It is hard to ignore the dwindling amount of men within the public relations field. What once was a male industry has transformed in to a business primarily consisting of females. According to the PRSA salary survey, 70% of public relations practitioners are women.
During the spring 2011 semester, I participated in an independent project with Dr. Donnalyn Pompper studying the opinions of male professionals in the field. After 15 interviews and four focus groups, I gained a lot of knowledge about how men in the business felt, but I was still curious why male students were choosing the industry.
Although the majority gender in the business has been the female sex, many of the males I interviewed highly recommended a job in public relations. They suggested the profession claiming it allowed one to practice communication in any interest area. If one enjoyed movies or food, there were jobs in public relations supporting those interests.
“What really attracted me to public relations was the ability to work in a variety of different industries,” said Evan Galusha.
Listening to the opinions of two male juniors in Temple University’s public relations department, Galusha and Jacob DeChant, I realized I was interested in public relations for the same reasons they stated. I have always had an eclectic mix of hobbies, such as technology and music, and I felt public relations would allow me to participate in those different departments throughout my career.
“I feel the great part of public relations is thinking about all the fun things you can do with it,” said DeChant.
The mainstream images, such as Samantha from Sex and the City, project public relations as a glitzy industry, ignoring the diversity of the field. Although public relations seems unappealing to many males, I feel it is a profession with a lot to offer, no matter what gender you are. There are few jobs that allow you to switch from nonprofit to corporate work.
Despite being a minority in this industry, I look forward to the future experiences public relations has to offer. Regardless of gender, this is a great profession to express your creativity and support your interests. It is the type of job that will leave you feeling gratified at the end of the day.
This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Nick Stackhouse.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Is Social Media Making Us Lazy Professionals?
It's an interesting notion to consider when social media is used as the catalyst and primary tactic in many PR campaigns today. Author Rosanna Fiske, Chair and Chief Officer of the Public Relations Society of America, disagrees with this statement in her Marketing Commentary response posted on April 27. Fiske claims the older generation of marketers and public relations practitioners often tries to "decry" new technology and favor traditional campaign tactics. In her post, she condemns this archaic method of thinking, because it shows the disdain that some older generation professionals have for the changing face of strategic communication.
However passionate Fiske remains on this topic, she does mention that the older professionals who feel this way have some validity in their claim that social media is making younger marketers "lazy." Fiske says that only when social media is misused with "blast" messages and alerts is it no longer strategic, nor effective and she can justify the "lazy marketer" argument.
Fiske draws the conclusion that when used strategically to market to specific audiences, social media is a valuable asset to any campaign. Fiske reinforces the idea that social media is just one tactic, and while it may be valuable it cannot serve as the sole tactic behind a campaign. Fiske says, "We need to set an example that social media is not the strategy, but one tactic among many that must work concurrently in successful client campaigns. That goes for mentoring young professionals and clients alike."
In my opinion, social media has its purpose, as long as it's used with purpose. I believe social media is not making the younger generation of marketers "lazy" but I think complacent would be a more appropriate word. Because social media plays such a crucial role in our personal and professional lives, it is easy to try to use social media as the primary solution in every campaign. Traditional media certainly still has its place but I agree with Fiske that you cannot denounce the importance of social media in the modern PR era.
To read the discussion about social media and to see the full article, click here.
I encourage you to share your opinions about this topic, because I believe it is one of the main schisms between the older and younger generation of PR professionals.
This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Michele Reilley.
However passionate Fiske remains on this topic, she does mention that the older professionals who feel this way have some validity in their claim that social media is making younger marketers "lazy." Fiske says that only when social media is misused with "blast" messages and alerts is it no longer strategic, nor effective and she can justify the "lazy marketer" argument.
