It isn't often you meet a guy like Jeff Pulver. Jeff is a lot of things, but he describes himself as a "technology anthropologist." Whether or not you know exactly what that means, I can tell you Jeff is one guy you should definitely get to know.
Jeff is the mastermind behind the 140 Characters Conference (#140conf), a conference dedicated to "Exploring the State of Now" and the impact real-time web has had on our world. After taking his conference to cities such as Los Angeles, NYC and even London, Jeff is bringing his #140conf to Detroit--and he says there's no better place on earth to do an event than right here in D-town.
The #140conf will come to The Fillmore in the heart of Detroit on October 20, and will feature brief talks from a variety of people across all industries who will share their stories about the social web. #140conf is not just about Twitter and is probably unlike any conference you've been to. The #140conf is about connecting with others, and about how real-time web impacts each and every one of us.
But don't be fooled, this conference is not just for Detroiters. We're inviting people from around the world to join us. And since its the first #140conf in the Midwest, we're definitely calling on our friends in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin and beyond to join in our efforts to make #140conf Detroit the best yet.
So mark your calendars for Oct. 20 because this is going to be big. We've got a lot of things in the works for #140conf Detroit including a pre-conference roadtrip, a day of community service and much much more. Stay tuned for more details, but in the meantime check out the #140conf Detroit website for more information. Also, if you've got an interesting story to share or know someone who does, we invite you to check out our speaking proposal form. Speaker submissions are due August 6.
And if you do have the pleasure of meeting Jeff Pulver, don't be surprised if he goes for a hug instead of a handshake--it's a genuine reflection of his passion for people.
Hello everyone and happy #HAPPO Day! For those of you who don't know, #HAPPO is a grassroots effort led by Arik Hanson and Valerie Simon that brings together job-seekers and employers in the PR industry. Basically, PR pros looking for jobs prepare creative blog posts that are shared via Twitter during #HAPPO, which is Feb. 19 from 11 a.m. to 2p.m. EST. During this time, employers will also be sharing information on position openings, while others can Tweet their support along the way. The following post is my pitch for #HAPPO, or Help a PR Pro Out Day. To track information about my job search, use Twitter hashtag #HireHernandez. You can connect with me on Twitter at @AngelaHernandez.
Quick Facts
Below are some quick highlights about me. For more details and information, please visit www.angelamhernandez.com.
Name: Angela Marie Hernandez
Age: 21 ripe years of age
Current Location: Mt. Pleasant, Mich. (willing to relocate)
Education: Three short months away from a B.A.A. in Integrative Public Relations with a minor in Leadership Studies
I have had a variety of internship experiences (agency, non-profit, tourism, higher education and more) and am ready for the next step in my career.
I would describe myself as highly motivated, driven and dedicated.
I have experience in writing, pitching, media relations, graphic design, media monitoring, media lists, media kits, research, social media, campaigns and much more.
Writing is my passion and I consider myself to be an AP Style/grammar Nazi.
I am always eager to learn and am not afraid of a challenge.
I'm ready to join your team!
Thanks so much for visiting my blog and I hope we can connect. Please feel free to e-mail me at hernandez.angelamarie@gmail.com.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of serving as a guest student moderator for the #PRStudChat Career Day discussion. For those of you who don't know, #PRStudChat is a monthly Twitter chat for public relations students, professionals and educators--although since we've started trending, many questions about Puerto Rican "studs" have been raised by the general Twitter population.
I just wanted to express my sincere gratitude to the #PRStudChat community, especially Deirdre Breakenridge and Valerie Simon, who have made the chat such a success. I was really humbled by all of the support I received from #PRStudChat participants, some of which is highlighted above.
But really, I feel like I'm the one who should be giving thanks. Moderating was fairly easy because it is the discussion amongst all participants that keeps the chat going strong.
As a PR student I can say that we are truly lucky to have such a valuable resource at our fingertips. Many of the professionals often comment that they wish #PRStudChat was around when they were students, and it's true! How else can you instantly connect with public relations practitioners from across the nation and world? The opportunity to pick the brains of some of the most successful pros, educators and students in the industry [and in real-time] is priceless!
So thank you all for making #PRStudChat such a valuable resource. I hope you'll join in for next month's discussion, December 16 at noon EST.
For highlights and takeaways from past #PRStudChats, click here. You can also view a full transcript of Career Day here. You can follow me on Twitter at @AngelaHernandez.
As president of the PRSSA chapter at Central Michigan University, I often answer various types of questions from members. Not too long ago one member came to me with the following question: "I'm still not sure public relations is the right field for me, how can I find out?" Aside from making a few recommendations, I decided to dig a little deeper. I came up with some questions that I thought would help shed light on this issue and began asking some PR pros for their responses. Before I knew it, a five-part interview series called "Is PR Right For Me?" was born.
