source: http://dailyillini.com/opinions/2018/02/07/networking-skills-taught-class/
By: Susanne Fluri Networking events can be daunting, especially when you have little experience. Follow these tips to make sure you are ready and feel confident for your next networking opportunity. 1. Have a plan Being prepared for the event will only help boost your confidence. Make sure you have a plan and know the skills and strengths that you can bring to the table. Have an idea of what you want to talk about, so you can help guide the conversation and ask purposeful questions. 2. Always treat people with importance Ignore the titles people wear. You never know when their knowledge or connections can help you. Always be an attentive listener and ask questions. 5. Follow through If you promise that you will reach out to someone, reach out to them. Follow through with your word in order to exhibit responsibility and professionalism. 6. Be open Be open to talking to different people about different things. Don’t close yourself off. If things don’t work out just as expected, it’s just an experience that you can learn from. 4. Be yourself! The best way to make meaningful connections is to just be yourself! You might not jive with every single person you meet, and that is just fine. If you are genuine and honest, you will have a better chance at finding an opportunity that is suited for you.
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Source:http://drylandsystems.cgiar.org/content/internship-opportunity-online-science-communications
By Hannah Banas Finding an internship in the communications field is definitely difficult. However, it is still important to look for them and apply for the ones that interest you. These are some of the ways that I am searching and applying for internships this year.
I know that finding internships is difficult, but if you use these resources, you will set yourself apart from other applicants. Source-https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2016/09/20/seaworld-cuts-dividend-killer-whale-shows-set-end/90729756/
By Lily O'Gorden One of the most common phrases we hear in the world of public relations is that there is no such thing as bad publicity. However, in today’s interconnected and social-media obsessed society, I find this phrase hard to believe. The premise of this phrase is that as long as people are talking about you, it does not matter if they are saying good or bad things. Throughout the past few years, there have been copious examples of companies losing support and profit from bad PR. In the media today companies are commonly placed under extreme scrutiny. As we know, the common sentiment surrounding big business in America is negative. Companies need to know how to handle bad PR instead of relying on this old-fashioned phrase. A prime example of a corporation suffering from bad PR is SeaWorld. In July of 2013, a documentary film titled Blackfish was released. This documentary detailed the horrific mistreatment of animals, specifically orca whales, and ever since this film became popular, SeaWorld has been drowning in negative publicity. With groups like PETA, People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals, targeting their every move, it became hard for SeaWorld to improve their public image. Even today, over five years later, SeaWorld’s popularity is still much lower than before Blackfish. SeaWorld has started to recover, but in the process they had to end their orca breeding. This negative publicity brought about important change, but overall I do not think SeaWorld would agree with the statement that all publicity is positive. Image Source: http://delvalyhierla.com/nuevos-cambios-linkedin/
By: Heather McCowan ●Make meaningful connections. That’s what LinkedIn is all about. Always send a brief message when asking to connect, but don’t stop there! Take your networking offline and grab lunch or a coffee. ● Write a compelling headline. Stand out from the crowd with a headline that speaks to who you are. Be specific by using keywords and advertise what makes you valuable. ● Personalize your summary. Use the summary space to highlight your personality. Describe the things you’re passionate about, what you’re skilled in, and professional experiences you’ve had. ● Add your experiences in detail. Transfer all of your experiences from your resume to your LinkedIn page. Highlight the work you’ve done and what you’ve accomplished. Upload media or links (if available) to supplement your descriptions. ● Interact with posts and write your own. Once you’ve completed your profile, like, comment, and share posts that are interesting and relevant to yourself. Make your own contributions by writing content about applicable topics. Image source: https://www.123rf.com/clipart-vector/internship.html?sti=luzxxrrofss2fak1cv|
By: Grace Wells
Source:https://thenextweb.com/future-of-communications/2015/11/23/five-trends-disrupting-communication/
By Hannah Banas As a communications major, it’s important to stay up to date on current events. It is difficult to do this as a college student because it takes time, which many of us do not have, to read through tons of articles. However, there is a solution. Many news sources have created ways for people to get the highlights of the day’s events without having to spend an hour reading the news. Here are some of my favorite news companies that keep me in the know.
