The Path to Public Relations Success

Working 12-hour days from the road or pouring over donor contact lists, Ashley Hahn does it all. Hahn is a public relations professional who specializes in politics. She received a degree in political science from the University of Central Oklahoma <http://www.uco.edu/> began as an intern on a local political race and never looked back. Hahn served as the Grass Roots Coordinator for Governor Mary Fallin’s gubernatorial race <http://www.maryfallin.org/>. Her work on the campaign led to a position running the Oklahoma governor’s non-profit, Friends of the Mansion: <http://www.ok.gov/governor/Mansion.html>. Most recently, Hahn has worked at the Oklahoma Department of Education’s Communications Department. She specializes in scheduling and planning events for the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Janet Barresi: <http://www.janetbarresi.com/>.

I worked with Hahn on the Oklahoma public school superintendent’s conference, Innovation, over the summer of 2011: <http://sde.state.ok.us/services/conference/Innovation/default.html>. The conference required a large amount of fundraising and organization. The event took place at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City and featured over 2,000 attendees. The window for planning the conference was very short, and Hahn (with a few staffers including myself) did an excellent job putting it together (often working in excess of 12 hours per day).

Hahn is part of a reorganized communications department that operates much like an independent public relations firm. In addition to traditional public relations work, the group attempts to create its own media for distribution. According to Hahn, however, planning events is now small task: “The most challenging part of my job is definitely pulling everything together in organizing events. You have a lot of moving parts, and it’s very stressful attempting to lock them all down to execute the actual event.” However, Hahn encourages involvement early for eager public relations professionals, “The best advice I can give is to get involved early. Seek out internships and build up your experience. The more you can competently do, the less stressful your life will be when you get a great public relations job!”

Evan Handy

Kinsey Crocker, Realizing the Potential of Public Relations

Kinsey Crocker, Realizing the Potential of Public Relations

by: Katylee Strange

Photo from: www.anglinpublicrelations.com

Kinsey Crocker is an Account Executive for a public relations agency in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma called Anglin Public Relations Inc. Crocker is one of the few people who happened into the profession of public relations. Like many students Crocker started off in college at the University of Central Oklahoma not knowing exactly what she wanted to do. Crocker said, “I looked into degrees in science, in art and communication. I pretty much looked into everything.” She ended up deciding to get her degree in Corporate Communication because she realized the job potential the degree had. Crocker got an internship with Anglin PR her senior year of college and has been working there ever since. “The internship is the first time I got in depth with public relations and just fell in love with it because it was so diverse,” said Crocker. The diversity of public relations and the agency style work is what grabbed Crocker’s attention because it allowed her to do so many things and be involved with the many things she was interested in. Crocker has been at the agency for six years. She started off as an intern and continually got promoted from an account specialist to account coordinator to account executive. As an account executive, Crocker said she is the primary contact on a lot of different accounts. “I hold meeting with clients and help determine their goals. I also work through the four step process and helping them do research and determine what the should be doing, creating plans, implementing plans and evaluating plans and writing proposals for potential clients,” said Crocker. Anglin PR Inc. works with a variety of clients including University of Oklahoma’s Engineering College, Homeless Alliance, and Oklahoma City Home and Garden Show to name a few. One specialty area the company works are with companies that have big ideas and want to solve problems for the community and for the state.

Not only is Crocker a productive member of Anglin PR Inc she is also an active member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). “I’ve been going to meetings since my internship, so for six years. Currently I am a board member at large and in January I will be the Secretary.” Crocker says some of the benefits of being involved in PRSA is that it helps public relations professionals meet a lot of different people and helps with networking. Being involved can also build a name for yourself and can even help get clients. And finally it can help keep up with industry trends. Being a public relations professional, Crocker says the ability to write and write well is essential. Also key skills are experience, because it is proof that the students know what they are doing and having basic knowledge of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Some advice Crocker would give to future PR professionals is to, “get internships and as much experience as you can while in school.”

Houda Elyazgi - Senior Account Executive for Saxum PR

Photo provided by Saxum PR website.

By Cassie Little

It didn’t take Houda Elyazgi much time to make it in the world of public relations after graduation from the University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication in 2007. After just three years working in the field, Elyazgi is a Senior Account Executive for Saxum PR at the firm’s Oklahoma City location.

