1. Conversation is key! -Perhaps the most important feature of having a blog is that provides a place for two-way communication. By communicating with others online and commenting on their blog posts, your blog will have the chance to become interactive among the online community. You never know what kind of connections and people you will meet by conversing with strangers!     
2. Blog about issues you know and care about. -I will admit, I am not incredibly passionate or interested in every topic we were required to write about. That is only normal. At the same time, I found that if I attempted to make some sort of connection with the blog assignments each week, it would be much more enjoyable to write. When people have a strong interest and are genuinely excited about what they write about, this will engage you to want to read on. No one wants to read an article that is empty at heart.
3. Do your research. -When you go to buy a car, you normally have some knowledge of the brand you are looking at and the features of the car and its’ history. The same goes for interviewing or working for any business. Do some research about what the company stands for, its’ mission statement, when it was founded, etc. Be prepared to show employers that you are interested in them and want to make a positive contribution to the team.
4. Impress with a cover letter. -Much like the cover of a book, people can make a strong impression by what they first read or see about you. Create a powerful cover letter that lets a company know who you are, what you have to offer, and why they should give you a chance.
5. Practice good writing skills! -Whether I like it or not, I learned in my interview with a PR professional that writing is a key element in the everyday job. From press releases, brochures, radio announcements, and simple emails, public relations and communications professionals need to have excellent grammar, punctuation, and writing skills to get the job done right.
6. Monitor body language on an interview. -Most people have subtle habits such as rubbing their hands together or rolling their eyes, and are unaware of the possible messages they are sending to others when they do this. When you are on an interview, make sure to have good posture, don’t tap your feet, and maintain eye contact to ensure the interviewer they have your full attention.
7. Sell yourself online! -Not literally, but use websites like LinkedIn and PROpenMic to post your resume and network with others in the field. Marketing yourself and showing others what you have achieved can only put you in better position for landing a job or making a connection that will help you. Sell the image of yourself you want others to see!
8. Be smart with social media. -It is okay to have a Facebook or Twitter account, but know that it is easy to find information online about anyone. Google yourself and find out what is out there about you, and whether or not you would want an employer to see this. Don’t twitter anything embarassing or work-related, because odds are someone will see it and you will put yourself in an awkward position. If you have to question if something is appropriate, then don’t put it online!
9. Create a portfolio. -While having an excellent resume is important, it is also relevant to actually show and present employers with examples and pieces of work you have created. Since implementing social media is such a huge part of the way we communicate, create a portfolio with press releases, blogs, campaigns, brochures, and any assignments that you are proud of to present to others.
10. Think outside the box! -Possibly the most important thing I have learned in practicum is that there is no limit to what you can do, whether it is during an internship or career. Use your creativity to come up with new ideas for improving a business, and know that no idea is necessarily a bad idea. Employers will be impressed to see that you are taking issues in your own hands and doing tasks that you weren’t asked to do.

While creating a blog for both PR Practicum and PR Social Media was a lot of work and effort, I am excited to implement the things and skills I have learned upon graduation!

The Comm. Arts Career Fair was held in the Center for Arts & Theater, and there were about 10 different companies there, working with anything from radio, public relations, and broadcasting. I am not normally a very nervous or shy girl, but this was the first time I was going up to a stranger and giving them my resume. I think the whole concept is kind of nerve-wracking! It is scary to introduce yourself to someone and say “Hi, I’d like to work for you, here you go.” But I found that it wasn’t as big of a deal once I got to talking.

The first person I talked to Kelli Sauers, who is the Senior Event Manager for the Savannah International Trade & Conventional Center. She was extremely nice and talked about working and planning different events such as business and trade shows, weddings, and countless other types of shows. I would love to work in the Savannah area, and I think working for a center where so many different types of events take place would be very interesting and keep you on your feet. I am not quite sure if event planning is for me, but obviously the best way to find out would be through experience! I also briefly talked to Jennifer Abshire Patterson, who is the Founder of Abshire Public Relations & Marketing in Savannah. I always thought I would enjoy working for a PR firm because it is structured and would provide the opportunity to work with various clients and improving their potetial.

The two employers I talked to where the only ones who deal specifically with public relations, and I was greatly interested in what each had to offer. Some things I found were that career fairs are not as formal as I expected. It is important to remember to stay relaxed, and put your best personality forward. Don’t be shy! I think if employers see you are being genuine and have a strong interest to work for them, they will show an equal interest in you as well. There are hundreds of prospects who would like to work for a company at any given time, and you have to make yourself stand out above the rest. I am not sure where I will be working after my internship this summer, but by attending a career fair, I am one step closer to possibly landing a job. Only time will tell!

