New Professionals June 2009 Newsletter
A Message from PRSA New Professionals Chair Michele Sawka
Here’s To One Full Month and Many More
From the Membership Committee: “Celebrate!”
Congratulations to Kevin Saghy!
Upcoming PRSA New Professionals Section Events
Upcoming Events of Interest
Articles of Interest
Member Spotlight
We Want to Hear From You!
A Message from PRSA New Professionals Section Chair Michele Sawka
At colleges and universities across the country, college students are graduating and looking forward to what the future holds for them in their careers and in their lives. As many of you are former PRSSA members, you made the transition into PRSA and the New Professionals Section after graduation to assist you in the search for that first job and to begin your public relations career. Now it is the time for each of us to mentor recent graduates and educate them on the benefits of a PRSA membership, and specifically, a New Professionals Section membership. 2009 has been a year of transition for our Section with many new initiatives, and the best is yet to come.
Here’s To One Full Month and Many More
Janet Krenn, Communications co-chair, PRSA New Professionals Section
The PRSA New Professionals blog is up and running strong. May 2009 marked the first full month of the PRSA New Professionals blog, and several members have already stepped up to contribute. In case you missed it, here are some highlights from May:
Remember when Facebook was fun without worry? Courtney Vaught reminisces about these good ‘ol days and questions whether we should cave into professionalizing our Facebook profiles in “Walking the Social Networking Tightrope.”
For those considering graduate school, we gathered advice from 30-plus seasoned PRSA members who have graduate degrees. Read their advice in a two-part post – Part 1: MA/MS and Part 2: MBA vs. MA/MS. You also can find their “If I knew then what I know now…” advice posted to our e-Groups page.
Wouldn’t you like to know what's going through the minds of the folks at the paper’s news desk? Travis Kircher worked on that side of the desk for four years and offers advice on how to capitalize on current events in his post “Don't Miss Opportunities to Get Into the PR Limelight.”
After one successful month, we’re keeping the ball rolling in June with the following posts:
“The Toughest Interview Question I Should Have Seen Coming,” by Janet Krenn
“Building My Own Personal Brand,” by Brittney Gillison
If you would like to contribute to the PRSA New Professionals blog, contact Communications Co-Chair Janet Krenn.
From the Membership Committee: “Celebrate!”
Mike Greenberg, Member Relations chair, PRSA New Professionals Section
Remember the CareerBuilder.com Super Bowl ad? Monkeys are celebrating an increase in sales, only to be shown that the chart is upside-down and sales are declining. However, the monkeys — true to their nature — simply flip the chart around and renew their celebration. When I was looking at our membership numbers, I began to think that maybe the monkeys had it right. Our membership has been declining since January 2009. Hardly the sort of outcome a Member Relations Committee could brag about.
We could easily blame the economy, but instead we went back to our membership campaign plan and looked for answers. In just a few months, we built up the value of your New Professionals Section membership with content-rich social networking sites (Facebook, LinkedIn and our members-only e-Group) and launched the New Professionals blog. We have offered professional and career development programs at low or no cost to Section members, and have kept in touch with members through our monthly e-blast newsletter.
The Section was well positioned when PRSA began a membership drive in the spring with discounted dues and a special offering to Associate Members (a free one-year New Professionals Section membership for joining PRSA as full members). As a result, in April, we added 40 members, boosting our membership to 505, a 7.4 percent increase in one month. When the two-month trial membership promotion ends in May, we hope many, if not all, of the individuals who have been sampling memberships in the New Professionals Section will stay with us.
We are always looking for opportunities to recruit new members. Over the summer, we will be forging connections with PRSSA Chapters across the country, marketing the PRSA New Professionals Section as the “natural bridge” for seniors and new graduates to make a successful transition from school to work.
We are open to your ideas for making your New Professionals membership a worthwhile investment. Let us know how we are doing. And cue the monkeys — we are ready to celebrate.
Congratulations to Kevin Saghy!
PRSA Chicago recognized Kevin Saghy as the “2009 Young Professional of the Year” at its May 20 Skylines Award Ceremony.
As an account executive at Ketchum, Saghy has delivered results for notable clients, including Best Buy’s Geek Squad and FedEx. His media relations results in outlets such as USA Today and Forbes have earned him a place on Ketchum’s Global Media Network, and he has been recognized with all three of Ketchum Chicago’s internal awards in his two years with the firm. In Saghy’s nomination letter, his supervisor noted Saghy’s character and dedication that make him a true team player at Ketchum.
