#WhatShouldWeCallMe? My Last Blog Post!

As this is my last post for the PRowl blog, I find myself looking back on the semester and the hard work myself and the rest of the PRowl team has done to provide readers with useful, informative posts. Aside from professionalism, blogs can be entertaining as well (Gasp!). My final post will focus on one of my favorite blogs and the laughs it has given me (most of the time in public) during study and homework breaks, or after a long day at the internship.

The Tumblr blog, #WhatShouldWeCallMe has taken Twitter and Facebook shares by storm, providing .gifs (moving bitmap images) that take popular culture images and poke fun at common life moments that we can all relate to. After viewing a few of these Tumblr posts (or 50), I questioned who actually made these and how they acquired such an impressive follow base. A Forbes article answered at least one of my questions about the #WhatShouldWeCallMe founders and why they created the site.

Two 24-year-old Law students that spent four years of their college lives together as roommates and were unsure how they would keep their inside jokes alive when they moved 3,000 miles away from each other. Instead of explaining how they felt through email chats, they would send these little .gifs to entertain each other. In the interview, they explained that the images are usually funny by themselves, but with an unrelated caption, it is even funnier. Both women operate differently when deciding how to caption and find these .gifs, and even though ads have started to surface on the site, they still want it to be solely a place for others to enjoy their inside jokes.

Clearly the site has gained Internet fame without even really trying. Just a month after the blog was created, it gained more than 50,000 followers, getting in between one and two million pages views per day. Read the full interview here as I leave you with my current favorite, just in time for the end of final season.  

"After my Last Final"

What is your favorite .gif? Have you seen this blog before?

PRowl's Seniors

PRowl is so PRoud of our seniors!

Doug Bennett (Account Executive &

Director of Finance)

Doug is currently interviewing for corporate communications positions and is now an intern at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. During the summer, Doug will begin studying for the LSATs and then apply to law schools.

Emily Ascani (Assistant Firm Director)

Emily will be continuing to intern full time this summer as a Public & Media Relations intern at Morgan Lewis, a law firm in Center City. She is looking for an entry-level public relations position in the Philadelphia area, concentrating in hospitality, tourism & corporate or agency public relations. She is interested in utilizing her skills in social media, editing, writing and blogging.

Steve Jacobs (Staff Member)



Steven Jacobs will graduate this May with a bachelor of the arts degree in strategic communication, public relations concentration. He is currently in the interviewing stages of his job search, while finishing up his internship at Philadelphia Parks & Recreation. He hopes to stay in Philadelphia and land a job doing public relations for the City.

Kurie Fitzgerald (Staff Member)

After graduation Kurie will have a paid internship/PR coordinator training position with Van Eperen & Company in Rockville, Md. VE&Co's mainly focus is strategic communications consulting. Kurie plans on visiting Chicago the week after graduation and Canada during the summer. 



Frank Kunkle (Staff Member)

Frank will be continuing his internship at University of the Sciences while looking for a career in higher education. Whether corporate or nonprofit, Frank envisions working in a PR/marketing role. He would like to stay in Philadelphia for at least a few more years before thinking about moving to another city. 

Alex Crispino (Account Executive)

Alex Crispino will be graduating Magna Cum Laude and staying in the Philadelphia area. She is hoping to start her career at a Philadelphia agency and plans to eventually return to graduate school. Feel free to reach Alex on Twitter: @alexcharli.

Niki Ianni (Firm Director)

Niki Ianni is proud to be a May 2012 Temple Graduate with a degree in Strategic Communication and a concentration in Public Relations. With her sights set on nonprofit public relations, she is packing up her bags and moving to Washington, D.C., to pursue exciting career opportunities. With a passion for animal welfare and advocacy and a love for her two cats, Niki hopes to work in an organization that makes large strides and impacts in the animal world. She is incredibly excited about the adventures to come living in the nation's capitol.

We wish you all the best!

