Standing in Solidarity with the Journalism Community

(buzzquote.com)

No one ever said being a communications professional is easy.

We deal with difficult people, fast-approaching deadlines, crashing computer programs, and much more. However, one thing we don’t consider to be a worry or fear on a daily basis is risking our lives for our job.

It has been two days since reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward were brutally gunned down while filming a segment for their news station, WBDJ7, and regardless of what area of communications you study or work in, there is a deep sense of grief felt throughout our community.

It’s hard to imagine that working in our field puts us at risk of horrific events, but in today’s world, it is a harsh reality we need to face.

Journalists and reporters cover events in war-torn countries, dangerous communities, and crime scenes. Even though they are taught to stay out of the action, it is possible that their lives could be in danger on a daily basis.

As PR professionals, we often get frustrated with reporters and journalists who don’t follow up after we send them a press release or media alert.

However, it is important that as a profession, we take time to thank journalists for putting their lives on the line to inform the world about topics and events that we are too limited to witness ourselves. We need to realize that like us, journalists are busy, and oftentimes, it isn’t personal when we don’t get press coverage.

We also need to remember the great journalists we form professional friendships with while working in media relations, and consider ourselves lucky to have them on our side.

Our PR community is grieving alongside the journalism community, and we thank you for the risks you take to bring news to the millions of people worldwide.

PRSSA National Conference summer prep: Steps you should be taking now

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Even though PRSSA National Conference doesn’t take place until early November, it isn’t too early to begin getting ready for the professional experience of the year!

Summer is a great time to stock up on much needed supplies as well as revamp your professional materials, so don’t spend all of your free time in the next two months soaking up the sun:

1: Stock up on Professional Wardrobe Essentials: During the last few weeks of the summer, stores begin to display their fall collections, which means that summer clothes go on sale. This is a perfect opportunity for students to buy nice shirts or professional dresses that are marked down significantly after being on the racks throughout the summer. These pieces can be layered with blazers, sweaters, or cardigans, which will take away their summer feel and have you more prepared for the November weather in Atlanta, Georgia!

2. Update your Resume: After many days of tanning in the sun or swimming in a pool, you may feel the itch to be productive again. If this is the case, there is no better task to pour your new-found productivity into than updating your resume! You will want to have a proofread, clean copy of your latest achievements for National Conference, and it won’t take you too long to update your current one!

3. Create an Online Portfolio: With so many free website builders out there, it is easy to create your own personal portfolio site without having to pay anything. Also, you shouldn’t get nervous if you have no experience with website development. Many of the businesses that give you the option of creating your own site will give you free templates to choose from, and oftentimes, there are helpful guides and tutorials to get you through the set up and maintenance of your creation. Also, think of how great it will look to have your own custom website listed on your business card when networking with the professionals at National Conference!

Are you getting excited for PRSSA National Conference? Tell us your tips and tricks for preparing for your trip to Atlanta!

"Do You Have Any Job Prospects Yet?"

It’s funny how you hear stories about how going to a family holiday party when you’re older is a horrific experience full of questions like, “Are you dating anyone?” or “How old are you now?”  But if you are a senior like me, then you can relate to hearing the most terrifying question of all…”So, do you have any job offers lined up after graduation, honey?”

*Insert hyperventilating, instant panic attack, hot flashes, slight crying, etc. here* 

(Source: Google)

If your answer to the previous questions was “yes” then great, you should be proud.  If your answer was “no,” you are not alone, I am right there with you and I’m going to tell you why it’s okay (through musical song titles because music is how I relax).

1. I’m Not The Only One by Sam Smith

While your significant other may not be cheating on you like Sam Smith says in the song, you are still not the only one.  As I just stated, every person our age is most likely feeling the pressure to find a job at this time, so confide in someone you trust to vent to.

2. Time of Our Lives by Pitbull & Ne-Yo

As Pitbull would say, “Have me a good time, before my time is up.”  College only happens once, so it’s important to remember to live in the moment!  Enjoy every experience the last semester has to offer and make sure you aren’t stressing so much about the job search that you are missing out on making memories. 

