Welcome to the Wide World of Public Relations

What is a public relations professional? Are they communications specialists, practitioners, press secretaries, public affairs specialists, journalists, media specialists or publicists? The answer is yes – all of the above! These are all titles that can be synonymous with public relations. The diversity within the public relations industry is immense. From social media to event planning, to personal representation to […]

Making Professional Connections: How To Stand Out and Make An Impression

You attend various PRSA meetings, conferences and professional networking events all the time. You exchange business cards with the professionals you meet. You follow up with them via email. Could it be possible you’re just “going through the motions”? Do you ever feel like everything you do is simply not enough for professional development? Follow these tips to improve your […]

How To Use LinkedIn To Its Fullest Potential

LinkedIn is one of the most underused tools for students and professionals. You can make connections, participate in discussions, search for jobs and more. According to the LinkedIn website, it operates the world’s largest professional network on the Internet with more than 100 million members in more than 200 countries and territories. That’s a huge network for professionals and students […]

PRSSA to PRSA: Making the Transition

Making the transition from PRSSA to PRSA can be intimidating – especially for individuals who have not secured a job post-graduation. But what many students do not realize is that taking the next step in public relations means exposing your personal brand and networking with PRSA professionals. Lucky for PRSSA members, establishing oneself as a PRSA member can be accomplished […]

Jump-Start With QuickStart: Five Reasons Why PRQuickStart.org Is the Perfect Way to Launch a Career

PRQuickStart.org provides new public relations professionals with an overview of the field. It is a series of three online courses that explain the discipline, provide insight into what public relations jobs are like today and offer media relations advice. It is a resource provided by the Council of Public Relations Firms and PRSA, making it a reliable source from current […]

The Public Relations Battlefield

In May 2010, I joined a student journalistic embed with the Minnesota National Guard.  An embed is a militaristic term that means I lived in the barracks, ate MREs (meal, ready-to-eat) and experienced a military lifestyle, while improving my journalism skills during crisis, high-stress situations. For five days, I did field reporting work as an intern journalist at Camp Riley, […]

Experience and Lessons Learned in Private Health Care Group’s Corporate Communication Department

The idea of seeking an international public relations internship seems more appealing with the continued challenges of our domestic job market. However, it is difficult for recent graduates to land positions overseas due to the paperwork and costs involved in sponsoring foreign employees. Graduates might not understand local cultures and markets either. I secured and completed an internship in Singapore […]