In many fields including public relations, classroom knowledge can only take you so far. Internships are an important tool for getting the feel of the daily routine of a PR pro. But, a mentor is what separates a new professional in the fold.
I have reached a fork in the road of my career which takes me away from seeing my mentor on a daily basis. With that change I have been reflecting on the wealth of invaluable knowledge that I learned from my mentor. This knowledge is not just how to craft the perfect press release or pitch a reporter but how to conduct myself as a professional and the importance of being an eternal student of the trade. Continue reading →
The Guardian recently published an article arguing that digital news offers a choice in reading topics/sources, but that print “…offers something extra: stories that people didn’t know they wanted to read until they had read them.”
Although the article brings up good points about the importance of diversifying one’s reading material(s), I beg to differ. Continue reading →
Generally, the week between Christmas and New Years are filled with cheer and good spirit. However, with all the hubbub of the holidays, you may have missed one of the biggest PR disasters seen in the history of the video game industry. Continue reading →
2012 is here! The New Year means resolutions to lose weight, eat healthier, spend more time with the family, and on and on. While you are mapping out that plan to battle the bulge also strategize resolutions for your career.
“It is important to set goals each year if you want a career and not just a job,” says Marcos Sanchez, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Egnyte. “If you want a career than it is about thinking long term about where you want to be and what job you want to have.” Continue reading →
‘Tis the season for predictions. I always enjoy this time of the year, reading and listening to what industry professionals and talking heads project will be the hot topics for the next year and what everyone should be looking at and concentrating on for success. I have read a lot of articles that speculate what themes and strategies are front and center for 2012 and where we can expect the market to turn. Most of what I have read seems spot on, like Affect’s 2012 predictions that: Continue reading →
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! But only if the holiday rush hasn’t crushed you yet. If you’re (still) filled with the spirit of the season, please indulge me by reading this post with a fun, good-natured, Christmas-y attitude. ‘Tis the season to be jolly after all!
So the headline might be a bit of an exaggeration, but don’t fault me, we are all in PR. However, there are things that I do know in PR that I learned from the man in the red suit. So here’s my list of things PR-related that I learned from Santa: Continue reading →
So you have your degree. You’ve graduated summa cum laude and your resume is polished into tip-top-AP- style shape. But now what? How do you take the tools that everyone has at graduation – a resume, letters of recommendation and a diploma – and turn it into something that sets you apart in the job hunt?
While there isn’t one golden rule to mastering the job hunt, there are certain things that can help put you at the top of your potential employer’s list. Here are five tips to keep in mind: Continue reading →
I have to admit, I’ve never heard of the game Words With Friends. That is until Tuesday. Actor Alec Baldwin was kicked off of an American Airlines flight earlier this week after a flight attendant asked him to turn off his cell phone which he was using to play the game as the plane was waiting to taxi for takeoff. The actor refused and subsequently he was booted from the flight but not before proceeding to go on a tirade, slamming a bathroom door and later posting derogatory tweets about American Airlines on Twitter using a vindictive hashtag (#nowonderamericanairisbankrupt) to express his “outrage” at what us normal citizens would call “proper protocol” on an airline. Continue reading →
A great speech doesn’t count for much if you’re talking to the wrong audience. Most PR professionals know that speaking to the public is important, so they create great seminars and presentations for those who attend the event. However, no matter how much you advertise this event, it always seems to be family members and existing customers or clients who show up to “learn more.” Right? While it’s great that you have loyal customers, you want your audience to be full of new faces. I like to think of it this way: 1/3 of a PR agency is producing quality work, 1/3 is maintaining current customers and clients, and the other 1/3 is grabbing new clients. Therefore, it is extremely important that your expert speakers are heard by prospective clients and people who actually need to learn more about your company. Continue reading →
I woke up to my parents’ frantic voices, breaking glass and the sound of an intruder’s footsteps coming from downstairs. It was 3:00 a.m. on a Monday morning and the absolute last way I thought I would begin my week.
Even as I heard my dad yell, “Get out!” and my mom warned, “Don’t you dare go downstairs,” it was still hard to comprehend what was happening in my home. I finally put it together when my mom said the land line didn’t work and we needed to call 911. As a millennial who sleeps with her phone in hand, that I could understand and take action.
My hands shook as I dialed ‘9’ and just one ‘1’ before ‘Emergency Call’ came across my phone’s screen. Within minutes, the police were in my driveway. Continue reading →