A Grassroots Movement at Temple?

In response to recent armed robberies around Temple University’s campus, students have created a way to voice their opinions on the subject. A Temple student created a Facebook event called “Eyes Around Temple” that is meant to help students “stand together and think of ways to protect [themselves] and fellow students.” The creation of this event makes me question how effective students’ voicing their opinion on Facebook is. More specifically, is “Eyes Around Temple” a form of grassroots public relations or is it just a group of 2,000+ students who voice their opinions but do not put them to use?

According to bnet.com, the CBS interactive business network, grassroots public relations involves community level campaigning. It also “…calls for dealing with the public at large in a simple, manageable ‘close to home’ manner.” It is about identifying key communication skills and using them to start a movement for change.

In connection with the aforementioned definition of grassroots public relations, the “Eyes Around Temple” cannot be considered grassroots public relations, because the creator of the message does not seem to have made a clear plan or campaign. Students post their complaints and ideas for change, but has the creator of the original message thought of how to disseminate the messages of these students in order to create an effective campaign? I think not, so I offer some suggestions in order to create a grassroots public relations campaign:

1. Assess the need for change, and create an outline of what that change should look like

• Do you want there to be less violence in the Temple area, more protection of the students, etc.

2. Create a list of audiences you wish to reach

3. Determine how you will reach these audiences

• Facebook is a good place to start but try to use the messages students have posted to create an ad campaign, or to notify Temple’s administration that a number of students have voiced their concern about lack of protection on campus

4. Identify messages that will be “close to home” and will reach your community/audience

• Specifically, Temple students are affected so how do you create a message that will get them to do something?

5. Assess your messages and the success of your campaign

• For instance, did it reach your audience and did you help create change?

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Kurie Fitzgerald.

The Power of Student Organizations

As a member of six different student organizations, I am definitely an advocate for getting involved on campus outside of class. Student organizations are not only a way to get to know your peers with similar interests, they often provide professional development opportunities, connect you with leaders in the field you're interested in, and can be a resume booster if used in the correct way.

PRowl Public Relations just finished compiling a database of all student organizations at Temple University, complete with type of student organization, number of members, and contact information for organization leaders. Especially when targeting students in our campaigns, student organizations are a powerful way to connect with campus opinion leaders. Temple University has a total undergraduate enrollment of approximately 27,000; of those 27,000 students, more than 15,000 of them are involved in a student organization.

From doing this research personally, I can tell you that there is a student organization for almost any interest you may have. There are more than 320 political/advocacy, recreation/leisure, arts & entertainment, professional, academic department, media/publication, Greek and service organizations at Temple University to choose from. If you're a Temple student, I encourage you to go to https://temple-community.symplicity.com, sign-in with your student information (your TUA and PW), and explore the different opportunities to get involved. If you're not a Temple University student, contact your Student Activities office and ask for more information about organizations at your university.

Whether you're targeting students in a campaign or are a student trying to differentiate yourself and meet your peers, student organizations should be a critical component of your professional or personal plan.

If interested in public relations, make sure to check out your university's Public Relations Student Society of America!

Successful Tips for Handling Conflict

As young adults and up-and-coming professionals, we have all been in situations, whether at work, during an internship or throughout a group project for class, that have created tension and conflict amongst your fellow colleagues and peers. Conflict is many times inevitable, however people can learn to be more effective when successfully handling it. In an article from Boston.com, Susan Lankton-Rivas offers 8 tips for overcoming conflict in the workplace. Here are a few:

• Approach conflict with an open mind. Do not attempt to prove that someone is "right" and someone is "wrong," but instead understand that people have different perceptions and point-of-views. Both parties should try to look at the situation from the other person's perspective and reach a mutual understanding of the situation.
• Listen carefully. Rather than jump to conclusions, be an attentive listener and before responding be sure that you clearly understand everything that has just been said.
• Be conscious of your language choices. Use "I" statements to express how you are feeling and why you are feeling that way. Avoid putting any of the blame on the other person through the use of your word choices.
• Always be respectful of differences. You will always work with diverse personalities and people who are not always going to share the same point-of-view. Be mindful that with different religions, cultures and lifestyles working in one place, certain behaviors and actions can be viewed differently from their original intention.
  

Be sure to read the rest of the great tips featured in the article here!

What pieces of advice have you found most helpful when handling conflict in the workplace? Let us know!

