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?
Every once in a while I like to share a bit of "Old Polish Wisdom" from one of my former professors, Central Michigan University journalism faculty member Jim Wojcik.
In his public relations seminar class last semester, Wojcik once told us to always include references with a resume when applying for a position.
The reasoning behind his advice is clear. If you've already included your list of references, it is one less step the employer has to take. You want to make it easy for the interviewer to find out everything they need to know about you. If you say you have references "available upon request," it requires the employer to put in additional time and effort that may negatively impact your chances of success. Given the competitive nature of the current job market, some employers will toss your resume aside over the littlest of details. Avoid this situation by always including a list of professional references with your resume.
One exception I can think of is if your resume is openly accessible online. In this case, you don't want to give out too much personal information (whether it is your own or someone else's). Be careful with posting references online to avoid compromising personal information.
Also, always exercise caution when sending out your resume and references to employers. Be sure the company is legitimate and keep in mind that you are granting them access to personal and sometimes confidential information.
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
I recently made a decision not to pursue a second minor for my undergraduate degree. After much debate, I decided against trying to cram 12 credits of upper-level advertising classes into my last semester. The issue is I need at least 124 credits total to graduate. With my major inintegrative public relations and leadership minor combined, my total falls at 112.
Instead of enrolling in a semester of advertising classes, I decided to take the opportunity to pursue some areas I haven't had the chance to. I've always wanted to take a class in yoga, pottery or photojournalism. This spring, I'll finally be able to. My spring schedule is completely open--the only requirement is that I enroll in 12 credits. What a feeling...
Now trust me, as an overachiever, this has not been an easy choice for me. Some may consider this "the easy way out" or even the wrong decision. However, I'm confident that my knowledge, work experience, internships and extra curricular involvements speak volumes more than a second minor would.
The reason for this decision came about after I had a major wake-up call this summer. I realized I was heading into my senior year of college. People say college is the best four (or five) years of your life. I've already begun my final year and there are still so many things I want to experience as a college student. This is time that I will never get back. I have my entire life to work, but only one year left to enjoy the luxury of being a college student.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking to blow off my responsibilities. In fact, I think having a lighter class load will allow me to put forth more effort toward my involvements and passions. Not to mention I'll have a chance to experience things I've been putting off. For example, I finally stopped making excuses and joined the intramural tennis team.
I've really been making an attempt to take advantage of the little time I have left at CMU. After this year, my roommates and I will be going our separate ways and no one knows exactly where we'll end up. As college students, it's important to find the balance between responsibility and freedom. There will always be work to be done, but some opportunities won't come around more than once. Make the most of each and every day.
What do you think? Do people put too much emphasis on degree minors? Grads: Is there anything you wish you would've experienced during college that you never got around to?