3. Elastic Heart by Sia

After three and a half years of college, you’ve built “thick skin and an elastic heart.”  So don’t get discouraged if you are applying to companies that aren’t answering you or respond saying you’re under-qualified; at least you’re putting yourself out there!

4. Shake It Off by Taylor Swift

“Don’t be getting down about all the liars and the dirty, dirty cheats of the world when you could’ve been getting down to this sick beat.”  There is no shame in taking a break from your everyday searches on LinkedIn, Monster, Indeed, etc.  Sometimes a dance party solves all problems.

5. The Heart Wants What It Wants by Selena Gomez

By now you probably have some idea of what kind of PR you want to take on as job whether that is fashion, corporate, tech, agency, etc.  Make sure to go after jobs in your niche, don’t settle for something that you are going to end up hating.  Follow your heart; the more passionate you are about what you do, the more you have to offer to the company.

6. Jealous by Nick Jonas

Do not be like Nick Jonas and get jealous.  One of my supervisors at my previous internship gave me advice that has stuck with me: “Don’t worry about what other people are doing!”  Nobody likes a green-eyed monster, so when your friends land awesome jobs, congratulate and celebrate with them!  Don’t let it stress you out or over-think your job-hunting situation.

7. Out of the Woods by Taylor Swift

Despite what Taylor may have to say, you are NOT out of the woods yet.  You still have classes to pass and internships to complete before you receive that diploma.  Dedicate as much time to your school work as you are your job search.

If all else fails, remember that just like Queen B, you are ***Flawless!  Things have a funny way of working themselves out.  You worked hard these past few years by getting involved, completing internships, making great connections and becoming a young #PRofessional ready to take on the real world!  Good luck and enjoy your last few months of college!  If you would like more advice on the senior year job search, click here.

This guest blog post was written by PRowl staff member Kaylie Corallo.  You can follow her @kayliecorallo.

McDonald's Transparency Campaign: The Truth Behind the McNugget, Big Mac, and More

(Photo from v3con.com)

Have you ever wondered what's really in a Big Mac? If you have, you'll be happy to know that it is possible to find out.

Recently, McDonald’s has developed a campaign to increase its customer relations.The campaign, which features various videos and FAQ sheets regarding many popular menu items, is aimed at increasing the transparency of the company in regards to the ingredients that it uses in its food.

Over the last few years, McDonald’s has taken many hits for rumors regarding pink slime used in its food. From photos of the aforementioned slime to articles that tell of horror stories from the chain’s workers, hundreds of individuals have taken it upon themselves to fight against the company’s brand.

However, McDonald’s chose to fight back.

As any PR practitioner knows, good public relations requires a high level of transparency. In order to gain respect and trust from consumers, a company or organization needs to be honest about their products, business dealings, and more.

By allowing the public to see the beginning to end process of making McDonald’s signature items, those that were lost through the pink slime craze may see a new side of the company and decide to give it a second chance.

Also, through this campaign, McDonald’s addresses the rumors that have been plaguing its name for years. Not one stone is left unturned in this campaign, and that allows for the company to lead way for a new, more simplistic menu that is rumored to be rolled out within the next year.

If you would like to see this campaign for yourself, visit www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/your_questions/our_food.html. From there, find the videos and FAQ pages that correspond with the menu items that you are curious about, and see the difference between the interenet buzz and the actual happenings behind the scenes of Ronald McDonald’s home base.

What do you think about McDonald’s transparency campaign? Let us know in the comments!

Three Things No One Tells You About PR

Coming into college as a PR major, I had no idea what to expect. Of course, I knew that having strong writing skills was a necessity and that my life wouldn’t be anything like that of Samantha Jones, but there were many unknowns I faced.

