professional development

Introducing your 2011 Executive Committee

Heather Sliwinski Leave a comment

In addition to new blog chairs, the New Professionals Section is happy to introduce the rest of the Executive Committee members for 2011.  Below are our new volunteers, with a selection of their New Year’s PR resolutions:

Sarah Siewert, Chair

-Learn more about leveraging mobile technology and location-based apps

-Keep up with my RSS reader

Noelle Pennyman, Member Chair

“My PR Resolution for 2011 is to always remember the value of a personal connection. Technologies will continue to integrate into our communication tools, but the basics will always remain the same.”

Joshua Romero, Member Chair

-Get more involved with my local PRSA chapter through service to our profession and the community. 

-Incorporate more online videos into the stories and web content I create for the law school. 

-Continue building the law school’s innovative social media program. 

-Launch my consulting company and get tons of clients!

Crystal Olig, Mentorship Liaison

“Get better at helping clients think through their online content strategy (link to oxiem.com) and how it ties into social media, SEO and sales.”

Anna Cramer, Programming Chair

“Although out of college, I would like to continue my curiosity, stay up-to-date and learn as much as possible about PR, my specific industry (sports and non-profit) and any industry trends.  I would also like to remain as involved if not more so in PR as I was able to in college. I hope to remain involved locally with my PRSA chapter as well as continue my influence with PRSA nationally with New Pros.”

Elizabeth Rhoads, Programming Chair

“Explore web design and photography a bit more. My position as Web Content Coordinator includes quite a bit of writing and scheduling photo shoots – hopefully this year I’ll be making my way into taking some of those pictures and having the ability to do a bit more web design.”

Alyssa Bronikowski, PRSSA Liaison

Ashlee Tate, Section Liaison

Eva Aivaliotis, Newsletter Editor

“Leveraging more digital influencers (a.k.a. bloggers) for media placements”

Diahnn Henderson, Blog Chair

Heather Sliwinski, Blog Chair

Tamara Halliburton, Social Media Editor

Leah Moon, Social Media Editor

“Attend more PRSA events and meet more PR pros in the Dayton area”

Adrienne Bailey, At-Large Member

Kate Bergeman, At-Large Member

Katie Bryant, At-Large Member

Andrea Nourse, At-Large Member

“As a recent graduate and entry-level public relations professional, my 2011 New Year’s PR Resolution is to learn as much as humanly possible in the field, and to apply the knowledge and experience I have gained in my previous fields to my current position.”

John Whitcomb, At-Large Member

-Get up before 6 each day

-Read 20 pages out of a book

-Go to bed earlier

-Utilize to do lists to help organize my life

-Improve my writing

professional development… Here’s What’s for Us at PRSA International Conference by Janet Krenn

New Professionals PR Blog Leave a comment

Two words: development and networking. This is what we as New Pros stand to gain by participating in International Conference this October 16-19 in Washington D.C. And if you register by next Friday (August 27) you can get this at the saver rate, i.e. $200 less.

(Now, I’ll be honest with you, you might find this to be too expensive to pay out of pocket, but other New Pros have attended conference in the past by asking their boss to foot the bill. If you’re interested in telling others how you convinced your boss to send you to IC or you have questions for those that did, join the discussion on our eGroup page.)

OK,  so you’re going to International Conference. Now what? In addition to the other cool sessions, the New Pros Section is sponsoring a session and two networking events.

  • New Professionals Section Workshop
    “Myth or Reality: ‘Agency Experience Preferred'”
    Tuesday, Oct. 19, 8–9:15 a.m.
    What are employers really asking for when they require “agency experience”? Is an agency position truly the best public relations experience? Learn about the pros and cons of agency and non-agency experience from Sarah Siewert, account executive, KemperLesnik; Heather R. Huhman, founder and president, Come Recommended; and Lara Kretler, vice president and social media lead, Fahlgren Mortine Public Relations. Receive advice on how to choose the path that best suits your skills, and learn how to make your own experiences marketable to all employers.
  • New Professionals, Technology and IPA Sections Networking Dinner
    Monday, Oct. 18, 6:30–9 p.m., Lauriol Plaza
    Graceful architecture and sophisticated service set a stylish tone for some of the best Tex-Mex in Washington, D.C. Lauriol Plaza offers good conversation, a strong margarita and the finest offerings from the mesquite-fired grill to IPA, Technology Section and New Professionals Section members.
  • Sections Soirée
    Monday, Oct. 18, 9–11:30 p.m.
    Stop by the Sections Soirée to network with colleagues from all 16 Professional Interest Sections, and share tips about the latest industry trends. Also, don’t miss a chance to win some great prizes.

