Excel in Your Internship

I am ecstatic to have my first official internship with the Comcast-Spectacor Foundation working with the Philadelphia Flyers in the Spring of 2012. This is not an opportunity to be taken lightly as interns are first to hire within the company. Although I am exciting about this opportunity, I am also hesitant and anxious. Questions like,” Am I going to fit in?” “What’s appropriate language for the company?” ”How close can I get to other interns and staff?” Are constantly racing through my mind as I make this career move. Recently PR Daily sported an article “PR interns: 5 tips and tricks to excel at what you do,” has a great advice on getting the most out of your internship.

Ask Google

The article explains that when you don’t know the answer the solution might be as easy as a Google search. Also, using social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIN are not completely out of the question when looking for an answer.

This should not be an always go to but it’s an adequate solution to a simple answer and a resource that commonly gets overlooked.

There are no stupid questions

I had a second grade teacher that once told me, “There are no stupid questions, just stupid people.” As refreshing as that is at age eight, it still holds true to your internship. To avoid making a detrimental mistake that might cost your employee time and evitable money, ask questions

One of the most important questions you should ask yourself is, “How can I do more?” This will not only show your intuitive to be a more integral part of your temporary community, but also getting more of the most out of the requirements of your internship.

Each day is different

One of the biggest reasons I chose to go into the PR field was because no day would be the same. The thrill of going to work and having a new and different assignment is a true joy to me. This attitude should hold true to your internship as well. Never go in thinking you will be the same thing you did yesterday.

Frequently clients have unexpected tasks for the firm to do and more often than not you will an important part in making sure that it gets done.

Be prepared to go with flow and adapt quickly in a faced paced environment. Also, if this isn’t your style maybe this isn’t your industry, tough love.

“If you think something is taking too long to do, then it probably is”

I was once told, work smarter, not harder.” When you are taking long to do an assignment and you think to yourself, “There must be an easier way to do this.” Nine time out of ten, the answer is there probably is an easier way to do this. This is where asking questions can really come in handy. You are surrounded by professionals who have made a living at what you are attempting to do, the resources that are next to your cubical, (if you are lucky enough to have one) that you may not be taking advantage of.

Your aren’t trying to cure cancer

So unless you scored some kind of crazy medical PR internship, you’re not trying to cure cancer. I need to constantly remind myself in PRowl that I am not trying to save the world and it will most likely work itself out.  If you ask questions even ask for help it can get you a long way.

A Year's Review in Crisis Communications

As 2011 quickly comes to a close, I realize I have written several blog posts this year concerning Crisis PR. To wrap-up the semester, I'd like to include a short recap of some of the more popular cases that have affected how we all see crisis communications today.

• Netflix: When they split their business, there was a lack of communication to their consumers when this split also came with increased prices. They also chose to make their announcements via blog post as opposed to coming right out and saying it.
  
• Bank of America: As if people didn't have enough issues with their banks, Bank of America customers were extremely unhappy when the bank made them pay $5 to take out their own money.
  
• Penn State: While I could write a short book about everything to do with this scandal, overall Penn State did not confirm their message to the public internally, and it didn't help that when beloved Football Head Coach, Joe Paterno was fired, students on campus rioted and decided to ignore the fact that he never called the police concerning allegations against Jerry Sandusky. While THEY ARE Penn State, it will take some time for their reputation to heal.
  
• Herman Cain: With various sexual allegations, he never clearly addressed them and would tiptoe around questions concerning the issue. The truth was never told and the story never went away, much to Cain's dismay and ultimately his chance to be a Presidential candidate.
  

Which of these Crisis PR cases did you follow? What would you do differently?

To read more about the biggest Crisis PR blunders of the year, click here.

Don't be a Quitter on Twitter

You've probably heard about Ashton Kutcher's faux pas regarding the Penn State and Joe Paterno scandal. To recap, the "That 70's Show" actor tweeted his disdain at the coach's firing, without having known the scandal behind it. Almost immediately, he rescinded his tweet and apologized. However, the damage was done and Kutcher was embarrassed, so he announced his decision to allow his team to manage his Twitter for him. Unfortunately, his followers were not pleased; instead, they felt that it was better that he tweet himself and make the occasional misstep, then to allow a third-party to puppeteer his actions.

So, is it better to just all together quit Twitter, hire someone to manage your account, or to just stick with it, when a crisis arises? According to Ryan May of Minnesota Public Relations Blog, several celebrities who have quit Twitter due to privacy reasons, came back a short time later. With celebrities threatening to quit left and right, it is important to think strategically about social media. Celebrities are magnets for negativity and criticism, so how can your turn that negativity into positivity? Last year, for instance, Kim Kardashian, Justin Timberlake, and Lady Gaga vowed to close their Twitter accounts until they raised one million dollars for Keep a Child Alive. By doing so, they played the game and turned attention away from themselves to a greater cause.

Ashton was faced with the decision whether to stay or go, so was it better to stay and risk digging himself into a deeper hole? Or leave and accept that people were going to post negative statements about him without being able to defend himself'? In the long run, Ashton decided to stay with Twitter and keep his opinions on the DL.

Do you think quitting Twitter is an effective crisis management decision? Why or why not? Let us know!

Sports: best on the sidelines or in front of the TV?

I’ve never understood the pull of sports PR for individuals. There are so many people and players to have to worry about and at any moment your whole team can go down the drain. The Penn State and Syracuse scandals in one year are enough for anyone. Maybe you’re hoping to set up a press conference for Michael Vick so he can invite you to a huge mansion party. You never know, you may get a Christmas present from Ryan Howard too! All right, maybe you aren’t in it to hang out with a player and become his BFF, but the glamorous invite of the sports industry can cause daydreaming that is difficult to keep at bay.

