Shop Talk

As you can see, the blog has a new name. I’m still wrestling with whether I like it or not.

If anyone has a problem with it, let me know. (i.e. In use or copyrighted elsewhere).

I take back the nice things I said about HP a few posts ago. Awful experience, except for my very first day on the phone with them and today. It’s been three weeks and still no laptop. I have had to call numerous times and explain my issue and why I don’t want the hard drive reformatted. What part of ‘NO’ five times is not understood?! *sigh*

So, now I’m getting it back UNREPAIRED and I’ll have to back up the files myself, which is what I would have done in the first place had it not been for confusing instructions by a technician. I’ll have to set out now and find a cable. Then I can send it back and they’ll repair it. I wish they could just back up the files while its in their possession. Sheesh. If it wasn’t for the fact that I have PR files, papers, pictures of my friends and pictures of my deceased dog, I’d say, “Have at it hoss.” I already lost all of my files once before with the HP desktop I had. Not again.

I think I’m just going to invest in an iBook next year ….

It’s hard to believe that it has been five years since the United States suffered its greatest terrorist attack.

I’m sure we can all remember where we were on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. Here’s my recollection:

I had just started my first year of college only days earlier. I had walked into my freshman seminar that morning not knowing what I was about to witness. As a side note, the seminar’s semester-long theme was “The World Through the Eyes of the Media,” strangely enough.

I was the first to arrive and noticed my professor standing near the door, watching the images on the projector’s screen intently. Paying no real mind, I thought she was reviewing news clips for the day’s discussion and didn’t want to disturb her as I stood nearby. As I turned my focus to the screen, I realized it wasn’t a video tape.

“Oh my God,” was all I could utter as I watched the events unfold. The rest of the class soon filed in and we took our seats around the conference table. Whatever was planned for discussion that day was scrapped - all we could do was watch the images before us.

Not a word was said as we all sat in disbelief of what we were seeing. Was this all just a movie? … A horrible dream? Sadly, it wasn’t. We witnessed the second plane crash shortly after class began and we sat with our mouths agape as the towers plummeted to the ground. We learned the Pentagon had been attacked and another plane bound for Washington, D.C. crashed in Pennsylvania as well. As our class time expired, we filed out somberly with the knowledge that things would never be the same.

We all rushed back to our dorm rooms to call our parents and check in. For most of us, the lines were jammed for a long time. All we could do was take turns and pray that everything was OK. I can still close my eyes and see the image of at least 16 of my floor mates and I huddled around a 19-inch television, wondering what could possibly happen next.

The days and weeks that followed were very intense as we worried about anthrax scares on campus and the possibility of a terrorist attack on Three Mile Island. My college was in the 10-mile danger zone so it was a bit unnerving to attend a high school football game a few towns over, trying NOT to think about the threat of attack, when it was really all around us. I will never forget looking up from the stands toward the nuclear reactors clearly visible in the distance with a military aircraft flying constantly around the perimeter to make sure everything was secure.

We weren’t the only ones dealing with the aftermath and “what ifs;” the whole nation had been turned upside down.

The fact that the U.S. is not as invincible as was thought in recent years is indeed a tough pill to swallow. Yet, what the nation did gain from all of this was an unbreakable resolve. Liberty may have been down for a little while, but she certainly wasn’t out. Perhaps the Lady herself showed that to us as she proudly stood against the smoke, amid the rubble as her backdrop. Old Glory was there as well as a continuing symbol of the pledge thirteen colonies made 230 years ago for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They were not going to take this from us. Not without a fight.

Amid the chaos, firefighters, police officers and civilians sacrificed their lives to save others. People everywhere wanted to help, no matter what the cost.

Public Relations practitioners also took up arms for the cause but in a different sense; they tirelessly worked to bring a sense of order in the midst of a chaotic scene. Richard Edelman’s recent post about 9/11 reflected on the day itself and once again lauded the work of his employees who rushed to former client Cantor Fitzgerald’s aid* in an effort to communicate to the relatives of the dead and missing. (*Cantor Fitzgerald is a bonds dealing company that lost more than 700 of its 1,000 employees housed in the WTC)**.

