Tips For A Successful Internship

I had the opportunity to ask Heather Crowley, recruitment specialist for Edelman in Chicago, some questions about how to be successful in a summer internship. At Edelman, she is responsible for recruiting interns and entry level employees, so she has seen her fair share of good interns. Her tips and advice are below:

What are some of the top traits for successful interns?

It is important for interns to have initiative and to own the projects and assignments given to them. Interns should also bring questions to the table. Remember you are in the communications industry,  so this is key – always have your team and supervisor updated on projects and your responsibilities. Recruiters and teams also look for candidates with strong writing skills and past internships in the PR industry.

How can interns make the most of their experience?

First, it is important that your work is being completed at the best quality possible. Interns should utilize the internal programs that are offered by his/her company: internal educational tools, company committees or volunteer opportunities, mentorship and reverse mentorship programs. Be sure to also utilize this experience as a time to network within the organization and across practice areas. While you are working on projects with your own team members and supervisors, don’t be afraid to reach out to other individuals in the organization to have informational conversations. Don’t be afraid of feedback, as this is an opportunity for you to grow. Be sure to meet regularly with your supervisor and ask for feedback to improve upon your skills.

How should an intern approach a problem?

Having open communication with your supervisor and HR representative is a key to solving a problem. Your manager will be able to help you troubleshoot the issue and may be able to bring in others to assist to ensure a thorough solution is found.

How can interns stay in touch with the company and the employees after an internship?

Save business cards and contact information. Be sure to have everyone’s updated information prior to leaving and touch base every few months to ensure the relationships continue to grow. Networking is key. Use sites such as LinkedIn to stay in touch.

How can the intern keep track of his or her progress?

Utilize the company tools that they have provided you and use your initiative. At Edelman we have intern reviews and encourage regular meetings with supervisors to ensure managers and interns are communicating frequently. We also encourage interns and supervisors to set goals in the beginning to ensure the intern has a benchmark to look to during the regular meetings and reviews throughout the internship. It’s a fast-paced environment, so be sure to use your initiative to keep your meetings and reviews with your managers/supervisors on schedule.

What are the most common mistakes interns make? Is there any way to avoid them?

Not being proactive. Don’t hide. Make the right impression with your team and engage them.

If there are no openings for full time positions in the company at the end of the internship, is it OK to ask for help in finding another job?

This is where the networking skills kick in. The connections you’ve made during your program and the references you’ve built by having a successful internship can help you locate your next opportunity. Do not be afraid to ask colleagues and recruiters to share your information with their own network.

Any other advice?

The time, dedication and initiative you bring to the table can help you create a career for yourself and each person you meet is another individual you are creating a link to. Remember to always put your best effort forth and your hard work will pay off in the end, with great experience and colleagues you can tap into for a lifetime.

More tips for success in your internship

There are many more things to say about finding success in an internship, so here are some great people to connect with and learn from:

• Angela Hernandez, Chapter President at Central Michigan University, wrote about making follow up calls. Check it out here.
• Chuck Merydith wrote for Ron Culp’s blog, Culpwrit, on 10 tips for a successful agency internship. Check out the post here.
• During your internship, find a mentor and use the relationship to your advantage. Ryan McShane, a past National Committee member, writes about how to find the right mentor.
• Do you know how to write a really good press release? Jeremy Porter does, and here are his tips on how you can write a better press release.

PRSSA Leadership Rally

The following is a guest post from Alyssa Bronikowski, PRSSA Chapter President at DePaul University. She is also a blogger and you can find her blog, “PR Thoughts From An Undergrad,” here.

Last week, PRSSA Chapter Presidents and executive board representatives traveled to sunny Scottsdale, Arizona, to attend the 2^nd Annual PRSSA Leadership Rally. The theme for this year’s rally was “Inspiring the Future Professional: Preparing the Leaders of Tomorrow.” Overall the weekend was very rewarding, and I think all attendees can agree that we are now better prepared to lead our Chapter.

