4 Tips For The Final Stretch of Your Internship

It's the last day at your internship. Now what?

(Source)

1. Don't forget your portfolio pieces!
You've worked hard for the last three months, take your hard work with you! Be sure to take a few extra minutes to think back and create a list of all of the tasks you've completed over the course of the internship. What will you write on your resume? What results came from your projects? Send or save any of your personal files from the office computer to a flash-drive, so that you can keep it for your records.

2. Request an exit interview.
Getting feedback from your supervisor is the best way to end an internship. You have been learning this whole time, but an exit interview will really sum up your progress thus far. Take all criticism - positive and negative - and apply it for self-development!

3. Give much thanks.
Be grateful for this opportunity! Reach out to any staff you worked with or enjoyed talking to. It's important to let your supervisor know that you were glad to have been a part of the team, even for a short amount of time. If you found anything your supervisor did beneficial, tell them! This may encourage him or her to aid future interns in the same way, and improve the internship program.

4. Reflect. 
How do you feel? Was it beneficial? Did you learn anything? Chances are, you surely learned something, and even if you thought you didn't enjoy the program this whole time, you can most likely take something away from the office environment. Interning allows you to test out what industries, positions, and office atmosphere is best for you - consider that once you complete the program.

Get Inspired by a Story

Storytelling is a part of your everyday life - more than you realize. Talking to friends, calling your parents, answering a question in an interview, we all share stories as a form of communication and reflection. First Person Arts is Philadelphia's premiere storytelling non-profit, focused on using documentary and memoir art to reflect, learn, and in some cases, heal. Fortunately, I was able to interview Becca Jennings, FPA's Marketing & Communications Coordinator, and find out the details on First Person Arts, marketing, and being a young professional. Becca is enthusiastic about her career, takes pride in her work, and has some amazing insights on self-development!

(Source:Visit Philadelphia)

Alyssa: Tell us about First Person Arts!

Becca: First Person Arts is a nonprofit arts organization committed to the power of personal storytelling. We believe that everyone has a story to tell, and that by sharing our stories, we build connections with each other and the world. 

The organization produces at least 65 live events each year including twice-monthly storytelling competitions called StorySlams, memoir and storytelling classes and workshops, applied storytelling programs, and the Annual First Person Arts Festival. 

Beyond the live events, we present storytelling content online via broadcasts, which include the weekly First Person Arts Podcast and the First Person Arts YouTube Channel.

Alyssa: As Marketing & Communications Coordinator, what are some of the projects you've worked on over the last year?

Becca: I manage the creation of all print collateral, press, online presence, and ad sales/ placement for the organization throughout the year. 

But more specifically:

-Develop organizational Marketing Plans

-Press outreach

-Write copy for all organizational promotional materials including the FPA Festival brochure, StorySlam cards, flyers, and postcards

-Write copy and upload weekly podcasts

-Manage Marketing Intern, Executive Podcast Producer, and AV Intern

-Sell ads for FPA Festival brochure

-Identify and cultivate opportunities for promo partners/group sales

-In house graphic designer

-Liaison with out of house ad agency

-Manage, build, and create the schedule for all eblast communications

-Oversee and report out on web and live audience data collection

-Manage promotional distribution

-Manage community outreach to promote fall Festival

-Develop and execute advertising plans

-Social media manager

-Develop marketing budgets

-Maintain firstpersonarts.org

-Onstage host at live events

-And much more!

Alyssa: What are some skills you look for in an intern or even Marketing co-worker?

Becca: Excellent writing skills, ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously in a fast-paced deadline driven environment. The ability to plan is key--we're a small team of three people so forward thinking is a strong and valuable skill!

Alyssa: What advice can you give students looking to work in the arts & culture industry? How about the non-profit industry?

Becca: Do what you believe in and you will find a way to make it work for you. If you dream of a 6-figure salary, arts and culture might not be the direction for you. However, if you're inspired by the mission of the organization, and care more about that, you will have a gratifying job experience. Work extra hard, be very humble and gracious in the beginning, go above and beyond, and your career path will emerge. 

I think a lot of young people starting out are simply "looking for" their career paths. The truth is that their career path doesn't exist for them yet; so how can they "see" it? You have to walk it into existence--place one foot in front of the other-- and as you go along, your path will appear. Don't hang back waiting for your path to reveal itself to you. You reveal it for yourself by engaging with your passions and goals each day--by pushing past your comfort zone and testing your endurance--by meeting new people and listening to their stories. 