“Is Kell on Earth, bad news for the PR world?”

Bravo’s new show Kell on Earth, shows Public Relations practitioner, Kelly C in the world of fashion public relations. Kelly Cutrone is president and co-owner of People’s Revolution. People’s Revolution is a popular PR company to the world of television as it was seen in MTV’s reality shows “The Hills,” and “The City,” as both Lauren Conrad, and Whitney Port worked for Cutrone’s in the company.

“Milk-a-Whaaaat?”

The E-Trade ad that premiered during the Super Bowl, shown  here, is now the new source of controversy in the great state of California.  Lindsay Lohan has filed a lawsuit against E-Trade claiming that the company has improperly invoked her “likeness, name, characterization, and personality” without permission, thus violating her right of privacy.  The complaint, courtesy of TMZ, seems quite unfounded.

I honestly don’t see any likeness being duplicated between the E-trade baby and Lohan.  The baby only had one line to say which was “milk a what?” which does not characterize nor mimic Lohan’s personality in any way, shape, or form.

“Lohan is suing for $50 million in compensatory damages and an additional $50 million in exemplary damages. She also demanded that E*Trade stop running the ad.” (News Briefs)

“They used the name Lindsay,” said Stefanie Ovadia, Lohan’s lawyer. “They’re using her name as a parody of her life. Why didn’t they use the name Susan? This is a subliminal message. Everybody’s talking about it and saying it’s Lindsay Lohan.” (NY Post)

“Lindsay” was in 2008 the 380th most popular name for newborn American girls, according to the U.S. Social Security Administration. That was down from 241th in 2004, when Lohan’s popular film “Mean Girls” was released. (Reuters)

I think this is another sad attempt by Lohan and her handlers to gain publicity for the fallen starlet.  Lohan, who has yet to produce any reputable work since 2004, has a career that is in serious need of resuscitation.  She would be better served if her publicist took her out of the spotlight, cleaned her up, and sent her back out with some new found talent in tow.  This seems like a new low for the star.  I don’t know of anyone who thought of her when this ad was released, myself included.

The new campaign that Kotex launched is refreshing and different from its competitors, with a frank approach to dealing with an issue that every young female deals with. According to an article in the New York Times,

“We’re really out there and we’re trying to touch women and say we care about this conversation,” said Mr. Meurer, of Kotex.

I think the campaign and the public relations strategies that are being used to promote the product are brilliant. We live in a society where certain matters are supposed to be kept secret and presented in a happy light, but who says you are supposed to embrace your period? Real girls do not like dealing with it, so it is great to see a company taking notice that the typical ads are so unrealistic. Hopefully Kotex receives a lot of praise for their bold tactics and new commercials!

1) Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was any social media community. If you invest and start your own blog, Twitter handle, etc. you are kidding yourself if you expect instant ROI. Be patient, give it time, and you’ll see the rewards in the long run.

2) How often should you blog/tweet? Whenever you have content that provides value to your readers. But more than anything, be consistent.

3) You don’t need to have a crisis communications meeting whenever you see a negative comment about your company. Respond to those comments with honest thoughts and never delete them from your page (if applicable). That person may not like your company, but they’ll respect you even more when they see that you didn’t  ignore their comment.

4) Gaining admirers on these networks is not rocket science. Engage with people and be transparent. That’s how you gain and maintain an audience.

5) Do not put someone in charge of your blog/Twitter handle, etc. that does not want to be there in the first place. You need someone that WANTS to be involved. Take it from me, writing a blog is hard work … but it’s a lot of fun if you enjoy it!

It will definitely help to keep these in mind when you are entering the world of public relations or any career where implementing social media is an every day duty. Best blogging wishes!

Information used on this blog post can be found at the following website:

http://worob.com/2010/04/19/five-social-media-tips-for-corporate-bloggers-and-tweeters/

Chapter 1- The introductory chapter discusses 3 things to keep in mind when making your social media plan:

1. Interactivity-commenting on blogs, giving ideas to others on social media websites
2. Sharing- linking images, videos, websites to friends online
3. Collaboration-using bookmarking sites and contributing to feeds

By commenting on blogs, sharing photos and videos, and working with other programs, you can optimize your presence and networking abilities on the Internet. The chapter also discusses badges, which are essentially images and links that you can add to your pages in order to make them more “linkable to other sites.

