LinkedIn PRofile Updates!

While going through the blog posts on PR Daily, I came across an interesting and helpful post. This blog post discusses the 17 must-have features on your LinkedIn profile. I own a LinkedIn account but never knew the things you "must-have" on your account. With LinkedIn being one of the channels for job hunting and a place for employers to view your experiences, it's important to keep it updated and well organized. Below is the infographic that introduces and explains the must -haves.

Blogging Conferences: The Prep List

photo via.

Bloggers have a great opportunity to create organic and original platforms perfect for promoting various projects, clients and brands. Working with bloggers is great, as they usually operate in smaller teams and have a great passion for what they do.

As a blogger looking to work with brands and sponsors, it is so important to be sure that your blog is in tip top shape. This means creating consistent and original content, maintaining a readership and finding ways to network and engage other bloggers. A few weeks ago, I shared some 2014 blogging conferences - which are great events to network with other bloggers and learn how to enhance your online space. Before packing up and heading to a conference, there are a few things you should prepare in advance to make the most of your experience:

Streamline Your Brand Across Platforms

A common mistake that many bloggers make is loosing a consistent image across platforms. If your Twitter handle is @GreatBlogger but on Instagram it's @iLoveToBlog, it can get confusing and difficult for people to find and follow you. Decide upon one name and handle to use across every platform that you are on. 

Get Business Cards

With all of the hustle and bustle that comes with an exciting blogging conference, no one is going to have time to take out pen and paper to jot down your blog name, URL and your contact information. Have a business card that has your brand's logo and colors that lists all the basic information someone will need to reach out to you.

Prepare A Media Kit

If you plan on reaching out to brands and sponsors for potential partnerships, hit them with your best shot right off the bat! Have a one-sheet media kit with your blog's logo at the top that lists some of your online stats. These could include your monthly page views, numbers of followers on various social media platforms, a description of you and your blog and a little about your reader demographics.

Review Your Current Content

While you're networking with bloggers, you can bet that they will all be heading over to your blog to see what you're all about. Before sending everyone to your little piece of the web, be sure that you're happy with everything being presented. If you have some earlier posts that aren't really your best work, consider editing or revamping them. Make sure all photos and links are still functional and look well within the post. Consider making a fresh 'about me' page, and make your media kit available on your blog for easy access!

These are just a few items on the checklists of many bloggers heading to different conferences. Are you heading to a blog conference any time soon? How are you preparing?

Spend Spring Break Thinking About Post-Grad

Spring break is the perfect time to start thinking about post-grad opportunities. You finally have some free time to start planning your course of action.

Grad school?
Full-time internship?
Full-time job?
Travel?
Move back home?

The possibilities are endless to the point where soon-to-be graduates are practically drowning in them. If you're anything like me you have about a thousand questions and a lot of different ideas (some irrational, some totally plausible) about what's going to happen after May.

If you're considering grad school, here's a great resource from Pearson that offers the why's and why not's, FAQ's and other helpful resources to answer all your questions.

If you're not quite ready to enter the real-world workforce, a full-time internship this summer is a great alternative. You can gain more experience without the pressure of committing to a real job.

If you have a yen for travel now is the time. Ask for a trip for your graduation present! If you don't go now, you might never go at all. The only people who have more free time than recent grads are retired seniors.

Are you looking to save some money? Moving back home is something many post-grads do. As long as you're sure you're doing it to save money and not just hide from your real-world responsibilities, it can be a sensible option.

If you're totally ready to start your full-time job then spring break is the ideal time to start looking around and applying. Make a list of the places you might like to be and then search for companies, organizations or agencies in those places. Be aware of what type of environment you want to work in; is it formal where you have to wear business professional or are you looking for an informal place where you can wear jeans? A company's website can tell you a lot about the atmosphere.

Some great job resources are LinkedIn groups, Indeed.com, CareerBuilder.com or your college or university's career center!

What are some ways you're preparing for post-graduation? Not planning on looking for jobs for a while? Tell us why!