Getting the Best Info from your Informational Interview

As a soon-to-be college graduate, (eek!) the job search is in full-force and I have my first informational interview today. While it could seem self-explanatory, it is important to have a focus so you create a professional image for yourself while getting valuable information about a company/position. Even if they currently don't have any jobs available, show genuine interest and remain engaged so that they may consider you in the future if something does open up. Below I have outlined some tips that have helped me get a well-rounded experience in an informational interview:

• Come prepared. You don't want to waste the person's precious time. Even if you have to write them down in your portfolio, have some questions ready so that the conversation isn't lacking and you're getting the feedback you want.
• Keep it quick. Continuing to respect the employee answering your questions, don't let the session go longer than 30-45 minutes. They will appreciate you coming in, but you don't want to overstay your welcome or keep them from their work. Sometimes the most efficient way for them could be a phone interview, so make sure you allow them to have that option. 
• Be honest. You have obviously done some research on the company if you are genuinely interested in them, so think outside the box and ask what you really want to know. Questions such as, "What does a daily day of work look like for you?", "What are your favorite/least favorite things about the job?" and "What is the biggest challenge working here?", etc. are good starting points. 
• Do NOT come out and ask for it! If they think you would be a good fit for a position there, they will ask for your resume. Asking for a job can make the interview feel awkward and the value can be lost if they are distracted by your inquiry. 
• Follow up. This is a crucial step after your informational interview. Many people disregard thank you notes as unnecessary, but it can really set you a part if they receive a handwritten note in a reasonable time frame after the interview. Try to avoid an email thank you, it is less personable and can be deleted in the time it would even take them to open an envelope to a note. 

Have you had any informational interviews? What worked/didn't work?

Extra! Extra! Tweet all about it!

With the enormous growth of smart phones, nearly half of Americans are receiving their local news via mobile devices. We've seen the changing industry of print journalism, making transitions to subscription-based online accounts and many news outlets creating a presence for themselves on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter (at least if they know what's good for them).

The art of journalism isn't going away, it's just changing. With the growth of "citizen journalism" by users posting their own news, quality reporting is still in high demand. The way we look for and process information today is changing as technology evolves.

While social media is seen as the shiny new toy for a source of news and communication, especially for Gen Y, there can be positives and negatives to these sites as sources for news dissemination:

Pros:

• Immediacy: Breaking news is only considered breaking for that second it takes for someone to tweet or post news on Facebook. Depending on how large the network, this piece of news can reach a larger audience than a newspaper would ever be able to reach.
  
• Accessibility: Mobile phones can go anywhere to capture the scoop via posting photos and videos, especially where TV cameras can't.
  
• Everyone can do it: Any user can post something instantaneously as they are seeing something they consider newsworthy, depending on the audience.
  

Cons:

• Length of story: Especially on Twitter, stories have to be reduced to 140 characters in order to post. Usually links are provided to the entire article, although many users may not click on them if they get the instant summary they need from the post.
  
• Inaccuracy: Since everyone is trying to be the first to break the story, the time to fact-check may be overlooked. More research into the story needs to be done to provide a comprehensive news story that readers can trust.
• Compromised integrity: Journalist's roles are altered now that everyone can be their own journalist. They have to change their style and way of writing to adapt to the quick transmission of information and the way that users want to get this information.
  

How has your news consumption changed? What are some other pros and cons you have encountered?

To see the Infographic for social media and traditional journalism, click here.

Tips to Tackle your Job Hunt

From experience, I know that looking for a job after graduation can seem like a full-time job in itself. Balancing classes, work, interning and everything else the tips I have outlined below really come in handy:

• Be realistic. You know yourself and your skill set, keep them in mind when applying for jobs so that you can identify something you can actually offer the company.
• Know what you want. While it isn't uncommon that your first job will be one that you don't want, narrow down your choices by looking for companies you like with positions you are actually qualified for, and apply.
• Find a mentor. Especially if you are a recent graduate, a professor, advisor or someone close to you that can help you look over your writing samples, resume, cover letter, etc. can give you piece of mind and motivation to keep moving forward.
• Approach companies. While most people choose not to do this, looking on a company's website or making a few phone calls to a company you REALLY want to work for, could help set you a apart enough to get an informational interview and remembered if a spot opens up.
  

