Editors Note: To honor our graduating PRSSA members, this “One Year Later” series will follow where our past members are one year after their graduation. Follow our “One Year Later” posts to inspire your members and learn from the success of past members.
Current Company: RMD Advertising
Current Position: Media Specialist
Former PRSSA Chapter: Ohio Northern University
Former PRSSA Involvement: Chapter President
Securing my position can be tied back to two simple but crucial public relations concepts. The first is networking. I made my initial contact at RMD Advertising at a Central Ohio PRSA luncheon. When I applied for the position, it was helpful to have already established a strong relationship with a current employee. The second element was creativity. I learned firsthand that the job landscape in public relations is ever-changing when I was asked to provide a 30 second video as opposed to a typical résumé. I harnessed my creativity to design a standout video. Academics and skills count, but so do creativity and personality.
My attendance at a PRSA luncheon helped me secure my job. But the skills I learned in PRSSA have helped me to excel in the field. I quickly learned that being successful at a job is not always about who knows the most, can use a social media tool the best or can secure the biggest media placement. The person who excels is the individual who has the best determination, critical thinking, creativity and perseverance. PRSSA put me through a variety of challenges and opportunities that help me build the character skills to land and excel in my position.
PRSSA is an endless source of opportunities. Make the very most of all the resources PRSSA offers! For every meeting you attend, networking event you engage at, article you submit to FORUM and student firm project you work on, you’ll grown, learn and move ahead in your public relations career.
This is a guest post written by the Vice President of Professional Development, Jessica Noonan.