But before we start inviting anyone to dinner, ehow.com offers some solid beginning tips:

• Write to all your area teams; college, NFL, NBA, MLB, etc.

• Volunteer to work on game days. Working on game days is the best way to get your foot in the door with a sports team and get your first public relations experience on your resume.

• Get a long-term internship with the team or college you've been working with.

• Colleges in particular have a lot of work that needs to be done, as most have several sports, some with 20 or even 30+ teams that need to be covered. College PR departments tend to be underfunded, so they will generally allow interns to cover one of their lower-end sports to gain experience and save money on staff.

Like many entertainment PR fields, the most important step is putting your foot in the door and making a name for yourself. Trying out the college level and professional level positions could help hone you in on what kind of sports PR you really want to do. It is rumored that college level is more rewarding than professional, but this all depends on the person. If this particular field interests you start Googling, start writing, and start introducing yourself.

Why do you think sports PR is so popular? Or is there a more popular field in PR? Let us know!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Katherine Carpenter.

How to Navigate the Internship Interview

The first internship interview is always the scariest. Many potential interns anticipate the quintessential formal interview, with rapid-fire question and answer sessions, but many completely forget about informal interviews. Informal interviews take place with employers who truly want to get to know potential interns and discuss elements of the job in a more relaxed way. This type of interview is not necessarily a trap, but a warning to all potential interviewees that every move you make and every word you say is being analyzed to a T. Professionals know what they are looking for in an intern, and no matter how comfortable they wish to make you during the interview process, they also note how comfortable you seem in their environment. So here are some tips for navigating the difficult waters that encompass the internship interview process:

Ask lots of questions: Asking a lot of questions demonstrates that you are interested in the company and what the professional does. Not only that, but asking questions also shows that you are thorough and like to know all of your information before delving into a project. In public relations in general, it is always important to have as much information as possible when pitching an event or doing some major crisis management. As an intern, it is vital that you demonstrate these qualities as early as possible in the interview.

Keep on your toes: Although this probably goes without saying, it is also incredibly important that you stay up to speed on what is going on in the news, and especially the news pertaining to the company you are interviewing for. Nothing hurts your chances more than not knowing a crucial piece of information or an event which occurred in connection to the organization.

Embrace questions about yourself: This is the time to pad yourself up and talk about how awesome you are. Your resume has hopefully done that a bit for you, and now it is time to go in-depth. Add on to your work experience by connecting what you have learned in other ways outside of your work. For instance, in a recent interview, I connected my work experience with PRowl Public Relations to how I benefitted with other organizations I am a part of. PRowl Public Relations has taught me to have better time management and how to connect with others to get a task accomplished, which I use elsewhere in my life.

Employers know life is not all about work, hence why they ask you questions about what you do outside of work. It shows a bit more about who you are and how you prioritize your time, and makes you look more like a human being, rather than an internship robot. Just make sure you present your self in such a way that you both stand out, and conduct yourself professionally.

For more internship interview tips, check out Claire Celsi’s article “20 tips for mastering an internship interview”

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Celina Levin.

End of the Semester Recap

Yesterday was PRowl's last staff meeting of the semester. Although everyone will still be busy working on client projects over winter break, many projects are winding down and coming to an end. These past few months have been incredibly busy with the addition of two new clients and several new staff members.

In the beginning of the semester we signed returning contracts with TUTV, Temple's student-run television station and the Department of Strategic Communication as well as welcomed two new clients, Jean Madeline Salon and Institute and Visit Bucks. On these accounts, students had the opportunity to write strategic communications plans, pitch the media, develop a social media manual, host several successful events ranging from the StratComm Social to the upcoming event, No Nonsense Networking, and help create and produce new content for a TV station.

In addition to finishing old projects and starting new ones during yesterday's meeting, we also said goodbye to a graduating staff member, Shari DaCosta, who has been with the firm for over a year, working on several accounts. The staff wishes her the best of luck on her future endeavors and plans. The 2012-2013 firm director was also announced during yesterday's meeting and a big congratulations goes to Samantha Wanner, who has proven that hard work and dedication can pay off in a year's time.

Thank you to the current staff members, previous staff members, clients and our supporters for helping this firm grow into the success that it has become. Here's to a great fall semester and an even better one in the spring.

Four Quick Ways to Maximize Blog Exposure

Do you write for a blog with a dwindling readership? If so, it may be time to reevaluate how your blog is operated and promoted. In honor of PRowl Public Relations recent ranking in a list of the Top 50 Blogs for the PR Major, here are some tips on how to increase blog exposure adopted from SEO Godfather.com and personal experience:

• Link with social media accounts: What better way to increase a blog’s exposure than to promote it to different audiences? Use your social media accounts to promote and generate buzz about your blog to maximize exposure.

• Use keywords: Many blogging websites (such as this one) allow you to add keywords to your blogs. These keywords help with navigation and SEO.

• Generate consistent content: As with most social media, a blog is nothing without consistent content. Be sure to focus on quality of content too, you don’t want to alienate users with irrelevant or poorly-written posts.

• Make RSS feeds available: Allowing your readers to subscribe to an RSS feed of your blog is a great way to maximize exposure. Make sure your RSS feed button is prominently displayed on your blog to encourage subscriptions.

These four simple tips will help you boost your blog's readership and exposure levels. What do you do to maximize your blog’s exposure?