The 2^nd Annual PRSSA Leadership Rally opened with keynote guest speaker Ryan Zuk, APR, and member of the Phoenix PRSA Chapter. The main message of Zuk’s presentation was “Leadership Persona-fied.” Essentially, Zuk discussed the necessity of incorporating a buyer persona concept into our leadership positions. Here is a link to Zuk’s presentation.

After our PRSA Welcome, attendees broke off into three rotating breakout sessions: Leading and Managing Your Board, Advocacy and Diversity, and PRSSA Member Benefits. My most memorable breakout session had to be Leading and Managing Your Board presented by Rebecca Timms, current PRSSA National President, Natalie Neczypor, PRSSA 2002-2003 national president and Dr. Julie Henderson, APR, Fellow PRSA, PRSSA National Faculty Advisor. Coinciding with the Penguins winning the Stanley Cup (even though I am a Wings fan), this breakout session’s theme was “Get Your Game Face On.” In the position of Chapter President, there are five parts to any PRSSA game:

• the players (the members of your team)
• the plays (your actions)
• the points (relationship with others)
• the progress (transitions)
• the programs/processes (procedures)

It is important to consider all of these angles as they each play a role in how to best lead and manage your board. However, the most important tool I learned from this session was the START (What are you going to start doing?), STOP (What are you going to stop doing?), and CONTINUE (What are you going to continue doing?) exercise. Applying this exercise to your board and even your Chapter will reveal the steps necessary to continue moving forward.

The sunny (and fun!) weekend ended with three last sessions, PRSA 101, Discussions, and Best Practices Sharing. PRSA 101 was led by Philip Tate, APR, current PRSA Board Liaison to PRSSA. Tate educated the group on the importance to continue being involved with the largest organization of PR professionals after graduation. If you haven’t done so already, please consider applying for a PRSA membership as Tate says, “PRSA is the best entry point to get you plugged into the PR profession.”

In the last two sessions, attendees reflected on how their chapter effectively accomplishes membership, chapter development, and professional development. These two sessions, discussions and best practices sharing, were extremely informative because each group shared and brainstormed different ideas to manage current PRSSA challenges and opportunities. Later, during the Best Practices Sharing the different groups then presented their conversations to the entire rally.

If you were at the rally, please comment and share what you learned. I look forward to seeing you all in San Diego for National Conference!

Get The Most Out Of Your PRSSA Membership This Summer

By now, most of you will have completed your last quarter or semester of the academic year. Sure, some of you might be taking classes this summer, but for the most part, we are in summer mode. Between internships, summer classes, vacations and projects, it’s easy to forget about PRSSA and another school year.

However there are plenty of things you can be doing right now to make the most of your PRSSA membership. Here’s a list to get you started, but I’d like to hear what all of you are doing across the country.

1. Connect with PRSA by attending their meetings and professional
   development sessions. If need help getting in touch your sponsoring Chapter, let me know and I’ll help you.
2. Apply for scholarships. Although most of scholarships and awards were due in June, three awards also deadline in September and October. Check out the full list here and start applying early.
3. Contribute to the fall issue of FORUM. Contact Patrick Hernandez, your FORUM editor in chief, for more information.
4. Contact the National Committee members about joining subcommittees.
5. Hold fund raisers for National Conference. The earlier you start, the more money you can use to head to sunny San Diego in November.
6. Set up office tours and informational interviews with local PRSA members. Remember to build your network before you need it.
7. Check out JobCenter for summer and fall postings. If you need help accessing this site, contact Vice President of Internships/Job Services Mike Wilson.
8. Organize a team for the CW competition.
9. Work with your Chapter to create a strategic plan for the year.
10. Continue to hold meetings and seminars for members still in the area.
11. Check out the case studies in the PRC database when you’re working on similar projects for your job or internship.
12. Continue student-run firm work. Need help working with clients or building your firm? I’d love to help.
13. Hold a retreat for Chapter leaders to plan for the upcoming year.
14. Attend the Leadership Rally and learn from fellow PRSSA leaders across the country.
15. Work with your Chapter to plan a bid for a Regional Activity. For more information, contact Jenna Huskinson, your vice president of regional activities.
16. Connect with other members on social media. By engaging other members on this blog, Twitter and other blogs, you’ll be able to share information and learn from each other. PRSSA is something you all have in common and I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity.

