Ready, Set, Conference!

It is time to register for PRSSA National Conference 2014! Last year, I had the honor of attending National Conference in Philadelphia. I attended with several of Temple’s PRSSA and PRowl members, and it was one of the best weeks of my life. Each day was filled with a variety of sessions, networking events and career opportunities. It was such a rewarding experience, and I learned more 5 days about public relations than I did my whole freshman year.

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There are a countless number of benefits of attending this conference. Here are just four reasons why you should register for conference!

1.     Find your way in public relations

As a student, finding a particular type of public relations to work in is extremely difficult. There is nonprofit or corporate or agency or sports or publicity… the list goes on and on. Luckily, there were sessions for all of these at conference. Some of the sessions I attended included “Step up to the Plate: Sports PR,” “Fashion PR: More than Selling Items in a Store” and “Juggling Life at an Agency.” Each had a handful of professional that told stories of their experiences, weighed the pros and cons of each industry and of course answered questions. I enjoyed the session and wish I could’ve attended all of them, but it solidified my interest in working at an agency.

2.     Learn a little each day

The whole experience is such a great learning experience. I got tips on how to best pitch stories to the media, how to stand out in an interview and write a strong cover letter to prospective employers. The best thing I did to absorb as much information as possible was always have my notebook on me. I took notes at each Keynote and session. I now can go back and utilize the advice from all of these professionals and put it to use at my future internships and jobs.

3.     Network, network, network

Being at conference was such a unique experience. I participated in a Twitter chat hosted by PRSSA National a couple of weeks before the conference. The chat included tips of what to bring and expect for first time conference goers. The whole night I was favoriting and following fellow eager public relations students. Later, I went back and direct messaged them and talked about with they do for their PRSSA chapter and where they’ve interned for. Then at conference, it was easy to meet up with them and talk in person. I also made sure to sit next to other students at the sessions rather than Temple friends to branch out and introduce myself. Lastly, there was a career fair where I talked to different firms and companies about their internship opportunities.

4.     Travel

Being in Philadelphia last year wasn’t too exciting since I grew up right around the city, but students from other schools loved going to the landmarks like the Love Statue, Liberty Bell, the Art Museum steps and more. Washington D.C. will be just as great with all of the historic memorial and monuments. I have been on family vacations to D.C. a couple of times and love going to the free Smithsonian museums and memorials. Conference is like a mini field trip away from school. Take the time after sessions and lunch breaks to go explore the capital!

Conference is a unique and highly rewarding experience. It is the prime place for anyone interested in public relations even if you’re majoring in marketing or journalism. It’ll show you new opportunities to grow and learn.

Register for the 2014 PRSSA National Conference here. I hope to see you in D.C in October! 

This guest blog post was written by PRowl staff member Shaun Luberski.