This is my favorite way of quickly reading about current events. Every day, Morning Brew will send you an email that contains many different categories of headlines. This will summarize the major events happening in the world, and I can read it all in about 10-15 minutes. It also provides links to longer articles, so you can read more about topics that interest you. https://www.morningbrew.com
This is another news company that will send an email to your inbox every morning. It doesn’t go into as much detail as Morning Brew, but that also means you are getting the highlights of current events even quicker. This is a great option for someone who doesn’t want to read detailed news articles every day. https://www.theskimm.com
If you don’t want emails clogging up your inbox, download the CNN app to your phone. When a major event happens, you will get a notification of the headline that links to the CNN article for more details. This is a great resource because you still know a wide array of events that are happening, but you can pick and choose the topics that you want to read more about. https://www.cnn.com/specials/mobile-apps Source:https://www.njstatelib.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/interview-word-cloud.png
By: Heather McCowan 5 Steps to Success for Your Next Interview
By: Lindsey Nelson As a college student, I have noticed a reoccurring problem among myself and my friends where we are faced with two paths when it comes to summer plans: we could get a job to make money, or we could take that amazing unpaid internship. Both have pros and cons, but the decision is ultimately going to rely on whatever is best for you and your future. If making money is the priority, and a paid internship that will provide you with great experience is just not coming your way, then focus on making money! There are still plenty of small ways you could add experience to your resume. As a communications major, this could include writing blog posts, being a brand ambassador on social media, or simply joining clubs at school. If you think getting good experiences to further your preparedness for a career one day, then an unpaid internship may be the way to go. If this leaves you with little time to make money during the summer, then sacrificing time during the school year may be an option for you. In addition to on-campus jobs, there are many media and brand ambassador positions that will pay good money and will take up little time. Some companies that provide these opportunities include Bumble, Bumble Bizz, and AddMe. By: Lindsay Thomas
By: Claire Bowman
By: Mary Claire Reagan What happens when you’ve invested all you’ve got, sacrificed countless days, and have something you’re proud of but the world does not seem to be recognizing its beauty? Is it time to give up and throw away all of its efforts? The answer is No. Well do not give up. Loolwa Khazzom gives three pieces of for individuals feeling this way. First, you may be ahead of the curve. Second, you may be aiming too high. Third, you may need to be “rentless”. What each of these three pieces of advice has in common is that they all require patience. In the fast pace business world that exists today; patience is a necessity. Especially for small business owners, you may feel like there is nothing more to do but there is. Wait. Although tough advice, it will be worth it in the long run, when your product or service goes mainstream. By: Sydney Nelson
One of the most important aspects of PR in today’s world is crisis management. In order for companies to succeed, they need to be proficient in crisis management. Katie Goodale, associate and director of PR and social media at agency Hiebing, has established a plan to tackle the 3 main types of crises that companies face. Tier 1: Multi-Channel The multi-channel crisis is the most dangerous because it has the most potential to attract unwanted publicity. This sort of crisis would relate to an extreme situation, such as--workplace harassment allegations or product recalls. In this case, the most important thing to do is respond quickly and authentically. Rather than just posting on the company website, it is very important that you cover all media channels (social media included). Additionally, it is important that the message is consistent throughout all posts, however it must be varied. Tier 2: Emerging An emerging crisis is not nearly as extensive as a multi-channel crisis. This crisis occurs when your social community has the ability to escalate to a real problem, however it can be prevented if acted upon quickly. An example of this type would be if customers were complaining about service issues or changes to the brand’s product. In this case, it is important to approach each complaint individually instead of doing a big overall post because this strategy will prevent the problem from getting out of hand. Tier 3: Industry-Adjacent An industry-adjacent crisis is typically a crisis by association. This would be when a competitor is experiencing a social media crisis and your followers may question your company’s relation with the company in trouble or they may ask if your brand has knowledge of the issue. The most important thing to do in this situation is to make sure you are monitoring your competitor’s channels so you are aware of what crises/issues are occurring on their end. Once you are made aware of the problem, it is important that you release statements