What tips have helped you in the job search? To read more tips click here.

Facebook's Pocket Change

Just yesterday, Facebook announced that they purchased the young start-up, Instagram for the price of $1 billion in cash and shares.

With the growth of mobile use for social media sites like Facebook, it is not surprising that they are taking advantage of their wealth to enhance their photo-uploading features with a program like Instagram. Based in San Francisco, Instagram has been growing rapidly as a photo-sharing application for iPhones, with over 30 million users. Now that they have adapted to Google's Android just last week, they got more than a million users in just over 12 hours of it being available.

Apparently the purchase does not mean that Instagram is going away, they are simply going to be incorporating it into Facebook's huge following of users to expand their network, according to CEO Kevin Systrom.

Facebook CEO and Founder, Mark Zuckerberg, said in a press release for the announcement, "For years, we've focused on building the best experience for sharing photos with your friends and family. Now, we'll be able to work even more closely with the Instagram team to also offer the best experiences for sharing beautiful mobile photos with people based on your interests."

Hm. Based on our interests? This seems like another way for Facebook to directly advertise to user accounts by recording what photos they upload.

What do you think about Facebook's new purchase? Do you use Instagram?

Read the full press release here.

Are Social Media Sites too Feminine?

With the growth of social media use and social networking over the past decade, it is easy to examine today which sites, if any, are geared towards a specific sex. A recent article from ABC News questioned social media sites and if they are too feminine for male users.

Surprisingly enough, while Facebook has an overwhelming following of 850 million men, they are more likely to "like" something and add friends, but not comment and interact with their "friends." Women make up 58% of Facebook's users and are doing most of the updating and commenting on their pages.

After I did my blog post about Pinterest and their lack of appeal for men, it was interesting to see the site Gentlemint, that is very much set up like Pinterest, but carries the tagline, "a mint of manly things." The site logo features a man with a mustache, on top of the page where men can like or comment on items from food, sports, technology and alcohol.

Another male-friendly site that is generating a hefty income for the founder and his wife is The Art of Manliness blog. The tabs on the site are a Man's Life, Dress & Grooming, Health & Sports, Manly Skills, Money & Career and Relationships & Family. They must be doing something right, with 8 million page views per month.



What do you think about the future of social media and gender-specific sites?

Social Media Leads Social Activism: Trayvon Martin Movement

Many people weren't aware of Trayvon Martin's tragic death at the young age of 17 in Sanford, Florida earlier this month. After online petitions, tweets and Facebook posts, awareness has skyrocketed and a social movement has formed.

Martin had been shot and killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer while he had only a bag of Skittles on him. The shooter, George Zimmerman, claimed to police that he saw a suspicious black male that had a hooded sweatshirt on with the hood up. He reported to police that he thought he was acting strangely, possibly on drugs. Against police orders, Zimmerman followed the boy and at some point shortly after, shot Martin in the chest at close range. Phone records with the police remain blurry as to what happened.

Outrage and mourning ensued after news of the murder spread, especially because Zimmerman has not been charged. A "Million Hoodie March" to protest Martin's death have been seen in major cities such as New York and Philadelphia. Protestors wear hooded sweatshirts with the hood up to symbolize what Martin was wearing when he was killed. The march was initiated after Trayvon's parents created an online petition for the criminal investigation of Trayvon's murder. After an hour of the event, 973, 065 signatures were obtained. The petition now has over 2 million signatures. Aside from the petition, there have been over 600,000 mentions on Twitter concerning the case and a "Justice for Trayvon Martin" Facebook page with 82,000 "likes".

I can only anticipate that support for the movement will grow as more details on the case are investigated. Have you been involved with the movement on social media?

Photo courtesy of the Time Newsfeed article that can be found here.

