Fall in Love With PRSS(bae) This Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day, singles awareness day or “the day before chocolate goes on sale.” Whatever you call it, this day focuses on love, adoration and over-priced dinners from restaurants with dim lighting. This year, instead of binge-watching Netflix and drowning yourself in tears, focus on the things that make you happy and the things that have helped you get to where you are; focus on PRSSA.
From the Internship Center to scholarships, the Society focuses on launching you into your career with the education and professional development you need to succeed. With more than 340 Chapters and 11,500 members, I sat down to think of the top reasons why all members should be calling PRSSA their “bae.”
1) 30 carat scholarships & awards
It’s so beautiful! Just like resizing that jewelry you’ve always dreamed of, you need to find the scholarships and awards that fit you the best. After finding this, you will only need to coordinate details like your name, contact information and letters of recommendation to complete the application process. Each scholarship requires different materials to apply, but starting early will guarantee the best quality. If your Chapter is looking for a little bling too, they should apply for the Star Chapter Award, Teahan Awards and more.
2) Bouquets of internships
Nothing smells better in your office than freshly printed internship applications. They’re beautiful to look at, but even better to gift to someone else — like the agency of your dreams! These internships could be your first opportunity or your fifth, but no matter how many you’ve had in the past these employers have chosen to promote their opportunities on the PRSSA website, giving you a great talking point before they even receive your resume. Visit the PRSSA Internship Center before these opportunities wilt!
3) Heart-shaped boxes of competitions
Everything is fine in moderation. Treat yo’ self. Competitions like the PRSSA Bateman Case Study Competition or the Day-of Competition for attendees of the PRSSA 2015 National Assembly allow our members to use classroom knowledge on a real client. These competitions are résumé building and great points to talk about in any interview. Pitching your ideas to real clients and working through challenging scenarios helps you grow as a professional, too.
4) Fuzzy teddy bears that say “I Love Writing Opportunities” on their chest
What’s better than cuddling on a night like this with a good read? How do you decide between Progressions or FORUM? You have an opportunity to publish your work through a national channel as long as you take the first step and write! Instead of hugging a teddy bear tonight, hug your MacBook and open a fresh page.
5) A romantic meal for 11,570 at that new restaurant, “Network”
This restaurant is usually packed, but PRSSA knows somebody on the list … All of our members have the opportunity to contact professionals, members and Chapters across the country. Through national events, you can meet face-to-face and have conversations with people that could become your peer mentors or mentees. This organization is giving you the opportunity to have the best seat in the house, do you want it?
6) A gift card for a career after graduation
It’s the place you’ve always said you wanted to go! Whether you’re a senior joining PRSSA for the first time, or a freshman who’s ready to buckle down these next few years, membership in this organization will offer you just as much as you put in to it. If you want leadership experience, you’re able to have it. If you want a job when you graduate college, PRSSA can help you get there! It’s hard to get your foot in the door when you don’t know anyone at the company, but after graduation (when you’re a member of PRSA) you’ll have an even bigger network of professionals in the field that can help you get where you want to be. Depending on how invested you are, this gift card could be worth a lot!
PRSSA is only the beginning of your career in this field, but unless you know about all of the gifts you’re receiving from your membership, you may still feel a bit lonely this Valentine’s Day. Cheer up; although you may not be going out on the date of your dreams, you’re preparing yourself to have the career of your dreams.
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Jordan Paquet, 2014-2015 vice president of member services, is a senior public relations major with an electronic journalism minor at Northern Michigan University. Please connect with him on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @Jordan_Paquet.