informing your publics that your not associated with the problem in any way. http://www.prnewsonline.com/three-tiers-social-media-crisis By Kiley Harris With summer coming up, it is interview season for many college students. Interviews can be intimidating. You have about 20 minutes to make a great first impression in hopes of making it to the second round. A lot of students get anxiety about interviews, however, and approach them wrong. According to an article called “How to Rock A Job Interview” from Forbes, students are approaching their interviews incorrectly. “A job interview is a business meeting where you and your interviewer will explore the possibility of a collaboration,” says author Liz Ryan, “That's all. There's no stage, no judge and no audience.” You can now breathe a sigh of relief, as this should be comforting. Ryan hits on the idea that an interview, although it doesn't seem like it, is a mutual process. You get to choose where you want to work and you get to ask questions as well. You want them to be a good fit for you, just as much as you should be a good fit for their company. Don’t get me wrong, this does not mean you aren’t trying to impress the employer with your awesome skills, because you are. Think of it as more of a conversation than a show and you'll be just fine. If it doesn’t go well, then it probably wasn’t a good fit anyway. So before your next interview prepare ahead of time with a different mindset. Prepare thoughtfully. Prepare questions about the company and the position that will help build a more natural flow of conversation. Prepare questions that will help you decide if this company is a good fit for you. And last but certainly not least, take a deep breath, be confident and stay true to who you are. The Miami Student – Jugal Jain By: Claire Bowman As I stepped inside Armstrong Student Center on March 26, I heard a commotion from the main dining area. I approached with curiosity, and found a full-fledged protest in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Spread around the dining tables, a group of black students and white allies held up signs and shouted to the students in Armstrong. One student held a megaphone and lead the chants. “Do black lives matter?” “Yes!” the crowd yelled back. The protest was in response to a student’s (Thomas Wright) continued racist behaviors toward black Miami students. Many people believe the university didn’t respond strongly enough to the student when he used racial slurs in a GroupMe among Miami students in the fall of 2017. Another chant used at the demonstration was, “Do black checks matter?” and the crowd again yelled in agreement. This was a dig at the way the university uses the illusion of diversity to bring people in. The black protesters were angry that they had been used in the past to promote diversity when the school rarely supports it in their eyes. These students were heard by many that day, and the news of continued racism at Miami is spreading far beyond the campus. So far, many believe the university is lackluster in its responsive performance. Many have called for the racist student’s expulsion, but Miami hasn’t budged. If student and faculty behaviors continue in this fashion, Miami’s public image is only going to worsen. How can the university bounce back if it lets itself fall too far into complacency? By Kiley Harris Summer is just around the corner, and with summer comes internships. Many students have either landed their dream internship already, are currently interviewing, or are still in the application process. Wherever you fall on this spectrum, don’t worry. You have time. From someone personally going through the interview process, I know how hard it can be to set yourself apart from other candidates, especially in the competitive world of public relations. One great way to set yourself apart is by creating a personal website. A website is a great way to show employers all the amazing work you have done in school and in past positions. A website is an easy way to display all your accomplishments in one unique, professional and organized way. Next time you have a few free hours, play around on a website creator and see where it takes you. You have endless choices to make your website unique and showcase your skills. Try out websites like Wordpress, Wix and Weebly, as they are easy to use and offer a lot of choices. A couple key things to include on your website include a professional photo of you, your contact info, your resume, an about you page and your sample work. Make sure to show off your best work that you are most proud of. Also don’t sell yourself short in your about me page. This is your place to shine. Focus on your accomplishments, your relevant experience, your hobbies, your study abroad, etc. This will make you more personable, as well as professional, to the employer. If I haven’t convinced you to try creating a website, check out this article from USA Today on the importance of a personal website. By: Samantha Conti From month to month, PRSA hosts a variety of webinars on multiple different topics. These webinars are extremely useful to many professionals and students in the PR field. In the past, there have been webinars discussing many things such as how to write better, keep a professional image, and work on leadership. On March 29, there will be a webinar talking about the soft skills that are helpful and wanted in the professional world.