Now a second-semester sophomore, I have faced the beginning trials and tribulations that come with the PR major territory, and there are many things that I came to learn very quickly that I wasn’t prepared for:

1. Responding to Emails Becomes a Second Job: When you start your college experience in PR, the first emails you will be in charge of responding to are from your professors and teaching assistants. However, once you begin joining student organizations, taking on internships, and attending networking events, your inbox will come close to imploding on many occasions. Be sure to keep track of emails as they are received, and try to respond in a timely matter.

2. PR is everywhere: Like me, you may have entered college not knowing how to describe your major to your family. Also, your idea of what careers you can go into after college may be limited to agency or entertainment PR. However, after hearing from guest speakers and having PR classes, you will learn that every career field has a PR element affiliated with it. If you are interested in health, there is a PR field for that. If you want to work for a college communication department, you could try your hand at education PR. PR is everywhere, and once you realize that, you can truly start your journey towards your dream career.

3. Interning is Key: This may seem obvious, but if it isn’t a graduation requirement, a student may overlook the importance of having an internship! College is busy enough with classes and part time jobs, however, having an internship is an essential step in preparing for the real world after college. By taking at least one (if not more than one) internship in your collegiate career will put you at a higher level of security for when you graduate from your school.

Are there other things you wish you had known before you started college as a PR major? Let us know in the comments!

Life Hacks for PR Majors

You can’t browse the internet without finding an article with various life hacks for the general public.
From deodorizing shoes in a freezer to using the opening in a pot’s handle (normally used for hanging) as a spoon rest, there are many things to find that may make your life a bit easier.

But what about PR? Are there any hacks for a young professional navigating the ins and outs of the field?
Good news, there are! Take a look at these three life hacks for members of the PR field:

PR-Life Hack #1: For Internship Woes- What do you do when you don't get the internship you wanted for the semester? You sent in your application and made sure to include all of your best writing samples, but you were told that they chose another applicant. Depending on how far into the semester it is, you may not be able to find another opening at another company. Instead, try joining a PR club on campus. Organizations like the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) will give you the opportunity to network with PR professionals as well as opportunities to add to your professional portfolio.

PR-Life Hack #2: For Scheduling Errors- Whether upperclassmen took all of the classes or you didn't know what you wanted to take before the class rosters filled up, you may find yourself taking a semester of classes that don’t have anything to do with PR. If this happens, don’t fret! While taking your GenEds, take some “classes” on the side. Websites like The Daily Muse have free, online classes that focus on professional development and careers. Although these aren't directly linked to PR, they will help you in the field when trying to find a job.

PR-Life Hack #3: For Informational Interviews- If you have reached out to a respected member of the PR community for a chance to conduct an informational interview, but they do not have time in their schedules, don’t worry. It’s nothing about you, it’s just that (as we know) PR professionals are very busy. If this happens, reach out to a professor that taught one of your PR courses. Whether it is a current or past professor, chances are, they have had real-world experience in the field, and most of them would love to connect with the students they teach!

Do you have any professional life hacks to share? Tell us in the comments below!

The Genius Behind #GirlBoss

Earlier this Spring, Sophia Amoruso -Founder, CEO and Creative Director of the online fashion retailer Nasty Gal released her new book #GirlBoss. The book shares the fashion maven's experiences, and tells how she went from dumpster diving and shop lifting to growing a million dollar fashion brand.

#GirlBoss isn't the first in it's genre to be released as of late. Other popular books aiming to inspire and empower females to dive into the business world and profit from their passions have been hitting the shelves at record rates. Facebook CEO Sheryl Sandberg released her widely popular book Lean In this time last year, which also delivered an inspirational message to women ready to conquer all. However, it's not the content, inspiring as it may be, of #GirlBoss that I'm recognizing as genius. It's the awesome PR and marketing campaign surrounding it that I want to celebrate.

First, the title itself. Adding a hashtag into the title of your book equates to instant free marketing and increased exposure every time your book is mentioned. Even the this post, when shared over social, will link to the infamous hashtag, further spreading awareness. PR specialists who work with authors and publishers to promote printed content work hard to get a conversation started over social media. Sophia has cut out this extra leg of work by starting the conversation in the title -why didn't anyone think of this sooner?

