Your Public Relations and Communications Community

New Professionals Section August 2010 Newsletter

In This Issue:

---------------------------

Letter from the Chair: New Opportunities 

In June, I started talking about the possibility of having a Twitter list of New Pros members so that we could get to know one another through a tool many of us are already using. Many of you decided to give it a try, and less than 2 months later, we have more than 30 members on the list. For only having mentioned this idea on eGroups during a busy summer month, I was pleasantly surprised by the response! 

So now, I'd like to pass a couple of opportunities to you: 

  • 1. Get listed on the New Pros Twitter list. It really is a great way to learn a little about other members who live in other corners of the country. New Pros tweet on their professional and personal lives, but only New Pros members can get on the list. If you'd like to join, get added to the Twitter list by posting a request on our e-Groups page--going this route ensures that only members get included in the list. Anyone can follow the New Pros by going to the list page.
  • 2. Boost your resume and manage one of our social networks. Right now, the New Pros group is on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and eGroups. We've taken them on because we want to give you, our members, every opportunity to take advantage of your membership in any way you'd like. But, honestly, 4 social networks is a lot! We need a New Pros members to join our Executive Committee for the remainder of the year as LinkedIn manager. Not only would you help the New Pros improve our outreach, you'll get to add "social media management for a professional organization" to your resume! If you're interested, shoot me an email or respond to this thread in the eGroup site.

Hope everyone is having a great summer, and I look forward to hearing from some of you soon!

Janet Krenn, Chair

---------------------------

Upcoming Survey

In August, the national New Pros Section will be sending out a brief survey to local chapters, requesting information about New Pro needs and activities around the nation. Please encourage your chapter to participate, as chapter feedback is very important! Remember, the national section is a resource to chapter New Pros groups, so don’t hesitate to contact us with questions, or ask us for help!

---------------------------

Summer Book Club: What you’ll be reading in August

Last up in the Summer Book Club line-up is "CRUSH It!" by Gary Vaynerchukby. Stop by the New Pros blog the first two Friday’s in August as we highlight the most important concepts and share our insights on how best to apply them to enhance your performance, career and everyday life.

---------------------------

Membership Update: Still Searchin'

A few newsletters ago, I wrote that the Section is starting a monthly "Intro to" blog series, written by a seasoned professional, in which we profile a different industry setting where PR pros work. To complement the series, we are posting monthly on the PRSSA blog (that's the PRSA student society) a short first-person account of a New Professional's typical day in the business.

Every month, I scan the Section's membership directory and email about 20-30 New Pros inviting them to blog.

In June, we posted "Entry-Level Public Relations at an Integrated Marketing Agency," written by New Professional Christina Karas (you can read her blog post here).

Since then nothing...zip...zero. Talk about writer's block!

Time to shift tactics. I am now on my knees (trust me) begging for bloggers.

Here is the editorial calendar:

  • September: Hospital/Health PR
  • October: Non-Profit PR
  • November: International PR
  • December: Sports PR
  • January 2011: Entertainment PR

Copy is due by the first Tuesday of the month. It should have:

  • 1. A brief schedule of activities during a regular day and how those activities typify working an entry level position in that field.
  • 2. A short bio – adding that you are a member of the New Pros Section of PRSA – plus a recent photo.

Here are the benefits: a published item for your portfolio; you will be featured in our Newsletter's "member spotlight" and promoted on our Facebook page; and, you will be contributing to the professional development of future PR pros.

Sounds like an opportunity you can't afford to miss! If you are interested, let me know.

Mike Greenberg, Director of Membership

---------------------------

In Case you Missed It: New Professionals Section Webinar

On June 16, the New Pros hosted the webinar “Build a Thriving Online Brand for Yourself,” where fellow PRSA member and New Pro Lauren Fernandez shared the secrets to becoming an online influencer. Laura detailed how, when and where to join online conversations, while at the same time maintaining your professional credibility. It’s not too late to access the recording, which is available here until August 24, 2010.