If you can make it, International Conference is a great way to learn more about the profession and start networking with seasoned pros in your and other industries. Hope you can make it!

—

JANET A. KRENN is your 2010 Chair of the New pros of PRSA.

  • New Professionals Section Workshop
    “Myth or Reality: ‘Agency Experience Preferred'”
    Tuesday, Oct. 19, 8–9:15 a.m.
    What are employers really asking for when they require “agency experience”? Is an agency position truly the best public relations experience? Learn about the pros and cons of agency and non-agency experience from Sarah Siewert, account executive, KemperLesnik; Heather R. Huhman, founder and president, Come Recommended; and Lara Kretler, vice president and social media lead, Fahlgren Mortine Public Relations. Receive advice on how to choose the path that best suits your skills, and learn how to make your own experiences marketable to all employers.
  • New Professionals, Technology and IPA Sections Networking Dinner
    Monday, Oct. 18, 6:30–9 p.m., Lauriol Plaza
    Graceful architecture and sophisticated service set a stylish tone for some of the best Tex-Mex in Washington, D.C. Lauriol Plaza offers good conversation, a strong margarita and the finest offerings from the mesquite-fired grill to IPA, Technology Section and New Professionals Section members.
  • Sections Soirée
    Monday, Oct. 18, 9–11:30 p.m.
    Stop by the Sections Soirée to network with colleagues from all 16 Professional Interest Sections, and share tips about the latest industry trends. Also, don’t miss a chance to win some great prizes.


Summer Book Club… Get Ready! Discussion Begins the First Friday of June

New Professionals PR Blog 2 Comments


Remember summer reading? Like it or not, extracurricular reading ensures that you stay on top of your game, and as New Pros, anything we can do to keep ourselves more knowledgeable than expected will only benefit us.

Enter the New Pros of PRSA Summer Book Club!

We invite you to join us and our members as we read and discuss 3 books this summer.

Here’s how it will work: From June through August, everyone interested is invited to read the month’s book selection. On the first two Fridays of each month, we will post interviews with authors, discussion questions, and other things to the blog. You can participate by reading and commenting or simply following along.

Start your reading engines

Here are the books we plan to include in this summer’s Book Club: (Remember, the discussion will take place on the first and second Fridays in June; so make sure you have a copy of the June selection and start reading before then!)

Vote for the August book by May 31

You can help us choose which book we should read in August. Vote on our Facebook Page by May 31. Here are your options:

professional development teleconference…Master’s Degree vs. APR (April 30, 2010)

awilmes 1 Comment

As PR professionals find it harder and harder to gain employment in these tough times, many are asking themselves if going back to school for a master’s degree will make them more competitive or would APR accreditation be the better option. To help us answer this question, we’ve invited Laura Reilly, APR, to talk about her passion for learning during this month’s Brown Bag teleconference on April 30.

Laura is currently the director of communications for the Georgia School Boards Association.  Laura is active with the Public Relations Society of America and is involved in the accreditation process with PRSA. In addition, Laura has earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in advertising and a Master of Journalism degree.

We spoke with Laura about some of her education decisions and asked her to share the experiences she’s gained from them.

1. How has obtaining a master’s degree benefited your career?

I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Advertising/Design and a Master of Journalism. The two disciplines have merged nicely during my career and assist greatly in all marketing and communications efforts.

2. How has obtaining APR accreditation benefited your career?

The song, “The Climb,” describes it nicely: It’s not about what’s on the other side, it’s about the climb. Earning and maintaining an APR can be a career-long experience. I learned a tremendous amount about public relations through the process and I continue to benefit greatly through my involvement as an APR panelist and the maintenance process.

