April 15, 2013
by jadamsc
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Social Media and Beyond

As I contemplated what my last post would be about, I also thought about if this would really be my last post. I know I just had to do this blog for class, but I have enjoyed it. It is possible that I might continue to blog, but I would rather write about my career. If I can find the time, I just might keep blogging, maybe. I hope everyone who has been reading has enjoyed all the tips. I know it is tough to start another beginning of your life once college is over. So I would like to say good luck to those who are graduating and do what you love. This leads into the main point of my post.

If you are going to go into PR, this post will be helpful to you now and in your future career. Kevin Allen of PR Daily posted an infographic discussing the demographics that use social media. It is interesting to see these demographics and who are using these social networking sites. Surprisingly, there is an older generation that use social media. Since I am a young college student, 18-22, I only see my demographic using social media, so it’s good to know those older folks are using it too.

The infographic can be found below or at the link above:

(Image via iStockphoto)

So if you going into PR or any field for that matter, use this infographic to reach your target market. I know it could be beneficial in my career. We post design ideas and other things that pertain to events to various social media sites. We can use this information to reach our correct target. Which from the look of this infographic we can do a good job of that because most women use these sites. Good job ladies!

So, in closing, use all the tips I’ve given you and go out and get a job. If you are a freshman, start now; it doesn’t hurt to get a head start. If you are a senior, good luck to you. Put yourself out there. Use social media to make a good impression of yourself. Don’t let a bad reputation get seen by future employers on Facebook, Twitter, and every other social networking site. I know we are all capable of doing great things, so go out there and rock it! Go graduates of 2013! Ignore the economy and do the best you can do.

April 12, 2013
by jadamsc
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Break into PR

PR Daily’s Mark Ragan sat down with three PR executives, Gemma Craven, the EVP Social from Social@Ogilvy, Nora Walsh, the director of PR for Pierre Hotel, and Siobhan Aalders, the EVP Head of Technology Practice at Ogilvy Public Relations. They gave some great tips for breaking into the PR industry. You can watch the video below or read the bulleted list of the main points I have put together.

Breaking into the PR industry:

Find people you admire and connect with them. I would say this is the most important point. These days, it is all about who you know. Find the people that you find to be amazing at what they do and talk to them. Whether it be through social media or in person. Follow these people on Twitter and watch what they do. If you do get a chance to physically talk to them, ask them about their path and how they got to be where they are today. Make lasting connections.
Be a great content creator. This is also a big one because as a PR person you want to be able to keep the attention of your audience. If you don’t create great content, you will lose your audience. As a student, you want to start working on this now. Become an excellent writer and continue to write. Start a blog or keep a journal. Whatever you do, don’t ever stop creating great content.
Be able to tell a good story. You have to be able to, again, keep your audience interested. If you can tell a good story, you will be great within the PR industry. We have to be able to keep our clients happy and the public happy and that requires us to have a good story ready at all times.
Find the industry your are passionate about and make yourself a specialist in that field. Whether it be PR or some other industry, make it your life. Join organizations, get a part-time job, get a full-time job in the industry you love. Once you figure out what that industry is, learn all about it. Keep up to date on what is happening in that field. Read about it, study it, and live it.

Click the link at the top to see the short snippet PR Daily wrote about the video. You can also find the video on PR Daily’s article linked above.

April 6, 2013
by jadamsc
2 Comments

Speed Networking

And here I go again with more networking tips. I think networking is the most important thing when it comes to your professional career. Getting a job is really all about who you know. It’s possible to get a job based off your experiences, but honestly, its more about who you know. Use networking to meet more people. Once you know a few people, they will introduce you to other people who might be interested in hiring. You can’t just sit on the couch and wait for something to magically appear. You have to try. So get up, put on your professional clothes and network. Meet people out there in your field of interest. PR Daily posted an article called Networking is like dating: 6 ways to succeed in both arenas. Here are few networking and dating tips:

Don’t get drunk. It’s a networking event. Come on people. You are trying to be professional. Have one drink to relax a little and then you will be good to go. You also don’t want to get drunk on a first date. You don’t want to make a bad impression the first date.
Don’t talk about yourself – or your career – the entire time. When networking, at a happy hour especially, it is much more relaxed. You don’t have to talk about work the entire time. You also don’t have to talk yourself up either. Talk about who you are and then enjoy conversation and find out what you have in common with the other person. This is a good tip in networking and relationships.
Make sure you let them know what you can do for them. If you are looking for a job, let them know your skills. Tell them what a good asset you would make to their company. Or if you are just looking for experience, work for free.
Listen. Everyone has something important to say. Simple as that.
Always say, “thank you.” This is very important. Thank them for their time. They took time to meet you so thank them.