What PR Professionals Can Learn From This Girl Scout

This past President's Day, 13-year-old Girl Scout Danielle Lei decided to set up shop outside of a San Francisco medical marijuana clinic, The Green Cross. Needless to say, her Girl Scout cookie sales skyrocketed. With the help of her mother, Lei sold over 117 boxes of cookies in just two short hours. What's more? She sold 37 less boxes during the same two-hour period in front of a Safeway the following day.

Now how does this relate to public relations you ask? It's all about knowing your audience and catering to their needs. More often than not, a PR campaign will be unsuccessful if an audience is not clearly determined. Knowing your audience is the basis for every other decision made in a PR campaign. What platform should you use to reach out? Would social media be effective for this campaign or would print be more helpful? Where is the best place to set up my Girl Scout cookie stand? These are questions that can only be answered by first pinpointing who your campaign is trying to reach.

Lei and her mother did that very effectively when setting out to sell their Girl Scout cookies this year. "It's no secret that cannabis is a powerful appetite stimulant, so we knew this would be a very beneficial endeavor for the girls," said Holli Bert, a staff member at The Green Cross, in an email to Mashable. Not only did the Leis choose a key demographic of customers, but they did so by thinking creatively.

The answer to the lofty, "So who is my audience" question, isn't always black and white. Because that is left up to the discretion of the PR practitioner, it leaves a lot of room for interpretation. When developing a campaign, be open and flexible when determining your audience. You may be closing off your campaign to an entire demographic that could really respond to the message you are trying to convey.

Have you ever had an experience where an audience could make or break your efforts? How did you handle it? Share below!

PR’s Generation Gap

At Sunday dinners, I can usually predict the questions my Poppop will ask me: ”How are your classes?” “Are any boys bothering you?” “You’re not walking anywhere alone, right?” However, at our last family dinner, he threw me a curve ball by asking, “So what exactly is it that you do?” I had no response. An image I saw from a PR daily article popped into my head.

Before I could respond, he asked “spin stuff?” My mouth dropped open. My Poppop has been known to use four-letter words from time to time, but I could not believe he used THIS four-letter word! I started rambling off anything to make him believe PR is anything but spin. But looking back it makes me wonder, is there a generation gap surrounding PR?

Of course in the picture above there is a big question mark above “what my parents (and grandparents) think I do.” Being a veteran, my Poppop thinks of PR as propaganda rallying for the World Wars and protesting Vietnam. PR professionals were the ones “behind the scenes” to play up JFK’s young, attractive image and use it against Nixon.  He remembers them as the ones who “spun” scandals to cover political leaders. Remember learning about the Watergate scandal? How about Clinton’s famous lines “I did not have sexual relations with that woman?”

How do people see PR now? Well, the Samantha Joneses of the world would describe it as event planning, attending galas and getting your client to appear at the hottest places.  Just take a look at “what my friends think I do.” Not to mention, the belief PR professionals are glued to their smart phones tweeting like crazy (we DO still check Facebook!).

Both generations have it wrong! PR involves so much more than rescuing a politician or planning a gala. It takes the ability to think on your feet. The press release is not totally dead, so you need to be a strong writer. PR people must keep up with the latest news. You must understand the media’s side and know how to pitch journalists. Having a business sense is also highly recommended. PR is job that takes years to build up credibility and only a second to destroy it. If we really did “what our friends think we do” there would be a lot more broken AP style rules in our writing.

There are a million ways to describe what “we actually do.” But is there just one definition? Definitely not. How do you define PR?

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Lauren Bentley.

#SochiProblems: The Many Olympic PR Issues of the 2014 Winter Games

The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, began on February 7, 2014, with a memorable opening ceremony of Russian culture and history – as well as a mishap when only 4 out of 5 giant snowflakes electronically morphed into Olympic rings. Some would say that this electronic malfunction would prove to only be the beginning of many problems experienced during the Sochi Olympics. However, controversies surrounded the Winter Games months before the opening ceremony.