Elyazgi said her job is one that requires competence in many fields as well as a lot of patience. Some of the skills she considers most important include: communication, writing, oratory, leadership, multimedia and social skills. She describes the work as hectic and exciting but very rewarding at the same time. One of her favorite parts of the job is the opportunity she’s been given to work with non-profit organizations.

A typical workday for Elyazgi is always changing. She said most workdays start early in the morning consuming a vast amount of media including newspapers like The Oklahoman and The Tulsa World, as well as numerous online sources. Then, her day is filled with client meetings and campaign tasks.

She considers the most difficult part of her job the high stress level it invokes. She said the best way to not be overwhelmed at work is to take a deep breath, step back and remember to take the job one step at a time.

While many challenges are included when working in public relations, Elyazgi said the benefits outweigh the obstacles. She suggests that future PR practitioners work to take initiative and use their voices.

“Never be afraid to step on someone’s toes and challenge yourself,” she said. “If you’re always comfortable, you’re doing something wrong.”

Social Media and the Future of PR

It's no secret that social media is creating quite the buzz in the public relations profession. Websites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube make it incredibly easy for PR professionals to connect with their target public with more ease than ever before. While having access to these social media outlets is important, it's even more important to understand how to use them effectively.

In the article Social Media New Releases and Social Media Newsrooms-Just Good PR by Sally Falkow she explains the upcoming trend of creating media releases specific to social media. She discusses that the press release has transformed from being targeted at newspapers to radio, to TV (where the VNR was born) so why not for social media? PR professionals have to understand they need to present their information in a format that will get them the best results.

Falkow goes on to explain that in the social media release it's important to include URL links to all social content, all news releases in a social media format, any multimedia assets, syndicate all news content in RSS feeds, and provide embedded codes with images and video so bloggers or journalists can easily use your content.

After researching public relations trends it was easy to see that social media is all that’s being talked about. I feel like it's important for PR professionals to embrace and use social media but I also feel like they shouldn't forget their roots. Networking and getting out into the community is still key for the future PR professional to remember. There are many wonderful things that can be done from behind a desk using social media but you should never forget the power of networking within your own community.

Photo Courtesy of :kellerwilliamskissimmee.com

The future of PR includes social networking.

The future of PR includes social networking.

By: Lauren Hale

Public relations is a profession that changes over time like a fashion trend. The way of doing something in the past may no longer be effective in the present or future with changing technology and a fast social pace. The picture above is from invisiblepr.com, a public relations site that describes and updates on new trends in society. A new trend in public relations that keeps growing and evolving is the use of social networking online. According to the dictionary, Social networking is defined as the use of a Web site designed to allow multiple users to publish content themselves. Let's use the example of Facebook. This allows you to contact people around the globe and post information for them all to see. The use of Facebook is broad and can be used by small business' to promote their product or by large corporations to show brand identity. Twitter is also a growing network that is used by many professionals around this world. This site allows you to follow people and "tweets" in a specific category. For example, Fitness magazine kicked off a campaign in February to promote their Web site by having people tweet a trend of "I love my body because.." comments. This was a way to market the magazine on social networking as an evolution of women's thinking.

I currently work for a Governor candidate for the upcoming election in Oklahoma. The use of social networking in political campaigns is half of the media and public relations practice. These sites are used to promote news and media coverage that can link viewers to articles and more. Volunteers and voters can follow the campaign on these sites which gives them an inside scoop that you can't pay airtime for.

Event promotion is also an outlet for social networking use. Social networking can be used like an online invitation. On these sites, you are able to send out invites and event awareness to target demographics at the click of a button. The campaign I work for uses this outlet to promote many events that would not get the same coverage if we bought air time or a television spot.

I think that these examples of how social networking is used in public relations shows the impact that it is having and the continuing trend we will see in the future. As long as social networking sites stay free for use and viewed by many, public relations practitioners will continue to utilize this outlet to reach their targeted publics.

Where are YOU?

Where are YOU?