Chapter 2- This chapter discusses the importance of adding tags and keywords. By using phrases and ideas that are related to a blog post, picture, article, or anything you are working with online, you can make it more visible to others by providing tags. It can make them pop up on Google or other search engines before others and therefore, gain more popularity and views.

By adding personal information to your social media profiles, you can increase the chance for finding others and others finding you online. This will create the opportunity for making more connections and making your blog or website more friendly!

Chapter 3- The main thing I learned from this chapter was what “RSS” meant: Really Simple Syndication. Which is ironic, because I was assuming it had some elaborate meaning. By using an RSS feed, you generate content, make the “feed” available, and then anyone who subscribes can read it. By using tags, categories, links, and tracebacks, you can make your feed incredibly functional online.

The author discusses using programs like FeedBurner to manage your feeds, promote them, troubleshoot them, etc. Your feed is not going to grow without care, just like a flower without water.

Chapter 4- By personalizing your blog with creative details, you can make it more appealing and fun to update. Headers are at the top of the blog, and can be a sentence or statement about the blog and what readers can expect from reading on. It can be anything catchy or expressive that will catch attention and prompt people to want to follow. A footer, on the other hand, is less personal and contains the important copyrights and credit to the designers of the webpage. Do not remove this or you may have problems!

Adding a sidebar to your blog is a way to make it easy to navigate and organize. You can include things like widgets, categories, tags, calendars, archives, etc. The sky is the limit to the appearance of your blog!

Chapter 5- This chapter discusses podcasts, which are “a series of audio or video files that is distributed over the internet and can be syndicated and subscribed to.” The author gives these tips to making the best podcast possible:

• Many audio and video search engines use speech recognition software to identify keep terms within podcasts.
• You add the metadata for each podcast episode when you save it as an MP3 file.  Repeat key terms from the actual spoken episode in this metadata.  Metadata describes other data. It provides information about a certain item’s content.
• The page where each podcast episode resides is called its landing page.  Its advisable to repeat key terms from the podcast here also.

Like a podcast, a webcast is an online broadcast of information, which can be about any topic and usually consists of a series of videos or updates. YouTube tends to be the most popular website for creating weekly or daily webcasts.

Chapter 6- Being involved in a social network can be one of the most rewarding and important activities you can engage in. It allows you to connect with millions of others, whether for a personal or business reason, and stay updated in their daily lives. Some popular social networking sites include:

• Facebook
• MySpace
• Twitter
• LinkedIn

They are free and relatively easy ways to get active online and connect. Facebook tends to be the most popular, while sites like Twitter are considered more “micro-blogs” because they only allow you to post a limited amount of information at a time. LinkedIn is more of a professional profile that can be helpful with sending resumes and experience to employers.

Chapter 7- Along with social networking, you can use social bookmarks to keep track of your favorite websites for others to view. Not only is this helpful to the individual, it can be very useful for students working on projects to send websites to classmates. The most popular website for social bookmarking is Delicious. It is free and doesn’t take long to add a long list of your favorite websites.

Crowd-sourcing is a way to allow users to determine the popularity of websites, news-sources, and blogs through voting. Sites such as Technorati, Digg, and StumbleUpon all offer these services. They are different from social bookmarks because they share information and facts, rather than opinions and favorites.

Chapter 8- This chapter focuses on media communities.  They are websites that users can visit and post opinions and share advice with others on multimedia topics and items. It is a great way to connect based on common interests and hobbies. Some sites focus on sharing images, such as Flickr, and allow people a place to format and keep all of their photos online.

“Playlists” can be used to organize videos and show them to others. Before you create a specific playlist, you can create a draft version, or a “quicklist.” You can also add a badge to a website, which is essentially a small caption of another social website in the version of a widget.

Chapter 9- Widgets and Badges are the focus of this chapter. By definition in the book…

“Widgets are snippets of code, usually displayed graphically, that can be used to syndicate content, for example RSS feeds, or to add interactive features that users can drop onto their own blogs or websites.

Badges are an icon or logo that has a link back to its source, which serves as a way of displaying one’s membership or presence in a community on the Social Web.”

