture is going to be a good fit.

4. Make your own match. Look around you. You may not realize it, but you probably have mentors in your life. These people already know you and may have some insight into your situation, work environment, or personal challenges. Look to your colleagues, professors and people in your network to bounce ideas off. If you need someone who is more removed from your circle, leverage existing relationships to find mentors. Explain why you’re looking for a mentor and ask if they know anyone who might be interested in sitting down for a cup of coffee. 

Stay open-minded about the process–you never know where you’ll find a mentor! How did you find your mentor? In the comments, share your own mentor match story so other New Pros can learn from your experience.

Alyssa-StaffordAlyssa Stafford is a member of PRSA Georgia and a communications specialist at Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta.  She serves on the New Professionals executive committee as the mentoring chair. Alyssa is a graduate of Agnes Scott College and the University of Georgia. Find her on LinkedIn orTwitter.

Playing the PR Field: Keeping Your Career Options Open

Ashleigh Mavros 1 Comment

Many of us approach looking for new opportunities as a necessity of job searching. We find a job, start off enthusiastically, become disappointed when it’s not everything we thought it would be, continue doing the job until we can’t anymore, and then desperately search for a new job. We repeat this vicious, frustrating cycle either because we only look for a new opportunity when we’re desperate for one, we don’t take the time to think about what we need or want in a career, or we don’t feel that turning down a job is an option.

new pros should keep an open mind and an eye peeled for any new opportunitiesThis is absolutely the wrong way to approach finding a fulfilling career. Instead of pursuing opportunities only when we think we desperately need them, new pros should keep an open mind and eyes peeled for any new opportunities, no matter how satisfying their current position may be.

Actively looking around for what else is out there can help new pros decide what they want and don’t want in a career. Maybe there’s a great opportunity for a position with a well-known company that sounds like a dream available. If you ignore it just because you’re pretty happy with the job you have, you could be left wondering for the rest of your career if it was the one that got away. If you seek out an informational interview, you could find that it’s an opportunity you can’t pass up, that it’s not right for you—but is a great company—or that it’s just not a good fit at all. Early on in your career, learning more about a company or type of position is a great way to figure out what exactly you’re interested in and what you might like to explore more in-depth.

Keeping your options open also keeps you in control of your career. If you’re keeping an eye out for what else you could be doing, you can be the one to decide how long you’ll stay at a particular job—as long as your ‘looking’ is not negatively affecting performance in your current position. If you can juggle the job search while keeping up daily responsibilities, you can then decide if you want to keep learning and growing where you are or if you want to take a chance on another opportunity to grow your career. Being in the driver’s seat of your career is always a good place to be!

New opportunities often mean meeting new people, too. As you’re looking around at what else is available, you’re bound to make new connections with people you may not have met otherwise. Use informational meetings and events through professional organizations as a way to not only learn about new opportunities but to also build your network and strengthen your relationships. Actively reaching out to your network, new and old, will keep you the the front of  their minds for any opportunities that might come end up in their emails.

While you’re at the top of new connections’ minds, you should also be keeping your skills fresh. Look at what skills open positions are looking for and make sure that you’re keeping up with the latest trends and skills. Making sure that you’ve brushed up on the skills employers are looking for can go a long way in helping you land the perfect position.

What else can you do to stay open to opportunities and land your dream job?

Write a call-to-action into your LinkedIn summary.

It can be as simple as a quick line saying that you welcome emails regarding new opportunities. Keep it short and sweet and let people know the best way to contact you.

Make a list of your dream employers & contact them.

Find connections at these companies and ask for an informational interview to learn more about the company, its culture and any relevant opportunities. Even if there’s not an opening at that time, meeting with and keeping in touch with a contact or two inside will keep you at the top of their list when positions do open.

Set up informational interviews & meetings when possible.

If there are companies you know you’d like to work for, people you admire or colleagues whose advice you value, reach out to them. Set up informational interviews with the first two to learn more about what they do and what opportunities might be available. For those whose advice you trust, an informal meeting over coffee, drinks or brunch is a great chance to catch up and talk in a relaxed setting.

Let people know when & what you’re looking for.

Even if you’re not actively looking for a new job, letting people know that you are open to new opportunities gives you new sets of eyes and ears to be on the lookout. Share your resume with those you trust and ask that they share information of new openings with you. If you are looking for a new job, let as many people as you can know, while not jeopardizing your current position. Spread the word privately to close connections, rather than publicly where your current employer may see. 

Keep checking job postings.

Sometimes it can be fun to see what else is out there and what better way than checking job posting sites. If you want to make it even easier, sign up for weekly or monthly emails from PRSA Jobcenter, Indeed or any other job boards with specific keywords relating to what you’re looking for and where.

RoRobyn Rudish-Laning (1)byn Rudish-Laning is a member of PRSA SC and communications coordinator for the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness. Robyn is also a member of the New Professionals executive committee. She is a graduate of Duquesne University and is currently located in Columbia, SC. Find her on LinkedIn or Twitter or read her PR-focused blog.