By: Ryan N. DeGiacomo

Public relations practitioners utilize social media daily in their efforts to generate awareness about clients, to proactively communicate with clients, and to respond timely in reference to inquiries or issues. Social networking sites have quickly become important tools of choice in a public relations professional’s expansive toolkit. In the ever-changing world of social media, there is a hot new trend generating the buzz for public relations professionals: geolocation. Gowalla is a social media tool allowing its users to “check in” at locations that they visit and follow their friends’ movements around the globe.

Gowalla disseminates information depicting users’ real-time whereabouts, allowing users to share information about favorite haunts while increasing the odds of running into friends. PR Tactics says that the service links up with Twitter and Facebook, allowing a much broader audience to view location-based updates. In fact Mashable reports that Twitter launched its very own location-based feature last week, and Facebook is expected to soon unveil the same.

Public relations practitioners can utilize these sites to accomplish their objectives by offering users rewards for checking in at their sites while clients benefit from one another by exchanging information about new venues, causes, cities and businesses. The mutually beneficial relationships are infinite. Gowalla enables users to update their geolocation (similar to Facebook status updates), follow their friend's updates (similar to Twitter feeds) and upload videos (YouTube) and photos (Picasa, Flickr) depicting their current location. Gowalla is expedient for clients who travel frequently because, like most social networking media, Gowalla is now available in mobile versions on iPhones, Blackberrys, other smart phones and PDAs.

It is all about the people...

By Christa S.

Every month, it seems, PRSSA Tactics includes a new article about the usefulness of social media and how to most effectively utilize them. There is no doubt…there are countless ways that social media forms are effective in reaching new, underserved and youthful target publics in exceptionally innovative and creative ways. Social media outlets have infiltrated society as a primary means of staying connected and informed. The benefits of using social media include rapidity, the ability to hit a large audience with 140 characters and the dialogue that ensues as a result of wall posts, blog comments, tweets, text messages, e-mail responses and other forms of consumer insight. However, while, as public relations professionals, learning and growing with the times and technologies is requisite, we should also keep in mind the key to our profession—building mutually-advantageous relationships based on personal, one-to-one communication with our publics. We must make sure that our publics feel valued and this value comes from using various media forms and communication outlets to bring our messages to the people. 

We must ensure that the personal touch of our profession is never lost. 

In fact, utilizing a variety of communication tools will further enhance the messages we send to our publics.

Additionally, it is also easy to become sloppy when typing a quick tweet on our iPhone or Blackberry. Yet, we must always remember that everything we send out into cyberspace can be accessed by anyone*. Thus, while we understand that we should always have other eyes view and edit our news releases or brochure text, we must pay as much (if not more attention) to the messages we communicate through social media.

As we enter the new age of public relations where social media is sometimes considered our responsibility, we must also remember that this is a people business. Let’s keep it about the people! 

Never Give Up

Trying to balance being a new mom and having a new career can be difficult for any woman but Tiffany Aguilar handles both with confidence and grace. Tiffany is the Coordinator for the Planning and Marketing Department at St. Anthony Hospital in Oklahoma City. On any given day she handles internal and external communications for the hospital and contacts media about anything and everything the hospital is trying to promote. She writes for St. Anthony's newsletter and plans many of the hospitals fundraising events, such as Celebrity Chef.

Tiffany began her schooling at Rose State College as a child psychology major. After realizing her love for writing she transferred from Rose State to the University of Oklahoma where she majored in journalism.

After graduating from college she went on to work for the news station KFOR in Oklahoma City as an intern and worked her way up to become a producer at the station. She says she learned most of what journalism truly was through her colleagues at the station. She claims that her past experience as a journalist has helped her become a better PR professional because she understands what stories will make it into the market and what the media is looking for out of a story.

Although she is an extremely busy woman at work, she has even more going on in her personal life. She has been married to a wonderful man for 10 years who, at the beginning of their marriage, had to undergo a kidney transplant. Her husband has undergone 10 major surgeries and has really struggled for the past 6 months to save his kidney from rejection. Tiffany thought they might lose him over Christmas but she said with faith and prayer he pulled through it. She was with him every step of the way and never gave up on him. Throughout the past 6 months she has also been caring for their son while he has been in the hospital. Tiffany juggled being a mom, wife and having a career while never giving up on her dreams.