In addition to its conversation-starting title, #GirlBoss has an impressive amount of online content on its website. Loaded with everything from promotional videos, photos and blog posts, the website truly extends the books conversation, making viewers even more compelled to find out more about Sophia and her story.

#GirlBoss is not just a book, a hashtag or Sophia Amoruso's rags to riches story. According to the book description, “A #GIRLBOSS is in charge of her own life. She gets what she wants because she works for it.” #GirlBoss is what every young woman has the desire to be -inspirational, successful, stylish and purposeful. Not only has Sophia told and sold her own story, she has given women a new framework to create and share their own stories. Creating a personal tie between your message and the lives of your audience members is no easy feat, and what every PR pro aims to do. Sophia and #GirlBoss have managed to achieve this is fabulously.

Have you heard of or read #GirlBoss? How do you think this book will change the way print materials are marketed in the future?

Studying Abroad in Public Relations

Today, I landed in Barcelona, Spain, to kick-off a summer of interning in international public relations. Obviously, being in a different country on a different continent from what I’m used to, things here are a bit weird to me. But, you have to understand that our world is a big place, and people are raised in totally different cultures.

Here in Spain, and Barcelona especially, time runs slower; the work day is shorter and work is done at a slower pace. Coming from the United States, this is quite alien to me, because I’m used to work having set deadlines and full 8 hour work days. Here, I already know I’m only working 5 hours a day at the most. Just because something is different from what you are familiar with doesn’t make it bad or wrong, it just makes it different. Our world history has a trend towards blindly rejecting that which is unknown or different, but it’s our differences that make us unique and interesting.

Public relations is about relating to people, and knowing the differences in different cultures can be the key to successful communication. Traveling, studying, and working abroad are key for public relations practitioners, because it will give them a sense of what makes up our world. Rejecting the unknown is no longer an option, so to successfully communicate with the people of our world we must travel and understand them. 

As I spend more time in Barcelona, I will blog more about my experience here.

Do you have any tips or suggestions about working abroad in public relations? We'd love to hear from you.

Above All, Love What You Do

If you were to picture your perfect future, what would it be?
Money
Happiness
Family
Travel
These are just a few things that might come to mind.

In my perfect future, I spend every day doing a job that I LOVE to do. Whether it's 9-5 or 24/7, as long as I truly enjoy what I'm doing I know I'll be happy and successful. I'm one of the lucky people who has never doubted their major. I've had PR in my heart since before I even came to college and that never changed. Now, as I email every person under the sun about a full-time job, that still stands true.

Spending the past three years with PRowl Public Relations has only solidified by passion for PR, and I couldn't be more grateful for that. It has everything to do with the fact that I was a sophomore in college working with real clients and being thrown into work that entry-level employees do. I love to be challenged. It has everything to do with being surrounded by people who love public relations as much as I do. It's been the perfect environment for myself and my peers to grow in.

Millions of dollars would be nice. A big house with nice cars and acres of land, endless vacations to tropical places, the whole nine yards. I think that's what most people are aiming for. I choose happiness and I choose to wake up every day knowing that I will be doing something that I'm passionate about.

That's my one piece of advice, to everyone: above all, love what you do.

Tips for a Successful Phone Interview

Phone interviews are often one of the first steps on the road to finding a job or internship. Sometimes the calls come from someone in human resources for the company you're applying to and sometimes they come right from the person in charge of the position. Phone interviews are generally scheduled ahead of time, but can also come unexpectedly after a resume with contact information is submitted. This is why it's important to target your job search and make sure you're always doing your research into the companies you're applying to.

Whether you're talking to a recruiter, HR manager or the person to whom you would report if you were hired, phone interviews are tricky. They can't see you so you don't have the advantage of using body language to convey your enthusiasm or sincerity. Often times, phone interviews are only slotted for a certain amount of time, so you may have to squeeze as much information as possible into that one phone call.  In order to have the most successful phone interview, use the following tips:

1. Have your elevator pitch ready
You're always going to be asked to "tell me a little bit about yourself" and you should be prepared to answer in a complete and concise way.