So, what other ideas do you have? Feel free to share what you or your Chapter does to keep the benefits coming during the summer.

A Preview of the Coming Year

Since the PRSSA Blog launched in 2006, some major topics have been covered - from PRSA defending the profession to transparency and even the death of public relations. Now, approaching the third year of its existence, I’d like to take the blog to the next level with your help. Here are some things we’ll be working on this year:

• Sharing knowledge. One thing that always amazes me is the depth of the organization. If you Google “PRSSA + blog,” you will find some awesome Chapters with blogs: Ohio University, University of Hawaii and UGA among the top search results. If you search “PRSSA” on Twitter, you’ll find lively discussions between members across the country. This blog will work on capturing that depth by aggregating the content that is important to you. This will help connect you with students across the country. We’ll link to posts and share insights. The Internet is a powerful tool and is helping us advance the profession and the future professional.
• Event podcasts and video. Did you know the Society hosts nearly 20 national and regional events each year? We have National Conference, National Assembly, Leadership Rally and Regional Activities - all offering Professional Development opportunities for you. Chances are you aren’t able to attend all of them. Recap posts, videos and podcasts from those at the events will be on this blog so we’ll be able to learn together.
• PRSA Sections. In an effort to better link PRSSA with PRSA, you’ll also being seeing posts from PRSA Professional Interest Sections. Because there are so many different forms of public relations, you’ll benefit from the varied experience of professionals in one of 19 groups.
• Trying new things. Finally, as we learn more about blogging and social media in general, I encourage you try new things. Get your own blog - many platforms are free, such as Blogger and Wordpress. Read what other people are writing. Start by finding some interesting blogs through Alltop here. Get on Twitter and follow us (@PRSSANational). Encourage your Chapter to make a video with a Flip camera and upload it to YouTube. If you need help or advice with anything, contact us. We would love to help you.

So, here’s where you come in. This blog is about you and giving you the tools you need to be successful in public relations. If you have any suggestions about what you would like to see, feel free to comment below. If you have a lot of suggestions, e-mail me (nicklucido@gmail.com) or call me (586-980-9570). I encourage you to subscribe to the blog and keep up with what’s going on.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to the coming year.

Guest Post- Creating Your Vision

This post was submitted by Nicole Edmonson, Chapter President at Middle Tennessee State.

It is no secret that our world is changing and the media is doing a thorough job of creating fear and doubt in the minds of so many Americans. I am sure you have heard a professor or a professional explain how bleak the job market is, and how they would not want to be in our shoes just entering the work force. That pattern of thought is not benefiting the mindset of students in any way. This is where the power of our own thoughts comes into play. It all begins and ends with our willingness to hold to the desire of our inner vision despite what we see, or are told to see, around us now.

I would like to present you with a constructive challenge: Take a step back for a day and monitor your thoughts and reactions to every interaction you are faced with. Keep a journal and critique yourself. This is meant to be a positive experience in observation. Imagine you are in search a public relations specialist? Would you hire yourself? In addition, what is your vision?

Incoming National Committee

This is contributed by Ryan Casey McShane, PRSSA 2007-08 FORUM Editor-in-Chief

As a former National Committee member, who found the PRSSA Blog as a useful resource, I decided to start a blog of my own from the perspective of a young professional in the public relations industry. Members are more than welcome to visit http://www.ryanmcshane.com, as well as share their feedback and suggest topics for discussion. Leave comments on my posts to join the conversation, or e-mail me at ryancaseymcshane@gmail.com to reach me privately.

The Public Relations Student Society of America elected its incoming National Committee March 28, at the student Society’s National Assembly in New Orleans.

I had a chance to chat with the newly elected members, who shared the major points of their platforms, including action items for PRSSA members looking for ways to get involved in the organization.