The Sochi Winter Olympics cost more than the sum of all previous Winter Olympics – a total of over fifty billion dollars, much of which was embezzled or mismanaged. But was this price really worth it for Russia’s President Vladimir Putin? I don’t believe so, particularly because, generally, news reports surrounding the games have not involved the actual sports. Rather, they have discussed Russia’s issues with human rights, anti-gay propaganda laws, and extreme Islamist terrorist groups. As well, Sochi’s contracted killings of hundreds of stray dogs have sparked an outrage with organizations like the Humane Society.

Apart from sociopolitical controversies, Russia has dealt with backlash from athletes, reporters, and visitors who are experiencing less than ideal conditions in Sochi. Reports have flourished from unhappy tourists complaining about uncovered potholes on walkways, contaminated water, unsanitary bathrooms with toilets placed directly next to each other, and unfinished hotel rooms that lack light bulbs, chairs, and even doorknobs. From these issues has arisen the infamous Twitter account, @SochiProblems. Equipped with the hashtag “SochiProblems,” tourists staying in Sochi are live-tweeting posts and pictures depicting the problems they are encountering.

These are just some of the many examples of Sochi’s poor planning in preparation for the Winter Olympics. So what have they done to fix the situation? They’ve made it much worse.

Instead of apologizing for the abhorrent lack of planning and the many head-scratching procedures taken to fix Sochi’s issues, Russian President Putin blamed Western civilization for its criticism and compared the criticism to that of the Cold War’s ambitions to hold back the Soviet Union. Additionally, on the same day that Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak asked gay visitors, “Please don’t touch the kids,” he also let it slip that there were cameras in hotel room showers.

PR people know that to fix a crisis, you don’t point fingers. Putin should’ve owned up to his (many) mistakes, and accepted that they were trying to fix them the best way they could. With Kozak, well, he could really use Olivia Pope right about now.  

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Tyler Cameron.

Live-Tweeting Tips

With a few national and regional conferences under my belt, I have truly embraced live-tweeting. It is a really easy way to generate meaningful content for your Twitter account - if it is done well.

Be sure to keep the following tips in mind, provided by this PR Daily article, to ensure you are adding value to the conversation and remember to have a charger handy because live-tweeting definitely drains a smartphone's battery!

1. Use the event hashtag

If there isn’t an event hashtag, make one up. Just keep it short, because every character counts. Using a hashtag will group all your tweets, enabling people searching for the event hashtag (or the hashtag you think up) to find them. It also makes it clear to your followers that you are tweeting about a certain event , not just spouting off random sound bites.

2. Tag speakers and companies in your tweets

This will not only make your presence known to those participating, but will also increase your chances of being retweeted.

3. Engage with other live-tweeters

Use the hashtag to search for others who are tweeting and start a conversation. From there, you can always ask to take the conversation offline.

4. Don’t tweet too much

You will overwhelm your regular followers who will not appreciate a barrage of out-of-context tweets. Though there is no ideal number of tweets, you should decide where the balance lies between over-dominating the conversation and not contributing enough.

5. Take pictures, and incorporate them into your tweets

Tweets with pictures are 94 percent more likely to be retweeted, according to Social News Daily, so use that camera.

Three Things to Leave Off Your Resume!

Writing your resume can be bane to your existence. I am certain having a resume near perfect is something we all want.  It's always confusing as to what should be included on your resume. Some of us struggle with condensing the information included on our resume or even figuring out whats important to include.

Below are things you should leave off your resume:

1. Awards and Hobbies- Including your awards and hobbies isn't really necessary to include on your resume. It's important to keep the information on your resume directed to the position you are applying for. Employers are not interested in what you really do for fun, they are more interested in what you can bring to the table.

2. Excessive Formatting-  Be consistent in your resume. Having consistency will make it easier for the recruiter to go through your resume.

3. Lists of tasks for each job-  Its more beneficial to inform the recruiter on what you accomplished from a position rather than stating what your daily duties were.

Why Are PR Students Taking Jobs in Other Fields?

As graduation looms closer each day, the job hunt has begun for many college seniors. When chatting with fellow classmates about where they might see themselves post-grad, many have told me that they have no intention of actually going into public relations. To a PR-obsessed person like me, this sounds absurd (why would you ever want to do anything else, am I right?) but it's something that actually happens a lot.