And if it doesn't happen for you right away, keep applying yourself. Fully discovering one's own career path is a lifelong journey.

Alyssa: What's your favorite part about working at First Person Arts?

Becca: I listen to stories for a living. That's pretty rad.

Dream big - chase after what makes you happy and find inspiration in your work. Interested in hearing some of these inspirational stories? The 13th First Person Arts Festival is coming up this Nov. 4 -15 and features some fantastic workshops, seminars, and stories. For more information on upcoming events, visit firstpersonarts.org.

Office Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making

It’s easy to get comfortable in an office setting when you have worked (or interned) there for more than a few months. Although there are benefits to feeling relaxed and in control at your workplace, it can lead to mistakes that you may not even realize you are making:

1. Developing a Core Lunch Crowd: Jane from accounting and John from HR are your closest work friends, and you would rather pull an all-nighter at your office than eat with anyone else during your hour lunch break during the day. However, this is an incredibly limiting action that can cause you to miss out on important opportunities to network with your peers and higher-ups. Try making a goal of eating lunch with a different person in your office once a month. This way, you will have the opportunity to bond with your co-workers, and you will also have a chance to make valuable connections for later on.

2. Unnoticed Dress Code Violations: Most working individuals have a go-to suit or dress skirt that can be thrown on in a pinch to run to the office. However, it is important to remember that even as adults, people grow, and clothes shrink. That black A-line skirt may be a lot tighter than it was a year ago, or those pants are so loose now, a belt can’t save you. It is important to notice these problems as soon as possible before a wardrobe malfunction at work costs you more than your pride.

3. Ignoring Soft Deadlines: Yes, soft deadlines are referred to as “soft” for a reason, however, the more of these that you miss, the less reliable you appear to your boss. It is perfectly fine to miss a few deadlines of this nature, however, when it turns into a habit, it is a good idea to revamp your motivation for finishing your work on a timely schedule.

Do you have any mistakes to add to this list? If so, tell us about them in the comments below!

Back to the Basics

As I am currently running late on this Tuesday morning, I decided that I need to remind myself of all the basics of being professional. With so many tips on how to do this and how to do that, it's easy to get lost in all the advice and forget the backbone of making a good appearance in the office or any meeting. I've created a list of some of the most basic career building advice you just might need to be reminded of in order to get a gold star:

1. Be on time!
2. Look presentable. Don't get so comfortable in the corporate office that you're showing up in short shorts and your favorite band's t-shirt.
3. Aim your goals high.
4. Say hello to everyone you work with.
5. Be polite.
6. Speak up. Don't mumble or ramble on with your words. You're confident!
7. Introduce yourself to those you do not know.
8. Keep your business card on you.
9. Work efficiently.
10. Ask questions.
11. Follow up on your emails.
12. Proofread said emails before sending them out!
13. Meet all deadlines.
14. Be reliable.
15. Offer to help someone else with a project or task.
16. Listen carefully.
17. Pay attention and stay focused.
18.Be upfront about your mistakes - it happens!
19. Do not gossip (ever!)
20. Be a positive source of energy.

Keep on keeping on!

Skills: ????

You've mastered your resume. All of your internships, jobs, and volunteer-work are perfectly formatted and described. You even designed a brand new header for yourself! But there's still one little section at the bottom that you just can't seem to figure out: skills. You certainly have skills, but what is best to put down when looking for a job in PR/Marketing/Communications? Check out some of the skills we think are best to put you at an advantage during your next interview:

Social Media - As young adults in today's society, it seems so mundane to actually know your way around Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. But you cannot forget to mention that you do! As someone looking to work in the Communications field, it's very possible that social media will be a part of the job description. Outside of all of the social networks that you use personally, consider getting yourself familiar with a few more, like Wordpress, Pinterest, and Hootsuite.

( Source:Design Razzi )

Graphics - Though it may not be mandatory for PR Executive jobs, knowing how to use Photoshop, Adobe, or InDesign will help you stand out next to other candidates for the job. Chances are you will need to plan an initiative or promotional materials, and instead of outsourcing, you will be able to take the reigns on the project yourself. Having these graphics skills will make creating content for fliers, pamphlets, or invitations easier and just the way you imagine them for the client's needs.

