Texting as Dangerous as Drinking?

Okay, so this post is not PR-related, but I feel it is my duty to make sure the readers know the danger of texting while driving! Are you guilty of this? I know it’s hard to imagine not responding, but don’t! Wait until you get off the road. The Transport Research Laboratory in the U.K. found that texting while driving is even more dangerous than drinking while driving!

According to the article, “…when subjects were text messaging and driving at the same time, reaction speed was reduced by 35 percent… Those that were driving and drinking within the legal limit only suffered a 12 percent loss of reaction speed, and those that were driving under the influence of marijuana had their reaction speed reduced by 21 percent, 14 percent lower than while driving and texting. Another startling statistic: According to the study, those that were texting and driving reduced their steering ability by 91 percent.”

Not to mention, members of the Philadelphia City Council voted unanimously to ban using handheld cell phones while driving, and yes- that includes texting. Mayor Michael Nutter also signed the bill, making texting (and talking) while driving illegal effective starting November 1, 2009.

So don't forget, put your phone down!

Seeking Facebook Addicts

What a great article! I found this piece on CNN.com (in partnership with CareerBuilder.com) which highlights "Five jobs for Facebook addicts."

We all have recognized by now that skills in social media are necessary for potential employment. But now with so many people embracing a lifestyle revolving around social media there is no wonder, the perfect jobs really do exist. Where many people preach against joining social networks, there are companies which recruit and search for users online, promoting association to these social institutions. So for those Facebook frequenters out there, you might want to consider the following job titles for your future employment.

5 Jobs for Facebook addicts:

1. Recruiter
2. Strategist
3. Enterprise architect
4. User operations analyst
5. Director of social media

For more insight on each occupation check out the article!

The article also offers some advice in searching for a social media job, stating, "finding social media jobs is difficult but many of these positions," can be found, "under a variety of job titles that don't include "social media."" Also, "try searching job boards and the Internet for "social media," "interactive marketing," "new media" or "branding manager.""

Good luck and happy Facebook-ing!

I thought this advice for graduating PR students was really insightful, especially because of the difficult times facing this year's graduates!

Here are seven tips offered by Nicole Jordan on the blog, "Kicking Sand."

1. Read Brian Solis' book: "he is one of the foremost thinkers in our field."
2. Follow through: "Understand that the second you start interviewing and, once you land your first full-time job is the second your professional reputation begins."
3. Your digital profile: "You should watch it...pay attention to what you say and what's posted." Online profiles "give me a good sense of what kind of contribution, or distraction, you might bring to my office."
4. Read. A lot.: "I read anything and everything that's going to feed my role as the communicator for my company and the bridge to the outside."
5. Don't get impatient: "PR is an art and there are nuances to the craft that will take you years and years to learn. So focus on learning..."
6. Try out other departments: "The practice of public relations/ communications touches all aspects of the company...[g]o spend some time in the customer service department...hang out with the sales team..." This knowledge will help you learn to communicate value through many different outlets.
7. The PR world is tiny: "Your reputation is crucial and it will follow you everywhere because the PR world is a tiny, tiny incestuous thing. Always strive to do your job with integrity."

The List of Opportunities Open to People in PR Continues...

I'm always amazed at the number and diversity of applications of a degree in PR!

I just returned from a week's vacation with my family in Bonita Springs, Florida. We stayed in a housing community that offered daily housekeeping and concierge services. It was basically like staying in a hotel, except it was a house we had all to ourselves!

Our concierge was named Kelly, and she was great! She was extremely personable and would stop in everyday to help us with anything we needed, give us advice on places to go and things to see, help us choose restaurants for dinner, let us know where to go for the best shopping, etc.

I got to talking to her, and was not surprised to find that she had studied communications and PR in college. She explained that she is responsible for seven residences and their respective guests. She is in charge of the upkeep of all of the residences, and is also responsible for making sure all of the guests have what they need and are well taken-care-of during their stays. The company that owns the houses is based in Denver, Colorado and also owns houses all over the nation. Because she is solely in charge of managing the homes in Bonita Springs, Kelly is basically the face of the company to all of the guests staying in the Bonita Springs homes. Her actions and the actions of those she oversees are critical to the company for continued - and growing - success.