They can be used to customize blogs and make them more personal. Widgets can display things such as the weather, a poll, a countdown, calendar, game, or countless other options. Including widgets makes blogs more interactive and can increase the number of follows to your page if they are fun and useful. A badge is essentially an image that represents a link to another website or page. Including badges increases the possiblity of someone visiting one of your other social networks.

Chapter 10- Social media newsrooms are places for businesses, teachers, or individuals to gain a lot of media coverage and tend to have lots of media and news releases on a daily basis. They shouldn’t replace original websites, but should be a place for people to visit in order to gain recent information and current news on a specific business or topic. You can do several things with a social media newsroom:

1. View recent and past events
2. Organize press releases, old and new
   
3. Keep track of major media coverage
4. Download photos, videos, podcasts, etc.
5. Store personal information on employees

These newsrooms should be supplements to the original company webpage and should be updated daily in order to be useful to viewers. Keep things interactive and useful.

Chapter 11- I learned something useful in this chapter, which was what exactly a “wiki” is. Hawaiian for “fast,” the term describes websites that allow users to post and update information, no matter if it is true or not. Quite possibly the most popular “wiki” website is Wikipedia, which is a virtual online encyclopedia that contains lots of information, some useful and some just complete lies. People still flock to these websites despite their lack of credibility.

Users can create social pages, where they can discuss any topic they desire and talk about them with others who share similar interests. Another Internet sensation, 3-D worlds, give people the sense that they can have another life online. These websites create a “virtual community” that they can be a part of and interact with millions of others across the world.

Chapter 12- The author discusses 3 things to ask yourself when optimizing your website:

• Can users interact with the content?
• Can visitors share the content easily with others?
• Does the site encourage collaboration?

Having a successful and effective website is all about interactivity and allowing feedback and commentary from others. If not, your website or blog will just be like an online reference or book. It will be boring and people will not want to read it. You can make the most out of your social media expereince by adding widgets, tags, RSS feeds, and bookmarks to make it more interesting.

Chapter 13- Much like using crowd-sourcing, social ranking is a way for users to see the relevancy of their pages and how searchable they are online. It is a great way to determine what you can improve and fix on your blog in order to make it more popular. You can also use a “lifestream,” which is like a blog, but contains streams and bits of information from other social networking sites instead of personalized information and posts. The author also talks about the concept of potential social networking distribution, which would allow users to carry around their virtual profile and identity throughout different websites and networks. This is an excellent idea because there are so many social networking sites, usernames, and passwords to keep track of!

Chapter 14- Before you jump into the social networking world, it is important to establish some goals or things you would like to achieve by using the Internet. By having a set of strategies and tactics, you can understand and implement exactly what you want, and hopefully get the kind of experience you want out of it. The book discusses the following:

1. Increasing web traffic
2. Driving sales or new business
3. Monitoring brand awareness
4. Improving customer relations
5. Managing reputation
6. Establishing credibility
7. Creating buzz
8. Improving public relations

No matter what you decide to use social media for, using the “survival guide” can help you along the way. Remembering to be original and interactive in your experience are key factors.

“By posting updates, sale notices, special events and competitions on a growing network of sites, tech-savvy businesses are growing buzz and sparking interest with existing and new customers.”

The article talks about how one restaurant in Long Beach offers free appetizers and desserts for customers who can correctly answer a question each week. I think this is a brilliant and easy way to gain customer loyalty to their social media websites and provide a fun contest that will differentiate them from other restaurants in the community. Since the majority of business owners tend to be in their late 40s and up, knowing how to create blogs and use the Internet is a key skill that employers will be looking for among new graduates. According to a study in the article, sales increased 41% over a 10-week period for a company who used a Web-based campaign to improve sales. Sounds like an improvement to me!

Information used in this post can be found at the following website:

http://www.presstelegram.com/ci_14865268?source=rss_viewed

(2/24/10) I think that the portfolio is a creative and essential piece for public relations students to have because sometimes the work we have done is not represented the best on a resume. I do not have a lot of information that I could put in my portfolio because I currently haven’t done an internship and campaigns is the only class I have completed where I have organized any sort of PR event. I do think including social media pieces can be tricky, but it will be very useful to include blogs and other facets that can showcase one’s writing and online skills. This post was helpful and got me thinking about what I need to do to be better prepared!