Use these tips for your professional life and your personal dating life. According to Samantha Hosenkamp from PR Daily these tips work. She also suggests to compile all the business cards you gathered and send thank you e-mails to everyone. That’s a good way to make yourself remembered. If you keep in contact with them, they will remember you, and you just might get a “second date”.

March 29, 2013
by jadamsc
0 comments

Nail the PR Internship

This has to be the most helpful post about PR internships out there. PR Daily News compiled a list of 15 of their best posts on PR internships. These include tips on how to get an internship and how to have success in your PR internships. Use these posts to help you succeed in getting an internship. It even includes tips on what to do at the end of your internship. I clicked deeper into these posts and the first one had a list of 50 tips for a successful internship.

When you are preparing to apply for internship, first, pick a few places you want to apply to. Don’t just apply to one, because it may not work out and you don’t want to be left with no internship at all. Once you have selected a few, go to their websites. Learn more about the company and what they do. Search for the company on Twitter. Start following them. Retweet some of their tweets. Once you are ready to start applying, look at the requirements for their internship and make sure it will fit with your schedule. Make sure you have a solid résumé. If you are in school, make use of your Career Services department. They can review over your résumé and give you tips. Also, create a cover letter just in case. Some companies ask for one. Just make sure it is specific for each company. Now you are ready to start applying. Now you wait…and wait…and wait. Once you hear back from one, start preparing for your interview.

Dress for success. Here is what to wear:

Here is what NOT to wear:

These helpful images were provided by Tarleton State University.

If you dress like the What to Wear, you will already be one step ahead of the game. Know about the company before going into the interview. Be polite and prepare with some questions beforehand. Have a smiling face and shake hands firmly. If you are dressed appropriately and have a smile on your face, you will set a good first impression, which is key. Nail the interview and you just might get hired.

Use the tips on preparing to get an internship to help you nail it. PR Daily provides more helpful tips for after you start your internship. Use resources to help you succeed in the start of your career. You just might become super successful.

March 23, 2013
by jadamsc
4 Comments

Network Now and Later

Wishing you had networked more during college? So did 29% of 500 recent college graduates. PR Daily posted about the staffing firm Adecco’s survey given to recent college graduates on their job searches.

Results from survey below:

Business Insider

We all do different things after college. Some go to graduate school, some move back home and try to find a job, others move to another city and try something new. Some even take a year off and travel the world. Whether you go back to school or take a year off, we all eventually want to find a job. So why not start preparing in college? Get a head start. You can network and meet people that you will make lasting connections with that will land you a job someday. Even if you plan to take a year off, at least try to network some before you graduate. You can make connections, keep in touch with them, and maybe you will have a job waiting for you after you adventure through Europe for a year. So start networking now. It will give you better chance to get a job.

I know it helped me get where I am today. If it wasn’t for networking I probably wouldn’t have a job before I graduated. I feel so lucky, but it’s because I worked hard in school, I took initiative and showed people that I was really interested in being apart of the industry. Be apart of organizations on campus that are also apart of national organizations, like PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America). Choose organizations that allow you to network with professionals, but also help you in school. Being apart of PRSSA has helped me be better at networking and interacting with people. It also helps that I am a Communication major and I love to interact with people.

Don’t be afraid. Put yourself out there. Take a chance. It can’t hurt to try. Once you meet one person, they know different people than you and you can meet them and the people they know. And networking is more than just finding a job, you make lasting relationships that you will keep for a lifetime. These are the people that will help you out for the rest of your life.

Use my tips from this blog post: Millennials Can Network Too and this one: Networking Your Way to a Dream Job to help yourself start networking.

March 6, 2013
by jadamsc
1 Comment

Millennials Can Network Too

Networking is my main focus for this blog. Networking is one of the most important things when it comes to your career. The more people you know, the better off you will be. I have addressed how important it is to network to get where you want to be. However, sometimes our generation doesn’t know the best way to do it or can make a few mistakes along the way. PR Daily, one of my favorite places to get articles from, posted about millennials and networking. The article teaches us what we shouldn’t be doing during networking.