Lionsgate plays the Marketing Game for "The Hunger Games"

May the odds ever be in your favor...especially if you're on the marketing team for what is sure to be a movie phenomenon, the Hunger Games, which come out this Friday in theaters. Overshadowing Twilight, the Hunger Games is projected to have opening-weekend sales of about $90 million, according to the New York Times. The film coming out on Friday, will be the first of four, based on the book trilogy written by Suzanne Collins.

Lionsgate has adapted their movie promotion to younger audiences by having an extremely strong online presence. They have been maintaining a very active Facebook and Twitter page, as well as a YouTube channel, Tumblr blog, iPhone games and live streaming from the movie premiere through Yahoo.

The film's popularity is backed up by the fan base of the books, even with the somewhat graphic nature of the content. The book can be found on lower-level reading lists, but with the intensity of the marketing plan since last summer, they seem to be selling for more the books as well as hyping up the film.

Since the marketing campaign began, TheCapital.pn (The Capital is where the Hunger Games take place), the site has allowed fans to make their own ID cards as if they lived in the movie's futuristic society. More than 800,000 people have created them. The iTunes release of the movie trailer received eight million views in the first 24 hours it was available. The campaign also utilized Twitter to make digital "puzzle pieces" of the new movie poster for fans to find throughout 100 websites. Needless to say, there shouldn't be a problem getting these viewers into theaters.

As this week is the opening week, look out for ticket giveaways, updates to the Tumblr blog, "Capital Couture" and a Facebook game. To read the rest of the NYT article, click here.

Will you be seeing the Hunger Games this week? Have you participated in any of their marketing tactics?

Getting Social with your Google Search

Always trying to generate the most relevant search results for users, Google is becoming a more social site. With the introduction of Google+, they have been able to incorporate your personal connections into your search results. Below I have outlined some of Google's recent updates:

• When you are logged into Google+, Personal Results are included in your search. Personal Results are indicated by a blue person icon on the left side of the website. People and pages in your Google+ circles are likely to show up in these results. To switch to non-personalized results, select the globe icon on the right side of the screen, near your login.
• If you are trying to get yourself, or your business page noticed, have a presence on Related People and Pages. Google recommends to show up in these results, your full profile must be filled out and post about favorite topics. These posts will help you gain credibility and show up higher in search results.
  
• Again on the business/company pages, it is imperative to have relevant, high-quality content on your page, so that viewers will +1 you. When posting, use words that pertain to your industry or expertise.

What do you think of Google's social approach?

To read more about Google Social Search and marketing yourself/company click here.

And the Oscar goes to...Twitter?

For the unlucky ones (like myself) that were stuck doing homework instead of watching the Oscars, little did we miss considering all one had to do was glance at a Twitter feed to know what was going on every minute of the special event.

From Angelina's right leg, Jennifer Lopez's revealing outfit and Ryan Seacrest's ash shower, many noteworthy happenings during the awards were being discussed on social media. Here is a recap about what the world was commenting on during the show:

• Probably the most popular thing on Twitter was the new handle, @AngiesRightLeg. Referring to the strong stance she took throughout the night where her right leg was very much pushed forward to accentuate the slit in her dress. The fake Twitter account apparently sent out mock posts to poke fun at the actress.
• Many comments were directed towards Jennifer Lopez and her apparent wardrobe malfunction when she was presenting an award, supposedly exposing a little too much cleavage.
  
• 62-year-old actress, Meryl Streep, won the third Oscar of her career for her work in The Iron Lady. She portrayed former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the film.
  
• While The Artist earned Best Picture, Martin Scorsese's Hugo was one of the most mentioned films according to Bluefin Labs. Since Hugo received it's Oscar nomination, the film's trailer has generated 2.2 million views of online trailers and clips.

According to Bluefin Labs, social media comments for the Oscars have tripled since last year with 3.4 million Oscar-related comments on Facebook and Twitter, up from 966,000 from the 2011 Academy Awards telecast. With that being said, Oscar producers will be able to generate a lot of advertising revenue in the years to come based on social media's growing popularity.