Interviews were scheduled and crisis communication plans were set into motion. Because New York City is considered the financial capital of the world, it was vital to reassure all stakeholders that there was no need to panic. Had it not been for the great effort of the dedicated members of our profession, just imagine how much more frenzied the response could have been.

If there’s one thing that 9/11 has taught PR, it’s that a plan must always be in place. What we lack in preparedness when the time of tragedy comes, we must make up for in our ability to adapt to that change and continue pressing on.

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” - Confucius

9/11. Never Forget.

Photograph is property of september11news.com.

**Information taken from page 548 of Public Relations: A Values Driven Approach written by David Guth and Charles Marsh.

*I’m still trying to change my blog’s name. I just want something short and sweet. I have a number of ideas. I’ve been doing a Google search on each to make sure each name is not in use by another blog. I have the field narrowed to a few, but I don’t know if they sound too lame or not.

*Spam. Where is it all coming from?!

*I hate getting behind. I’m finally starting to catch up on reading and posting. I can’t believe I’ve had this blog for a year now. (Many thanks to the following people: Jeremy for sending me along to this site, Robert for being so nice and helpful and Erin for being one of the first fellow student bloggers to welcome me. (Well, we’re no longer students so I guess that title’s kind of outdated).

I know I may not always have the best or most intellectually stimulating comments, but I like to contribute in any way possible. For one, it always makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside when I can truly help someone. Second, it’s always interesting to read different perspectives and find this common ground with my fellow students of Public Relations. OK, I seem to be contradicting myself now, but I think to practice PR is to be a lifelong student of PR. We don’t stop being students once we earn our degrees. This learning process carries on as we make our way into the world. If that makes any sense. It makes sense in my head! … Or perhaps it’s just the caffiene talking.

As of August 28, classes were back in session at my alma mater. I find it a little odd that I’m not joining my friends and classmates for the first time in as long as I can remember. Actually, I still can’t get over the fact that I graduated almost four months ago. Wow! Time sure does fly as you grow old.

Anyway, I was thinking about things I learned or witnessed as a PR student and thought that I could pass on a bit of advice that would make things seem less … complicated. Sometimes, it seems as if you’re flying by the seat of your pants and it’s nice to have someone looking out for you every now and then. I ended up learning so much more when I took a moment to teach myself rather than rely solely on the professor or textbook.

So, if I may, a bit of wisdom:

(Broken into two parts because I always have too much to say)!

Note: Take my words with a grain of salt, if you’d like. I am in no way an expert on this subject. It’s kind of like a “call it as I see it” reflection of my undergraduate experience. I am not telling you that this is the end-all-be-all method of success. Make your own choices and mistakes. It’s all a part of growing up and getting to know yourself. Just make sure you’re ready to learn.

1. Read everything you can get your hands on. You just never know when the most obscure tidbit will come in handy. In addition, depending on what you do in your career, you will be required to know a lot about anything and everything. You could have a computer company asking for a press release one day, and a grocery chain asking for one the next.

2. Bond with your AP Stylebook. Just because your news writing class ended, does not mean you can throw away or sell your copy. Know thy AP Stylebook. Love thy AP Stylebook. You’re going to be using it more than you realize. Become familiar with its content.

3. Don’t be afraid to ask the professor about a term or topic you read about somewhere. You can end up generating some interesting class discussion.

4. Join a pre-professional organization, whether it’s PRSSA or another group, membership will really help you to explore the field and all the options that are available. *Side note: Consider becoming an officer. The experience will allow you to learn more about yourself and how well you work with others and handle important responsibilities.*

5. Don’t be afraid to speak up when participating in group work. Always offer your ideas and opinions, but be a good listener at the same time. Everyone is there to learn. While your ideas may not always work, you must exercise your voice and develop your ability to be a team player. Do not be condescending or negative. You’ll want to remember to be positive, encouraging and fair. Approach each experience with an open mind. You won’t always be in a group with your friends.

6. Start getting into the habit of making “to-do” lists. You’ll be doing that a lot as a professional.

7. Jump at the chance to get any sort of practical experience under your belt. Whether it is a contest sponsored by a professional association or just branching off on your own to help a local business, experience is what counts. It may seem overwhelming at first, but the experience will pay off.