Fiske draws the conclusion that when used strategically to market to specific audiences, social media is a valuable asset to any campaign. Fiske reinforces the idea that social media is just one tactic, and while it may be valuable it cannot serve as the sole tactic behind a campaign. Fiske says, "We need to set an example that social media is not the strategy, but one tactic among many that must work concurrently in successful client campaigns. That goes for mentoring young professionals and clients alike."
In my opinion, social media has its purpose, as long as it's used with purpose. I believe social media is not making the younger generation of marketers "lazy" but I think complacent would be a more appropriate word. Because social media plays such a crucial role in our personal and professional lives, it is easy to try to use social media as the primary solution in every campaign. Traditional media certainly still has its place but I agree with Fiske that you cannot denounce the importance of social media in the modern PR era.
To read the discussion about social media and to see the full article, click here.
I encourage you to share your opinions about this topic, because I believe it is one of the main schisms between the older and younger generation of PR professionals.
This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Michele Reilley.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Searching Across Country
The last semester of your senior year is a hectic one without the added stress of the job search. I have added the additional hardship of searching for a job in Los Angeles and not in Philadelphia or even on the East Coast. Searching for a job located 3,000 miles away makes the process a bit more difficult. You cannot be there at the drop of a hat for an interview. You cannot necessarily start next week. However, throughout my search for a job on the other side of the United States, I have learned some useful tips and lessons. I want to share them with those who are considering searching for a job in a different city.
Resume/Cover Letter
Resume/Cover Letter
- If you have a place to live or an address where you can receive mail in the city you are searching for a job, include this address on your resume and cover letter.
- It is important to explain in your cover letter that you will be moving to the select city. If you have a time frame, include this information as well.
- Be sure to note it is best to contact you by email or phone and not by mail.
Job Search Process/Interviewing
- Start contacting places several months before your estimated time of moving with your resume and cover letter. Again, explain in your introductory letter you will be moving to the city.
- Employers may encourage you to contact them closer to when you will be in the city. Thank them for their response and make sure to follow up in the month or so before you plan to move.
- Consider setting aside a week or two to stay in the city before the move. Inform employers you have been conversing with of your potential stay in the city and let them know you will be available for an interview then.
- When discussing interview options, mention the possibility of phone or Skype interviews before you move to the city. Most employers will be accommodating to this request.
Networking In Another City
- Consider reaching out to professionals in the area to ask for an informational interview. One of the best places to seek professionals from is the local PRSA chapter. Ask these professionals about the job market in your desired city and if they know of any places hiring.
- These informational interviews can be conducted via phone or Skype as well before the move. If you plan to be in the city for a week or two before the move, make sure to set up an informational interview while you are there.
There are numerous other things you can do to make your job search in another city easier. If you have any additional tips, please share them with our readers.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
NEWS ALERT: Know Your News!
We hear it time and time again as young PR professionals... how it is our job to stay on top of the news and be aware of current events and trends. Yet, you'd be surprised how very few college students actually follow this advice and are unable to name a single headline from the today's news. Understandably, college students are spread thin with classes, internships, part-time jobs and student organizations that sparing 30 minutes of our days to read up on the news seems daunting and unnecessary. However, I can never express to fellow students enough how important it is to follow the news, to be aware of reporters and their beats and to be familiar with what each outlet generally covers.
So, for my fellow busy students, here are a few pieces of advice to work the news into your daily routine. Just like exercising, it takes some dedication and motivation, but once you have incorporated it into your daily routine you won't be able to go a day without it.
1. The world of media is quickly changing. It's no longer required to gather your news from a newspaper, or even by turning on the TV. Social media is revolutionizing the way news is distributed, delivering breaking news faster than ever. So while you are procrastinating on writing that ten page paper by scanning Twitter, take the time to click on a few of the headlines that pop up in your Twitter feed. Make sure you are following @nytimes, @phillyinquirer, @cnnbrk, or @abc. Follow your favorite news sources and make it a goal to click on at least 5 of those headlines and read the stories. It will only take you about 20 to 30 minutes, and its time you were going to spend putting off your homework anyways.