Did you post on social media during the Oscars? What was your favorite trending topic?

To read more about the most-talked about topics on the big night, click here.

Getting the Most out of your LinkedIn Profile

Counting down the days until I graduate, my job search is well underway. While college seniors should be taking advantage of this, the website is relevant even if you aren't looking for a job after graduation. Use these tips to make the site the best professional networking tool for you.

• Writing. LinkedIn profiles are full of text if filled out with your complete work experience, which means there is always room for editing. Make your summary like an objective of a resume, short and to the point. Also, when writing the descriptions for your positions, use the same language you would in your resume and reach out to past supervisors that are on the site to write you a recommendation.
  
• Groups. There are more than enough groups for you to use as resources on LinkedIn. Once you join these groups, you can manage the amount of emails they send you with discussion updates and job postings. Groups such as InternQueen, PR Daily, #PRintern and YoungPRPros are useful to start out with, as well as any companies you would be interested in following.
  
• Apps. On your page you are allowed to choose from several applications such as Polls, Google Presentations and My Travel, but the one I have found most useful is Blog Link. Blog Link lets you have your personal blog posts streaming on your profile, which lets potential employers view your writing samples the second they scroll down on your page.
  
• Keywords. Under your job descriptions there is a small section called "Skills & Expertise". Fill this section with words that are relevant to what you are studying, or hope to have a job in. For example, my profile's keywords are social media, public relations, writing and blogging.
  
• Interaction. LinkedIn allows you to post status updates that can be connected to your Twitter, if you so choose. Utilize this space to inquire about job openings or interesting articles you have come across to get the attention of your connections and remain relevant in the newsfeed.
• Focus. With all of these features, it is important to keep a clear focus with your professional objectives. Don't join irrelevant groups and connect with everyone you went to high school with, it will only crowd your profile with information that won't benefit you.
  

How do you use LinkedIn professionally?

Breaking Up with Facebook Just in Time for Valentine's Day

If you know even a little bit about social media, you have probably heard about the popular social media site, Facebook and their ever-changing design. It seems like just when you get used to the older version, the site is changing your settings once again.

With the recent conversion to the Timeline format, my mini feed has been filled with peeved statuses about the new change along with a lot of resistance to the new layout. Being a Facebook user since I was about 16, I've listed below the newest changes that are making me want to say "it's not me, it's you" to the social media giant.

• Timeline: As if Facebook isn't a hazard enough for digital dirt, the Timeline feature allows anyone to snoop around in anything that has been posted on your wall in the lifetime of your account. It is an option to go through and delete these posts and pictures, but that process would be a time-consuming journey I'd rather avoid. Can't say that I appreciate seeing all my corny high school statuses and embarrassing pictures, Mr. Zuckerberg.
  
• The cover picture: While this can be a cool addition to your Facebook page, I already waste enough time scrolling through mostly useless information, but now I have to find TWO interesting profile pictures?!
• Lists: On almost the entire left side of your mini-feed has your friends categorized into places you've worked, groups, close friends, etc. I have never really looked through my mini feed by selecting certain lists, but it stresses me out to see 20+ notifications next to each one.
  
• Subscriptions: To make sure you can update yourself on your friends' personal lives even more than usual, subscribe to them. Especially for someone that accesses Facebook through a phone application, getting constant notifications about activity on someone else's wall is particularly annoying.
  

Are you happy with your relationship with Facebook?

Pinter-what? Can Pinterest Appeal to Men?

I know from experience that many hours of life can be lost in the depths of Pinterest browsing through wedding dresses, recipes, and more, but do they exclude men?

While DIY crafts and cute pictures of puppies might not appeal to the other sex, Pinterest needs to start promoting their pin-board based site to men in order to keep their already huge audience growing. Here are some ways the site can harness male users:

• Balance content. Instead of being barraged with things women are interested in, it needs to be known that they can access workout tips, brands they may like and just plain cool things to look at.
• Filter. Depending on what you are interested in viewing, the site allows you to filter results based on what you choose. With this feature men can avoid "girly" things that could quickly turn them off from the site.
  