There are several reasons why people who have dedicated four years of their life to studying this field might not want to end up in it:

Lack of internships
Classroom learning is great, but there's nothing like the real thing. If you don't get internships in college you have no way of learning the ins and outs of real-world public relations. It's a lot more hands-on and a lot more fun.

Letting a bad experience change your path
A lot of people have had that one teacher who told them "you're not going to make any money" "all you do is busy work" and that deters them from wanting to pursue a career in PR. Rather than take one person's opinions and basing your decisions on them, make sure you're asking around and seeing what the reality is.

PR was never what you wanted to do in the first place
Public relations, marketing and advertising go hand-in-hand and every university has a different way of teaching each subject. Sometimes the three are integrated in classroom teachings and sometimes they are kept completely separate. In the case of schools that keep them separate, you might come in thinking you want to do PR, not really understanding what it's all about and actually marketing would be a better fit--but you'll never know. Make sure you do a lot of research before you choose your major and always, always take classes outside of your field!

Of course there are people who spend all four years studying a subject and just end up finding a different path that works better for them. That's great! Before you make that crucial choice, make sure you're doing it for the right reasons.

Have you or someone you know experienced this? Share your story!

How About A Trade?

Trading a service for a service is not a new concept and with more and more small businesses sprouting up, trading is becoming increasingly popular. Because most small businesses don't have a huge stream of income just yet, trading services is extremely beneficial for both parties. If you are looking to do some public relations work of your own but need a few more resources, trading is a great idea. Here are few ways that it can be a very useful tool.

Everyone benefits. While trading may appear to mainly benefit the small business or freelancer, the point of trading is so that everyone gets something they need. For instance, if a small blog team is in need of professional head shots, they can offer the photographer free promotion on social media and a blog post highlighting their work in exchange for those shots. It should foster a symbiotic relationship.

Your network increases. By reaching out to multiple outside parties, you are reaching out to potential clients. Every connection made, whether a trade develops from it or not, is a connection that can be beneficial in the future. That's why keeping in touch with different contacts is so important. You never know how they can help you, or how you can help them, in the future.

Anyone can do it! Something I occasionally fail to realize is that my resources are not limited to my own circle. Networking and trading allows absolutely anyone to go beyond the means of their own group of colleagues and introduce themselves to new possibilities. You may have something to offer that others never knew about and by expanding your scope, you also expand the group of people who are aware of your services as well.

Is there a service you could use or something you can offer? Share your thoughts on trading below!

Event Recap: Stockton PRSSA’s #CommIn14

This past weekend I had the chance to connect with The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey’s chapter of PRSSA while attending their networking event, Communication Innovation 2014: A Puzzle Piece To Your Future. I first met Stockton PRSSA President, Siera Smith, at the PRSSA National Conference this past October. I was so excited to see what this new chapter had in store for their inaugural event.

The event began with opening remarks from Siera as well as Stockton College President, Dr. Herman Saatkamp. Shortly after lunch, keynote speaker, Jessica Levin took the stage. Jessica Levin, MBC, CMP, CAE is the president and chief connector of Seven Degrees Communication, LLC. Her lecture primarily focused on the newest ways to communicate in our digital world. Here are some key points I took away from her lecture:

1. Digital is no longer a strategy, it is a way of life.
2. We live in a customized world, it's in demand, & it's efficient.
3. Getting your message on traditional media is NOT enough.
4. Renting, sharing, and subscribing is not new or different, it just embraces new technology

Congrats to Stockton PRSSA on a flawless and informative event! We look forward to collaborating soon!

Self-Discipline is Key!

As I move forward on my journey at college, I could not help but realize how important it is to be disciplined. You could  have the meanest writing style, perfect responses in classes or the best ideas but without discipline, these skills will not be enhanced. Discipline is truly key. Being disciplined can make things flow much easier in your life and it can make you become more motivated.