PRSSA National President – Rebecca Timms (Rowan University)
Membership expansion is a huge focus for the upcoming year. By working toward increased outreach to four-year schools, as well as community college, international and high school students, we will diversify and grow our network of pre-professionals. This translates into more contacts for our members and broadens the scope of views presented in our Society. Chapters can help by inviting these same groups to see firsthand what PRSSA has to offer. Organizationally, we will also strive to improve our communication efforts, expand our online offerings and streamline the National Committee’s role in Chapter operations. I would appreciate members’ suggestions about how PRSSA can advance and progress – from big-picture, vision ideas to tips in improving day-to-day work. Everyone’s opinion is valid and welcome.

FORUM Editor-in-Chief – Patrick Hernandez (Brigham Young University)
As the 2009-10 FORUM editor-in-chief, I will work with my editorial team to advance the publication in a number of ways.
• Expand the scope of content by inviting more guest writers from the public relations industry to write articles
• Highlight major issues in the industry and build on popular topics from the PRSSA blog
• Create more awareness for online, professional and networking tools offered to PRSSA’s members
• Reflect the Society’s diversity in FORUM through research and feedback
• Showcase PRSSA news from the local level to feature the innovation and success of Chapters to inspire the same from others

We invite all PRSSA Chapters and members interested in submitting articles to contact us at prssaforum@byucomms.org

Vice President of Member Services – Mary Rose Macaranas (Georgia State University)
As the incoming vice president of member services, I hope to continue Rebecca Timms’ research on colleges and universities that meet the requirements to start a PRSSA Chapter. To accomplish my goal of contacting these before the next National Assembly, I will need the help of a determined subcommittee. Members interested in joining the subcommittee should be familiar with PRSSA’s guidelines for starting a Chapter, as well as have confidence on the phone to represent the student Society. Please contact me at mary.macaranas@gmail.com if you are interested and available to work on this initiative.

Another initiative I’ve included in my platform stems from the National Assembly delegates’ interest in diversity. I hope to help each Chapter expand membership, incorporating a diverse range of cultures, student affiliations, majors, talents, beliefs and interests.

Vice President of Professional Development – Nick Lucido (Michigan State University)
During my term, I plan to work with student-run firms and especially Chapters that need help starting them. I think student-run firms add such incredible value to the PRSSA membership, and students have a great opportunity to provide public relations counsel and give back to their community. Additionally, I want to get our members talking about social media and work toward creating an online social media guide.

With all of these things I would like to bring to the position, I know I’ll need a lot of help from members. I also know they have a lot to teach me, too. I can’t wait to work with a subcommittee and agency leaders to advance this Society and the public relations industry as a whole.

Vice President of Public Relations – Jason Sears (University of Texas — Austin)
The upcoming term for PRSSA has an incredibly bright future for many of the public relations initiatives being brought to the table. One of our most beneficial endeavors is our high school outreach program, which will be continued in San Diego this November during the PRSSA 2009 National Conference. Additionally, strengthening our internal and external interactive communication, as well as developing and distributing resources to our Chapters in the area of crisis management, are just a few of the prevalent issues to be addressed.

This position is mutually beneficial with PRSSA members in that it gives them the opportunity to practice writing press releases, which are posted under the PRSSA Chapter News Archive, found here: http://www.prssa.org/news/chapternews.aspx. Also, the Biweekly Update gives Chapters the ability to send in best practices. The greatest benefit members receive from the vice president of public relations is the communication of National Committee news to members. Keeping our Chapters, PRSA and our multitude of other publics informed is the underlying objective that this position strives to implement.

Vice President of Regional Activities – Jenna Huskinson (Wayne State University)
By participating in regional and national events, PRSSA members gain the knowledge needed for their professional careers. By encouraging Chapters to host or attend a Regional Activity, I hope that members build personal networks and create relationships with students and professionals across the country.

Public relations is about building relationships – the incoming National Committee believes that stronger communication among Chapters is needed. I plan to take to steps toward accomplishing this goal by spearheading communication between schools in each of the 10 national regions.

Members can be a part of this initiative and gain practical experience by serving on the Regional Activity subcommittee or by initiating Chapter relationships at their universities. Having the experience of planning a regional event or the skills to build and maintain relationships across the country are assets that will not only set students apart, but also impress employers and prepare these students for their future public relations careers.

