By: Kyle Root Source: https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/app/uploads/sites/2/Job-Search.png
Without a doubt, we all want a job one day. For many of us studying communications, we want a job in the PR industry. There are several ways you can find your first, or next, job in public relations. One way to prepare yourself is to stay up to date on what is going on in the industry. You can do this by connecting with online sources like PR Daily and PR News. These sources summarize trends in the industry so you can stay at the top of your game. Another way to stay relevant when applying for PR jobs is to look for ways to make yourself stand out. Build skills in complementary fields like graphic design, photography, marketing or journalism. The second way to prepare yourself for a job in public relations is to network. The best way to network is to talk to people you already know. Think about the people you know back home or the people you have classes with and the places you have worked at before. All these people you have interacted with before may know someone else who needs a communication expert. Additionally, these are all people who can vouch for your work ethic. If your network isn't that big yet consider joining a public relations organization like PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) or PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America). These organizations offer networking opportunities, skill development and an expansive job list and contact sheet. Knowing your brand is important when it comes to networking and job interviews. The third way to prepare yourself for a career in PR is to get social and express your brand online. You can do this by updating your social media accounts and blogs with (proper) content that reflects the real you. Employers will see this and feel more of a personal connection to you when you come in for an interview. The last step is to take risks! Ask questions in class to finish building your knowledge. Research the companies that reflect your values and dreams and send them your resume and a cover letter. This will be difficult to do but you can't find your dream job if you don't reach out. The job you will love is out there, so stop waiting. Good luck! Source: https://www.themuse.com/advice/4-steps-to-landing-that-killer-pr-job
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By: Rebecca Smith Last month, 25 Target locations throughout the country opened Disney stores inside of them. With two Disney movies approaching their release dates, Frozen 2 and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the company is utilizing the popularity of Target to promote its brand. The Disney section is set to be located near the kid’s department and house over 400 items of merchandise. For additional merchandise, Target has tons of items online, ranging from costumes to toys to luggage. Source: https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/disney-store-inside-target-holiday-season/ This marketing strategy is bound to help both Target and Disney greatly. With the new display, Target will attract a bigger crowd and Disney will promote its brand and upcoming movies. In addition, a Target store is set to open near the entrance of the Walt Disney World Resort. In this type of partnership, both companies can increase brand awareness and increase sales dramatically. With the holiday season fast approaching, this also encourages customers to come into the store, opposed to doing their shopping online. Since Disney had trouble with its own stores, partnering with Target allows them a certain security. There’s no telling where the Disney/Target partnership will go, but with the right marketing, it has a lot of potential to be successful. Both companies have phenomenal customer loyalty and it will assist them greatly in their opportunities for growth. Source: https://toofab.com/2019/10/04/disneys-new-target-stores-open-today/ By: Allie Durkee Source: https://www.123rf.com/photo_32402431_magazines-on-display.html
For those who have never written a pitch letter outside of a school assignment like me, you can imagine how in the dark I felt when asked to do so. I have been interning for a company this semester and was asked to draft a pitch letter to media outlets in Charleston, South Carolina about a subject that I knew nothing about – Telehealth. Look it up; it’s quite fascinating. Even though Telehealth is a cool topic to say I know something about, the more important message here is how I went about drafting the pitch. I want to share some tips I learned throughout the way for those of you caught in the same situation as me one day. Right off the bat, tell the editor what your story is about. Due to the influx of emails people receive each and every day, you have to get the point across in the first 140 characters. It is also important to tell the editor why they should care. For my story, we were pitching to local media, so it was important to show them how the story was happening right in their backyard. This allows for a more personal connection, geographically in this instance, that will draw the attention of the editor. Next, set the scene. Give all of the necessary background information that would help you sell the story. This information should include metrics to back up your claims. These numbers will offer reasoning as to why your story is important and again, why they should care. In simpler terms, metrics are the evidence/proof points for the success of the campaign. Finally, in your conclusion, the advice that was given to me was to give a brief overview of what was discussed above. Something along the lines of, “Would you be interested in connecting with… to discuss the following?” would be proficient. This helps give a “Too Long, Didn’t Read,” synopsis for the reader. Wishing you the best of luck with your pitches! By: Kelsey Lewandowski As we take on more interviews and approach careers in the public relations and communications industry, many of us are looking for what these companies want out of us. What are PR companies looking for in new hires?