By: Mary Claire Reagan In today’s society more than ever, it is often difficult to respond to criticism. Whether it be from family, co-workers, bosses, or professors no matter who it is from, it is tough to swallow. Well how should one deal with this criticism towards all of the hard efforts given? Dan Simmons, a restaurant owner shares his own experiences with how he bounced back from criticism towards his restaurant in a manner the whole world can learn from? Simmons gives multiple pieces of advice with the first being to not respond. In fact, we should respond through improvements to our customers – not in replying, especially on the internet. Next. he ads to recognize the criticism and grow from it. Whether it be becoming more transparent with customers or brainstorming small ways to improve, one should use it as an opportunity to grow. As a whole, criticism keeps business and individuals adapting and moving forward. Although not all criticism is true, a lot can serve as a response to comments other than comments back. So next time we are faced with negative reactions, turn them into positive notions. By: Rachel Zetwick One of the most important things for a PR professional to do is to stay up to date on the news from around the world. But, if you are just beginning your PR career and aren’t sure where to start, it can be hard to know where to look for the latest news. Here are a few resources you can use daily to make sure you are informed of the most important news stories and conversations. The Skimm The Skimm is a daily email newsletter that summarizes the most important news stories of the day in a conversational and easy-to-understand voice. The Skimm is great to look at over a cup of coffee or on your commute to work as it is quick to read and reports on timely topics. The New York Times Morning Briefing Similar to The Skimm, The New York Times offers a morning briefing that is published at 6 a.m. every weekday. The email newsletter gives an informed synopsis of timely events and topics. Additionally, the newsletter links to The New York Times’ podcast “The Daily.” Flipboard is an app that personalizes news stories for each individual user. The app allows the user to select what they are passionate about. It then curates stories, conversations and relevant links and articles to inform its audience. The stories are easy to share with family and friends. By: Samantha Conti Next month, PRSA is holding a virtual career fair on April 18 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. The main goal of the event is to help people succeed in finding a job as well as connect and build relationships with others and their organizations. PRSA suggests that everyone from students to professionals to attend the event who are looking to learn and find job opportunities. A list of PRSA member positions include:
By Rachel Zetwick During college, it can be hard to travel for a job or internship interview because of busy schedules and long distances. Because of this, many students are required to participate in live video interviews instead of traditional in-person interviews. With many public relations job application deadlines fast approaching, here are some tips for your next video interview. Get Used to the Technology A few hours or even days before your interview, practice using the technology you will be using for your video call. Whether the company you are interviewing with uses Skype, Zoom or another program, make sure you know how it works and that your computer’s microphone and video are working properly. This way, you can prevent technical mishaps during your interview. Choose a Neutral Background While your posters and pictures may make your dorm room look cool, they definitely won’t help during a video interview. Stage your camera in front of a neutral background so you do not distract your interviewers. By: Hannah Banas Public relations is a quickly growing field, and the demand for jobs and education in the field is rising. More and more college students are taking an interest in studying public relations, so many colleges are adding it as a major. With this increase, the demographics of the field are also changing. Public relations used to be a male dominated area of expertise, but has shifted to employing more women. 70 percent of public relations professionals are women, but they are in the technician roles. Men are mainly in the executive roles, while women are still stuck in the lower level positions. There is also a need for more diversity with the increasing globalization of public relations. Having more diversity will help public relations companies be able to better communicate with other countries’ firms. Public relations is changing, but there is still room for improvement. There are income discrepancies between men and women, and while it may be partially caused by different amounts of work experience, it is still an issue that needs to be addressed. In the upcoming years, it is expected that there will be a shift in the demographics of the public relations field, and it will be interesting to see how that affects yearly earnings and promotion potential for public relations professionals. By Grace Wells I’m sure we have all been scrolling through our Facebook one time or another and wondered, how did this ad come up? Well, turns out Facebook has