2. When you actually do get around to your homework, have the news on your TV playing in the background. We all need breaks from reading, writing and researching and often spend those breaks watching mind-numbing reality TV or surfing our Facebook newsfeed for the latest gossip. So instead, keep your favorite news channel streaming in the background and when you start gasping for air from the hours of homework that you are drowning in, take a 10-15 minute break and watch the news.
3. A large amount of us have smartphones now and although we have millions of apps to download, I know maybe a handful of students who have downloaded news apps to their phone, even though they are FREE. So, with all "broke college student" excuses aside, download one or two free news apps, such as The New York Times or The Huffington Post, and while you are riding the subway to your job/internship or waiting for class to start in the next ten minutes, pull up the app and read a story or two. Tell your boyfriend/girlfriend that you'll text them later, turn off your angry birds game for a few minutes, and invest 10-15 minutes into bettering yourself personally and professionally.
I encourage all of you to try making the news a part of your daily routine! It worries me when I speak to people that still have no idea what is going on in the world, within our own country, within our city and even within our own university. While you may be impressed with yourself for knowing Kate Middleton's dress designer the royal wedding, I promise you there are much more important things going on around you that you should invest the effort into being informed about.
What other pieces of advice can you offer for helping college students understand the importance of knowing the news and how to stay on top of it? Let us know!
So, for my fellow busy students, here are a few pieces of advice to work the news into your daily routine. Just like exercising, it takes some dedication and motivation, but once you have incorporated it into your daily routine you won't be able to go a day without it.
1. The world of media is quickly changing. It's no longer required to gather your news from a newspaper, or even by turning on the TV. Social media is revolutionizing the way news is distributed, delivering breaking news faster than ever. So while you are procrastinating on writing that ten page paper by scanning Twitter, take the time to click on a few of the headlines that pop up in your Twitter feed. Make sure you are following @nytimes, @phillyinquirer, @cnnbrk, or @abc. Follow your favorite news sources and make it a goal to click on at least 5 of those headlines and read the stories. It will only take you about 20 to 30 minutes, and its time you were going to spend putting off your homework anyways.
2. When you actually do get around to your homework, have the news on your TV playing in the background. We all need breaks from reading, writing and researching and often spend those breaks watching mind-numbing reality TV or surfing our Facebook newsfeed for the latest gossip. So instead, keep your favorite news channel streaming in the background and when you start gasping for air from the hours of homework that you are drowning in, take a 10-15 minute break and watch the news.
3. A large amount of us have smartphones now and although we have millions of apps to download, I know maybe a handful of students who have downloaded news apps to their phone, even though they are FREE. So, with all "broke college student" excuses aside, download one or two free news apps, such as The New York Times or The Huffington Post, and while you are riding the subway to your job/internship or waiting for class to start in the next ten minutes, pull up the app and read a story or two. Tell your boyfriend/girlfriend that you'll text them later, turn off your angry birds game for a few minutes, and invest 10-15 minutes into bettering yourself personally and professionally.
I encourage all of you to try making the news a part of your daily routine! It worries me when I speak to people that still have no idea what is going on in the world, within our own country, within our city and even within our own university. While you may be impressed with yourself for knowing Kate Middleton's dress designer the royal wedding, I promise you there are much more important things going on around you that you should invest the effort into being informed about.
What other pieces of advice can you offer for helping college students understand the importance of knowing the news and how to stay on top of it? Let us know!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Tips for Acing Your Next Presentation
As college classes come to an end, many of us have just a few things standing between us and the end of the semester, namely final exams and presentations. For Communications and PR students, these presentations may be some of the last of our college careers but will probably not be the last of our professional careers. Below are some tips from Lifehack.org's article "18 Tips for Killer Presentations."
1. 10-20-30 Rule: A powerpoint slide show should contain no more than 10 slides, last no longer than 20 minutes, and be written in no less than 30 point type.