#2. “Informational Interview Recap” by Marie Lorelei

(4/13/10) I enjoyed reading your interview because it was simple and easy to follow. you got straight to the point, and Marla’s comments were interesting and helpful. I liked her 3 tips, especially “learn to manage difficult people,” because this is obviously a skill anyone in the job field needs to work on. Although I am aware that public relations and communications deals a lot with writing, it scared me that she said to “learn it, live it, and love it.” I don’t love it! And like you, I am not sure that I necessarily want to work in public relations when I graduate in May. It seems like you have great writing skills and style and I think you will do well in whatever you decide to pursue! Good luck in the future!

#3. “Trade Book Review- Naked Conversations” by Marie Lorelei

(4/13/10) I also read Naked Conversations for my Trade Book Review. Although I did learn some facts about how to get the most out of my blog and how to be successful in the corporate world when it comes to blogging and customer relationships, I didn’t think it was something I would recommend to a friend either. Blogging does take a lot of time and work, and I personally would not have a blog currently if it wasn’t required by my online classes. I think they are a great way to get involved online and meet others in the public relations field, but I would rather meet people in person and form relationships that way, not online. I know social media is becoming incredibly huge, but I am not the most computer-savvy person. I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who thought the book was boring!

#4.  “Social Media is a Double-Edged Sword” by Allison Allmond

(4/13/10) I totally agree that social media has its’ pros and cons. Although I enjoy emailing and getting on Facebook, I am not a huge computer person. I would much rather talk and interact in person, rather than through a screen. Since social networking and using programs such as LinkedIn and Twitter have become popular for companies to use, it is obviously important for students to get their names out there for any opportunity they can receive. It is definitely a double-edged sword in my eyes. It obviously is going to be smarter to be able to reach thousands of people online by social networking, than only dozens by networking yourself the old-fashioned way. Hopefully the social media tips we have received can help us in the future!

#5. “In Vogue at the Interview” by Allison Allmond

(4/13/10) This article was soo creative. I loved that your way of looking at dressing for an interview as being “in vogue” and up to current trends. We are in public relations, and it is important to show our creative sides. I especially loved your quote from Larry Platt about the “pants on the ground.” Hilarious!! He is so funny. I think “spicing it up” with something bright and interesting can be a great conversation starter and a good way to make yourself remembered after an interview. I tend to wear mostly neutrals, especially black and white, and will keep in mind your tips when I shop for more business-appropriate clothes in the near future. Boring attire is for boring people, and if you are in communications, you are most likely pretty outgoing!

#6. “Internships” by Stephanie Medlin

(4/13/10) I think it is so hard for graduates in this economy. As a student athlete, I didn’t have the time to work or receive any internship experience until this summer. I wish that my internship could be paid, but I know that this is not the best time for companies and the work force in general. My brother recently got accepted into the Disney Program for the end of his freshmen year of college. Although he will get paid a little each month, that is still better than me! Internships are crucial to gaining on-hand experience and networking with potential employers, and I am grateful to have gotten offered one, even if it means I may have to look for a job on the side to make some extra cash. Hopefully you will have good luck with your career in the future!

#7. “Body Language and Non Verbal Communication” by Stephanie Medlin

(4/13/10) Your post definitely made me recognize the fact that I use nonverbals all the time and don’t even notice it! I am extremely expressive with my face, and roll my eyes entirely too much. I often don’t even realize it until someone comments on it. I think it is so unattractive and is a bad habit that I need to fix, especially once I start going on interviews soon. On the other hand, I think I can use my knowledge of nonverbals to help me on an interview or working with people. I am pretty good at guessing people’s personalities, and working in public relations, it is important to be good with people. When I am on Skype, I definitely notice how funny my nonverbals are! Do I really look like that? Videotaping yourself is definitely a good tool for practicing good habits.

#8. “Top 10 Things I Learned” by Kacie Whigham

(4/13/10) Your slide show for practicum was really interesting! I especially liked how you included etiquette and keeping your car clean as things you learned. Those are things I didn’t really consider but are obviously important when entering any career. Your appearance and attitude definitely make a big difference. Catering your resume to the job you are applying for is something I learned also. Making it seem that you are focused on working for a specific employer can emphasize to them how interested you are. I did not create a portfolio yet because I do not have a lot of work to show, but it is a great way to show employers what you can do for them. Employers are often unsure what public relations students specialize in, so showing them the work and skills you have will help them out.