2. Write it all down
Employers are impressed when you have questions to ask them at the end of an interview. If you're writing down the things they're saying and questions that pop into your mind while you're talking, you'll have something insightful to ask at the end.

3. Stay calm and confident.
Your voice is your main tool during a phone interview. Keep a steady tone and speed when you speak and make sure the person on the other end can hear you at all times.

4. Follow up
If you don't already have their email, make sure you ask for it at the end of the conversation. Let them know you plan to follow up and offer to send them any supplemental material such as writing samples of portfolio pieces. They'll be impressed with your initiative.

Phone interviews are the gateway to in-person interviews so it's important to be your best. Do you have any more tips or tricks you use during these conversations? We'd love to hear from you.

Learn to Make Your Own Decisions

There's no such thing as a stupid question, right? While that may be true, there are definitely questions that are pretty unnecessary. I tend to ask a lot of them. I would rather ask a lot of questions and do something right than forge my own incorrect path. While I still stand by that, I've learned through my internships and time spent as a leader in student organizations that there are a lot of times where the questions need to be skipped and executive decisions need to be made.

In order to make a quick and effective decision on your own, there are some simple steps to take:

1. Develop a thorough understanding

You're much more likely to make a solid (and correct) decision if you have all your background information. Think of that "what-if's" before you start your task and find all your answers at the beginning, rather than running into roadblocks later on.

2. Utilize the internet

Search engines are a wonderful thing. Rather than asking your coworker or boss how to use promoted posts on Facebook or create a graph in Excel, just look it up online. 

3. Look for previous examples

Don't reinvent the wheel. If you're doing a job that someone has done before, there are examples of the right way to do it somewhere. Go through old files and see if you can find an older version that might be able to guide you.

4. Be confident

When you make a decision without asking anyone else, be confident that you're doing the right thing. Even if it turns out you aren't, you'll learn from it!

So if you're ever faced with a situation where an immediate decision needs to be made and it's up to you--don't get nervous and second guess yourself. Follow these tips and you're on your way to making great executive decisions. Plus, supervisors, managers, and directors all the way up to vice presidents and CEO's have to make their own decisions, so you're really helping yourself in the long run by learning to do it now.

How to Handle Rejection

I'm not talking about getting turned down for a date--you'll have to go to another blog for advice on that one. I'm talking about job rejection. Whether you're about to graduate and applying for your first full-time position, you're an eager student applying for summer internships, or you're just looking to make a career change, there's a chance you could be facing some rejection sometime soon.

Getting a rejection letter or email for a job that you carefully crafted a cover letter and tailored your resume to can be pretty discouraging, but I prefer to think on the bright side of things and I've come up with some ways to handle rejection and turn it into something positive.

1. Learn from it
Maybe you can pin-point what you said (or didn't say) that caused your job-quest to end in rejection, or maybe you're not quite sure. Go back through the job description and look at the skills and think of ones you might not have highlighted enough or ones you could improve on. Think back to the interview process and consider what you might have done better or changed. Use this opportunity to reflect and improve.

2. Understand it
In a perfect world, every employer would call the people they reject and tell them exactly why they aren't getting hired. Unfortunately, that's usually not the case and it's up to you to figure it out. Try and think about the office atmosphere, the type of work they do, and the way they do it. You might have had all the qualifications, but not have been the right fit for that company. If they didn't think you were a right fit for them, they probably weren't a right fit for you anyway.

3. Use it to your advantage
In interviews you might get asked "what's your biggest failure?" or "talk about a time you didn't succeed and how you handled it". Job rejection is a perfect scenario to use in an answer to this question. You will learn from it and it will help you along the way, whether you realize it now or not, and employers will be impressed with how you handled it and all the ways you used it to become a better PR pro.

4. Chin up, soldier
Remember, there are hundreds of opportunities out there for you. Don't let one rejection get you down or stand in your way of doing the best you can. Keep looking for jobs and internships and you'll find the right one, even if it's somewhere you might not expect.