 

Finding a Home for Career and Personal Growth in Your Local PRSA Chapter

Stephanie Vermillion 1 Comment

It was a cold Tuesday night in January of 2014. We didn’t really know what to expect that night. Would people be nice? Would people want to talk? Will everyone else already know each other? Well, at least there’s free wine.

We met each other that night at the PRSA-NCC Leadership Rally – and within the next year we would become co-chairs of the newly developed New Professionals committee, and one of each other’s closest friends in this beautiful, historical, pant-suit wearing, House of Cards city.Finding a Home for Career and Personal Growth in Your Local PRSA Chapter

As melodramatic as that description might be, PRSA-NCC has provided us both a home in the District of Columbia PR community. It has offered us an avenue to improve and expand our skills and talents and a venue in which to connect with other professionals at all different stages in their careers.

Our professional skills and networks have grown exp
onentially since embarking on this journey of chairing a committee. Planning and executing monthly events, managing a committee of nearly 20 people and constantly being on the lookout for job opportunities for PRSA-NCC’s newest professionals has given us the opportunity to learn skills we might not have ever been exposed to in our day-to-day work.

In the world of PR, a good network can be just as important as a skill set. So while the PRSA-NCC New Professionals committee does host a couple of professional development events each year, most of our events are networking heavy. They enable new professionals of all ages to go through this journey together. We share ideas, challenges, lessons learned – and a lot of laughs.

For example, in 2015 we have planned six happy hours – one with free professional headshots – two professional development events, one networking baseball game and one cross-industry networking event. We could not have done this without the help of the wonderful New Pros committee members and the support of our local chapter, PRSA-NCC.

Don’t have a New Professionals committee in your local chapter? Start one! It’s a great way to get even more out of the already great experience PRSA membership has to offer. If your chapter already has one, join the committee. Get out there, network, challenge your skill set and offer your talents.

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Katelynn Wiggins and Kelsey Pospisil are co-chairs of the National Capital Chapter’s New Professionals Committee. Katelynn is the public relations associate at the American Psychological Association and Kelsey is the client engagement and media relations manager at News Generation.

6 Tips for Leading a PRSA New Pros Local Chapter

Stephanie Vermillion Leave a comment

Whether you’re in a current leadership position or your looking to take on a lead role with your local New Pros chapter, it never hurts to seek advice. PRSA writes that “New Professionals membership is a mark of distinction that demonstrates your confidence and desire to succeed.” They’re right. That’s why you’re here, to succeed and to help others succeed.

PRSA New Pros Event Cincinnati

Rebecca Potzner, PRSA Cincinnati New Pros Chair, at one of their many successful New Pros events!

Becoming a New Professional member and now leading my local chapter, I’ve come to learn a lot about leadership and myself. Here are a few tips that I’ve learned from leading my local New Pros chapter that I hope will help you and your chapter.

1. Don’t be a lone wolf. While you’re leading the chapter, this doesn’t mean that you should be doing absolutely all of the work on your own. Forming a leadership committee will not only strengthen the bond of your chapter but it allows members to take initiative and to help shorten your to-do list. Don’t be afraid to delegate or to ask for assistance. Remember, two heads are better than one!

2. Communication is key. As cliche as it sounds, keeping a strong open communication channel between your members, leadership team and PRSA board is crucial. Scheduling board meetings, emailing updates or even meeting for a quick coffee can help keep everyone accountable and in the know. This tip falls hand in hand with the next two.

3. Collaborate. As New Pros, we are essentially the middle man between PRSA and PRSSA giving us the opportunity to open new doors and spark new relationships. Take advantage of this. Connect with local PRSSA chapters by inviting them to events or offering to work with them on future events. The same goes for your PRSA chapter. They want to know what the younger generation is up to, so keep them in the loop! Even better, reach out and work together on a future program. After all, PRSA offers all the perks!

4. Be Socially Connected. Considering our demographic, social media has become the best outlet to reach members and potential new members. Networks like Facebook and Twitter are great to share content and to help to spread the word on your upcoming events. While your organization’s profiles are important, a great tool to take advantage of is Facebook groups and Google Drive. These both allow you to reach your board and start an ongoing conversation without bombarding their email inbox or clogging their hard drive.

5. Map it out.  It’s no secret that people like consistency. It makes things easy. Taking the time to map out chapter events for the year helps to keep a consistent calendar and makes for easy planning. After establishing your chapter’s goals for the year, brainstorm program ideas and line them up throughout the year. This helps establish a plan you can stick with and promote.

6. Make it fun. It’s not all work, promise! Take time to relax and enjoy some time with your members to catch up. As for events, think outside of the box. Events don’t always have to consist of sitting in a stuffy room listening to someone speak or just a simple happy hour.  Go behind the scenes somewhere, attend a sports game. or take a tour around the city. Your opportunities are endless and each option offers a chance to make a new connection.

Rebecca Potzner is the PRSA Cincinnati New Professionals chair, and runs her own blog, Twist on PR. Follow her on Twitter @BeckuhBeck for great PR insights & tips!