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5 Things You Can Do Right Now to Further Your PR Education
Posted by USFPRSSA
at 11:35 AM on January 23, 2009
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Those of you who are just now beginning your core PR courses are extremely lucky. You now have more tools at your disposal than I did just two years ago.
Don't believe me?
My peers were not blogging as heavily as they are now, giving me the inside scoop on what I could do to improve my chances of landing a job once I graduate. Twitter wasn't there to give me instant access to thousands of PR professionals and their advice. PROpenMic wasn't there to give me a community of PR folks to network with. But today, you have all of this and more!
So, I've decided to give you 5 easy things you can do right now to supplement your PR education and increase your chances of getting a job once you graduate.
1. Get an internship. This is not as hard as it seems. Get over the nervousness and start getting the hands-on experience you cannot get in the classroom. If you have an area of PR that interests you, find someone who works in that industry and ask for internship opportunities.
2. Get active in PRSSA or any other professional student organization. Don't just come to the meetings and sit in the back row. Network and help out during events. The more active you are, more opportunities become available.
3. Read blogs about PR, marketing and anything that interests you. These are the opinion leaders of today's society. And because PR is so dynamic, the newest trends and discussions are occuring online, not in textbooks.
4. Start a blog. Go to Blogger or Wordpress and create your own blog. Write about whatever you want, and make connections with others who share your interests. Creating your own online brand is one of the single best things you can do for yourself while in school. This shows you are current and familiar with the trends of the industry.
5. Seek out leadership opportunities everwhere. Run for officer positions in clubs, ask for additional responsibilities at your job or volunteer. No matter what you do, as long as you are developing your leadership skills, you'll set yourself above any other graduate in the field.
There you have it, 5 easy things you can do to improve yourself as a PR student and prospective hire. Don't wait around, because the job market is shrinking fast. The more experience you can get in college, the better you'll look to a selective employer.
Any questions, email me, Nate Fuller, at nfuller2@mail.usf.edu or find me at the PRSSA meetings every Thursday from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. in the Marshall Student Center, Room 3709.
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As a start, we should utilize the social media outlets that Nate mentioned above, such as Twitter, Linked In, and PR OpenMic. Through these sites, we have a world of professionals and companies at our fingertips.
Most importantly, we must gain experience through internships, jobs, volunteer opportunities, and organizations and clubs. The more experience we have, the more knowledge we can apply to future situations in public relations. I strongly recommend that the new members of PRSSA get involved in the Executive Board. Through my position on the E-board, I have gained many skills that I never could of learned through an internship or public relations course. I have had the opportunity to travel to the National PRSSA Conference in Detroit, and teach myself how to use Adobe Software and produce publications.
Please take heed to the tips outlined above. Apply each of these tips, and you're sure to walk away with more than a public relations degree, but also a once in a lifetime experience in the field.
See you all on Thursday at the PRSSA Meeting!