Benefits for the Twitter Savvy Traveler

The snowstorms that accompanied the holidays this year left many travelers stranded. Many travelers tried to seek information about their flights by phone but were met with busy signals and long waits. However, some travelers found a line of communication that didn't involve those frustrations: social media.

Technologically savvy travelers used Facebook and Twitter to find information, vent about their situations and even book new flights. Some airlines, such as Delta, trained staff members to respond to their troubled travelers through social media. Many could only offer apologies, but a response nonetheless.

While airlines still recommend travelers contact them primarily by phone, this situation demonstrates yet another way social media is changing how we communicate. While non-technologically savvy travelers waited for answers by phone, their wired counterparts had the information at their fingertips.

To read more about this, check out the article from the New York Times.

2010's Biggest PR Disasters

Now that it's officially 2011, we can all look back on the best and worst of 2010. This week the Wall Street Journal published an article "Public Relations Learned the Hard Way," in which it looked at some of the biggest PR disasters of last year.

Can you name them? It is not surprising to see the BP oil spill and the Toyota automobile crisis on the list, but you may find some unexpected names on the list as well. Be sure to check it out!

What PR crises would you add to the list of 2010's PR disasters? Were you surprised to see some of the companies that made the list? What companies would you commend for their PR practices in 2010?

Creating a Job-Worthy PR Portfolio

As we say goodbye to 2010 and welcome 2011, the reality of graduation sets in for May 2011 graduates. So often we are told how important a résumé is in securing an interview, but a good portfolio can really sell a candidate to an employer. Here are a few tips from Public Relations Tactics’s “PR portfolios: Putting your best work forward in the New Year” article on how to produce an ‘A’ portfolio, that’s sure to secure you that PR job:

1. Make it pretty.
A great way to present your samples is in a three ring binder, with samples placed in a clear protective cover. Avoid fancy print and other frills; remember you want the employer to be focused on your work.

2. Stay organized.
Your portfolio should be organized so that the interviewer can easily flip through it. You may want to organize it by campaign. Including tabs or a table of contents will also make the portfolio easier to scan.

3. Variety is the spice of life.
Although you only want to include your best work in your portfolio, you should make sure you have a variety of samples. This will show your potential employer the versatility of your skills. Portfolio pieces include things such as newsletters, PSAs, product placements, case studies and press releases and the coverage they gained.

4. Show off your skills.
Not all interviewers will ask to see your portfolio, but bring it to all interviews. If the interviewer does not ask to see your portfolio, show it to them anyway. This will show initiative and further highlight why you’re the right applicant for the job. Be sure to briefly explain how each sample in your portfolio contributed to the PR campaign. Also, bring extra copies of your portfolio to leave with the interviewer, and have an electronic portfolio on hand.

For more tips on how to put together a great PR portfolio check out this YouTube video from a PR and communications recruiter.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Shari DaCosta.

Will Social Media Jobs Always Be Around?

With more and more organizations and businesses utilizing social media tactics, the industry seems like the perfect place for the younger generation to look for employment. Even with the current state of unemployment, the demand for social media jobs continues to grow. An article from Fortune.com states that 59 of the Fortune 100 companies have at least one employee who works full time in social media. In 2005, there were only a few thousand social media-related job postings, as compared to today where there are more than 21,000 postings.

As a college student majoring in public relations, it is crucial to include a section for social media skills on my resume when looking for a job or internship. While this generation is more than familiar with social network sites such as Facebook and Twitter, employers are looking for a little more than having the knowledge of posting a status update.

As people have been getting hired in social media, the talent of these prospective employees has failed to keep pace. Since the corporate world has a demand for social media skills, the number of candidates that have communication and analytical training has decreased. Companies tend to use interns to experiment with the authenticity of talent concerned with social media, which could place them with the company in the future. The different levels of social media expertise include the community manager, analyst, product developer, editor and the executive. While these jobs all revolve around social media, some positions may absorb others if companies are not able to afford salaries for all of these professionals.

Even though there are skeptics of jobs in the social media industry, social media-related jobs continue to increase, and are still projected to a younger crowd. Some colleges, including Temple University, have launched social media-related classes, and some have even added social media masters degrees. The need to connect with other people will always be important for the success of any business or organization, but how long someone will be hired specifically to fulfill that need through social media is difficult to determine.

To read more from Fortune, click here.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Emily Ascani.