---------------------------

PRSA New Pros Blog – Check Out Posts from June and July

---------------------------

Upcoming Events:

  • Webinar: Gulf Spill Communications: Behind the Scenes With Government Responders
    Wednesday, August 11, 2010, 2-3:30 p.m. Eastern

Take a behind-the-scenes look at communications management for the Deepwater Horizon/BP oil spill. Official responders Lt. Cmdr. Christopher O’Neil and Gerald Baron will discuss their approach to meeting the communications challenges of the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history, from managing the vast demands for media and public information to orchestrating interactive Web tools.

New Pros members can attend this Public Affairs and Government (PAG) Section webinar for $35. Register today!

  • Webinar: Online Communications to Move Your Association/Nonprofit Forward
    Wednesday, August 25, 2010, 3-4 p.m. Eastern

Facebook, Digg, Twitter, MySpace and Ning have created a densely populated PR space where constituents, donors and supporters can communicate just as frequently and effectively as organizations — if not more so. Sharon Goldmacher and Reneé Spurlin of communications 21 (c21) will map out the current space and examine the different ways industry communications professionals can keep audiences active, growing and on topic.

New Pros members can attend this Association/Nonprofit Section webinar for $35. Register today!

Other PRSA Webinars:

  • Webinar: Demonstrating the Business Value of PR: Find Practical Solutions to Your Measurement Conundrums
    Tuesday, August 24, 2010, 3-4 p.m. Eastern

We've started to see standards for public relations and communications measurement that are slowly becoming acknowledged and implemented industry-wide. Yet how do you measure social media, let alone traditional media? Learn how to go from measurement novice to maven, how to incorporate measurable objectives into a communication plan and how to connect public relations outcomes to business objectives that demonstrate true value.

For more information or to register, click here. 

  • Webinar: Media Outreach and the News of the Day: Pitching for Today’s Media Environment
    Thursday, August 26, 2010, 3-4 p.m. Eastern

The proliferation of new media and communication channels has fundamentally changed the practice of public relations. Drastic economic conditions for media companies and an unprecedented news cycle mean less people and outlets to report the news and more competition for coverage. The rapid move to consume news online means that all media is now digital and that most media is now social. In some ways this change has brought our focus back to fundamentals. As the power of a few large, traditional media outlets wanes and consumers expect to talk with brands vs. at brands, our industry can no longer describe public relations in terms of proactive and reactive, but simply interactive communication.

For more information or to register, click here.

---------------------------

Industry Articles of Interest:

  • "How Social Media Can Make Us More Productive" – T.A. McCann, Mashable.com
  • "7 New Skills Every Worker Needs" – Rick Newman, Yahoo! Finance
  • "10 Ways to Use Recycled Content" – Lisa Baron, Outspoken Media
  • "When CEOs speak: How execs' quotes doom your pitches" – Tripp Frohlichstein, PR Daily
  • "How to Get a Higher Salary as a PR Professional" – Lisa Hutchins, PR at Sunrise

---------------------------

We Want to Hear from You!

The newsletter committee welcomes content for its newsletters. Consider submitting information about recent and upcoming events, career tips, feature spotlights (Chapter, member and mentor) and any other ideas. Send your questions and/or recommendations to the PRSA New Professionals Communications Co-Chairs, Brian Camen and Andi Wilmes.

Please note: All submissions and articles are provided by and for members of the PRSA New Professionals Section. For questions about this newsletter or to submit content for review, please contact Will Titus.

MyPRSA | Login | Cart 
Welcome!
 

Webinars Now Included With PRSA Membership!

PRSA membership is more valuable than ever before. Broaden your skill set with access to more than 50 free live and on-demand webinars that are planned for 2012 when you join now.

Join Today!

©2009-12 The Public Relations Society of America, 33 Maiden Lane, 11th Fl., New York, NY 10038-5150