Sometimes it might be hard to balance everything going on in ones life Tiffany can give us all hope that it can be done. She claims that your first job may not be one you love but use that experience for the future. Her final words of wisdom were to never give up because there is something out there for you just work hard and enjoy life.

Making it big in Media

Making it big in Media
By:Lauren Hale


The more I browse the wide variety of public relations related professions, the more I realize that developing skills for success in this field is like a connect the dots picture. The more skill and experience you can offer, the bigger your picture gets. I currently intern with a woman who has made a career out of public relations. Sarah Burris is the Director of New Media for the Askins for Governor campaign in Oklahoma City as well as the Managing Editor for the popular online blog, Future Majority. Since graduating from the University of Kansas as an English Major, she has spent the past seven years working in various fields of PR. Her work in politics stems from her solidified beliefs and passion for policy and social justice. Burris has worked for Rock the Vote, Emily's List, Politicorps and Skyline Publics Works. Currently she is a writer for Future Majority, which is a blog dedicated to increasing involvement of America's youth in progressive politics, something that Burris is very passionate about. She is also a partner in a Kansas based media company, Mixed Media, where she serves as a consultant for many companies and campaigns on social media and networking. Burris believes that a top public relations professional much possess excellent writing skills, impeccable organization, the ability to quickly develop influential relationships and honest relationships with media.

These relationships include but not limited to reporters, bloggers, media outlets." Burris said, " you can't forget the catch all skills: good event planning skills, ability to quickly adapt, ability to quickly learn new media skills as they are developed relating to technology."

Burris is an advocate for hard work and dedication to professions. She believes that loving what you do makes you better suited to execute anything thrown your way. When I asked her what her advice for future public relations professionals was, her straightforward and non-flowery answer matches her work ethic.

"Don't ever assume that your education will get you a job. No one cares about where you went to school, how well you did, whether you volunteered, what clubs you were in, or what your GPA is. Did you intern? Where did you intern? What did you learn? What skills did you develop? Do they set you apart from your main competition for the job? What relationships do you have that can give you a better edge over your job competition? These are the only criteria on which I base a hire - that and their ability to work really hard and have the knowledge I outlined above."

From Student to Professional

Diana Rogers is a communications specialist for the Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency, a non-profit organization that is a public trust that helps to place people in homes. Rogers is an alumna of the University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord College, where she was active in Public Relations Student Society of America and wrote for the Oklahoma Daily. She also has a Master’s of Education from OU. Rogers has spent her entire professional career with OHFA, working there since 2005. Her college experiences were very important for her future career. “It got me pretty prepared for writing, especially considering how much I do now,” she says. She also interned with OHFA during her time at OU, a move which later turned into her career.

As a communications specialist for OHFA, Rogers writes press releases, plans events, produces internal and external communications like newsletters, and oversees production of OHFA’s annual report. Public relations, especially for a smaller non-profit, is not limited to simply producing media tactics such as these. Rogers says the true value of public relations for any organization is its management and long-term planning functions. “It’s strategic, not just tactical,” Rogers says.

Experience during college is crucial to a public relations student’s future. “It’s so important to have internships. It’s a way to get your foot in the door and to get experience for your career later on.”

Roger’s advice for success as a public relations professional is to know your organization and know your audience and their needs. “We try to find out what the media needs are, and make sure that our communication plan tries to align with what our business objectives are,” she says of OHFA’s PR philosophy.

As with any career, drive, passion and intelligence are also vital.

“You have to be passionate and involved. It’s all about thinking critically and strategically.”

My Time Has Come

My Time Has Come

by Erin Jackson

In August 2005, this time in my life seemed so extremely far away. Graduation day was definitely a goal I had in mind, but it was something I pushed to the back of my mind, behind all of the research papers, group projects and mid-term exams I currently had to focus on. Now, as I am a senior at the University of Oklahoma in my last semester, that day is becoming all the more real… as is the fact that in less than one week, I will have to face the real world. I have to admit that part of me if frightened by it all, especially in my search for a full time job. Will I do well? Will I be able to compete amongst all of the other recent college graduates?

