Seniors, are you thinking about your job search?

Graduation is two months away for seniors at Temple University. The pressure is on for securing a job and entering the real world. Some students may have been searching for job opportunities since junior year, while some will begin searching the day before they walk. There are a number of articles online offering tips for the grads-to-be, but I have found that the best advice is from those who have recently been in the position. Hercampus.com recently posted an informative article on job advice from recent graduates. The article offers pointers specifically on what the recent grads wish they did before they left school.

Network

As PR students we all know the importance of networking. You can never have too many contacts in this field, especially when searching for an "in" at a company. Most jobs aren't posted online but are passed around through word of mouth. If you make it a point to get the word out that you are searching for work hopefully your contacts can help out. This is an easy way to get your foot in the door. Create a LinkedIn account, go to your Career Center’s events and make a list of contacts in an excel sheet.

Start Early

We want to enjoy the last semesters at school, but neglecting the future becomes detrimental. For those entering their senior year in the fall, take note of this advice; have fun senior year but keep your job hunt in mind. Forbes magazine suggests beginning your search early junior year. However I've found that in PR, most companies want you to start working immediately. Make note of where you want to apply as soon as you can, and focus your efforts on those places. Also, take advantage of your school breaks and summer time to sharpen up your résumé and take advantage of LinkedIn.

Stay Organized

Use excel sheets and word documents to make notes. Myplan.com is a good source for job descriptions, salaries, and qualifications. Before you graduate, make it a point to Visit your school Career Center for counseling, resume and cover letter review, and interview practice, and tips on what to expect post-grad.

Good luck to all the grads-to-be and get ready to take on the real world!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Katherine Carpenter.

B.I.G. Dreams Fulfilled: Temple Freshman Becomes Hooter the Owl!

Temple University Television made one student’s dreams of becoming Hooter the Owl for a basketball game come true. In their new pilot “B.I.G (Before I Graduate)” TUTV features a student making their dreams a reality. “Before I Graduate…” provides a unique forum for the diverse body of Temple University to state their goals, and make their ambitions a reality. This new series is aimed at all Temple University students trying to experience or achieve as much as possible while studying in Philadelphia. 

TUTV’s first B.I.G. student was Elijah Goodwin, a freshman Theatre major, who wanted to be Hooter the Owl at a home basketball game. Elijah’s desire to become Hooter aligned perfectly with his desire to entertain and put on performances for an audience. The transformation into Hooter required a few dance lessons from the original Hooter himself to prepare for the opening of the basketball game. The transformation was a success, Elijah’s role as Hooter was believable to both him and the audience. Elijah stayed out performing longer than expected because he was enjoying it so much. 

This turned out to be a great experience for Elijah; his dream of becoming a real owl is realized. Keep up with TUTV by visiting their website at http://www.templetv.net/ and be on the lookout for more B.I.G. segments in the future! 

Neigh! How Would You Handle Black Beauty in a Whopper?

This past week the web was buzzing with a Burger King scandal. Horsemeat was found in the UK franchise’s beef products. As if having pieces of Black Beauty in your Whopper wasn’t bad enough, let’s reflect on Taco Bell’s beef not being “100% beef”…and what was that pink sludge McDonalds uses for their chicken products?! 

Lucky for Burger King, Taco Bell and McDonalds bounced back even after accusations and images went viral showcasing their questionable products. BK took the offense, attacking and accusing the meat distributors while playing the victim and claiming they had no idea horsemeat was being used. Most of these fast food companies have a scapegoat when situations arise. But I personally can’t take that explanation to heart and trust BK. The focus of your company is to serve food and you don’t know what meat you are serving customers? 

Even with these facts, people will believe the cookie-cutter “victim” responses publicized by the company’s representatives. In my opinion, representatives can handle these findings and accusations in a different manner. Here are a few ideas:

Tip #1: Credibility: When your company decides to change a recipe they want their publics trust back. How can you tell them that the food is OK to eat again? One way of doing this is providing a comment or separate statement from an expert in the food industry field. This is providing the public with an outside professional who gained credibility by working in the field of food.

