My Dream Job by Morgan Byram

My Dream Job

By:

Morgan Byram 

"Follow your dreams," is one of the most simple, but meaningful statements my parents could have said to me at a young age. I have always had a love for the fashion industry, and as a child I read articles in all of the top fashion magazines. I use to sit and research different designers and brands to stay on top of the industries' news. Being from Norman, Oklahoma can make it difficult to obtain my dream career of choice in the fashion. There are select few fashion corporations or businesses based out of Oklahoma. 

As I was finishing high school I realized just how difficult it could be to choose a major directly after graduating high school. High school can bring confusion when you are being thrown in multiple directions choosing classes and activities to be involved in as well as being told various things about college. After getting a degree in public relations and fashion merchandising, hopefully my dream job can be obtained. I have always wanted to do a combination of my two degree choices, but did not know if it was an actual job in the field of public relations. 

Living in New York City for a year and completing an internship with a fashion public relations agency, the HL Group, hopefully can put me closer to following my dreams. The internship taught me the importance of creating an identity for a brand. I learned the importance of getting your brand placed in the media and in various publications. The publication your product or service is placed in also needs to be geared towards your target audience/publics. As for the fashion industry, publicity is what can make or break your product into a high fashion item. Having a specific clothing item placed or worn by a celebrity in a fashion forward magazine can result in high sales and become a great public relations tool. Knowing how to incorporate public relations into your fashion business or another business you are doing public relations for can  create a successful end result. 

I dream to someday own my own fashion public relations firm and do work for top clothing designers. I want to live in New York City and be in charge of holding awareness events and placement photo shoots. I dream to be in direct contact with the designers and the continuing success of their business. 

Fashion Public Relations: http://www.fashionpublicrelations.com/fashion%20pr%20home.html

KMR Communications:

http://www.kmrcommunications.com/

The Fashion Rag:

http://www.piercemattiepublicrelations.com/fashionprdivision/

Independent Living Services in Need for a Change

Independent Living Services in Need for a Change

Morgan Byram

Norman Oklahoma's Independent Living Services for the Youth program, (ILSY) created in the early 1900s strives to "empower high school students in family crisis to pursue education without obstacles," as acknowledged by their mission statement. ILSY is funded by rental income, grants, donations, and United Way of Norman. ILSY provides services for around 110 students per year, and houses 20 students per semester.

Team Purple has conducted research and analyzed current data on independent living services throughout the United States and looked into organizations like ILSY in the Oklahoma community. Many current independent living services throughout the U.S., focus more on disabled or juvenile delinquent youth. There is not a lot of websites or articles that directly pertain to the ILSY organization. We found from online resources, the homeless population of teens is often overlooked. One program, the CHRIS Kids organization focused on foster care and juvenile systems, but did provide supervised housing like ILSY currently does. Another program found in the area is, The University of Oklahoma National Resource Center for Youth Services works with the Oklahoma Department for Human Services, Children and Family Division providing assistance to youth, foster parents, and also child welfare workers. The program works to promote planning of youth's future, but does not have the same offerings as ILSY. From our background research we came to a consensus of the increased need for awareness of youth services. Many of the organizations are not highly recognized because of their security issues and also attitudes and behavior of the community towards independent living youth organizations.

We received a triangulation of data by performing an observation, survey and a focus group of our internal publics of the ILSY organization: alumni, students, board members, staff and volunteers. We found the need for a new name allowing ILSY to be acknowledged more in the surrounding area. From our survey we found the need for a catchy name that did not necessarily state what the organization was in the name. We also held a focus group with our internal publics, and received similar results and name suggestions for the organization. 

Team Purple wants to increase the overall awareness of the current ILSY organization and help the organization obtain a new name. We want to promote a positive image and create excitement and optimistic attitudes internally throughout the organization on the new changes being made. From our research, I feel certain that a new name will help ILSY grow into one of the top independent living services in the community. The increase in awareness at the end of our campaign will generate an increase in volunteers and donation and hep gain positive news in the media. Awareness events I feel are a key element to a successful business. 

Independent Living Services-http://www.indliving.org

CHS- Corporation for Supportive Housing - http://www.chs.org

CHRIS Kids- http://www.chriskids.org/programsilp.html

NRCYS- http://nrcys.ou.edu/programs/okil.shtml

OAYS- http://www.oays.org

Morgan Byram

Fortune's '100 Best' generates motivation

Fortune's '100 Best' generates motivation
Morgan Byram

Fortune's '100 Best' generates motivation

 

            As we all know the way to get in the industry of public relation we must to be aware of current and past public relations campaigns both good and bad. A public relations practitioner must also know the best strategies to run a public relations campaign. While searching online I came across the article “Fortune’s ‘100 Best’ generates motivation,” in PR Week, this article shows the impact public relations can have on a company or organization.

            The article states that being a great place to work is the main and most obvious reason companies get placed on the Fortune’s ‘100 Best.’ Several other tactics that can bring a company to the list is to be able to communicate openly with your employees, be able to reward their achievements in a public manner, give them further opportunities, and to make them feel needed in the company.

            One of the most important opportunities making companies’ chances to get on the list easier is to generate a team willing to put forth the long hours to complete the forms. Most businesses overlook this method of creating a team. A company willing to work hard could possibly enable them to take place in this opportunity to better the way they are looked at externally and internally. Having a positive image in the community is one step to a better-run business. Lisa Ratner, a senior project manager with the Great Place to Work Institute stated, “it’s a very comprehensive and intensive selection process, it takes about 10 months to complete, from the nomination deadline through list publication. There is no monetary cost to the companies, but it does take time and a team on the ground."

 According to the article those who did get placed on the Fortune ‘100 Best,’ did receive positive feedback in their company. Some companies gained new talent with employees and it also helps boost the moral and overall satisfaction with the company.

From the article, you can gain in regards to the ‘100 Best,’ that motivation internally and externally in a company can change attitudes and the overall behavior of those in contact with the business, and the community. Public relations may sometimes be taken lightly, but from the article we can all see the successful impact good public relations can have on a company. Public relations can make or break you.

Here are some links to check out on the topic of Fortune ‘100 Best,’ and other organizations thoughts on creating the best place to work.

PR Week:   http://www.prweekus.com/fortunes-100-best-generates-motivation/article/105261/

Great Place to Work: http://www.greatplacetowork.com/best/list-bestusa-2007.htm

CSR Wire: http://www.csrwire.com/PressRelease.php?id=522

Fortune 100: http://fortune100s.com/fortune100/

Fortune Coach: http://www.fortune100coach.com/