#9. “Ben Roethlisberger..” by Victoria Greene

(4/13/10) You came up with some great ways to help Ben! Definitely staying away from college students and alcohol in general when you are a professional football player is a good first step. Putting yourself in situations where there can be potential trouble is not a good idea for anyone in the limelight. He went to college in Ohio where a lot of my friends go, and I have followed him for some years. I am not sure if he is guilty of what happened, but I heard on the radio a few days ago that the charges were dropped. What is it lately with guys and their sexual issues?!? Jesse James and Tiger both need some good PR behind them if they want to bring their careers and images back to normal.

#10. “Tips for Creating an Effective Coverletter” by Phillip Edwards

(4/15/10) I like how you make a point of requesting an interview or follow-up call. My roommate recently called a company that she had interviewed with to follow up with them and see where they stood with her, and I didn’t think this was something you were supposed to do. I guess she was right! Letting a company know you are interested and going out of your way to talk to them shows determination. You make a great point that you need to be active, not passive. I have sort of had an attitude that things will happen for me, but I know now that they will not fall in my lap.

#11. “Benefits and Pitfalls of Social Media for Jobseekers” by Phillip Edwards

(4/15/10) I can’t believe that there are 500,000 new members on social media each day! I know there are billions of people in the world, but that is such a crazy statistic to me. It is obviously where society is headed, and it is important for people in communications and public relations to implement this tool into their practices. I do agree that social media can have complicated features. It is almost the end of the semester, and I still have trouble figuring out how to format my blog sometimes! I also think it is a con that verbal skills can’t be shown, unless it is through a podcast or webcast.

#12. “Social Media: A Jobseeker’s Dream-Come-True or Worst Nightmare?” by Candice Hall

(4/15/10) Searching for someone’s name instead of a specific company is definitely a benefit of social media. I know more people than I do businesses, and hopefully this will help me get a job in the future. It is all about who you know, not necessarily what you know. I have found this true in so many cases in life. It is also important to be private in what you post online! You are so right. I have found that my habits on Facebook and Twitter have changed over the past few years because I do not necessarily post anything that I wouldn’t want an employer to see.

#13. “Redefining the ‘Kodak Moment‘” by Candice Hall

(4/15/10) You made a great point that Kodak used the Diffusion Theory in implementing the new digital aspect of photography into their brand. It is obviously a huge change in the market, and it was important for Kodak to show their customers the importance of adapting to the new products. I used to take photography and develop my own photos, and it took me some time before I got a digital camera. It was a lot to do with my family and friends and also to do with the marketing surrounding the products I saw on television. I think Kodak has changed its’ name for the best.

#14. “Hula and Interning..A Lot More in Common Than You Would Expect” by Shannon McCloud

(4/15/10) I am so jealous that you got to spend time in Hawaii! It sounds like you had a great time and learned many different things that will help you in your career. I really liked the hula proverbs you learned, especially “E nana, e ho’olohe. E pa’a ka waha, e hana ka lima.” It is neat that the same basic rules and philosophies we follow are apparent in other cultures as well. I am from Ohio, and I think of Georgia as a sort of paradise compared to where I used to live! I think it is gorgeous in Statesboro because there is green all year round and sunshine as well! It is interesting living in different places and learning what others have to say about them.

#15. “Maybe it Runs in the Family..” by Allison Allmond

I really enjoyed this article! I love Paula Deen and I have ate at her restaurant and Uncle Bubba’s multiple times. I had no idea that there was an actual position for event coordinating! I would love to do that. I think it is interesting how so many people work in jobs that were not necessarily their major in college. I am not sure if i will work directly in public relations, but event planning or sports marketing are definitely things I am interested in. It seems like your cousin really likes her job and has enjoyed much success. Best of luck to her and to you!

#16. “What to Wear to a PR Job Interview” by Phillip Edwards

(4/15/10) I also think it is quite funny to picture a woman will an old-fashioned briefcase. These days, so many guys as well as girls carry a messenger bag or something leather that is professional. I do not understand how people down south wear long sleeves and pants in the summertime! I am from Ohio, and I find it very hard to wear pants and jeans to work in the summer. It is so humid down here, and I find it crazy that southerners are able to wear pants. Obviously they have to because it is professional haha.

#17. “Interships” by Kristin Bixby

(4/15/10) I am in the same boat in that I have only had experience in public relations because of the classes that I have taken. I am a student-athlete, and I have not have the time to complete an internship until this summer after I graduate in May. I think it is hard for students these days to intern during school because they are involved in other activities and work jobs to pay for school. While gaining experience is crucial, I think companies and employers are much more understanding because they know the economy is bad and students have to do what they can to get by.

