34 Days and Counting

34 days until graduation. I've been keeping a count down since day 85. My idea of a dream job has changed considerably since I began my college career. I originally chose public relations as my major because it didn't require much math or science.

I've since come to realize that this is a field I truly enjoy. I can't imagine a field that would better encase my strengths and confidences such as my creativity. My dream job would be a large scale event planning with a corporation in Dallas. I enjoy interacting with people on a daily basis and like the idea of having a reason to leave an office on occasion.

However, through out my education here at OU I've come to appreciate aspects of public relations I had never thought about before. I enjoy the research and thought that goes into a campaign and I appreciate the ability to showcase my writing skills that I have spent years honing.

While ideally I would be doing some sort of event planning, with 34 days to go I am just aiming for a pay check. I will just have to see what day 33 brings.

Living the Dream

Kim Cameron
11/07/07

Living the Dream

All of my life I have dreamed of working in the entertainment industry. I enjoyed reading, writing and planning which lead to my decision to major in public relations. I soon realized right around the end of my sophomore year that I wanted to pursue being working for an entertainment public relations firm. I would be in charge of promoting anything to do with entertainment, celebrities, movie, music and more. My best friend Lauren also shared my dream though hers was more towards event planning. We had every class together and loved it.

In our spare time we used to search for internships and jobs online at sites such as Entertainment Careers and ShowBiz Jobs. We were lucky enough to be interviewed for a position with Hype Public Relations in Los Angeles, California. I was grateful that we had friends living in L.A. that let us crash on their couch and free plane tickets since Lauren’s dad works for an airline. It was a dream come true! We interned at Hype the entire summer which further solidified my desire to work in the entertainment industry. We were put in charge of promoting such brand names as T-Mobile and MTV and throwing star studded parties. Sometimes we did boring stuff like get coffee or make copies but other times we were getting free gift bags from the parties we helped put together and hanging out with celebrities like Jamie Foxx.

At the end of the summer we were offered full time jobs with Hype. Lauren chose to stay and I chose to come home, finish my last year of school and receive my degree. It was extremely difficult to leave and there are times where I think both Lauren and I wish we could trade places for a day but I know in my heart I made the right decision for me. After my internship I now feel more confident in graduating with the experience Hype gave me and I don’t feel quite as nervous as I used to about pursuing my dream because I know there will always be a place for me at Hype.

First Steps- by John Donat

The stress of passing all my classes, nerves, worries, and long hours at the library are all occurring at the same time and it is a scary thought that after next month college and schooling, for the most part, will be over. Of course there is going to be learning still going on, but that will be so that I can get paid more money to support my family rather than passing all my classes. I am not going to lie and say college has been a piece of cake. Sometimes it was very hard and cramming several different projects into a single week was hell. Now, I know what you are thinking, "You should have managed your time better." And that could be true but remember how hard it was to get everyone together in your group. Especially, if your had over five people.
Let me remind you it’s not easy.

After Christmas break I hope to have a job lined up and waiting for me. The hardest thing about achieving this is that I have to look for jobs in Florida while I live in Oklahoma. I am taking all the right steps and getting as much input that I can handle. Let me be honest again, I know there are others that are harder workers in school and get an "A" on everything but I would be willing to bet they have not had the amount of enjoyment of meeting people, going to events and pure fun that I have. I would rather take the "B" or even "C" and excitement any day. I firmly believe the groups I have been in throughout college have taken something away from the group because I was a part of it and made everyone work hard but also be relaxed for the most part. Straying away from the normal and taking a chance on being unique. Not too far of unique, just so you don't get a "oh my gosh" impression.

Finally, in about a month I am planning on graduating from college and take my "First Steps" into the world as a businessman. I do not plan on changing much but I will conform slightly to get and keep a GOOD job. Not just a job. Ultimately, I will do whatever I have to in order to make myself happy and not fold for anything or anyone. Unless, it’s my wife. I can't wait to see you out there.

Nashville Dreamin'

Nashville Dreamin'
By: Holly Gibson

When thinking of my dream career, my mind wanders aimlessly towards Nashville, Tennessee. I have had the dream of working in music promotions for years now, and it is a dream that will become my reality in just a matter of months. I am moving to Nashville this next March, after I complete my hours at the University of Oklahoma and save enough money to make the 10-hour move east.

It all began 5 years ago, when I came across an artist that stirred something in me that has ceased to stop moving up until this day. I went to an OU fraternity house to see a small acoustic artist play. I’d heard that he was amazing, and due to my adoration of music, I was quite excited. After seeing that show of an amazing lyricist, guitar player, and singer, I have always known that I want to make independent artists like himself famous. His name? John Mayer.

I know its cliché and every college girl swoons over songs whose titles are things like “Your Body is a Wonderland.” Yet there was still something about this artist that drew me to him like a moth to a flame. Maybe it was his heartfelt lyrics, or his incredible voice or guitar skills… I am not sure what did it, but I have been hooked ever since. After seeing him succeed to a career that holds two Grammys, I knew that this was something I could make a lasting and fulfilling career out of.