Most of my friends are currently seniors and everyday I listen to them complain about having "senioritis" and not being motivated in their last semester. Having discipline seems to be an issue for some college students. Hence, this blog post. Below are some key elements to build your self-discipline.

1. Understanding YOU-  To me, in order to be discipline, you truly need to understand who you are as an individual. What areas are you falling short in your life? What things are you procrastinating on doing? Firstly, answer these questions and it can give you a clearer understanding on where your head is at.

2. Knowing your priorities- If you don't know your priorities, you really can't be disciplined. Knowing your priorities in itself is a form of discipline. So therefore straighten your priorities and this can increase your self-discipline.

3. Make a schedule-  Scheduling your time is a perfect trait to have. When you make a schedule you are giving your self something to follow and in a timely manner. This can definitely increase your discipline.

4. Just Do IT!-  Yes Nike said it, Just do it! The more you keep putting things off is the more your self discipline deteriorates. Put your mind to it and complete your task. I promise you will feel a sense of relief and fulfillment when you complete your tasks.

5. Give yourself a reward- Every now and again we all need to give ourselves a little pat on the back. If you completed something in the time you allotted, guess what? You are being disciplined! So therefore reward yourself!

Are there any other ways you can build your self-discipline? Let us know! 

Stereotypes of Corporate PR

While many assume that all PR professionals practice the profession in the same way, nothing could be further from the truth. While we all share many similar daily tasks, such as writing or monitoring press, our day-to-activities differ based on our industry of choice. The PR professional who works for a boutique fashion public relations agency in a big city likely has a different experience than the PR professional who works for a large pharmaceutical company.

Our varying experiences are what make public relations such a unique and exciting field. As PR professionals, we are able to find our small niche in the huge ocean of skill sets and talents that make up our blossoming and ever growing industry. However, though we like to believe we can, no PR professional can experience every aspect of the industry. We play to our strong suits, and go for the areas of PR most appealing and interesting to us.

So, what about all of the other areas of PR that we don’t get to experience? Well, if you’re anything like me, you likely generalize, speculate, and sadly, stereotype that field. We make assumptions based on what we think it would be like to work in those jobs.

Over the years, I’ve held various internships, all in the lifestyle or non-profit sectors of PR. I’ve loved every project and client I’ve gotten to assist with, and definitely found my niche. I know that I enjoy these areas because I’ve actually had the chance to experience them for myself. I’ve always attested that I would never want to work in corporate communications. My reasoning behind this assertion, of course, was based deeply on assumptions and stereotypes. It wasn’t until I had the chance to hear from someone who works in corporate communications that I realized I may be jumping the gun with my judgments.

Here are 4 stereotypes I held about the corporate PR world: 

1. Corporate PR really just means covering up the scandals of top level CEOs. The sentiment that the corporate world is held by many non-corporate professionals. We take what we've heard about one group of people, and apply it to the masses. Not every company is comprised of these "bad apples."

2. There is no sense of true fulfillment in the corporate world. Because everyone is busy either contributing to or covering up all of those scandals right? No, wrong! The bottom line is, fulfillment comes from knowing that you are using your talents in a way that benefits someone or something in the best way possible. You don't have to be an entrepreneur or freelancer to know this feeling. Many larger corporations work hard to support the interest of their customers and employees, even going as far to support numerous philanthropic causes.

3. Everyone who works in a corporate environment only cares about the bigger salary. All companies have a mission and vision, and there employees should always be people who believe that they would be best to carry out that mission and vision. Are the big bucks in corporate PR? Sure. But assuming that the money is the only thing that would draw someone is pretty ridiculous.

4. Every corporation is the same. The same way that every PR professional works to find their niche, companies are also doing the same. We are so quick to place everyone under the large masking umbrella of "the corporate world" that we forget about the uniqueness and individuality each company has to offer.

Do you find yourself stereotyping or generalizing other industries? What assumptions have you made? What assumptions do you think other professionals make about your industry?

Brand Now!

It's come to my attention that a lot of college students still fail to realize the importance of personal branding. While it may seem like something reserved for full-time professionals, having a personal brand as a student will make it that much easier when you go out into the real world. Here are a few reasons why branding today is so important.