Vice President of Chapter Development – Kion Sanders (University of North Carolina — Charlotte)
As vice president of chapter development, I plan to build strong relationships with all of our Chapter presidents. I want them to know that they can contact me whenever they need advice for taking their Chapters to the next level.

In terms of managing the current programs, I have plans to conduct a ton of research. I want to find out how members perceive current programs I will oversee and what I can do to make them better. The majority of this research will be conducted over the summer and early fall semester.

PRSSA is filled with dynamic student leaders. In this position, I really want members to understand that I’m here for them. The best way they can help me is by reaching out with questions and concerns.

Vice President of Advocacy – Janelle Huelsman (Ohio University)
As vice president of advocacy, I plan to help PRSSA members by making diversity, ethics and advocacy an integral part of their routine. I want to make sure members understand why we have ethics and how we need to use them. Also, I want to place importance upon the values of diversity and advocacy. I will do that by focusing on social issues that are facing our industry and how we, as young professionals, can be proactive.

I hope members can help me by using their experiences with relevant social issues. I want members to voice their opinions on the issues they find most important and express what they think we, as students, can do to better the industry.

Vice President of Internships/Job Services – Mike Wilson (Brigham Young University)
As vice president of internships/job services, I plan on continuing the outstanding legacy that has been established over the last several years. JobCenter is a phenomenal resource that our members can utilize to find amazing internship opportunities across the country.

I plan on continuing to build that network and increase opportunities through member subcommittee involvement and redoubled communication with PRSA Chapters nationwide. I would also like to maintain the personal involvement and commitment that has been prevalent during the 2008-09 year.

To be successful tomorrow, we need tomorrow’s experiences today. Internships are the best way to make students marketable. Let’s work hard and find the best opportunities available.

Success on the Job

We often speak of getting jobs but we rarely discuss what an entry-level employee can do to improve.  I have asked many professionals and have received many different answers; however a few comments appear regularly:

1.  Work hard - be willing to stay late and put work above personal whims.
2.  Be a team player - learn from leaders, work with them and be willing to take extra responsibility
3.  Don’t be afraid to contribute - too many entry-level employees are afraid to contribute in meetings or even do their jobs.  Entry-level people need to recognize they do not have the expertise of their
managers but should still be willing to contribute ideas and do the work they are hired to do.

What other skills will help an entry-level employee succeed?

Being Prepared for a Phone Interview

This post comes from Jena Johnson, National Vice President of Regional Activities:

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending the Regional Activity
in Chicago. While there, I went to a session about how to excel in
your interview. Most of us have heard the basics: research the
company, have a strong handshake, be ready for questions like “tell me
about yourself.” When the speaker moved on to tips for phone
interviews, my ears perked up and my pen scribbled furiously. The
truth is, many of us will be interviewing for jobs not so close to
home, which will require that scary phone interview. Here are some of
the tips that were shared:

* Keep your resume in clear view. Your interviewers will be asking
questions about your resume, and you have the ability to reference it
while you discuss your experience.
* Keep a pen and paper ready. It’s always a good thing to have,
you may think of questions to ask later or just want to make notes
about something interesting that was said.
* Keep a glass of water ready. Just in case you get that throat tickle!

What other tips do you have for phone interviews?

Mentors in Public Relations

This post was submitted by Rachel M. Esterline of Central Michigan University.

Mentors can be key to confidence and success.  They also can serve as
a resource for fresh ideas and advice.
There are a variety of areas a mentor can help a public relations
student, including:

* Resume and cover letter suggestions
* Internships and jobs
* Networking
* Professional development
* Insights on the profession

What are some good ways to find a mentor?

Ethical Decisions

Life is filled with ethical choices.  Cheating on exams, lying to coworkers and misrepresenting ourselves to potential employers are all examples of unethical choices.  Public Relations is filled with decisions that have ethical considerations.  How do you handle ethical concerns?  How do you determine what is ethical and what is not?