To make a long story short, the series caught the attention of Deirdre Breakenridge and Valerie Simon, who came up with the idea of expanding it into a Twitter chat for PR students, educators and professionals. To date, we've held three successful sessions of #PRStudChat, and even made it as a Twitter trending topic last month!
I am honored to have been invited to serve as a guest student moderator for the next #PRStudChat session, scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 17 at noon EST. My role as guest moderator will be to facilitate discussion by introducing a series of questions for participants to respond to. This month #PRStudChat will have a special Career Day focus, with an exciting list of guest experts on hand to give their input. Be sure to check out Deirdre's recent post for more details on our guests and what kind of questions to expect this time around.
For those of you who have not participated in a Twitter chat before, have no worries. Check out some of Valerie's tips for more information on how to prepare and what to expect. Also, be sure to join the LinkedIn group to connect with other #PRStudChat participants and provide feedback for future sessions.
I personally have found #PRStudChat to be a great way to learn from PR people that I might not have otherwise connected with. For those of you who have participated in past sessions, I would like to thank you for making it such a valuable resource. If you haven't had a chance to join us yet, I hope to "see you" Nov. 17 at noon for #PRStudChat Career Day and for my debut as guest student moderator!
What's your #PRStudChat story? How has it helped you? What have you learned? Do you find it to be a valuable resource? What can be done to keep sessions creative and exciting?
As I quickly realize how fast senior year really does fly by, I find myself thinking more and more about my impending job search. I had the opportunity to speak with a recent PR grad and fellow Central Michigan University Chippewa, Ms. Lacy Quinlan, to get a bit of insight on how she landed her first job at CME Group.
Can you tell me a little about your job search? When did you start? What steps did you take?
I started searching for jobs casually during my first semester of senior year. I just wanted to get an idea of what was out there. I started searching more seriously in the middle of my second semester and through the summer.
I started by becoming more active in different social networks to connect with alumni and businesses I was interested in. LinkedIn and Twitter (especially) were good for this. I found a lot of jobs were posted on these sites. I also regularly checked sites like CraigsList (make sure the positions are legitimate!) and Indeed.
Is there anything that would have made your job search a little easier?
I really didn’t know where to start. Do I look in newspapers? Do I make cold calls? Do I stick to the Internet? I tried to do all these things, but it was really intimidating. It helped to dig around for alumni contact information to ask for advice.
What kinds of thoughts were running through your head when you were offered a position?
“THANK GOD!”...“My mom is going to be so happy!”...“Wow. I have one week to move to Chicago!”...“I hope I know what I’m doing.”...“Yay public relations!”...“I’m a grown up.” I was pretty nervous about moving and changing my world so quickly, but I was thrilled that my hard work paid off.
What has the transition from college student to professional been like?
Strange, but mostly good. I am still wrapping my mind around the fact that I will be working without Christmas/spring/summer breaks, and it’s weird living in a new city with no friends or family close by. It’s also been very challenging to get a handle on the language and concepts used in my industry. It has taken a lot of reading and research to even begin to understand the complexities. However, I like waking up each day having a purpose and learning more about the public relations field. It’s exciting to put everything I’ve learned into practice. I go to bed earlier now, too.
What do you miss most about being a college student?
I definitely miss having my family, friends and boyfriend at an arm’s reach. But now at the end of the day, I can do whatever I want! There’s no homework to hold me back.
What is the best part of your new job?
I love the opportunities I have to learn, not only about PR, but also about my industry. My world gets bigger on a daily basis, and I am constantly learning how to improve myself as a PR professional.
Any advice for soon-to-be graduates?
Don’t freak out too much. It’s okay if you have a little time after graduation without a job. Enjoy it! Go to a lot of concerts, hit the beach and unwind from 4+ years of hard work.
Be aggressive when you are job hunting; there are opportunities everywhere. Utilize all your networks (online and off); people will be happy to help.
Don’t be afraid to call companies that aren’t posting jobs. Ask if someone would be willing to look at your resume and offer tips.
Any other comments or advice?
I really used to think a lot of social networking Web sites were silly. Particularly Twitter (I was a hater). But, they have proven to be very useful for job hunting and my current work. My position was advertised exclusively on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Have fun! Move to Chicago!
Lacy Quinlan graduated from Central Michigan University in May 2009. She majored in Integrative Public Relations with a minor in Media Design, Production and Technology. At CMU, Lacy was an active member of PRSSA and PR Central, and also worked as an advertising manager at Central Michigan Life. She now lives in Chicago and works as the corporate communications specialist at CME Group, the world’s largest and most diverse derivatives exchange. You can connect with Lacy on Twitter at @LacyQ
It isn't often you meet a guy like Jeff Pulver. Jeff is a lot of things, but he describes himself as a "technology anthropologist." Whether or not you know exactly what that means, I can tell you Jeff is one guy you should definitely get to know.