1. Get off your phone. We all have a tendency to be on our phones, all the time. I mean we can barley sit through an hour and fifteen minutes of class without looking at our phones. So set aside two hours to network without your phone.You can do it. I promise. Try not looking at your phone in class once and then go to networking event without your phone. Hey, it might even be a good idea to “forget” your phone at home; I know that’s a little scary.

2. Ditch your friends. I know it is easier to network with your friends around, but try it without them. You may actually meet more people because you weren’t caught up talking to your friend. I love my friends, but you don’t always need them.

3. Ask fun questions. Be a little humorous. Don’t just ask pointless questions like, “Are you hiring?” or “How did you hear about the event?” Get to know this person based off of them not what they do. Don’t be boring. Networking can seem boring sometimes, but make it worth your time and enjoy yourself.

4. It’s not about numbers. Did you get everyone’s business card? Well that’s not good for you. It’s not a competition to see who can get the most business cards. Get 2 or 3 and really get to know those people. You may end up with an internship or a job from those 2 or 3 people you met.

So I realize sometimes these things may be difficult, but just try it out. Go to a networking event once by following these rules. If it works out, go to more. Before you know it, you could be landing your dream job.

For more tips check out the article on PR Daily News.

For other networking tips check out these other articles on PR Daily News:

1. 13 most nifty tips for networking

2. Networking: 7 tips for striking up a conversation

March 3, 2013
by jadamsc
0 comments

Live Longer, Be Smarter

I really enjoyed this info graphic from Confused.com. PR Daily News posted about it. These are very helpful ways to take care of yourself and live longer than those who aren’t doing this stuff. Some of it, like food to eat, I don’t know if I could get myself to eat every day, but I guess if it helps me live longer maybe I would do it. Exercising is one of the big ones on my personal list. I don’t know if I could pull off running 20 miles per week, but I can try to add more exercise into my daily routine. Be a shopaholic is my favorite 🙂 Shopping is one of my favorite things to do, when I have the money. I don’t think I could shop every day, because of money, but if I could I would. Sounds like women live longer because they like to shop 🙂 Although, I feel like a buy something every day whether it be food or clothing. So take this info graphic into consideration and make a change in your life one step at a time. Find out what works for you and start something new.

Use this info graphic to take care of yourself. To be successful you should start with a healthy life. It is hard to get caught up in work and whatever else you have going on so take some time for yourself and do these things. Especially for those PR pros out there. It is difficult to work a busy day and try to get exercise and a healthy meal in. Find a free day to make a few meals you can eat throughout the week.

Suggestions of checking off two at a time:

1. Try incorporating a date and exercise in one. Go to the gym with your significant other. Although it is not the most glamorous thing, you can both get a workout in.

2. Or make a healthy meal together.

3. Party out at a club and go dancing at the same time. You can enjoy both being social and getting your groove on.

4. If you have a dog, go on a walk or you can just walk around your neighborhood.

Just enjoy your life one day at a time. Keep yourself healthy and be social. You might just live a little bit longer than your other friend.

P.S.: Thinking about getting a dog, check out your local animal shelter. That is where I found my little cutie and he keeps me company every day 🙂

February 23, 2013
by jadamsc
2 Comments

Protect Your Entire Life

Getting any of your social media accounts hacked can be frustrating. I’ve had my Twitter account hacked a few times and when it happens more than once, you get more and more angry with it. PR Daily News put out a helpful guide on How to protect your brand’s social media accounts. Although I can say I have gone against these rules some of the time, I highly recommend using these to protect your accounts. This is vital advice to consider because if someone gets into your account they can really mess things up for you. For example, nationally known brands, Burger King and Jeep, recently had their Twitter accounts hacked. This can go terribly wrong because those hackers may send your followers mean things that could make your brand look bad. In the case of a single person, it is not as a big of deal, but can still harm your reputation. If your account gets hacked and important professionals, such as PR pros follow you, they could receive a nasty direct message from you. You must follow PR Daily’s steps to make sure this never happens to you. Their steps help you come up with a password that hackers won’t be able to figure out.

1. Avoid brevity. Make your passwords long. Most sites now require you to make passwords longer than 12 characters.
2. Vary the characters. Use more than just a simple word. Use symbols, capital letters, numbers, and punctuation.
3. Add complex passwords to smartphones. For iPhone users, use more than a four-number password. You can change it so you can use a word instead of numbers.
4. Check your password’s strength. Test a few passwords strength’s on HowSecureIsMyPassword.net.
5. Use your phone or tablet as storage for your passwords. Use your notes app to put all your passwords in. Don’t put which passwords go to what, but just make a list of every password you use.
6. Log out. If you use multiple computers, at school or work, always log out of every site. Even if someone steals your computer, they can’t get into your accounts if you log out.