Tip #2: Numbers: Words can mean so little, but when numbers back up statements validity skyrockets. Providing proof and detail in numbers for consumers would strengthen an argument. For example, showing results of a scientific study on how much beef is now really in the Taco Bell products. 

Tip #3: Use your support group: get your consumers to put their personal word in. Having an opinion from someone who doesn’t have ties to the company makes a positive statement believable. Hold a focus group and have consumers test out the new and improved products, then report their findings.

Regardless of how companies respond Doritos Locos Tacos will still be consumed and McDonalds chicken nuggets will be in children’s Happy Meals. Someone get me the job of being a PR representative to these fast food chains. What do you think will finally wake people up and care about what they are consuming? Do you think the reps for these companies need to improve their responses? 

Penn State Doesn’t Learn Their Lesson

The dark cloud named Sandusky haunted Penn State’s reputation this past year. In fact, people are still sensitive to the subject and question Penn State’s morals. Though Mr. Sandusky wasn’t a student at the school, he was still a member of that community who was held to a certain standard. A part of Penn State’s defense for Sandusky claimed that the scandal didn’t reflect the students or other faculty’s personal beliefs, and this scandal did not define the Penn State community.

 As of this week Penn State is singing a similar tune when a their chapter of Chi Omega Sorority posted an offensive photo to Facebook that spread like wild fire through the internet. The entire chapter of the sorority poses in a picture all dressed in ponchos, sombreros and fake mustaches. This was meant to be a “Mexican” theme party, but the problem wasn’t what the girls were wearing it was the signs two of them were holding. The offensive signs read “I don’t cut grass, I smoke it” and “Will mow lawn for weed and beer.” These were obviously mocking some career choices by people in that culture. Penn State issues the statement “These costumes and this group do not represent fraternity and sorority life at Penn State, or the 95,000 students who attend our University.” What I find puzzling in this situation is how Penn State is handling another crisis within their organization. To start off, the statement is confusing considering the sorority is affiliated with the University therefore being a representative of the Chi Omega chapter at Penn State. 

I also don’t see a call to action on behalf of Penn State. With a reputation already damaged, what would alumni and potential students think about how this behavior represents the University? The Penn State administrators need to put their priority into this – take control of the situation and not look the other way like the Sandusky case. I personally think that the University needs to kick the sorority out, they should no longer be allowed to affiliate with Penn State in any way. I wouldn’t usually suggest this aggressive tactic, but considering the dark cloud that still sits over the University; they need to make a statement that they do care about how their organization is represented. 

How do you think Penn State should deal with this? Are they damaging their already frail reputation? 

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Katherine Carpenter.

What You’re Not Taught in the Classroom: Media Lists

Most public relations students who have been lucky enough to have an internship would say that they learned more outside of the classroom than inside of the classroom. Experiences and lessons taught within an organization is priceless for a student as it provides a real look into the work world. Students enter an internship hoping that the constant tests and papers drilled into them by professors can provide them with some kind of guidance as to what they can expect. 

In my personal experience so far as a PR student, we have not gone over a handful of tasks asked of me in the professional world. I’m currently at an internship and was given the task of creating three media lists in one day. While working on the first one, I began to think about how to be strategic and productive in my creation, I wanted to do this with perfection. 

I can’t speak for all PR students but I personally never learned how to create a strong and effective media list. The media list is all-important; it is the basis for the coverage of your story. You need to reach the right people in the right positions. After combing through countless media outlets in CisionPoint I came up with a few solid tips for creating a media list. 

• Keep your news topic in mind – while working at an agency, you can have an array of clients that influence news reports. Don’t go sending your health article to the sports reporter or the environment press release to the entertainment editor. Keep it relevant or it will go right into the trash. 
• Identify the top three contacts at large outlets – in Philadelphia we have the Philadelphia Inquirer where there can be a number of contacts that are relevant to your story. Having a #2 and #3 at your fingertips if contact #1 doesn’t work out is helpful. 
• Determine the geographic outreach – decide if your outreach should go to a particular city, state, region or national level. For example this will save the reporter on a national level the frustration of going through local town news. 
• Check the titles of your contacts – Are you sending the news to an assistant? Your best bet is sending the news to a higher standing editor or manager who can distribute the news accordingly. 