During my time at Gaylord as a public relations student, I have been challenged in more ways than I originally imagined. I used to be hesitant to take on those challenges put before me, but I am now thankful for each one, as I know that it will only help to build my marketability when I enter the workforce. After I graduate from OU, I will head to Dallas, TX to pursue a career in public relations. I know that when I am going on interviews and when I eventually land a job, I will be prepared for whatever task I am handed.

I am very thankful for all of the experiences I have had at OU, especially in the Gaylord College. It has not always been easy of fun, but I know that every experience

Bring on the sports and the people!

by Scott Sauer

Public Relations.

What an interesting choice of major. It's such a vague term and can lead to very frustrating thought processes when contemplating life after OU. My internship with an event planning firm and a PR firm, inferno, quickly slammed the door with my passion for either of those routes. So now I am left with the "creating mutually beneficial relationships" road of PR.

Yeah OK.

This is my ultimate dream job, and my PR degree is gonna have to work.

I wanna throw t-shirts at sports games ... OK maybe not that simple, but I aspire to do promotional work for a sports team. And if that means I need to start out throwing t-shirts and running promotional events during halftime of a Memphis Grizzlies game, then so be it!

My love for sports has been growing since my Dad and I used to watch Cincinnati Bengal football games in our kitchen in Ohio when I was only 3 or 4. Dad and I loved the Bengals, and watching those games with him will be one of favorite memories I will always share with him.

That's who I want to impact. So much of PR at OU has been put in to research and campaigns, writing and publication. To me this is skewing our view of PR.

As PR people, we should thrive to understand people and how they interact with each other. We should thrive to impact the lives of everyone we work with in a positive way. It is important to keep this in mind as we begin to search for jobs.

I have come to terms with the idea that many of us are gonna be starting at the VERY bottom wherever we work. PR is going to be a tough field to find work in, but if we remember the reason we chose our major, the passion behind the degree, I think we will be all right.

We are very fortunate to have had the opportunity to earn our degree from the University of Oklahoma. Now it's time to take our spin on what we've learned and impact people in ways we would have never imagined were possible. Even if that means making them stand and scream ... all for an oversized t-shirt.

Figure out what you love and DO IT!

By: Alex Marcus

They say the most satisfying job you can have is one that you love, and for me that would involve working in the entertainment industry. Before college I had no idea what field I wanted to study, but having strong communication and writing skills and an interest in the media and entertainment, I decided to pursue public relations.

Although I enjoyed my public relations classes, I was still not satisfied. I wanted to dig deeper and learn more about public relations specifically in the entertainment industry. That is when I researched internships. It was my second semester sophomore year and I really knew nothing about obtaining an internship, so I got help from Heather Spencer. She provided a brief demonstration on how to search internships on HIRESOONER and that is where I saw a posting for the Oklahoma Film and Music Office.

I had a resume although it was not very extensive, but did not have a cover letter. Feeling somewhat less than confident, I thought I would send the internship coordinator an e-mail and take my chances. To my surprise, I got a call within a few weeks, and was hired as an intern. I was overwhelmed with excitement because I would finally get experience working in the industry I love.

My role as an intern enabled me to develop proficiency in social skills, organization, creativity, and event coordination. In addition, I was able to fine-tune new skills quickly and efficiently. I was assigned a lot of tasks that really challenged my public relations abilities including press release writing, extensive research on bands and music venues, regular website postings and providing assistance in planning events. One of the greatest experiences for me was being assigned the task of planning a music video screening for the City Arts Under the Influence event. This task required me to make contact with Oklahoma bands, like Starlight Mints, Cecada, Mama Sweet and The Flaming Lips. I then obtained music videos from them for the first music video screening the office had ever initiated.

Aside from daily office tasks, I was able to participate in and help out at various events including deadCENTER Film Festival, the Oklahoma Creatives Event, the Norman Music Festival and Another Hot Oklahoma Night, which was the dedication for the Oklahoma Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Not only were these events a blast, but also a great source for networking. In fact, at one event I met a man who took interest in my hopes to pursue a career in the music industry and invited me to attend a concert set up for Kenny Chesney, where I learned all about what goes on behind the scenes.

Throughout my three semesters working at the Oklahoma Film and Music Office, I learned a lot of valuable skills, which will help contribute to my success as I start to travel down an exciting career path.