a whole process for choosing which advertisements appear on your page. The advertisements are chosen based on activity on Facebook for example, liking a page or a post. The ads are also chosen according to account information including your location, age, gender and what device you are using. The Facebook advertisers also take into account any information you post on Facebook such as, your own comments and posts. In addition to, Facebook’s marketing partners share the information they have like, your email address. Facebook also, looks at your activity on other websites and apps off of Facebook to determine what ads to show you. Despite these, complex processes to choose which ads appear on your page, there are ways you can control which ads you see. In order to do this, you can adjust your ad preferences. This will explain to you why you are seeing this ad and you manage your ad preferences as well. You can also use interest- based advertising controls. Sources: https://www.facebook.com/help/562973647153813/ https://storyful.com/blog/2016/04/12/five-tips-for-improving-facebook-discovery/ By: Tyler Madsen Arizona Wildcats head coach Sean Miller being caught by FBI wiretaps is one of the latest scandals rocking the college basketball world. Wiretap evidence show’s Miller discussed a payment of $100,000 to secure top recruit, and current player, DeAndre Ayton. The money offer was accepted by Ayton and his family, he then signed with the Wildcats. As we all know college athletes are not to be paid on top of their scholarships, so Sean Miller and the whole Arizona athletic department are facing major sanctions from the NCAA and potential criminal charges from the FBI. Arizona has already lost a key commitment in Shareef O’Neal, son of Shaquille O’Neal, his de-commitment was announced on February 25th. With Miller’s departure ahead within the next few days or weeks, the school has to deal with the assumed death penalty to the program that will be handed to them by the NCAA. The death penalty is when the team is not allowed to compete in the sport for the year and is the harshest penalty a school can receive. Now Arizona’s athletic department must put their crisis management procedures in order to help repair their image. Source: https://www.si.com/college-basketball/2018/02/25/sean-miller-deandre-ayton-arizona-ncaa-fbi-investigation By: Rachel Zetwick When you are only 20 or so years old, beginning to build your network can be quite a daunting task. However, it is so important to build your network as you begin searching for internships and jobs during college. Reaching out to mentors, professors and college peers can help you learn about the public relations industry and could potentially help you land a great job. Here are some ideas to begin building your network: Meet With Your Professors One of the most helpful ways to network I have found in my four years at Miami University is to meet with my communications professors regularly. Even if it is only once a semester, talking with a professor can help you discover your long-term career goals and can potentially introduce you to even more contacts that can help you during an internship or job search. Professors want to help you, so it is a great idea to set up a meeting to learn more about their experiences. Set Up Phone Calls This may seem scary at first, but reaching out to contacts with jobs that you are interested in may help you learn how to be successful in the public relations field. While their company may not have any available positions, it can be very helpful to learn about their personal job search and responsibilities in their job. And who knows - they may think of you when a job opening comes up! Talk to Older Students I have gained so many mentors on campus by reaching out to older students at Miami University. This has been so helpful to learn about anything from Career Fair to learning how to use LinkedIn. If you know an older student with a similar major or interests, reach out to them to build your path to success. By: Hannah Banas Since the school shooting in Florida, there has been a strong movement to change the gun laws in the United States. In the aftermath of this tragedy, companies and their public relations departments have had to make decisions about the businesses’ reactions to it. Major companies such as Delta Airlines, United Airlines, MetLife, and First National Bank of Omaha have cut ties with the National Rifle Association (NRA). These companies have decided that it is better for their business to lose the support of the NRA than to have the bad publicity of being associated with the organization. At a time in which people are demanding a shift in gun control laws, public relations departments and companies have to weigh the options of whether an affiliation with the NRA is going to have a positive or negative effect companies. This is the job of a public relations employee. They have to be the lines of communication between a company and its customers and supporters. They have to listen to what their supporters want and then decide how the company should react. By creating a dialogue between companies and the people they serve, public relations specialists are responsible for the ways their specific companies are associated with the NRA. |
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