How have you handled job rejection? We want to hear from you.

Why Did You Go Into Public Relations?

I recently stumbled upon what I thought was a pretty cute article. PR Daily contributor Arik Hanson wrote "Why I'd love for my daughter to go into PR" which lists five reasons why public relations is the way to go. While it was well written and obviously had the adorable factor, I wanted to share this mainly because I found his reasons for entering the field encouraging.

As Hanson points out, it's no secret that public relations is one of the most stressful professions. However, my hope is that this letter to his daughter will also serve as a boost of encouragement during your most tiresome of days and remind you of why you got into public relations yourself.

Check out the article here!

What do you feel are a few selling points of being in public relations? What do you love about the field? Share your experiences below!

The Mix Up: Public Relations, Marketing and Advertising

It’s safe to say that for our generation public relations, marketing and advertising are all in one professional melting pot. This wasn’t always the case, but in recent years it has shown that the best campaigns and strategic plans involve a portion of each. Many public relations internship descriptions will be linked to these two other fields. Although they can go hand in hand with one another, let’s take a look at the difference.

 

PR vs Advertising

Public relations is earned media where advertising and paid media, plain and simple. When it comes down to drawing the line between the two, advertising is focused on immediate effects for promotion of the product. This difference falls under the telling vs. selling factor.Advertising’s main goal is the sell the product. PR is more concerned with specialized communication with media and building a relationship with them. Another difference is the control factor. Advertising has complete control of what they are portraying to the media. Public relations cannot beassured that their story will be covered and hands over themajority of control to the media. Lastly, the cost difference is another way to separate the two. Advertising often costs significantly more.

 

PR vs Marketing

Both of these fields are concerned with achieving business goals, but public relations focuses on numerous audiences, where marketing focuses on the customer audience. Public relations has to keep in mind they are under the watch of many, internally and externally. Marketing wants the sale, bottom line. It puts its efforts in coming up with tactics to drive an immediate purchase. Public relations keeps itsfocus on driving awareness about the story. One quote thatseems to clear things us perfectly is “PR lights the fire, Marketing fans the flames.”

 

The lines can still be blurry when trying to figure out what falls under each category. Despite their differences, the fields often lend each other a helping hand. Public relations professionals most likely will find themselves working on a project that can be considered advertising or marketing work. When it’s all said and done, you want your brands to be promoted in the best, most effective way which often times means combining a little bit of everything.

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Gabrielle Lacherza. 

Media Training 101: Tips on Teaching Your Client

Advocacy. Advocacy. Advocacy.  It's PR 101, it's what we do for our clients and it's what is engraved into our brains from the start.  Part of advocating for your client or your company can be media training. Media training is simply preparing your client for press conferences, interviews, TV appearances, etc. It's a daunting task because no matter how prepared you and your client can be, the media can always throw in a question or comment that you didn't expect. It is our job to make sure the client is prepared for that.

Start off the media training with something fun and engaging. 

Pretend you're the reporter and ask them really hard questions. Chances are they'll freeze up (that's why you're in the position of training them, after all). This will show the importance of what they're about to listen to and experience.

Keep your client's personality in mind.

If they're generally a formal person from a suit-and-tie company, they might not be comfortable loosening up in a conversational situation with a reporter. Practice makes perfect and the more you help your client embrace relaxation, the better they will do in the interview. Cool, calm and collected is a really overused saying for a reason.

Don't use jargon.

Whether we realize it or not, our field is littered with jargon that no one else understand. Clients don't know what editorial and impressions mean so there's no use in talking about it during your training. Keep it short and simple and easy for them to understand so they stay in full focus during your presentation.

Focus on the mission statement.

It's the core of their business and something that they should know inside and out. By incorporating something that they are already comfortable with and making it the base of the training it will help them adjust better.

Wrap it up by reiterating why media training matters.