My advice to you is:

1. Figure out what you love and go after it! Knowing that I had a love for the music industry really encouraged me to seek out an internship in that field. Although I’ve learned a lot in my PR classes, I would never have had the opportunity to experience the industry in which I hope to work without applying for my internship.

2. Just because you have skills doesn’t mean you can’t strengthen them. I already had strong communication and writing skills going into my internship, however the position really enabled me to expand those skills within my chosen field. It is really beneficial when you can use your skills outside the classroom.

3. Don’t pass up any opportunities for networking! Whether you have an internship or not, attend events in your chosen field. It is amazing how many people you can meet and how many are actually willing to talk to you. They may not necessarily offer you a job, but those people you meet know other people who know other people and it keeps going from there. Networking is the key to new opportunities.

4. Have fun! Whatever career you choose, have fun with it and be passionate because happiness leads to ultimate success.

Photo provided by Alex Marcus: Me pictured with Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips

My P.L.A.N.

My P.L.A.N.

By Kacie James

The past four and a half years of college has been a life changing experience. Not only have I met great friends, had a lot of fun, but I learned something too! I have learned that having a P.LA.N. is not always as structured as one may think.

P- PAST: In 2005, I came to college knowing my future. I was going to go to school for four years, graduate with a degree in special education, get a job at a high school in Edmond, Oklahoma, get married and live happily ever after.

L- LOST: This past plan did not stick. I found college to be way more difficult than expected, which meant I couldn’t take as many hours per semester. This is in, made me realize I would not be able to finish a special education degree in four years. Then I began questioning my decision to become a Special Education teacher because I was scared of the thought that I would attend college for over four years, to only have one option of a future profession. As I continued to battle my decision to change majors, I started to believe college wasn’t the place for me. I was officially lost.

A- ASSESS: At this point, I knew I had to make a decision. I began to assess my options. After coming to realization that having a degree is a necessity, I chose to change my major to public relations. I knew I could always volunteer with special needs children and although I didn’t even know what public relations consisted of at the time, it seemed to be the most logical major for me because of three reasons.

1. All of my credits from special education would transfer as electives, so I wouldn’t be behind or waste money on unnecessary classes.

2. My counselor explained public relations was a broad major that would provide many options for a future profession.

3. Public relations did not require more than the basic math and science courses, which was a major factor.

N- NOW: Well now in 2009, I’m not totally found, but I have a new plan. This plan coincides with the lessons we learned through the book Who Moved My Cheese. I now plan to accept changes, go with the flow and know that everything works out for a specific purpose. Even though I have enjoyed my experience in my public relations classes, I have accepted a job to work for a toy showroom as a sales representative. I know the skills I have learned through public relations will enable me to succeed in a sales career. I also know, if this job isn’t for me, I will move my cheese!

Interning is the Key

Don't Be Afraid to Go Outside the Box

By Jason Bodin

My college experience at the University of Oklahoma has been one of a kind. I began my collegiate career as a public relations major, but I didn’t even know what a public relations practitioner was or did.

Since my freshman year I worked for an oil and gas company as a landman and lease buyer. Even though many of my professors and peers had explained to me the importance of internships I never considered quitting my job to begin my career in public relations. However, I searched for answers as to why I wanted to be in public relations and found them during my second semester of sophomore year. That semester I was enrolled in Kenny Mossman’s sports pr course.

After excelling in his course he asked me if I was interested in joining his staff as an intern. Like many I was skeptical of quitting my high-paying job for a non-paying internship. In the end I knew I needed to get my feet wet in public relations. I interviewed with the department staff and eventually got the job. Since joining the staff I have learned a world of information and have found my niche in public relations. Hopefully the information I learned will help many of you realize how important it is to intern early and often.

(1) Don’t be scared to quit your job and begin interning in public relations.

I have had to work throughout college and the thought of making little-to-no money is a scary thought, but it pays off in the long run. For the first semester of my internship I worked 30 hours a week for free, but after working hard I began making minimum wage. Even though it isn’t close to what I made when working in the oil and gas field I look at it as an investment for my future and so should you.

(2) Even though your internship may be non-paying give it your all.