#18. “Informational Interview Recap” by Kristin Bixby

(4/15/10) I think it is funny that Allie described working in PR as nothing like Samantha from Sex & the City! When people ask me what public relations is, sometimes I say “oh, it is what Samantha on SATC did.” Which is obviously a silly comment because she was usually with men instead. But I definitely held a sort of stereotype that PR was all glitz and glamour before I took classes in it. It will be interesting to see how much I implement Twitter and Facebook if I decide to pursue a career in event planning or PR when I graduate. I think the profession does not get enough credit for the hard work and planning that is required!

#19. “Benefits and Pitfalls of Social Media for Jobseekers” by Kristin Bixby

(4/15/10) It is a great point that social media helps you stand out among your competitors. None of my close friends are in communications or public relations, and they are not aware of what Twitter or LinkedIn is, let alone how to run a blog. While I may complain about my online classes quite a bit, it is obviously a skill that will differentiate me from others. I try to tell my friends to start building some sort of skill with social networking sites, but it is more of a communications and public relations skill, at least for now. Until then, I will keep blogging and hope that my skills can get me a job in the near future!

#20. “Styrofoam and Social Media” by Shannon McCloud

(4/15/10) I consider myself relatively old-school when it comes to social media as well! While I have an Ipod and a cell phone, that is about as technical as I get. I would much rather be outside playing than working on the computer. I do not mind getting online from time to time, but I am pretty outgoing and talk way too much. I can not channel this easily through writing. It seems that social media is here to stay so I am going to have to suck it up and join everyone else. I find that it can be complicated, and that is one of the main reasons I do not want to use it. Oh well!

#21. “Career Fair” by Jacqueline Henry

(4/15/10) I attended a smaller career fair yesterday, and it was also my first one. I am not very shy, but I am somewhat nervous when I entered. It is kind of awkward just going up to someone and introducing yourself because you want to work for them. I think it is hard for anyone to do that, even if you are in communications. I did think the Communication Arts Career Fair had a lot more to offer for PR than a normal Career Fair at Georgia Southern would. I imagine not many PR companies would attend that because there are not that many students in PR. I am not sure if I will make any important connections in a Career Fair, but it can’t hurt to try.

#22. “Body language and Non Verbal Communication” by Jacqueline Henry

(4/15/10) It was really interesting to see all of the different actions that we do everyday and what they portray to others. I roll my eyes a lot, but I do not intend for that to be seen as rude and snobby. It is a habit I will need to fix when going on job interviews. I do tilt my head to the side all the time, and this may sound corny, but it definitely is because I am listening to what people have to say. I rub my hands a lot also, but I had no idea this means you are anticipating something. It really is interesting that the little things we do can have such a big impact on how others see us. Hopefully I can be on my best behavior when I need to be.

#23. “Twitter vs. DVR” by Kacie Whigham

(4/15/10) I had no idea that people could use Twitter and DVRs simultaneously. I love going home and watching shows on my DVR, but I never thought of the possibility of “watching” the show with others via the Internet. I would be upset if I also found something out that I didn’t want to know because someone posted it on Twitter before I got to watch a show. I think it is a creative idea, but I would much rather stick to one or the other. When I am bored, I tend to follow people on Twitter. When I watch my shows, I do just that!

#24. “My Interview with a True P.R. Pro” by Meghan Callahan

(4/15/10) That is very neat that you got to interview someone who definitely knows their stuff when it comes to public relations. I have heard of Edelman before and am so jealous that he gets to work for them in San Francisco, because that is one of my favorite cities to visit! It scares me that he says to stay up on media every day, because to be honest, I am not a fan of checking my email and blog all of the time! I think it is great that he said personality and experience make you stand out to a potential employer. Hopefully I can use those to help land a job with a PR firm soon.

#25.  “Cover Letter Tips” by Jeff Carter

(4/15/10) I agree that having a great cover letter is like putting your best foot forward for a company to see. While I used WinWay resume to create my cover letter, there are definitely some great resources online that can help you create one catered to your specific needs. I have found that I tend to use the same format for my cover letter when sending out my resume, but I tweek parts of it so that it fits the job description of what I am applying for. Cover letters. along with resumes, are always changing, and it is important to add important changes and experience to them as you change.