8. Never stop writing. One of the most important skills you’ll need is the ability to write and write well. Just because you get ‘A’ papers doesn’t mean you’re all right. You need to keep your mechanics sharp and your mind focused. Your platform can be anything - a blog, paper journal, newspaper and so on. Keep plugging away so you don’t become rusty.

9. Think about the kind of PR work that you’re interested in and look for a mentor. By picking his/her brain, you’re going to know what it takes to get in and you’ll have someone you can turn to for advice.

10. NETWORK. It doesn’t get any more basic than this. Meet people in the field and get to know them. This doesn’t always have to mean face-to-face, either. It’s good to know who’s out there. Some of the professionals you meet may help you find a job one day or could serve as a reference. In fact, many job postings are only shared through word-of-mouth. Two key things to remember: Be courteous and friendly. Do not be pushy or demanding. It’s a very small world in this industry.

11. Keep track of your résumé. Update as necessary and try to stick to one page. It can be longer in some cases, but you don’t want to “pad” your résumé with just anything. If you can, try to tailor it to each job application.

12. In the beginning … there was read your texts. Let’s be honest - who really has time to read a textbook cover to cover? If you’re a fast learner, you should be able to excel without reading every single chapter (*Guilty as charged*). My recommendation, however, is to at least become familiar with the theories and key terminology. This may mean going back to read a few chapters. Keep your books, too. They could come in handy.

13. Begin your job/internship search in advance. It’s not a safe bet in say, your senior year to decide at the end of fall semester that you want an internship in the spring. You could end up the creek without a paddle. Begin your search in the early to mid-semester. Think about what you’re interested in and research the area. Do “Point #11″ and make sure your résumé stands out. Remember that you’re up against many other students. This is another reason why you need to start early. There will be more options available in the event that a few of the places you applied and interviewed with chose another intern.

The same applies to job hunting. This is not something to be done on a whim. You must think about what you want and plan. There will be many other recent graduates fighting for that one entry-level position.

Don’t settle. If you don’t find what you’re looking for right away, don’t give up and settle for whatever happens to come along. You shouldn’t settle for anything less than you desire and deserve. Sometimes there are circumstances that require settling; only allow these situations to be a temporary suspension of your long-term goals. Don’t resign yourself to “could haves” and “should haves.” You and only you have the power and tools to make things happen.

14. Don’t complain. Here’s the bottom line: There’s going to be a lot of writing, group work and reading. Think that’s too much to handle? I’m sure many practitioners can, without batting an eyelash, probably say you haven’t seen anything yet.

Think in real time. That mock press release you have due in two days may very well be due in less than two hours in the corporate world. Look at the workload and deadlines of your courses as something to your benefit. This is where prioritizing and “to-do” lists (Point #6) come in handy.

15. Care about the work you do. Always give 110% and ask for help when it is needed. When you care, it is reflected in your work. Don’t half ass (*excuse me*) anything. You can’t afford to do that for a client on your retainer.

16. Know how to use computer programs. Read: Microsoft Word and Power Point. Become familiar with each program’s function and capabilities. You cannot afford to not have a working knowledge of Power Point while giving a presentation.

17. Familiarize yourself with various documents. For example:

      -Media kit contents
      -Backgrounder
      -Pitch letter
      -News release
      -Campaign proposal

You may not find yourself writing all of the aforementioned documents in class. Try practicing on your own.

18. Take detailed notes. Some of us are gifted with a total recall memory, others aren’t. Make sure you are as detailed with your note taking as possible, otherwise you’ll look over them and think, “Huh?” This will prepare you for the times you’ll have a ten-minute conference call with your client to brief him or her of your latest account team meeting. You certainly can’t afford to make him or her wait as you try to piece decipher your notes over the phone.

19. ALWAYS CHECK YOUR WORK! Word processing spelling and grammar checks don’t always work. Make sure you proof your work on your own. ALWAYS attribute your sources. Make sure quotes are correctly attributed and nothing is taken out of context.

20. Have fun with it. PR isn’t going to be easy or all fun and games. As long as you maintain a good attitude and sense of humor, you’ll be OK.

BEST OF LUCK!