Most internships are non-paying and most people slack-off because of it. Had I not worked my butt off I wouldn’t have been put in the position to make money. Also, these are the people that control your life, to a degree. If you work hard an employer is more likely to reference you for a high-profile job in the future. Make the most of every opportunity and it will payoff.

(3) Make the most of your dollar.

You pay a lot of money for your degree so make sure you’re getting your moneys worth. Use Gaylord college resources to get an internship. I found an internship by using the resources I had, my professor. I know there are a number of internships posted by Dr. C and a number of other professors.

Photo Courtesy of Mitch Heckart

Jackie Johnson Explians It All

Jackie Johnson Explains It All

by Erin Jackson

I had the pleasure of sitting down to talk with one of my favorite relatives to talk about one of my favorite subjects: public relations, and more importantly, how to get a job after graduating!

Jackie Johnson has been in the Public Relations industry for almost 20 years. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from Texas Women’s University in 1995 and has since been a practicing PR professional. While in college, she made sure she completed internships every summer. She knew how it important it was to have experience before graduating from college. She currently works for one of the places where she did one of her internships, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and has the title of “Public Relations Specialist.”

When asked what are the most pertinent tools needed by a PR Professional, Jackie says “Excellent writing skills are essential. I don’t know anyone in this business that is not excessively critical about correct grammar and punctuation. Time management is also very important. You will have to work under strict deadlines almost all of the time. There is no room for procrastination.”

I also asked Jackie what she believes is important for upcoming PR professionals to be knowledgeable about. “Students should most definitely take advantage of all classes geared toward technology that their program offers. Employers want to know that you are knowledgeable about modern software programs and new kinds of media.” I thought about how true this is in our era. There seems to be a new kind of software or social media outlet appearing everyday. When our Campaigns class was told to register on Twitter I did not understand, but now I realize it is to make us hip to new types of media.

Public Relations: A Practical Guide to the Basics

by Callie Cady

The book I read was written by Philip Henslowe and is called Public Relations: A Practical Guide to the Basics.
This book is basically used as a beginner's guide to public relations. Henslowe, who is from the Institute of Public Relations, describes the process of creating a PR campaign. This is very helpful because he includes chapters on the role of PR, sources, ethical and legal concerns, suppliers, publishers, printers, photographers, designers, video, exhibitions, promotions, visits, sponsorship, business writing, crisis management, the media, planning, and evaluation. The author pulls alot of his research from codes of conduct, a brief legal guide, sample documents, checklists, and guidelines.
One of my favorite quotes from this book is "Public relations is not, nor should it be, a 'stand alone' profession in isolation from the rest of the business world." I like this quote because the author goes on to explain that internal as well as external communication is becoming increasingly important in the business world today. He also states that public relations is a necessary practice in all businesses and organizations.
I really enjoyed this book because it outlines the underlying principles of PR. It breaks it down in a way.

The Importance of Networking in Public Relations by Heather Anderson

In the public relations industry networking is the key. Whether you are networking for a job or for the organization you are representing, building relationships with others is the most crucial aspect of public relations. Obviously having a talent with words is the most important skill needed to be successful in this industry, but without strong relationships with the public, your work will not be seen. 

Getting involved with professional organizations is a great way to network professionally, such as PRSA. The use of social networking sites (Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, and Twitter) are becoming more and more popular for public relations professionals in and out of the office. These sites are wonderful for not only gaining attention for your organization, but also to create relationships with those who can help you find new strategies, trends, and jobs. It is extremely useful to become well acquainted with individuals who are media gatekeepers. Obtaining contacts in different media outlets allows you to become an even greater asset to your organization when media attention is needed. 

The great thing about networking is that you can do it anytime anywhere. I recently went to Washington D.C. to attend the Young Women's Leadership Conference. Throughout my trip I took advantage of every opportunity available to network for potential job openings and individual's whose expertise could benefit my professional career. On the plane I met a man who works for Epworth Villa in Oklahoma City who gave me some advice on the job market, his card, and the contact information of successful individuals in public relations. I also met several professionals at the conference in D.C., including one at aWiteck Combs Communications that asked for my resume on the spot. This just goes to show everyone that being prepared to network at any time can lead to many opportunities in public relations.   

(picture found at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/479608)