These are just some tips, there are so many more out there! Let me know what you think works best when creating a media list. 

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Katherine Carpenter

Social Media Isn’t the Easy Way Out

Social media has managed to speedball into our lives. As young public relations professionals we hold a key advantage to those professionals who are ten plus years our senior. We don’t need to learn about social media, it is integrated into us beginning with Myspace in the mid 2000’s. Companies have made it essential to understand social media and hire those who are capable of taking on a social media account. But some companies or organizations might not know what they are getting themselves into. On the outside, social media seems like a cheap, efficient, and personal way to market. There are two big myths of the golden ticket known as social media. 

Myth #1: It’s simple
This myth stems off of the idea that social media accounts can be maintained and updated sparingly. A social media account needs love, care, and attention to become an effective tool to any enterprise. You must capture and create content that will entertain, educate and inspire the audience. Social media is more than just Facebook as well, blogs, Pinterest images, and Tweets; the list can go on. Publishing on multiple networks and creating a process or system as to who updates it can become confusing. 

Myth #2: It’s free

Those professionals who are able to understand a social media account and keep it active need to get paid. When you are hiring someone to do a job that requires creating content, planning, and paying attention to SEO (search engine optimization) you need to pay for his or her work. Your content to fuel the Twitter and Facebook accounts require budget and commitment and will therefore require compensation.

Professionals cannot forget the role and importance of serious business and traditional marketing practices. Incorporating social media with an enterprise is a great way to stay current, but it is not a replacement for the traditional methods. 

What’s your take on social media? Is it more hassle than what it is worth? 

This post was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Katherine Carpenter.

Enjoy Summer Without Breaking The Bank

Interning in New York City has taught me many things this summer; one of them being how to be frugal.  When you don’t have a paid internship (I think we all at some point have to feel this pain), it doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice fun. Whether you are in Philadelphia, New York City, or another major metropolitan area, there are a number of free and affordable things to do. Here are some tips for enjoying the summer on a tight budget:

-Visit your local library:. Most of us haven’t stepped foot in a library for fun since elementary school, but don’t count your library out. Keep in mind they have free reading, workshops, classes, exhibits, and even movie nights. This is also a chance to meet others from your town and practice your networking skills! 

-Check out local museums and zoos:. Most museums and zoos have free admission on certain days, and many museums have a “suggested admission price.” Be sure to check the museum and zoos websites for special prices and events. 

-Utilize Groupon and Livingsocial: These websites are a great way to do more and spend less. I’ve gotten many haircuts, massages, discounted, and free admissions through these programs. If you have a Smartphone, these apps are a necessary download. They also have great detailed websites that are user friendly and easy to navigate. 

-Look for student discounts: Just because you aren't on campus doesn't mean your student ID is useless. Many places offer discounted prices with the presentation of a student ID. Try and visit these venues first.

Be sure to give these tips a try, and let us know what your favorite free or discounted adventures are this summer! 


This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations' staff member Katherine Carpenter

The Section That Can Make Your Resume Thrive

Internships are becoming a standard requirement for undergraduate students trying to beef up their resumes. As someone who is currently in her second internship, I know that internships provide you with precious experiences. The knowledge gained in an internship is far greater than what you will ever learn in a classroom. I am lucky to say that my current internship at The Sak Brand in New York City started this past Monday, and I already have learned more about fashion public relations than any classroom can teach me. Since getting an internship is the norm for resumes, how is a student to be set apart from the crowd? One section of a resume that is becoming essentially important is “skills”. So how can someone work on such a pesky section?

Decide which skills to master

Researching which skills are important in your industry can give you a leg up. By researching, you can hone in on an exact skill. Do this by visiting job websites such as Monster.com and see what sort of skills employers are looking for. If you are working with a professional this summer, ask which skills are helpful for a person in his or her field. As always, ask professors and fellow students their opinion on what skills are essential. 