Production - Just as design allows you to handle the creative side of your initiative, knowing minor production techniques will allow you work on additional types of projects. Learning about video and audio recording and editing is beneficial so that you can use these outlets to promote your client or organization. Job postings in certain industries, like entertainment, may even specify that these skills are preferred in the applicant.

Presentation - As an intern, you may be given the opportunity to sit in on business calls and client meetings, so presentation skills are always a plus. If you had to pass a public speaking course to receive your degree, make note & put down public speaking as a skill. Additionally, PowerPoint and Prezi are both presentation tools that you should be sure to mention your experience with to a future employer.

( Source: Location 180 )

Dressed to Impress (In the Hot, Hot Heat)

During the summer, I think we can all agree that "business casual" begins a little more difficult. Your skirt is skinning to your skin, your blazer is completely useless, and those black men's dress shoes are attracting the sun right to you. Commutes become a nightmare as you walk into the office with your hair matted with sweat and your mascara is barely still on your eyelashes. You really do not want to waltz into work in just short shorts and a tank top, so what are you to do? Fear not - we've compiled some great tips for keeping cool in the heat!

Tip #1: Restock your closet. The pieces you would frequently wear in the fall or winter are less relevant during the summer months. Restock your closet if need be with light fabrics that won't weigh heavy on you in the heat. Layers can still exist in the summertime, but you will be more comfortable if they are lighter in weight and even color.

Tip #2: Wear it different. Say you have multiple button-down shirts that you typically sport to the office. But why can't you wear them? You love them and they look great! Here's what you can do: roll up your sleeves. Re-adjusting the style of the business casual clothes you already own allows you more opportunity in the fashion department. If a pair of your pants are on their way out anyway, consider cutting them into appropriate-length shorts for the office.

Tip #3: Know your hair. The humidity will sneak up and ruin your hair - it's a given. Looking polished and presentable is important in the workplace, and with your hair going every which way after your commute, it seems like all odds are against you. But if you know your hair and get a few more styles in your book, you'll be great to go. Ladies, look into learning a few new easy & quick up-dos, as well as incorporating headbands. Gentlemen, consider using a new product or gel to keep your locks in place.

Do you have any interesting stories about dealing with the heat on the way to office? Share with us, or post any of your own tips below!

When Personal Profiles Should Stop Being So Personal

At what age did you get your first Twitter account? How about Facebook, MySpace, Bebo? Think back to some of your earliest posts, or maybe even a post from last week. Were you quoting the latest rap song or networking with potential employers?

Some students often miss the transition from college kid to aspiring professional when it comes to social media interaction. Gone are the days when we can talk about how much we hate our ex during an alcohol-induced Twitter rant without any consequences…or did those days ever really exist? Now more than ever in this new technology age, we have to be even more diligent about the content we choose to share on social networks.

Not only do employers check social networks during their hiring process, but there has also been an increase of people who have gotten their foot in the door through those networks. Social networks are becoming a great place to network with the exact contact you need for the company you’ve been eyeing. They are also becoming a new hub for employers to post new job openings, internships, or open interviews. However, if you are still exhibiting unprofessional behavior online, chances are these opportunities will pass you by. Make sure to avoid these five habits and you should be just fine.

Are there a few things you should clean out of your social networks? Tell us about your own experience of creating a more professional appearance online.

Got Professionalism?

We all write emails, sometimes multiple times a day, but how much effort is put into the emails we write? Even the simplest emails should be given the utmost time and attention. It is important to always appear professional and take the time to construct every email you write. If you follow these simple tips, you will never think about writing an unprofessional email again. 

1. Keep it short, sweet, and to the point: People are normally busy and don’t have much time to spare reading a long email. 
2. Be polite: Don’t be rude when it comes to asking people for things. Remember to say, “Please” and “Thank you” throughout the email.
3. Take a breather: Never write an email while you are upset. Aggression is easy to pick up on in an email and people don’t want to feel you are yelling at them. Write your thoughts down first and then edit to make them sound pleasant. 
4. Hold the creativity: Some people like to use colorful fonts or big print. Don’t! Standard, black font is the most professional. It is classic and people find it easier to read. 
5. Proofread, proofread, proofread: Never send an email without reading it first. Do not just rely on spell check; read it yourself and read it slowly. There is nothing more embarrassing than someone reading an email and correcting a spelling or grammar mistake.

