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Get What You Pay For
November 19, 2009 | | Leave a Comment
As we all know, to succeed in the world of public relations, one must have universal expertise, interpersonal skills and be able to multi-task, especially under pressure. While this may sound insane to a lot of people – well, it is, but this is the world in which public relations professionals thrive.
While it takes a certain type of personality and dedication to take on these challenges, it can be difficult for professionals to succeed if they do not have the proper skill sets. Up-and-coming PR professionals should use their time in college to gain as much knowledge as possible. It may be tough while doing so, but in the end, it will help you stand out from the rest of the flock.
Using Ratemyprofessor.com to find the easiest classes is not always the best idea. It’s not about how easy the class is, it’s what you will take away from the class that matters. Some of the most interesting and helpful classes I have taken were from professors that many students on the Web site referred to as jerks (actually, they used much worse terms). A lot of times, the teachers who are “jerks” are the ones that teach you the most.
Never be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Just because you have no previous experience in a subject, doesn’t mean you can’t do it. College is there to teach you, and tuitions are not getting any cheaper. You might as well absorb all you can. With the economy in a pinch, it is good to have many transferable job skills to help set you apart from competing applicants.
I’ll be honest, when I decided to major in public relations, I thought, “Public relations? Cool! I enjoy people.”
Then I found out it was a branch of journalism. Reading newspapers was not something I did on a regular basis. I had little to no prior knowledge of the inverted pyramid structure, how to conduct interviews or how to use quotes properly. Needless to say, my first semester was anything but easy for me, but by the end of the semester, I had discovered a passion I never knew existed, which brings me to my final point.
Research, research, research. Just a touch of research on my part would have made my first semester a lot less stressful. When searching for a career, be sure to look into any programs that may help you when job hunting.
College campuses offer a number of programs to help students find jobs after graduation. Career fairs, resource libraries and workshops on job searching strategies are usually available to students and require minimal research to find.
By utilizing these steps, you should have no problem separating yourself from those who choose to skate through their educational experience.
One key point that has been taught to us in this major is to always stay one step ahead of your competition.
-Ryan Horner