Outside of his professional commitments, Saghy is involved in the PRSA Chicago Chapter, is a sixth-grade tutor and is a mentor at Chicago’s Midtown Educational Foundation, as well as a founding board member of the Ohio Northern University Chicago Alumni Club.
Congratulations, Kevin!
Upcoming PRSA New Professionals Section Events
PRSA New Professionals Section Teleseminar
Wednesday, Aug. 19, 3 p.m. EST
The Insider's Guide to Becoming a Local Media Expert: Be a Go-to Source for Journalists and Showcase Your Business
It’s early in your career, and you’ve wondered how you make the next step to get on television or showcase your business in the local media. The answer is simple: become the local go-to person. In TV news, people are needed to talk about a variety of topics — maybe as the lead story or simply to fill time on a slow news day. Either way, it’s a win-win for everyone. Hear from Cindy Morrison, with more than 20 years of television news experience, who will show you how to connect with local media on social media sites and give you insight as to who needs to get your news release to make a difference. It’s the secrets to TV news that no one is talking about.
You will learn:
How to use social networking sites to make important connections with local media.
Who should get your news release and what will make it stand out.
What to do when you get that all important interview.
The inside track that could land you on the national media.
How to market you or your business to fit a “news world.”
Instructor
Cindy W. Morrison is an Emmy-winning TV news anchor and investigative reporter with more than 20 years of experience in the business. While working in Oklahoma City, Morrison covered the 51-day Branch Davidian standoff and the Oklahoma City bombing for local and national news outlets, including ABC’s “Good Morning America.” For nearly a dozen years, she has been the nightly news anchor and lead investigative reporter at KTUL-TV in Tulsa, Okla. This veteran journalist has won an Emmy, Peabody and Gracie Allen Award for her investigations, along with many statewide honors.
Member $150 / Nonmember $250
New Professionals Section Member $35
PRSSA Member Fee $35
Click here to register.
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Regional Networking Event: Honing Your Social Media Skills While Networking in Atlanta
You will learn:
Integrating traditional tactics with social media.
Why you should create your own personal brand online.
Dos and don’ts of social media for New Professionals.
How to harness the power of blogs.
Instructor
Ben Garrett is an award-winning television producer with 29 years of experience in broadcast journalism and public relations. He is the 2009 co-chair of the PRSA Health Academy Conference on Social Media. As executive producer of On The Scene Productions, he has overseen many of the top social media campaigns seen on YouTube, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter for Fortune 500 companies and leading nonprofits.
Please note:
Advance reservations are required by Monday, Sept. 21 (no walk-ins).
This invitation is only open to current public relations/communications professionals.
Space is limited, based on a first-come, first-served basis.
A photo ID and business card will be required at check in.
Sept. 24, 2009 6–8 p.m. EDT
Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Midtown
848 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, Ga. 30308
(404) 870-0805
Member $35 / Nonmember $40
New Professionals Section Member $30
Click here to register.
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Upcoming Events of Interest
South Carolina PRSA Upstate (SCPRSA) New Professionals invite area professionals to save the following dates on their calendars:
June 17: Networking and happy hour at Chicora Alley 5:30–7 p.m.
July 15, Aug. 19, Sept. 16 — details to be announced.
For more information, contact SCPRSA Chair Jaclyn Deter.
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PRSA Corporate Social Responsibility Section invites PRSA New Professionals Section members to join them for their Washington, D.C., Networking Event
Connect with PRSA Corporate Social Responsibility Section members and other public relations professionals interested in CSR.
Meet special guest speaker Ken Harvey, formerly an All-Pro linebacker for the NFL’s Washington Redskins and currently president & CEO of JAKA Consulting Group. Monday, June 29, 6–8 p.m., at Spezie Restaurant, located at 1736 L St., NW, in Washington, D.C. (www.spezie.com). The cost is $30 for New Professionals Section members, and includes hors d’oeuvres; a cash bar will be available.
Please Note: Advance reservations are required, no later than June 22 (no walk-ins).
A photo ID and business card will be required at check in.
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PRSA New Jersey’s New Professionals Networking Event
June 25, 2009, 6:30 p.m.
Old Man Rafferty’s
106 Albany Street
New Brunswick, N.J.,
RSVP by June 21 to (908) 852-1400, ext. 2238 or send an email to: laleveea@centenarycollege.edu.
Cost of the event is free, but attendees are responsible for covering the cost of the food and beverages they order.
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PR Measurement Summit 2009
June 29, 2009
Presented by Bulldog Reporter’s PR University, in association with BurrellesLuce
The Yale Club, New York, N.Y.