Emails are a part of our everyday communication. Careful attention must be put into every one. Mistakes in an email are the fastest way to disrupt a relationship with people. Take your time and read through every email before you hit the send button because once you hit send, it’s out there and cannot be retrieved. 

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Alie Curran. 

Keep it PRofessional on Social Media

As we know, social media is the perfect medium for networking and staying in contact with peers and colleagues. While we continue on the social media wave, I cannot stress enough on the importance of keeping it professional on your accounts. With the advancement of technology you have to be wise and careful on what you choose to share to the world.

Last week I attended a job interview and midway through the interview, the interviewer asked me to pull up all my social media accounts. Yes, this is a common request in interviews nowadays especially if you are in the Communications/PR field.

Wondering how to keep it professional on your social media accounts? The following are a few tips you can follow:

• Refrain from writing short hand- This tip goes particularly to Twitter seeing that it only permits us 140 characters for each tweet. Yes, its difficult to get your point across in such limited terms, but you can make every word count. Try rephrasing your words and get straight to the point. P.S stay away from writing"2" in place of "to." 

• Post with thoughtfulness- Be it Facebook, Instagram or Twitter you should post with care. With the screenshot features on smartphones nowadays this causes posts on social media to be permanent. As the saying goes "Prevention is better than Cure." So if you are hesitant on posting a picture or tweet, don't post it.

• Watch your language- Using obscenities or indecent language on your social media is not a good look; therefore be careful on your choice of words and expressions. 

As we work on capturing our dream jobs and goals, don't let social media be the cause of not receiving that aspiration. Including your personality and having humor on your social media are excellent qualities, but don't forget to keep it PRofessional. 

The Importance of Professionalism

Professionalism is a must for most professions, however it is especially essential in public relations. A PR professional deals with a multitude of people on a day-to-day basis whether it be something as formal as a client meeting or as informal as a greeting someone on an elevator. You never know when you may meet someone who can become an important connection therefore being polite and professional to everyone you come in contact with is key.

Here are some tips on how to boost your professionalism:

1. Keep your personal life separate from your professional life

This is a very hard thing to do, especially when you have personal relationships with people within your profession. Try to always keep it professional when there is work to get done.

2. Try to keep gossiping or ranting about others to a minimum.

This pertains to gossiping or expressing your opinions about others through social media platforms. People always find out when you are talking about them whether good or bad. 

3. Always mind your manners.

Remember your please and thank-yous in every situation you are in. 

How do you maintain your professionalism? Let us know!

PRSSA National PRSSA Conference 2012, Why You Should Attend.

For all of my fellow undergrads, the start of the fall session is just around the corner. Meetings and events for all of our professional organizations will also soon resume. Additionally, if you are an aspiring public relations professional and a member of PRSSA, which you should be, conference is also just around the corner. For many of us, this means we will soon need to decide whether or not we will be attending.

This year, the PRSSA National Conference will be hosted in San Francisco, California. The conference is four days long and is set to offer a plethora of well known and what I believe to be promising keynote speakers and guests. However, the question remains, what are YOU getting of it, and why should YOU attend? Below are a few reasons why I believe attending this year's conference and other professional conferences while in college are important:

1. You get to see 'real' professionals in action.
2. You will be provided with a better understanding of what is current and what is trending in your field.
3. You will get to see people in your field excited about their work. Hopefully, in turn, this will excite you for your hopefully soon-to-be future.
4.  The more conference presentations you observe, the better you will become at giving presentations.
5. You get to network. Maybe you will meet your future employer or even your next business partner. The possibilities are ultimately endless. Additionally, see if the conference you are attending needs volunteers. Volunteers sometimes get extra opportunities and discounted rates on conference fees.

In all, I am determined to attend conference this year and I hope you plan on attending too. Will you be attending conference this year, and if so why do you believe it will be beneficial?

Additionally, if you haven't checked out the conference website or wish to register, follow the link below. http://www.prssa.org/events/Conference/

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?

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?