• Prepares you. If you start branding yourself early, you won't have a huge learning curve coming out of college. Branding now will allow you to be well-prepared and already create an established niche for yourself. 
• Focuses you. Once you begin to brand yourself, one central focus for all of your platforms becomes much easier. You begin to speak in the same voice both online and in person. Suddenly the transition from student to professional becomes a lot less intimidating and much more natural.
• Sets you apart. Because many students still have not taken the time to develop their personal brand, or just don't understand the importance of it, having your brand fully established will allow you to stand out. Professionals recognize when a student cares about their own professional development. It shows them that you are eager to learn and ready to work hard. 

The phrase, "Dress like the job you want, not the job you have," is definitely applicable here. It may seem overwhelming, or even unnecessary, to develop a brand while in college but doing so now will set you up for success later. 

Have you begun to develop your own personal brand? If so, share a few tips with how you accomplished that below!

Tips to Promote New iPhone Applications

To start off the spring semester, I received an internship to promote and market a new iPhone application called Memento.  Memento is an application used to share private videos to individual contacts while incorporating captions and filters.  Creatively, there is a new update that allows users to also save those videos to a playlist where the user can play them back to back like a movie. 

Download Memento here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id734609790?ls

This internship has been very rewarding and students are starting to try Memento and really enjoy the app.  But just because this application is well liked, does not mean it was easy to promote. Thus, I faced a few challenges when considering how to market this new social media app to the public at Temple. 

Convincing people to download an app can be easy, but having them become frequent users is the challenge, especially with an application that has no initial product.  Sure, it would be nice to hand out some free stuff as long as you download, but that’s not the case for my internship.  When you market/promote an app that has no initial product, here are some suggestions I’ve utilized while promoting Memento on Temple’s campus.

1. Word of mouth: Most of the apps you have on your iPhone you downloaded after a friend told you about them.  Share the app with your friends and have them jump on board!  Their interest in the application will have a domino effect and spread the word.

2. Flyers/Chalking: Handing out flyers can help with initial downloads, but not guarantee frequent users.  Follow up with chalking up your campus sidewalks with catchy phrases to download the app!  More people will be inclined to see what the buzz is about.

3. Create a social Media account: Twitter and Facebook pages are great ways to get the word out there in mass quantities.

4. Greek life/Organizations:  Greek life and other campus organizations usually have leadership positions that can help get the word out about your product. Many have social media accounts they control.  Find out who controls what and utilize their social media presence.

5. Utilize Team Work:  Campus rep internships are very common. Work together with another campus rep to hold an event and promote each other!  Both of you will benefit. 

6. School news paper/other publications:  Having a newsletter or article published about the application you are promoting can be very beneficial.  Many schools have student run newspapers and organizations have blogs or websites!

How would you be innovative while promoting a new product? Share below!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Brittany Barish.

Don't Get Lost in the Shuffle

Have a pitch or a press release but don’t know who to reach out to or how to make sure it gets covered? Though we often know what to pitch, we are left with this lingering question. Faced with this problem myself, I created my own list of tips based on an article by PR Daily. Follow these tips to make sure your pitch doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.

Bright and Early: Between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. is the best time to send pitches to journalists. Not only will yours most likely be one of the first emails they see when they open their inbox in the morning, but it will also ensure that their newspaper or air-time spots won’t be filled by the time they read your pitch. Sending pitches in the morning also allows for your press release or pitch to be discussed at morning editorial meetings, increasing your chance of getting covered sooner rather than later.

Tuesday is the New Monday: If you send a pitch email on a Monday morning, chances are it will get lost in the shuffle of weekend emails. What isn’t breaking news, most journalists will leave in their inbox until Monday morning. By waiting until Tuesday, your pitch has a greater chance of being read and getting covered.

Build Mutually Beneficial Relationships: Build relationships with the people you are pitching to. If you have a pitch that is either time-sensitive or not as news-worthy, these reporters that you have either helped in the past or befriended are more likely to cover your story. If you’re pitching to one reporter frequently, you can also ask them when they personally prefer receiving pitches.