2. 15-Word Summary: You should be able to summarize each idea in 15 words. If you can't, try writing down the idea and choosing 15 important words that summarize it.
3. Speeches are About Stories: If your speech is going to be long, use stories to connect with your audience.
4. "That's a Good Question:" You can use statements like this one to buy yourself more time to organize your thoughts when answering tough questions. These filler sentences are less noticeable to your audience than littering your answers with "ums" and "ahs."
5. Breathe In, Not Out: When you feel the urge to use fillers, pause and take a short breath in.
6. Put Yourself in the Audience: Try to see your speech from the audience's perspective when writing it. Think about what they might find confusing or boring and use WIIFM (What's In It For Me) as a guide.
To read the rest of the tips from the article, click here.
1. 10-20-30 Rule: A powerpoint slide show should contain no more than 10 slides, last no longer than 20 minutes, and be written in no less than 30 point type.
2. 15-Word Summary: You should be able to summarize each idea in 15 words. If you can't, try writing down the idea and choosing 15 important words that summarize it.
3. Speeches are About Stories: If your speech is going to be long, use stories to connect with your audience.
4. "That's a Good Question:" You can use statements like this one to buy yourself more time to organize your thoughts when answering tough questions. These filler sentences are less noticeable to your audience than littering your answers with "ums" and "ahs."
5. Breathe In, Not Out: When you feel the urge to use fillers, pause and take a short breath in.
6. Put Yourself in the Audience: Try to see your speech from the audience's perspective when writing it. Think about what they might find confusing or boring and use WIIFM (What's In It For Me) as a guide.
To read the rest of the tips from the article, click here.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Check out #twitterchats
I have been a Twitter user for over two years now. After I signed up for my Twitter account, I began to build my network of public relations and communications professionals on the site. I soon began to observe what has now become a Twitter phenomenon: Twitter chats.
I was always interested in these chats, but never fully understood what they were or how they worked--until more recently. In case you're as unfamiliar with Twitter chats as I was, Ragan.com's Samantha Hosenkamp describes them as "online chat rooms, but within Twitter." "Each chat--denoted by a hashtag (#)--focuses on a specific topic or field of interest," she explains.
Basically, the chats are run by a Twitter user who acts as moderator, while participants in the chat can respond to others or pose questions and comments. Every participant includes the hashtag for the chat in their tweets so the other participants can watch the conversation in real time by searching that hashtag.
There are many benefits to becoming involved with Twitter chats. Hosenkamp points out that Twitter chats enable participants to build their personal and corporate brands. Users can also gain a lot of new insight and information in one short hour. This point was underscored by one Twitter chat participant, who said Twitter chats like #journchat (a discussion between PR professionals and journalists) "got me interested in Twitter. It made me realize the site was more than tweeting what you ate."
If you are like me and plan on taking advantage of the chance to participate in Twitter chats more in the future, Hosenkamp offers several tips:
I was always interested in these chats, but never fully understood what they were or how they worked--until more recently. In case you're as unfamiliar with Twitter chats as I was, Ragan.com's Samantha Hosenkamp describes them as "online chat rooms, but within Twitter." "Each chat--denoted by a hashtag (#)--focuses on a specific topic or field of interest," she explains.
Basically, the chats are run by a Twitter user who acts as moderator, while participants in the chat can respond to others or pose questions and comments. Every participant includes the hashtag for the chat in their tweets so the other participants can watch the conversation in real time by searching that hashtag.
There are many benefits to becoming involved with Twitter chats. Hosenkamp points out that Twitter chats enable participants to build their personal and corporate brands. Users can also gain a lot of new insight and information in one short hour. This point was underscored by one Twitter chat participant, who said Twitter chats like #journchat (a discussion between PR professionals and journalists) "got me interested in Twitter. It made me realize the site was more than tweeting what you ate."