These are some great tips for creating a strong password that will keep you from getting your accounts hacked. Don’t let hackers get you down. Keep up with all of your social media and keep your reputation safe. Use these tips to protect yourself online.

Check out the article for more tips on protecting your brand. I know your social media accounts are your life, so keep them protected.

February 13, 2013
by jadamsc
2 Comments

Stress Relief to Help You Prioritize

PR Daily News recently posted about stress level among millenials. It is true that millenials seem to be stressed out most of the time. We have school, part-time jobs, social lives, and everything else going on. It’s tough to be young, especially for those of us that are about to graduate college and are jumping into a job market that doesnt really exist due to the economy. I agree that it’s difficult for a lot of people, but according to this study, “18- to 33-year-olds and 34- to 47-year-olds report an average stress level of 5.4 on a 10-point scale, compared with the national average of 4.9” (Allen). This is a lot of stress for such young people who are kind of at a new beginning in their lives.

I would say, personally, I fit into this pool of stressed-out millennials. I get work stress because I work a part-time job Monday-Thursday and go to class Monday-Thursday. I do homework on the weekends and try to fit a social life somewhere in the mix. Although I may not be stressed out all the time, I am stressed out at least during the week.

My suggestions are to stay organized and prioritize. Plan out what needs to be done for the whole week on Monday morning. Make a list so you can check it off. Helpful tool: TeuxDeux. This is an online listing system that let’s you make a list for every day and you can check it off when you are done. If you don’t get to it that day, it will move it to the next day to keep you on task. Use a calendar. (e.g., Google Calendar and Mac’s iCal). These will help you keep track of all appointments and events going on.

My other suggestion is to set boundaries for yourself. My employer and I have talked about them a lot since I started my job. I have 3 boundaries right now: work, school, and my social life. When I’m at work I only focus and do my work. When I’m at school I only do school work. My social life sometimes pops in at work or school, but it is usually a text here and there. Create clear boundaries for yourself and stick to them. You will see an improvement in everything you do in life. These tools will give you stress relief. I know it has helped me and I’m sure it will help you.

Side note: “PR professional ranks among the most stressed-out professions in America” (Allen).

February 5, 2013
by jadamsc
7 Comments

Networking Your Way to a Dream Job

Networking is a big deal when it comes to getting a job. I put so much emphasis on it, because it got me where I am today, as Junior Event Planner with The Simplifiers.

May 14, 2012 I attended my first happy hour with ISES (International Special Events Society). At the happy hour, I met someone who worked for The Hyatt Regency Austin, vendors from all over Austin, and the owner and founder of Brass Tacks Events. The owner asked me to help him out with an event June 6th. This was my first time working an event. That was June 6th and now, only 8 months later, January 14, 2013 I started my dream job. So continuing with the story, I helped out with that event. Earlier in April I had applied for an internship. That day I received a call that I had an interview with the owner and founder of The Simplifiers. I had the interview and a couple days later I was starting the apprenticeship. I continued to be apart of ISES, helping out with events and attending happy hours/meetings. This was one of the smartest decisions I ever made. Networking with professionals in the field of what I wanted to do, made my life a lot easier. I started an internship with Brass Tacks Events. Then, January 3, 2013 I was offered a job with The Simplifiers.

I would have not been in the position I am in without networking and social media. When I first became interested in event planning, I looked up all the event planners in Austin. From there, I found them on Twitter and Facebook and started following them. This helps you get in the know with what is going on in your industry.

For those who are interested in PR, I suggest first, joining your local PRSSA chapter on campus. This helps you to meet professionals to network with and transition from college to career. Start following PRSA + your city on Twitter to keep up-to-date with what is going on in the professional world. From there, start attending PRSA happy hours; free for students! Meet lots of people and get your name out there. Also, if you don’t already have business cards, get some. That way you don’t have to have people write down your information at happy hours. You can just hand them a card and they have you in mind. After you meet someone at a networking event, email them and just make yourself known.

Steps to Success:

1. Figure out what you are interested in.

2. Look up companies in that industry.

3. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

4. Attend happy hours.

5. Network with people.

6. Hand out a few business cards.

7. Email those you met.

8. Apply for an internship.

9. They already know you, you’re hired!