Cover All of Your Bases: It never hurts to pitch to more than one contact. By sending your pitches and press releases to both reporters and the news desk, if the reporter is busy covering another story, the editor might assign your story to another reporter who isn’t!

Do you have any of your own tips about when and how you think is best to pitch to journalists? Let us know! 

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Rute Barkai

Searching for Your First Internship? Find One That Suits Your Interests

Finding an internship is tricky especially for your first one. With so many options to choose from where do you start?

For me, I thought about what area of public relations I would enjoy working in, and this ultimately pointed me in the right direction. I have always had a passion for photography and dance. My mom instilled in me a love for documenting everything, and I also have been dancing for 14 years studying ballet and pointe.

At Temple University, I received an email about an internship with the community relations department at The Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia and it definitely caught my eye. I previously heard of the dance School and knew they trained several professional dancers including Beckanne Sisk, who is now on CW’s show Breaking Pointe.

Before I applied, I made sure to research the school. I looked over their website and saw that the department does both public relations internally and externally in the community. I applied, interviewed for the position and have been interning there since September. It has been such a great experience writing pieces for their newsletter and assisting with events. I recently renewed the internship for this semester.

One reason I love this internship is because I am back in the dance industry. For 14 years, I was just a dancer taking classes and performing. Now, I am able to assist behind the scenes and learn what happens to make shows a success. This has fueled my love for my internship because I am so invested in their mission to provide excellence in dance training. It is great to see — through my press releases and pitches — that I am helping raise money to provide opportunities for the School’s dancers.

In addition, I have utilized my past experiences as a former dancer to develop strategies that promote the School and its mission to the community. Overall, I love how I am able to combine my passion for dance and public relations in a way that not only benefits The Rock School and its dancers but also myself.

Finding your first internship can be hard because there are so many to choose from. The first thing to do is look for internships that relate to your interests or hobbies. Like many people say if you do something you love, you will never work a day in your life. If you search for internships locally, it will be easier for you to travel and start small, but gain valuable experience along the way. If you enjoy using a company’s products or services, see if they have an internship available. Be proactive in your search and take chances — every internship is a learning experience.

What internship will your interests lead you to?

Written by PRowl staff member Shaun Luberski, this blog post was recently published on PRSSA National blog Progressions.

6 Amazing Conferences for Bloggers

The blogging industry, which started as a small community, has now blossomed into a booming marketplace. Bloggers are no longer just consumers and small time writers with a hobby, they are brands and small business professionals. Just like professionals in any other industry, bloggers are always looking for ways to grow their blogs and brands, network with other bloggers and become even better at what they do.

Where do they go to do this? Blogging conferences!

Over the years, blogging conferences have become increasingly popular. Bloggers are packing up their business cards and media kits and heading all over the globe for the love of their craft. These conferences are not only a great place for bloggers to mix and mingle with one another, but also to get in front of brands they want to work with and really show what they're mad of. It isn't uncommon for bloggers to leave these conferences with fresh ideas for contents and a few collaborations or sponsorships underway.

There are blogging conferences popping up all over, but here are six that I feel are worth checking out:

New York Internet Week

• When: May 19 - 25, 2014
• Where: New York City
• What: NYC Internet Week celebrates the creative entrepreneur and the ever growing tech community in the city. Media, innovators and creatives alike can get together to brainstorm and review what's next for the tech community.

Cybher

• When: May 31, 2014
• Where: United Kingdom
• What: Cybher is one of the UK's largest and most anticipated events for bloggers. From eye-opening sessions to inspirational and successful guest speakers, Cybher helps bloggers and influencers reach their next level.

Blogacademy

• When: Multiple Dates
• Where: Multiple Locations
• What: Blogacademy is a two day world-wide workshop for bloggers looking to grow their presence and following online. Run by three incredibly well-known and successful bloggers - Gala Darling (Gala Darling), Kat Williams (Rock n Roll Bride) and Shauna Haider (Nubby Twiglet) - Blogacademy is great for any blogger looking to reach the next level in their online career.