• Interaction. A lot of user communication is limited to the "repin" but this doesn't mean that there isn't room for growth. Not only does the site connect you with your Facebook friends that have accounts, but you can see their boards and follow things that you like as well as comment on their posts.
  
• Be resourceful. Even if men aren't on the site for their own personal enjoyment, Pinterest can be a great resource to see what their family and friends like and even give them a clue as to what activities they would enjoy. Also, with Valentine's Day coming up, what guy wouldn't want a guide basically telling him what his significant other wants?

Are you on Pinterest? Do you think they effectively reach men?

But Mom, I Don't Want to Give you my Password!

Recently I was getting ready for class one morning and I overhead a newscaster giving their opinion concerning parental supervision of their child's social media use. He explained that if a teenager's parent does not have all the passwords to their social media accounts, that they weren't doing their job right.

This struck me as a bold statement, considering back in the day before Facebook and Twitter, my 14-year-old self would be mortified if my parents were able to access my AOL Instant Messenger account. With the popularity of social networking skyrocketing, especially with younger audiences, should it be encouraged that parents monitor their child's social media use?

In November, the Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project with the Family Online Safety Institute did a study with findings indicating that 95 percent of all teens age 12 to 17 are online, with 80 percent of them on social media sites.

While many of us have been using social networks for years, it could be beneficial to go back to the basics when learning about online etiquette, especially to educate a younger audience.

• Safety. Even if you're not creeping around in online chat rooms, it is still important to go through your site's privacy settings and to monitor anything said in your emails that could be suspicious.
• Boundaries. Thinking about all the cyber bullying that occurs in younger age groups online, remember treat others as you would like to be treated. Considering that virtually everything posted online is floating around cyberspace, don't post things that are harmful to others or yourself. For older audiences, try to keep opinions out of posts that could come back to bite you in the future.
  
• Be a good role model. If a younger audience could be viewing your profile, set an example! If individuals learn how to have a positive presence online and create useful interactions, it will help them to act responsibly in the future.
  
• Think first! If you wouldn't want a picture or status of yours on the front page of the newspaper, reconsider your post.

Whether it is a teenager on Facebook, a parent looking at their child's MySpace or a professional reading their Twitter feed, it doesn't matter when it comes to learning how to surf the web in a responsible, safe manner. Do you think there should be supervision and/or education for younger users on social media sites?

To read more about parental supervision on social media sites, click here.

Costa Concordia Runs Aground with a PR Blunder

Costa Cruise Lines, the owners of the Costa Concordia that crashed along the shoreline of Italy last week, is offering an unusual discount. The survivors of the crash will be able to receive a 30 percent discount on their next cruise, hoping to keep them as loyal customers.

Of course it would have to be the percentage of survivors that aren't filing a class action suit against the company, as well as the families of the 13 victims that died as a result of the crash, which still has yet to find 20 missing victims.


As if that isn't comforting enough, Carnival, the cruise line's parent company, has tried to soften the blow by calling survivors to see if they are suffering from nightmares or sleeplessness and would want counseling. Not making a statement or apology would be the ship's captain, concerning his carelessness and supposed abandonment of the ship at the time of the crash. He is now on house arrest for suspected manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning the ship.


While the CEO of Carnival made an apology statement, along with some others, this tragedy will not only affect this cruise company, but the industry as a whole. Companies need to have their crisis PR plans available at a moment's notice, especially in the world we live in where the news is controlled by tweets and multimedia sharing, sometimes before the media gets to it.





What could Costa Cruise have done to better serve the survivors?

Happy First Day of Classes!

PRowl Public Relations would like to wish everyone a great first day of classes!

We have a lot of exciting things planned for the semester and we are looking forward to starting the new semester off right. Below are some tips I have outlined to make your first day a little easier.

• Use a planner! Even if it is in your phone, having a weekly organizer will help you manage your time.
  