Kelly explained to me that relationships play an extremely important role in her job. Her relationships with the various cleaning companies, pool service companies, landscapers, etc. all affect her success in providing great service to her guests and representing the company well. Relationships are also critical to the external services she offers her guests; while staying in the home, we were granted access to an LA Fitness facility and also membership to a private beach club. Most health clubs and beach clubs require year-long memberships, but Kelly was able to develop relationships with the general managers of both and was able to work out temporary memberships for the guests that stay in the homes she manages.

Before this trip, I never even knew a job like Kelly's existed. Now that I know it is out there, I'd love to look into positions like hers. Using skills like organization, planning ahead, time management, relationship-building and working closely with people, I feel that Kelly's job is another of the hundreds of careers that would be perfect for someone with a background in PR. While I'd be very interested in pursuing a job like Kelly's in my future, my experience at this resort also reminded me of the limitless opportunities open to people with backgrounds in the PR industry.

Essential PR Skills and Proficiencies

After reviewing some recent articles and blog posts outlining skills needed by the PR professional of the future, Al Krueger of Comet Branding Blog asserted that "the skills outlined in many of the 'skills of tomorrow's PR pros' posts are needed TODAY."

Here are some traits he outlined that will always be needed - today and in the future.

1. Strong journalistic writing and storytelling
2. Relationship development
3. Business acumen
4. Curiosity and restlessness
5. Programming and design
6. Working knowledge of social media distribution platforms
7. Video creative direction and production
8. Community gardening
9. Walking the talk
10. Proving return on investment

The list is pretty self-explanatory, but see Krueger's blog post for further explanation of each skill and its importance to the field of PR.

I found both Krueger's point and his list very insightful and helpful. What traits on the list do you possess and which do you still need to finesse or develop? Personally, I need to work on developing skill in video creative direction and production, as well as programming and design. I also need to gain more experience and knowledge in the business-related aspects of PR, such as proving return on investment and developing business acumen (building experience, practical knowledge and credibility in a certain industry). I also feel that community gardening is something that I need to learn more about; it seems that this will come with time and experience in the field.

Teens Avoiding Twitter Because of Text Message Quotas?

An intern for Morgan Stanley in London recently wrote a research paper about the media usage patterns of his (our) age group. One executive in the company referred to his report as "one of the clearest and most thought-provoking insights we have seen."

The New York Times reported that the intern's report "said that teenagers were eager to try new media technologies and deftly switch among them, but they were deeply opposed to opening their wallets to pay for the services. He also suggested that Twitter...wasn't necessarily holding his peers' attention."

"'Teenagers do not use Twitter,'" the intern said, explaining that many have opened accounts on the site but eventually stray away mostly because "'they are not going to update it...texting Twitter uses up credit, and they would rather text friends with that credit.'"

Do you believe that teenagers make more use of Twitter than the intern suggested, or do you agree with him that it is not consistently utilized by that age group?

If you agree with him that it is not widely used by teenagers, do you agree that the reason is quotas set by texting plans? I personally am not aware of many teens on Twitter but I found this to be really interesting logic and am not sure I buy it. After all, teenagers spend hours in front of the computer watching videos on YouTube, chatting on Instant Messenger, and keeping tabs on friends via Facebook; why wouldn't they use the online version of Twitter if they do not wish to use their text message quotas?

I'm a Workaholic...?

Somewhere after "So, tell me about yourself" comes "What is your biggest weakness" in an interview. This has always been one of the most tricky questions for me, and is practically guaranteed to be among the list. According to an article written by Liz Seasholtz, here is the breakdown of the "million-dollar" answer:

"...the best response breaks down into three parts. First, demonstrate you’re self-aware by stating a weakness. Second, share how you’re taking initiative to improve upon it. And third, discuss your success thus far...For example, if you’re bad at giving presentations, you might identify your weakness as public speaking. Tell how you overcame this weakness by constantly volunteering to present on behalf of your department in your old job, or attending Toastmasters meetings. Then reflect on your comfort level with presenting now."

This is definitely the best advice I've ever heard for answering this daunting question. Have you heard any other tips for answering this or other tricky interview questions?