How PRowl Helped Me Step My Game Up

As a newbie to PRowl Public Relations, I felt as though I was ages behind my other colleagues in the realm of social media. The only social networking site in which I was involved with was the uber popular Facebook. I would obsessively check my page, make irrelevant status updates, post pictures people could care less about, and read my news feed twice over out of pure boredom. Once I became a staff member at PRowl, however, I found that almost everyone’s social media footprint was much larger than just the typical Facebook page. They had Twitters, LinkedIns, as well as personal blogs.

Their Twitter pages were full of creative hash tags and retweets of PR-related accounts. Their LinkedIn accounts were full of useful information and appeared to be completely professional for being mere college students. Their personal blogs were also a great asset in which they wrote creative posts that could potentially get them noticed in the world of PR.

So I decided I needed to step my social media game up. First, I made a Twitter. I tried my best to follow every PR-related Twitter account and to stay up to date on recent events. In an effort to broaden my social media horizon, I most recently signed up for a LinkedIn account. After I signed up however, I was completely lost! The first part of making a LinkedIn is to make a headline. I asked myself, what is a headline? How do I make mine stand out above the rest of PR students’ headlines that a potential employer could search? So I decided to trust my handy dandy search engine Google to help me learn more about LinkedIn.

The article, 4 Easy Tips for Writing a LinkedIn Headline that Sizzles, from Wilkes Business Solutions focuses on the following four pieces of advice about LinkedIn headlines:

Tip #1: Make your headline keyword rich.
LinkedIn is searchable, so you have to utilize keywords in order to be found. Decide what your personal brand statement is, choose some appropriate keywords, and make sure they end up in your headline.

Tip #2: Let visitors know who you are and how you can help them.
You want to include three components to convey this information to visitors. You want to let them know what you do, who you help, and how you help them. If you are struggling with this, you can use the formula provided here and tweak it from there as inspiration hits you. I am a (what you do) and I help (who you help) by (how you help them).

Tip #3: Capitalize the first letter of your important words to draw attention to them.
Using formatting conventions can help make your work catch a reader’s attention and, in turn, remember you. Because you can’t bold or underline the things you want to stand out in your LinkedIn Headline, you can use capitalization to help you achieve this same result.

Tip #4: Log into LinkedIn, click on edit profile, click on edit name, scroll down to headline, and rewrite your headline.
Take five minutes to log into your LinkedIn profile and change your headline. First impressions are always the most important, and you could be making a great first impression on LinkedIn visitors in a matter of minutes.

Are you new to LinkedIn? Or maybe just looking to add some “sizzle” to your established account? Let us know!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Kaitlyn Sutton.

Perfecting Professional Pages

As aspiring professionals, it is crucial to our potential careers to always keep our social media accounts clean in the event that a future employer would look for them. Because of their popularity, I have outlined some tips for Facebook and Twitter to keep in mind before you permanently put information associated with your name out there on the Internet forever.

Twitter:

• If you wish to post things that are for your friends, consider making a personal account as well as a professional one. For your professional account, make it an easy name to remember such as your first and last name, or initials. A potential employer won't be interested in looking at posts from "Puppylover22", let alone hiring them.
  
• While it is beneficial to follow people in your field, talk to them too! Relationships can be formed easily just from retweeting something they are promoting, or responding to one of their posts. Creating conversation on social media can give you a point of reference when contacting them in the future.
  
• Watch who you are following and who your followers are. Don't follow anyone with posts that you wouldn't want to be associated with, or let your followers mention you in explicit posts.
  
• Stay unbiased. It will turn professionals off to you if your profile is filled with your opinions about issues such as politics, business or other hot topics.
  

Facebook:

• I'm going to be a broken record and emphasize the importance of monitoring your page's pictures. Family vacations, fine. The crazy party you went to last weekend, not fine. If you need to keep those pictures, untag and save to a flash drive. If you really want to make a professional impression for yourself, make your profile picture similar to a head shot instead of a cropped one, or one with friends where it is unclear whose profile it really is.
• Be aware of your fan pages. Make sure that everything you "like" on Facebook is appropriate, and that they should refer to your interests and organizations you participate in.
  
• Utilize privacy settings. Keep some of your personal information to the imagination. You don't need to put your cell phone number and address on your profile, as well as any details of your personal life.
  
• Keep your statuses rated PG. Do not swear or bad mouth organizations or activities you are involved in. You want to create a positive brand for yourself and encourage productive interaction with your page.
  

How do you stay professional on your social media accounts?