new professional - Progressions

October 25, 2018

Kick-Start Your Career [National Conference 2018 Session Recap]

Session: Kick-Start Your Career: Tips From New Professionals Presenters: Gemrick Curtom, Consultant, GC Communications Hanna Porterfield, Account Manager, Development Counsellors International Robyn Rudish-Laning, Senior Marketing Manager, Airports Council International-North America Mia Simon, Public Relations Coordinator, Methodist Health System Recap: In this session, past PRSSA members who are now PRSA members gave advice on entering their careers following graduation from college. They […]

July 3, 2018

Four Unexpected Soft Skills to Develop Before Starting Your First Job

Congratulations! You got the job. Whether it’s a summer internship, a first full-time job as a post-graduate or you’re well into your young professional career, entering a new role is always filled with excitement and anticipation of what you will learn. While respect, punctuality, humility and professionalism are tried and true soft skills to bring into the workplace, I’ve learned […]

May 22, 2017

Career Advice for Recent Graduates from the Pros

Thousands of public relations graduates hit the workforce after graduation every spring with internships, writing experience, 4.0 GPAs and volunteer experience neatly organized on their resume as it is sent it out to dozens of potential employers. Once you’ve landed that first job, how can you ensure your own success? Professionals in the field offer their advice to guide future […]

March 29, 2017

From Athens to APCO: Bridgens Continues to Serve the Society

Gary Bridgens is a New York-based project consultant at APCO Worldwide, where he supports clients across a variety of industries with issues management and corporate communications strategy. Prior to working for APCO, Bridgens completed internships with a boutique integrated communications agency, a Washington, D.C.-based trade association and Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s campaign for president. Bridgens is a recent graduate of […]

January 11, 2017

Three #Adulting Tips from a Recent Grad

Congratulations to those of you who graduated in December! I hope you are making the most of the sweet victory you just achieved. Although, I should probably warn you: while being homework-free is amazing, life is about to get more real than ever. No more student discounts, relying on the excuse “oh, I’m just a college student,” or making late […]

January 6, 2017

Using a Public Relations Degree in a Non-Public Relations Field

When I graduated college, I decided to move to Ecuador and teach English for a year with WorldTeach, a nonprofit organization that provides volunteer teachers to meet local needs and promote responsible global citizenship in developing countries. The world is an awfully big place and it was important that I take some time to experience it. Living abroad has pushed […]

May 10, 2016

Transitioning from PRSSA to PRSA

You’ve put in the work, you’re finals are in and graduation is finally right around the corner. You’re making your post-grad to-do list and checking it twice. Joining PRSA as an Associate Member should also be at the top of your to-dos. Why Join PRSA? As a graduating PRSSA member you likely already know that being a member of PRSA […]

January 11, 2016

Mentoring Management: From Mayhem to Merriment

When I graduated from college, I couldn’t have imagined where my public relations career would take me. I knew what I liked, and through on-the-job experience, I learned what I didn’t like. Every step of the way, however, I relied on a mentor to help me understand my next step and what I needed to do to get to where […]

July 14, 2014

The Reality of the Transition from Student to New Professional

This post is part of a series of “Lives of New Professionals” guest posts for Progressions. Many things change when you transition from a student to a professional. You now earn a salary, but that new job comes with a whole host of new responsibilities, not to mention the physiological changes that come with changing from a frenetic college schedule […]

August 28, 2013

Lessons From a “New” New Professional

This post is part of a series of “Lives of New Professionals” guest posts for Progressions. Starting a new job as a new professional can seem a little scary. During my first few months as a new professional at Finn Partners, I’ve learned many things – about working in the social/digital space, engaging with consumers, contacting bloggers, writing content for […]