Camp Blogaway

• When: May 16-18, 2014
• Where: Redlands, CA
• What: An ideal getaway for food and recipe bloggers, Camp Blogaway is a two day bootcamp that teaches everything from SEO to understanding how to work with PR professionals. Registration fees include food and lodging. Sponsors of the retreat are also "campers," giving bloggers a chance to mix and mingle with brands and reps in a comfortable setting.

Alt NYC

• When: TBA
• Where: NYC
• For information on other ALT locations, visit their website.
• What: ALT was created to help build blogs and foster growth in businesses. Bringing together creative thinkers and business owners in one place allows both bloggers and sponsors to meet, mix and mingle together. ALT is a great way to grow current relationships with bloggers and sponsors, and make tons of new ones!

Alt for Everyone

• When: TBA
• Where: Online
• What: Alt for Everyone is the online version of the amazing Alt Summit Conferences. Classes are taught by your favorite talented bloggers, and are brought to you by fantastic sponsors you've been dying to meet. As an added perk, you'll even receive a box of gifts — think of it as your conference goody bag — mailed right to your door.

Have you ever attended a blogging conference? Will you be adding any of these to your calendar? For information on registration costs and other fees for the conferences above, click the links to visit their websites!

How to Deal with a Bad Boss

If you've never had a boss that you considered bad, you're a very lucky individual. I've been working since I was 15 at a variety of jobs so I've encountered a few.  Sometimes they down-right don't know what they're doing and sometimes they're selfish and mean. Other times they're nice people, they just don't have the proper education and training to be in charge of other people.

There is one bright side of having a bad boss. It's character building and it teaches you a very valuable lesson: how to deal with difficult people. That's important, since you're going to come across more eventually.

If you do happen to have a boss that you just don't get along with but you have to stick out the job for a while, here are some tips I've learned to make life easier for everyone:

1. Don't take things too personally. This is pretty hard, but chances are your boss is treating everyone poorly, not just you. If that isn't the case...you should really reevaluate how badly you need the job.
2. Remember there are always other options. If it's your first internship or real job a bad boss can really discourage you from continuing a career in that industry. Don't think that way! The majority of people in the world really are nice and want you to succeed, so go out and find some of them.
3. Focus on the better things. Do you love your co-workers? Great! Hang out with them and try and stay out of your mean boss's way.
4. Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself. If your boss is treating you unfairly or makes you feel down every day, just tell them. Not everyone is empathetic so they might not realize they're really hurting your feelings and effecting you.

Have you ever had to deal with an issue like this? Help others in similar situations and tell us what you did!

Although I've dealt with some bad bosses, I've found myself in an internship with a boss I really enjoy working with. You just have to keep searching and the right fit will come around.

The Smartest Super Bowl Commercial

It seems the general consensus about the Super Bowl commercials is that they were overall a bit...underwhelming this year. However, the first commercial to air after the big game caused a huge buzz on Twitter. Esurance aired a commercial promoting a contest they are hosting worth $1.5 million! Within seconds of the commercial airing, #EsuranceSave30 was already trending on Twitter and is still trending today worldwide.

Although this commercial created plenty of publicity for Esurance and its contest, it also opened the door for plenty of scamming accounts including @EsuranceSavings, @EsuranceWin, and @MillionEsurance. (For public knowledge, the only account affiliated with the contest is @Esurance.)

Regardless of the potential scams, Esurance's contest promotion via Twitter was a huge success. It seems the most intelligent Super Bowl commercials over the past few years have been incorporating social media. In fact, public relations professionals began using #BrandBowl to discuss the brands' new tactics of utilizing Twitter as opposed to solely relying on the Super Bowl commercials alone. Not only were companies tweeting things related to their commercials, they also tweeted amongst each other.

This new trend shows no sign of slowing down. Integrating social media into their advertisements allows companies to speak directly to their consumers and, in turn, builds a sense of brand loyalty and good relationships.

What do you think about the spike in social media advertising? Share your thoughts below!