Since that concert, I have discovered many other incredible independent artists, most of which live in Nashville. It is the music capital of the world, after all. I have promoted Oklahoma shows for artists such as Matt Wertz, Dave Barnes, and Andy Davis. I’ve sold merchandise for them at their concerts, and even developed a first-name basis with a handful of young, talented and overlooked artists. The respect for them and love for their genre of music is something that has in the forefront of my mind daily. They are out there living their dream, and I’m going to be there to help them along in their journey to “making it big.” Now I only have a few months left until I can move there and let my own dreams start to play out.

I am not sure the exact area of music promotions that I would like to go in, though I would be very happy doing publications/design, concert and artist promotions, or talent scouting. Anything that molds my love of music with my degree of Public Relations is sure to make a perfect career for me. I am beginning to research some jobs that I could possibly look into, and can’t wait to start interviewing once I make the move. So watch out Nashville, I’m coming to “live the dream.”





Links:

Nashville, Tennessee -- http://www.nashville.gov/

Music promotions -- http://www.artistpr.com/

University of Oklahoma -- http://jmc.ou.edu/

John Mayer – http://www.johnmayer.com

Matt Wertz – http://www.mattwertz.com

Dave Barnes – http://www.davebarnes.com

Andy Davis – http://www.andydavisonline.com

Jobs -- http://nashville.craigslist.org/mar/

Dream Job? Yes Please!

Dream Job? Yes, Please!
By Michael Maldonado

As graduation creeps nearer and the job search becomes increasingly daunting, I have to ask myself one thing. “What do I really want to do with my life?” There are so many decisions to make and so little time to make them in. I have several immediate options that can assure me food on the table and a roof over my head. However, I’ve never been a fan of taking the easy way out. I want a career in public relations and I want to start it right away.

The easiest option would be to move back my home town, The Colony, at an all-inclusive resort known as Chez Maldonado where my mother is the landlady. I could have a job as a sales associate or possibly a manager position at one of the many north Texas branches of my current employer. As much as I’d love to be a townie and have my mother know my exact location at all times, I have my sights set slightly higher.

I want to be a global citizen. My dream is to work for an international public relations agency or organization that will take me around the world. I want to see how other people live and be forced to learn at least two more languages. When I have not been studying or working this semester I have been exploring how I can get a job in the United Kingdom. The process is actually a lot more difficult than I had imagined.

In order to get a work visa in the United Kingdom, an American has to have an employer sponsor them for the visa. However, most of the time a company does not sponsor people who are not European Union nationals unless they are already staying for an extended period of time. The next best thing for a graduating student to do is to get a temporary six-month working visa through a program called BUNAC. This looks to be the route I will be taking.

In my fantasy, I will make it to the UK by March or April of 2008 with my BUNAC visa and a couple thousand British pounds (which is a couple-couple American dollars). I will have a place to stay with one of the many friends I made during my year abroad in Sheffield. If I must I will get an immediate but temporary position at a GAP in the city I am living in. After a few weeks I will use my two advantages, geography and a well-tailored CV, to get a job with a PR agency that will sponsor me for a 2-year work visa. This company will be pretty notable and have several international offices.

I will then work my way up the PR ladder. After a few years, several PR publications will do feature stories on me and the way I revolutionized the world of branding and consumer PR.

Sounds pretty simple, yes? I will hopefully update everyone in about 10 years from my chateau in Paris or my villa in Barcelona.

Welcome To The Real World..... Or So They Say...

The day is almost here. This day is Graduation Day. A national holiday if you are a member of the Johnson clan. Currently, I am very excited, but extremely stressed out. Graduation is going to be bittersweet all the way around.

Besides school, I am doing a double internship for a company who is partnered with major movie studios and we handle all of the movie promotions. I would love to have a full-time position with this company, but it is harder than it seems. There aren’t any open positions available at the moment. With this company set aside, I am frantically looking for other options.

I have always been against living here in Oklahoma past college and I am determined to make it happen. I am not looking for jobs in this state so it makes the job search harder.

Everyone knows those people in their lives who dread going to their jobs. Those people who would rather fake their own death than go into work. I will not be one of those people. With this being said, I don’t want to take just any job.

With school coming to an end, it is very strange to think that I will never have to take quizzes or tests again. Everyone keeps asking me if I am excited, but honestly it hasn’t hit me yet that I am almost done. I am really on edge these days because I have sent out so many resumes and haven’t heard anything back. Seriously, it is actually hurting my feelings that companies are not calling me back. Do I just not look good on paper regarding my resume? Only time will tell.

I feel like I am on fast forward mode because the days are melting all together. I keep thinking to myself where did September go? Now it’s November? This is crazy. And now, graduation is coming up in a matter of weeks. Something will work out for me, but I don’t know what. I’ll figure it out. I always do.