Learn bold new approaches to measuring value, reputation and bottom-line impact of public relations, monitoring crises, exploring and measuring new Web 2.0 techniques and campaigns. Hear keynoter David Rockland, partner, managing director of Ketchum Global Research and Stromberg Consulting.
To register or get more information, call (800) 959-1059 or visit Bulldog Reporter.
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Media Bistro Career Circus, Aug. 4, 2009
Comix, New York, N.Y.
With layoffs mounting and media companies in transition, what’s next for your career? Uncover the best ways to connect with opportunities. Access unique resources, adopt new skills, and put your best foot forward in a job search to make your transition happen swiftly. Speakers include career advisors and coaches, entrepreneurs, and professionals inside and outside of media who have navigated tough waters and come out on top.
Speakers include: Laurie Ruettimann, founder of Punk Rock HR; Karla Lightfoot, New York/New Jersey area leader from the Ladies Who Launch; Jen Groover, a serial entrepreneur and small business advocate; Scott Wayne, The Frontier Project; and Tonia Mattu, career coach and consultant for Mercury Group, a retained executive search, sales training and career counseling firm.
For more information and to register, click here.
Articles of Interest
Networking, Internships Can Help Land Jobs
By Jessica Zachar, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
At this time last year, I was in the same position as the nearly 1.6 million other recent college graduates. Unemployed and discouraged about finding a job due to the economic downturn, I tried to optimize all opportunities to land that entry-level position.
I was one of the lucky few who found a job relatively quickly, but it was advice from older friends and professors that helped me succeed. Now, as an assistant account executive at Mullen, I have a year of experience under my belt and wanted to share what I have learned along the way.
To read the full article, click here.
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Graduated But Not Employed: Simple Strategies for What to Do Next
By Susan Balcom Walton, M.A., APR, PRSA PR Tactics
The following article appears in the May 2009 issue of PRSA’s PR Tactics.
It’s an all-too-common scene right now. You’ve spent four hard years earning your degree in public relations. You’re at commencement, and you’ve just crossed the stage and shaken hands with the dean. Your friends and family are in the audience, Twittering away. There’s just one problem. In one hand you’re holding your new diploma, but the other hand is empty — you have no job offer. What do you do now?
This is a challenging time for college graduates, including public relations majors. It’s natural to be concerned when you can’t seem to find an entry into the profession you’ve prepared so hard to join. But there are still jobs to be had — now and on the horizon — and there are important steps you should take to position yourself. The key is understanding that your path to success might not look exactly like you thought it would.
To read the full article, click here.
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Small Business Are Finding Value in Social Media
Bulldog Reporter’s Daily Dog
The online social conversations that have attracted the interest of corporations and nonprofits are proving to be just as useful to small businesses — social media workshops are popping up in towns across the country.
We’re in the age of constant connection, no matter the size of our business. For better or worse, our clients expect us to be available — right now. If they’re under 40, they definitely expect you to be online and participating in the new social channels and tools.
To read the full article, click here.
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How to Mastermind a Successful Cause-Related PR Campaign With Celebrities and a Rubber Ducky
By Frank Zeccola,
Bulldog Reporter’s Daily Dog
Getting involved with a cause or charity is a great public relations strategy. You can score media attention for a company, personality or product and also do good to make the world a better place.
But this comes with a few huge warnings: First, consumers are skeptical. Tenuous ties to the green trend, for example, have led to greenwashing and public distrust of companies making environmental claims. So you’d better be genuine. Also, the people who work for you or the organization you’re working with could be corrupt. Money gets stolen. Funds get diverted into people’s pockets instead of toward the cause.
To read the full article, click here.
Member Spotlight
Each month, we feature a member of the PRSA New Professionals Section. This month, we are featuring Leah Moon.
Leah Moon
Assistant Account Executive
Spectrum Science Communications
Type(s) of work performed: Account service for several healthcare clients, including researching digital media strategies and media relations
Specializations or areas of interest: Social media, Web 2.0, health care
Educational background: BSJ, Ohio University, 2008
Hobbies: Reading, running, sports, watching “The Office"
Would you like to be in a future Member Spotlight? Send an email to PRSA New Professionals Newsletter Chair Alyson Campbell. Include a headshot and the areas highlighted above for consideration.
We Want to Hear from You!
The PRSA New Professionals Newsletter Committee welcomes content for its newsletters and monthly e-blasts. 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 Newsletter chair, Alyson Campbell. Thank you!