3. What lessons have you learned during your career and how did you gain this knowledge?

I’ve learned many, but one that resonates continually is that we have to listen first in order to be heard. That applies to the practice of public relations in that we must do research first before committing to a plan of action. I used to be much more subtle in suggesting this to my bosses, etc., but today I’m very assertive about this belief. Engaging stakeholders in the process can be scary, but it is always worthwhile. I learned this first through graduate school and the APR process, and then by watching the negative consequences when this is not done.

4. Why did you decide to further your education?

As an advertising design specialist, I watched others in the agency business formulate entire communications and marketing strategies. I wanted to be at that level of the decision making process.

5. Why did you decided to get accredited in PR?

It is always important to continue learning. I engaged in the APR process after I had five years experience and it was perfect timing. Going through the process helped me recognize that we’re never through learning from others. I don’t care who you are and how long you’ve been doing this work, if you open yourself up to it you can continually experience new aspects of our profession.

Laura Reilly, APR will be instructing our New Pros of PRSA Brown Bag teleconference, “Master’s Degree vs. APR” on April 30, 2010 at 2pm EST. To register, click here.

Intro to series…Small Business PR by Janet Krenn

bcamen 2 Comments

Odds are, as a new PR professional you may find yourself working for a small business. What makes me say so? For starters, half of all private sector employees work for small businesses and small businesses generated 60 to 80 percent of new jobs, so says the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Many of these businesses need PR help. A small business might higher young talent to keep expenses down, and you, as the young talent, might be interested in the additional responsibility that comes with working for a small business.

When working for a small business, your employer is your client. Small businesses offer a lot of opportunity for new PR pros like you, who might gain access to projects and responsibilities you might not get at larger companies. On the other hand, the smaller the business, the more non-PR work you might be expected to do, anywhere from admin to marketing to taking out the trash.

The term “small business” is allusive. The U.S. SBA tailors its definition of “small business” based on industry, but typically small businesses have fewer than 500 employees and make fewer than $14 million. This covers a huge spectrum, and it has a bearing on what you can expect from working in at a particular small business.

For an idea of what it will be like to work for a small business, pay attention to the number of employees a company has.

What PR activities could you expect to do?

The smaller the company, the more likely that you’ll be asked to take on multiple PR tasks. For example, if you’re the only PR professional at a small business, you may be required to write press releases, conduct media relations, and work on internal communications. On the other hand, the larger the company, the more likely that you will have a well-defined role and might have specialized work.

What are industry-specific challenges?

The major challenge to small businesses is limited resources. This might mean you have to get creative with your project budget. It also means you may have to learn to go without something that you previously thought was non-negotiable.

Working for a small business can also pose a professional challenge. You will probably be challenged to develop a skill set that you lacked. You will probably be challenged to multitask several various projects and tasks on a regular basis.

What kind of non-PR coursework/skills/interests could be helpful?

Not only should be well-trained in writing and PR, it would be helpful for you to have some coursework in
(1) the specific industry in which the small business belongs. You may not know exactly what you want to do; you probably couldn’t predict exactly where you will end up working; so dabble in anything that seems interesting to you. If you’re still in school, don’t be afraid to use those elective credits to explore the world beyond PR.
(2) marketing and business. Working for a small business may mean that you will have to take on business and marketing functions as well as PR ones.
(3) design. Again, the smaller the business, the more odds and ends you’ll have to take on. Having an understanding of web and print design could go a long way in a company with no designer or one who is out sick in the middle of a pressing deadline.

How can I find a PR job in a small business?

In one word: Networking. The smaller the business the less likely they will (1) know how or where to advertise a position or (2) be willing to pay fees to advertise a position only to receive a grab bag of candidates. Aside from networking, check publications and websites that offer localized listings, as small businesses might be unable to pay relocation fees and instead hope to draw a pool of candidates that are already living in their area. Local small business associations and bureaus might be another good place to start.

Janet Krenn is a Sea Grant Communicator at Virginia Sea Grant.