1. Creative Problem Solving According to Aaron Henry of Foundry512, “New hires should be able to demonstrate the ability to solve problems creatively, be able to adapt to new situations and provide new insight that will help shape and guide brand growth.” The more creative and efficient the solution, the more likely your company is to engage your customers and stand out from competition. 2. Ability and Willingness to Learn Jeffrey LeFevre of Ernest & Young says, “Be very conscious that you’re there to learn and contribute but that there’s a lot to learn from.” The more you learn about your job and the skills needed to problem solve in a given environment, the more confident and competent you will become in your given field- both things that companies want. 3. Curiosity When you are curious, you signal your interest in the problems and solutions at hand, as well as demonstrate that you want to grow. Mark Harris, VP of Communications for IBM, talked about his hiring process saying, “When I hire people today, it’s almost always on the basis of intangible things… It’s always the things that I can learn in the course of conversation, what they can demonstrate to me about their level of curiosity, their world view.” 4. Integrity On a personal level, professionals with integrity work with moral codes and act responsibly. Bill Heyman, President and CEO at Heyman Associates, noted when looking for new hires, “We look for people who exude integrity and have those intangibles, those kind of interpersonal skills that make you want to gravitate toward trying to help that person.” 5. Drive Companies are always looking for people who are willing to strive to exceed expectations. Imran Tariq of WebMatrix Group LLC explained, “I believe that any skill can be learned. But if one doesn't have goals to climb the ranks from where I initially hire them and the courage to know they have to go above and beyond without expectation for a promotion, then I am doubtful they will go above and beyond for the company because they are comfortable with just doing enough. Every company is only as good as everybody who works there.” Sources: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2018/09/16/13-underrated-skills-that-agencies-look-for-in-new-hires/#25f755372756 https://www.prdaily.com/10-things-companies-look-for-in-pr-hires/ https://dribbble.com/shots/6101931-Public-relations-and-communication-concept-illustration How the Relationship Between PR Firms and Brands Might be Changing, and What it Could Mean for You11/7/2019 By: Katie Giles Every industry evolves over time-- and public relations is no different. In fact, public relations is one of the oldest practices that still exists. With every new mode of communication, PR has to shift just a little more. In a recent Forbes article by Udi Ledergor, he states that he believes, “it’s the typical public relations (PR) model that’s broken — or at least in need of evolving” (2019). His reasoning for this is that Public Relations firms were struggling to write meaningful content for companies with the existing system. The existing system included “biweekly update calls on media outreach and stories they were developing, checking in with us to see if we had some exciting news that reporters would be interested in hearing,” etc (Ledergor, 2019). The article then goes on to talk about how the author believes PR will evolve in the near future.
Some of these predictions include the PR firm being more active within the company. Ledergor states that “a PR firm should feel like a natural extension of an internal marketing team,” and should therefore have a bigger role within the company (2019). The article states a few other ways PR firms may evolve for the better-- like not only focusing on print media and starting to care more about “business outcomes.” In order for the PR firm to do its job well, Ledergor says that marketing and communications teams need to put in some work as well. Getting a good grasp on what your brand is and setting goals are important before a PR firm is able to do its job. As many students head off into the corporate world, it’s possible to find yourself on either side of the industry-- in a PR firm or a member of a marketing team within a brand. In conclusion, it’s important for people on both sides to understand how their relationship should mesh in order to better the success of the brand. Although the relationship might be changing, the importance of the two entities working together will always remain a factor. References “How to Hire a PR Firm: 10 Tips to Finding the Right Match.” Meltwater, 7 June 2015, https://www.meltwater.com/blog/hire-pr-firm/. Ledergor, Udi. “The Brand-PR Relationship Is Evolving, And The Industry Needs To Adjust.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 1 Oct. 2019, https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2019/10/01/the-brand-pr- relationship-is-evolving-and-the-industry-needs-to-adjust/#58985c5845b7. By: Kenzie Trout Source: http://www.ostegobay.org/marine-science-center-staff/internships.cfm
Internships are amazing opportunities to get experience and build your resume while still in college! They help students get a better idea of what field they want to go into and what interests them. They give you an opportunity to see what the corporate world is truly like, while also building connections with professionals which is so helpful when searching for post-grad jobs! Here are five tips on how to find internships: 1: Go to career fairs! Miami hosts multiple throughout the year, it’s a great way to get your name out there! 2: Check into the Career Center (located in the lower level of Armstrong). They hold weekly resume and LinkedIn labs! 3: Learn how to network. Knowing people and having connections are a huge help especially for college students with little to no experience. 4: Use internship finder websites. There are so many out there and so many companies put internship (and job) opportunities online. 5: LinkedIn! This is an amazing way to network and connect with companies or people that you have a professional interest in. I hope these tips help people when finding internships. They are opportunities that everyone should take advantage of while still in school (if you’re able to, of course). Sources: https://zety.com/blog/how-to-get-an-internship https://theundercoverrecruiter.com/7-reasons-take-internship/ |
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