Become bilingual 

As public relations professionals, you are bound to run into every type of race or nationality. Not everyone speaks English and there is a constant need for a bilingual person. Spanish is a good place to begin; many Americans are becoming fluent in the language because of the diversity in our country. Not only does speaking another language make you an invaluable employee, it also makes you look good to prospective clients. Spend the money on Rosetta Stone, study online, or download free podcasts from the iTunes store to listen to in your down time. 

Volunteer

This summer is the perfect time to join a grassroots campaign to show your activism as an American citizen. The November election is coming up, and there is a constant need for volunteers with both Democrat and Republicans. Some ideas of where to volunteer are hospitals, animal shelters, libraries, nursing homes, or summer schools. Keep in mind that volunteering not only helps you learn new skills, it also encourages you to network.


This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Katherine Carpenter 

Here Come the Summer...Internships!

If you’re anything like me, you’ve been looking forward to the summer. Long sunny days, time with the family, no classes, and most important…. summer internships! Why do an internship when you can lie on the beach all day? Well, internships have invaluable experience and connections that cannot be learned in a classroom. You’ll most likely have the weekends off, so that can make your beach trip that much more enjoyable! Getting an internship will be the best way to keep your mind active and give you new material to juice up your resume. I’ve been on the summer internship hunt for about a month now, and the applying process has begun for many. But for those who are not sure where to start, here is some tips that I have picked up along the way:

February
-Start by researching various positions already posted, and look up your dream firms/companies now! Make a list in a Word document or write it down. Whatever way you choose, keep it organized and keep your links.
-Find at least 10 companies or positions. Summer is THE time for internships and thousands of students are going for your spot.
-Make note of any deadlines posted within the descriptions.
-Get your materials together and update them i.e. resume, cover letter, letters of recommendation (if needed).

Early March
-If you haven’t by now…start applying! Keep track of all the internships you have applied to, doing so will make sure you have not applied twice.

Late March
-Unless they have specified to NOT call, do follow-up by calling. If anything, send an e-mail. All you have to say is “Hi my name is ____ , I e-mailed my resume to ______ a few weeks ago and wanted to follow-up to make sure they’ve received it”.

Last Minutes:
-Companies, firms, and organizations still post internship positions right before and even during the summer season. These positions might not be the cream of the crop, or at the top of your list but…the early bird gets the juiciest worm, correct?

Tips:
-Big companies usually have early deadlines; they might have even passed by now, but make sure to look!
-Always, always, always get another pair of eyes to look at your resume and cover letter!
-You will most likely be notified by mid-April if not before.
-Don’t limit yourself to paid internships (though they are nice) a good experience is the most important.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Katherine Carpenter.

Sports: best on the sidelines or in front of the TV?

I’ve never understood the pull of sports PR for individuals. There are so many people and players to have to worry about and at any moment your whole team can go down the drain. The Penn State and Syracuse scandals in one year are enough for anyone. Maybe you’re hoping to set up a press conference for Michael Vick so he can invite you to a huge mansion party. You never know, you may get a Christmas present from Ryan Howard too! All right, maybe you aren’t in it to hang out with a player and become his BFF, but the glamorous invite of the sports industry can cause daydreaming that is difficult to keep at bay.

But before we start inviting anyone to dinner, ehow.com offers some solid beginning tips:

• Write to all your area teams; college, NFL, NBA, MLB, etc.

• Volunteer to work on game days. Working on game days is the best way to get your foot in the door with a sports team and get your first public relations experience on your resume.

• Get a long-term internship with the team or college you've been working with.

• Colleges in particular have a lot of work that needs to be done, as most have several sports, some with 20 or even 30+ teams that need to be covered. College PR departments tend to be underfunded, so they will generally allow interns to cover one of their lower-end sports to gain experience and save money on staff.

Like many entertainment PR fields, the most important step is putting your foot in the door and making a name for yourself. Trying out the college level and professional level positions could help hone you in on what kind of sports PR you really want to do. It is rumored that college level is more rewarding than professional, but this all depends on the person. If this particular field interests you start Googling, start writing, and start introducing yourself.

Why do you think sports PR is so popular? Or is there a more popular field in PR? Let us know!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Katherine Carpenter.