{"id":11531,"date":"2021-08-11T14:38:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-11T18:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/?p=11531"},"modified":"2021-08-11T14:39:02","modified_gmt":"2021-08-11T18:39:02","slug":"3-things-i-learned-from-reaching-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/2021\/08\/11\/3-things-i-learned-from-reaching-out\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Things I Learned From Reaching Out"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\u201cThe currency of real networking is not greed but generosity.\u201d I believe this quote to be true. Over the past month, I have experienced it firsthand. Like many college students, I began applying to numerous internships before my spring classes even ended. Unfortunately, I was not hired, and I was left wondering how I was going to utilize my summer. Luckily, I eventually thought of an idea that would satisfy my thirst for knowledge, even in the absence of an internship. After some consideration, I decided that it might be a good idea to reach out to a few PR professionals and request 15-minute discussions, so that I could learn more about different jobs within the industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I began my quest by contacting various PR pros on LinkedIn and many of them kindly agreed to speak with me. I learned many things this past month from these conversations, including the importance of human connection within PR. Below you will find a list of three takeaways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. People are more apt to work with those that they like and trust.<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    A few weeks ago, I spoke with a professional that owns a media relations company. When I asked how she goes about building relationships with her clients, she emphasized the significance of building credibility and being reliable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Be comfortable with the uncomfortable.<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      When I spoke with another PR professional who also owns her own PR company, in the publishing space, I learned that to progress you must be willing to step outside of your comfort zone. You also must be willing to have a few tough conversations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      1. Do not discount others.<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        Lastly, when I spoke with a professional in talent acquisition, I learned that it is important to not judge an opportunity based on who is presenting it and what they can do for you. It is more important to find a good fit while also being open to opportunities that may deviate from a traditional path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        The more I speak with different PR professionals, the more I gain a deeper understanding that public relations is not only about fostering important connections and taking risks, but it is also about paying kindness forward and helping others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        What is the best advice that a PR professional has given you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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        Erica Williams is a graduate student at DePaul University, majoring in public relations and advertising. She is also a contributor and consultant at Classic Chicago Magazine. In her spare time, Erica enjoys listening to music and reading self-help books.  <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        \u201cThe currency of real networking is not greed but generosity.\u201d I believe this quote to be true. Over the past month, I have experienced it firsthand. Like many college students, I began applying to numerous internships before my spring classes even ended. Unfortunately, I was not hired, and I was left wondering how I was going to utilize my summer. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":11539,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3512,2892],"tags":[75,997,3460,422],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t