• Utilize your time wisely. Don't wait until the last second to wake up before class or to get that reading done. Rushing first thing in the morning can leave you feeling disorganized the rest of the day and can lead to you forgetting things.
  
• Treat your body right. While it seems impossible, getting at least 7 hours of sleep every night can make a huge difference. Also, if you're grabbing a quick snack, make an effort to make it something healthy instead of junk food that will make you crash hard in the middle of your day.
  
• Make time for you. As someone who always neglects time for myself, I try to make an hour or so a day to relax and not think about school.

What were your favorite classes on your first day? Any internships?

Being the Best Intern your Company has Seen

Get your game face on, winter break is soon to be over for most schools and it's time to get back in the swing of things for your first day at your spring internship. Whether it is public relations, communications, social media or journalism, it all remains the same for what you need to do to get the most of your internship and make the best impression for a good recommendation (and maybe even a job!).

Improve your skills. If you are given an assignment that doesn't highlight one of your strengths, don't be afraid to ask questions or do a little research. Your employer would rather you ask how to do it or take a little longer to complete the task, rather than turn in a low-quality piece of work that you might have to redo anyway.

Be proactive. If you get done with something early, don't sit around at your desk and check emails. Follow up with any media calls you could have, draft a post for the company's blog, or even do research on the company's clients. Ask your supervisor if there is anything else that you could do and share with them what you found. They could be impressed with your extra work and it will not go unnoticed.

Challenge yourself. The only way your internship will really make an impact on your experience, is if you are continuing to learn. If your supervisor has time, talk with them about things you can improve on or ask them to give you a heavier workload. To really be an asset to a company, you need to show that you are willing to go above and beyond for them and do valuable work.

Do you have any internship advice? Where are you interning this semester?

How to Avoid the Pre-Graduation Panic Attack

As we enter 2012, many May grads are going into panic mode about finding a job after graduation (if they haven't already). With the state of the job market, you need to be doing everything that you can to make sure your best self is out there for employers to see. Below I have outlined some things to keep in mind during your job search in the midst of commencement.

• Stay connected. Social networking can be a great resource to find out who is hiring as well as promoting yourself and meeting key people in the industry through LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
  
• Get a post-grad internship. Recent graduates should be open to an internship, even if it is unpaid. While the company may not be hiring now, in a few months there could be an opening for you to fill. It could even help you narrow down where you really want to see yourself when you are employed full-time.
  
• Volunteer. Nonprofits are always in need of public relations or media relations help to raise money for their cause and get media coverage. You'll feel a sense of accomplishment if you find something you are passionate about.
  
• Go corporate. While it may not be specifically public relations, broadening your horizons to include communications will be more appealing to larger companies. There is opportunity to move to different departments and gain a lot of different experience.
  
• Stay positive! Don't be discouraged if you don't get the first few jobs you interview for. Hard work will pay off if you keep trying for the job that will be the best fit for you.
  

Are you graduating in the near future? What are your job-hunting tips for your peers?
To read more click here.

Making your Online Presence Professional and Personal

I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays!

Before the New Year, take a chance to think about how you're going to improve your online presence, not only for professional reasons, but also to showcase personal achievements as well. Personally, one of my resolutions is to create my own blog. While it may seem like a daunting task, with a little bit of research, I've outlined some tips on how you can get started.

• Figure out which site you want to host your blog. The majority of sites use WordPress, but there are also easy posting sites such as Tumblr and Blogger depending on what your needs are.
  
• Brand yourself through the blog's title. Make it unique, something that can only relate to yourself and will make your stand out. It can be something related to one of your hobbies, your location, etc.
  
• If you are using your blog for purely professional reasons, be sure to include an "About Me" page to give a little background on yourself. You can link back to other social networking sites you are on such as LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook.
  
• Put original content in their designated pages on your site. You can include different pages for recommendations, writing samples, your resume, etc. Make sure they are updated and the files work correctly.
  

Do you have your own blog? What are your words of wisdom?