{"id":6668,"date":"2016-01-14T18:20:23","date_gmt":"2016-01-14T23:20:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/?p=6668"},"modified":"2018-08-08T11:12:34","modified_gmt":"2018-08-08T15:12:34","slug":"career-tips-from-the-prssa-national-committee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/2016\/01\/14\/career-tips-from-the-prssa-national-committee\/","title":{"rendered":"Career Tips from the PRSSA National Committee"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The<\/a>
The PRSSA 2015\u20142016 National Committee.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chances are, mentors, professors, peers and colleagues have given you gold nuggets of information about how to land your dream job, nail an interview or make a positive impression. As part of the National Committee, we found that the advice we have been given has made a profound impact on how we approach our own career development. Here\u2019s a compilation of the best advice we\u2019ve ever received, along with some career tips of our own:<\/span><\/p>\n

Laura Daronatsy, National President: <\/b>Ask questions. You\u2019re not expected to know everything as an entry-level employee. Plus, if you show your supervisor that you actually care, you will stand out by that alone. Remember that in order to care, you have to be working on projects you believe in. Also, acknowledge those mentors, friends, family members and professors who helped you get where you are. Send handwritten thank you notes. Finally, work is important, but your life should be \u00a0about more than just the job you have. I will always choose an employer that recognizes me above the tasks I complete, because I believe who I am is more important than what I accomplish.<\/span><\/p>\n

Heather Harder, Immediate Past President: <\/b>You\u2019ll receive a lot of career advice as a young professional. My advice is to take it to heart, but remember that the only person who has to live with your decisions is you. Trust your instincts. Something I\u2019ve learned from PRSA members is to volunteer as much as you can, both inside your company and in your community. This will help you stand out and meet new people. A supervisor once told me that if you\u2019re smart and talented, the only person who will get in the way of your success is you. Don\u2019t get in the way of yourself. Speak up, and don\u2019t be afraid to challenge someone else\u2019s ideas just because you\u2019re the youngest person in the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

Veronica Mingrone, vice president of career services: <\/b>I\u2019ve always been a big believer in interning. There\u2019s no better way to discover what you like and, more importantly, don\u2019t like than by experiencing it firsthand. It\u2019s never too early, and you\u2019re never too inexperienced, to start interning. PRSSA offers its members an entire network of support and resources, so use them. The Internship Center, National Committee members, Champions for PRSSA and your local PRSA sponsor Chapter are just some resources that can offer you leads and advice when beginning your internship search. Once you land an interview, do your research on the company and be prepared to answer questions you know are coming (namely, the dreaded \u201ctell me a little about yourself\u201d). For research, look at sources that other candidates may not look at, including newspapers and the company\u2019s stock, if it\u2019s publicly traded. Most important advice I\u2019ve ever been given? Always follow up with a thank-you note. It\u2019s an easy and inexpensive way to make a lasting impression.<\/span><\/p>\n

Emma Finkbeiner, publications editor in chief:<\/b> At first, seeing all of my friends in bigger markets getting big deal internships made me self-conscious about my resume. However, my adviser told me it\u2019s about more than where you get an internship. It\u2019s about the kind of experience and opportunities you get from each internship. Though my resume isn\u2019t filled with public relations specific internships, I\u2019ve strengthened and diversified it with leadership and management experience, writing and editing positions, a local government research project and more. My adviser told me that each experience is what you make of it, so though my internships aren\u2019t traditional, I always ask for additional responsibilities to continue building those bullet points to add to my resume and strengthen my skills. Then, I can leverage those skills in interviews by providing great examples in response to questions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bottom line: You don\u2019t have to live in a metropolitan area, or even travel to one, if you can create opportunities to sharpen your skills and prepare for a career by digging a little deeper into your local resources. Oh yeah, and getting involved in PRSSA early often helps too. \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Victoria Lewis, vice president of advocacy:<\/b> Live with the \u201cWhy not me?\u201d mentality. There is no reason why you can\u2019t be the person to achieve your crazy goal. If you let your anxiety and fears get in the way of your aspirations, you will miss out on so much. However, you have to be willing to put the time and effort into your dreams. You\u2019d be surprised at the things you can do in life when you take away fear and replace it with hard work. Why can\u2019t you land that internship? Why can\u2019t you be elected to National Committee? \u00a0I see no reason why not. <\/span><\/p>\n

Sarah Johnson, vice president of professional development<\/b>: In short, be passionate about what you do. I\u2019m a huge believer that your passions and your career should be one in the same. If you love what you do, you will be better at it, more loyal, more motivated and more effective. On the other hand, if you settle for a \u201cfiller\u201d job based solely on other factors, like money, you will be selling yourself short. It\u2019s a bit of a \u201cstarving artist\u201d mentality, but I truly believe you should do what you are meant to do, and you can get a good idea of what that is by looking at your passions. Other things \u2014 money, location, hours \u2014 will align over time, but don\u2019t focus so much on the practicalities that you find yourself in a career you don\u2019t believe in. Do what makes you come alive, and look outside what you think you\u2019re capable of, and the rest will follow. <\/span><\/p>\n

Several mentors have instilled this in me, including my high school theatre teacher. I think nothing describes it better than this quote by Martha Graham (pro dancer\/choreographer):<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0other medium, and be lost. The world will not have it.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how valuable, nor how it compares with other expressions. \u00a0 \u00a0 It is your business to keep it yours, clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.<\/p>\n

You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urge \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 that motivates you.<\/span><\/p>\n

Keep the channel open.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Jenn Shafer, vice president of Regional Conferences<\/b>: From talking with others and based on my own experience, it is important to find opportunities and work that fit you. Of course you want to diversify your experience and get as much as you can, but when it comes to that first job, you shouldn\u2019t settle. If you don\u2019t think you will grow as a person or a professional in a job, then that job isn\u2019t for you. Culture is also huge. One of the best pieces of advice I have gotten is to treat interviews as a two-way street. Not only are they interviewing you, but you are interviewing them. It should be a mutually beneficial relationship for both parties. Be yourself, and know that you can bring a lot to the table, so don\u2019t sell yourself short.<\/span><\/p>\n

Three takeaways:<\/span><\/p>\n