If you are like me and plan on taking advantage of the chance to participate in Twitter chats more in the future, Hosenkamp offers several tips:
- Familiarize yourself with the topic beforehand and the format of the specific chat
- Use a tool like Hootsuite, which will make it easier to follow the conversation in real time.
- Don't overload the chat with links; keep the focus on the conversation.
- Thank the moderators and participants for their time, and be sure to keep up with the connections you made.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Alternative Uses for Press Releases
Press releases are one of the most difficult pieces to write in the Public Relations field. You only have a small amount of space to get your point across and get the public interested. As a result, many press releases are rejected from media outlets. It can seem like a waste of time writing so many press releases to just have them rejected and thrown in the trash. However, Mickie Kennedy of Ragan.com explains in his article “5 Alternative Uses for Your Press Release” that there are many other ways to utilize your rejected press release:
1. A Download- In most cases, your first draft of a press release is going to be long and detailed. Save this and use it as a handout for the public as additional information. This can also serve as motivation for the customer to join your mailing list when they request more information, and avoids the limitations of press releases.
2. Internal Memo- It is vital to keep your co-workers involved and aware and to keep the floor open for constructive criticism. Using your press release as an internal memo is time saving and also allows you to use a little more relaxed language, without being unprofessional.
3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)- The easiest way to gain followers is by making yourself the first choice. Using your press release, you can insert popular keywords that will pop up whenever someone searches for a service, event, client, etc. you are representing. Just be sure not to make it seem like you are obviously trying to reel in visitors. For example when you type PRowl Public Relations into Google, this blog is the first thing to pop up thanks to keywords, immediately giving the public a direct line to PRowl PR.
4. Blog Post- While having your story published to a local newspaper can be beneficial, usually it is only the locals who are going to see it, quickly flipping through the headlines. If you turn your press release into a blog post, you have all users of the Internet as a potential clientele, reading your story and forwarding the link to coworkers, friends and family.
5. Sales Kit- In a press release, you are trying to make your organization’s products and services desirable to a vast public. Essentially, you are advertising and therefore, it is for the purpose of getting people interested in what you’re representing. This would be great to put into a sales kit once you tweak your press release to focus on your potential customers and write an excellent pitch.
As you consider the future of your rejected press releases, is there anywhere else a press release can be put to use?
For more information on Mickie Kennedy’s alternative uses for press releases, click here.
This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Marianna Morris.
1. A Download- In most cases, your first draft of a press release is going to be long and detailed. Save this and use it as a handout for the public as additional information. This can also serve as motivation for the customer to join your mailing list when they request more information, and avoids the limitations of press releases.
2. Internal Memo- It is vital to keep your co-workers involved and aware and to keep the floor open for constructive criticism. Using your press release as an internal memo is time saving and also allows you to use a little more relaxed language, without being unprofessional.
3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)- The easiest way to gain followers is by making yourself the first choice. Using your press release, you can insert popular keywords that will pop up whenever someone searches for a service, event, client, etc. you are representing. Just be sure not to make it seem like you are obviously trying to reel in visitors. For example when you type PRowl Public Relations into Google, this blog is the first thing to pop up thanks to keywords, immediately giving the public a direct line to PRowl PR.
4. Blog Post- While having your story published to a local newspaper can be beneficial, usually it is only the locals who are going to see it, quickly flipping through the headlines. If you turn your press release into a blog post, you have all users of the Internet as a potential clientele, reading your story and forwarding the link to coworkers, friends and family.
5. Sales Kit- In a press release, you are trying to make your organization’s products and services desirable to a vast public. Essentially, you are advertising and therefore, it is for the purpose of getting people interested in what you’re representing. This would be great to put into a sales kit once you tweak your press release to focus on your potential customers and write an excellent pitch.
As you consider the future of your rejected press releases, is there anywhere else a press release can be put to use?
For more information on Mickie Kennedy’s alternative uses for press releases, click here.
This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Marianna Morris.
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