You can repeat your initial interview exercise and watch them be amazed with the progress they made in a few short hours. End with key takeaways that are most important for them to remember. Always offer yourself up for additional help outside of the training session.

As PR professionals we are supposed to be media aficionados. Sometimes these skills can get in the way of seeing how other people are going to feel if they're talking to a reporter. Put yourself in your client's shoes and make sure to talk to them that way. You're helping them with their skills and cultivating your relationship with them, all in one.

 

Why Are PR Students Taking Jobs in Other Fields?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to Deal with a Bad Boss

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bonjour! A Little PR from Paris

At this very moment I'm across the pond being captivated by the beauty of France. In addition to visits to cultural landmarks, tours of the most beautiful landscapes, and dining at divine restaurants, I've also been to visit several different companies. We've been to see the French Fashion Institute, Hermes, and Peugeot and are set to see many more.

On these visits I've noticed some serious cultural differences in conducting business that any aspiring public relations professional will want to know if they're considering doing business abroad.

Dress

In the United States, "business casual" is generally the norm and "business formal" is saved for fancier occasions.  In France, "business formal" is the norm and the French take great pride in how they dress. Americans always need to look their most professional and very best when doing business in France.

Time

The French look at Americans as "always in a hurry". If you're going to do business with the French, you need to be prepared to slow down and go at their pace or you'll risk looking too aggressive.

Language

In France, it's common to use 'terms of endearment' in business conversation.  You'll hear "mon cheri" used and at first thought it may seem sexist or politically incorrect. The French don't view it that way and it's best to just accept the cultural adjustment.

It's your job as an American business-person and PR professional to be prepared for the cultural differences you'll face when doing business abroad. France is just a drop in the bucket of cultural clash.

What are some other cultural differences you can think of? We want to know!

Intern vs. Employee: Whose Job is Harder?

You might think there is an obvious answer to this question and wonder why I'm bringing it to debate at all.  It seems like a no brainer, why would a part-time (or even full-time) intern have a harder job than someone actually employed by the company?

Let's break it down:

Employee

• 40 hour work week (but let's be real, in PR we all know it's more)
• Multiple clients, projects, meetings, etc.
• Work-life balance challenges
• Inter-company relationship maintenance

Intern

• Busy work 
• Smaller tasks
• Part-time (generally)
• School-work-life balance

The biggest difference between the intern and the employee is that the job isn't the intern's end-all. They aren't bound to this company for an extended amount of time like an employee is. However, the employee is there every day. They're familiar with the in's and out's of the people they work with and the clients they have.

I think it's harder being the intern because you're NOT there every day. Even if you are, you're not included in every email chain and every meeting. It's hard to get completely familiarized with every client to the proper extent when the job isn't your main focus because of school, extra curricular activities, etc.

Which do you think is more difficult? Have you had an experience where you struggled as an intern but felt that if you were employed you would succeed?

What's Your Social Media Personality?

This is a little bit like the quizzes you find in the back of a Seventeen Magazine. What kind of social media personality are YOU? Check all that apply.

PR Daily posted this infographic that breaks down the type of people who are using social media, and it's pretty spot-on.

Most PR students and professionals (myself included) would most likely fall under the "Ultras" category.  We love our social media and we're proud of it and we might even find ourselves getting a little antsy when we can't check it several times a day.

However, there are definitely some classifications that aspiring PR pros don't want to fall under.

• The Peacocks

It's great to have a lot of followers, but social media isn't a popularity contest. If most of your audience is people that have no relevance to what you're saying, you might as well be talking to yourself

• The Ranters

Sometimes it's hard to contain our opinions, especially on hot-button issues. It's in our PR nature to want to respond right away. It's okay to speak your mind, as well as it's well thought out and appropriate. Ranting is never encouraged.

• The Ghosts

What good do anonymous or "fake" profiles do you? If no one knows who you are you can't gain much credibility. Online safety shouldn't be taken lightly but as long as you're smart about what you put out there, you can still be honest about who you are.

So, which social media personality are you? Are you a cross between a few or a completely new breed? We want to know!