New Professionals March 2009 Newsletter

A Message from PRSA New Professionals Chair Michele Aldrich
Have You Visited the Forum
Upcoming Events
Young PR Pros and the “R” (Recession) Word: How Do We Deal?
Member Spotlight
State of the Media Today and Strategic Implications for the Practice of Media Relations for Nonprofits
We Want to Hear from You!

A Message from PRSA New Professionals Section Chair Michele Aldrich
These days the public relations industry is abuzz with questions about recession — will a recession hit the U.S. economy? Are we in a recession already? How would a recession impact the public relations industry? How can we protect our public relations agencies and businesses from a recession? How can we save our jobs?

We are asking these questions because everyday we hear stories in the media about recession. Now, more than ever, each of us has to position ourselves ahead of the pack.  Being a member of a professional organization — such as the PRSA New Professionals Section — is a first step in the right direction. We also need to “add to our arsenal” by networking with each other and learning as much as we can by attending local programs, participating in teleseminars, and becoming involved with the Section.

I hope this spring newsletter gives you inspiration to “turn over a new leaf” and make yourself the best public relations professional you can be!

— Michele Aldrich, marketing coordinator, AIReS   
                                                                                                                                                                                         

Have You Visited the Forum?
Mike Greenberg, Member-at-Large, PRSA New Professionals Section Executive Committee

Not the one in Rome! I mean the New Professionals e-Group, where New Professionals Section members can talk about what is going on in the Section, PRSA, the profession or whatever else matters to them. The e-group was launched in January 2009 and has attracted over 100 posts to date. Check out the “Introductions” area of the e-Group for fellow school alums, folks who work in the same sector as you or serve similar clients, or those who just want to brainstorm ideas.

Here are some of the topics people are discussing:

• Setting up a focus group.
• How much lead time before an event should you begin pitching your story.
• Building a Twitter network (and just how effective is Twitter for public relations).
• Is a graduate degree worth the time and money?
• Managing vendors and subcontractors relations with the media.
• The e-group is a great place to network, share best practices, get career advice (or job leads), and learn how to deal with the “bumps” that come with being a new professional. I encourage you to visit!

Upcoming Events

PRSA New Professionals Section April Teleseminar
"Navigating the Terrain of Your First Professional Years: Generating Opportunity and Avoiding Common Mistakes"
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
3 p.m. EST

Diving headlong into a new career is challenging enough without the pitfalls of being known as the “newbie” on the block. Often, it's easy to feel pigeonholed by co-workers' assumptions about what you don’t know or can't do. At the same time, taking on more than you're prepared to handle can reinforce negative assumptions or limit your next opportunities. This session will help you learn how to overcome inexperience and to build a professional reputation that will position you well for the next step on your career ladder. 

You will learn:

• How to develop a three-year career plan to position you more quickly for the next job advancement.
• Ways to develop your skill sets beyond your current job position.
• Ways to have your voice heard in a competitive environment.
• How to approach salary / compensation issues with a supervisor.
• Issues to watch out for when interacting with challenging co-worker personalities.

Instructor:
A co-founder of PRSA's New Professionals Section, Mary Beth West, APR, manages a consulting firm near Knoxville, Tenn. She is a past PRSA national board member and served on the PRSSA national committee when she was a student at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in the early 1990s.

For more information and to register, click here

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PRSA New York Chapter Career Forum
The Fashion Institute of Technology, New York City
Saturday, April 18, 2009

Are you a CEO or HR recruiter from a public relations or communications company? Are you a continuing education leader in a communications or related program? Then make sure your company or school registers to exhibit at PRSA-NY’s 2009 Career Forum!

Are you a college graduate or student applying for your first position or internship, a new professional or seasoned pro ready to make a move in the industry, or seeking information on continuing education? Then bring your resume and be prepared to meet representatives from top public relations and communications companies, and gather information on leading continuing education programs.
 
Special guest, Peter Shankman, entrepreneur, author, speaker, and networking extraordinaire, will keynote this year’s career forum. Peter is the founder and CEO of The Geek Factory, Inc., a boutique marketing and public relations strategy firm located in New York City, with clients worldwide. Most recently, Peter launched Help A Reporter Out, which connects journalists with sources using a social media platform.

Alan Cohen, a certified executive career and leadership coach and president of Acts of Balance Coaching, will be on hand to give attendees tips on how to make an impression at the forum. Alan works with public relations executives in the areas of career and professional development, helping them to better navigate the ever-changing landscape of their industry.

Photo credit: Rob Lang

About the PRSA-NY Career Forum
The yearly forum is hosted by PRSA-NY’s New Professionals Committee and aims to provide an opportunity for attendees to network and meet with top public relations and communications companies, as well as learn about continuing education programs. Last year, over 300 attendees from across the United States attended the forum — ranging from college students, recent graduates, new professionals and seasoned pros. Visit www.prsany.org for more information.

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PRSA Cincinnati Chapter of New Pros Networking Event
Thursday, March 12, 2009, 5:30 – 8 p.m.
BlackFinn Restaurant & Saloon (downtown Cincinnati)
Free first round of appetizers and ½ price drinks
RSVP by 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 11 to Darcy Little

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There is still room to register for the March Teleseminar, Personal Branding 2.0! Learn about developing a relevant personal brand in a Web 2.0 world using social media. The session is presented by Hajj Flemmings on March 11 at 2 p.m. EST.

For more information and to register, click here.

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Young PR Pros and the “R” (Recession) Word: How Do We Deal?
Darcy Little, PRSA Cincinnati Chapter, New Professionals chair, public relations specialist, Sunrise Advertising

Gen Y? More like: “Gen why me?” At least that’s how it’s been lately.

The “R” word has been an unwelcome guest to the marketing and public relations industry. Clients and companies are slicing budgets, and unfortunately, marketing communications is often one of the first departments to be reduced. Then layoffs come knocking on the door.

According to Meridith Levinson in a November 2008 www.CIO.com piece entitled, “Why Gen Y is Unprepared to Survive Recession,” experts agree that the recession “could come as a complete shock” to Gen Yers. Until now, we were showered with optimism, as generational experts claim. Now layoffs permeate the news and for some of us, that optimism is slipping away.  

Our age and experience level — both uncontrollable factors — have us near the bottom of that staff totem pole. Fortunately, there are a number of ways available to help you, the new professional, show your supervisors the value you bring to the table. Though Human Resources decisions are often out of our control, it’s possible to push against the possibility of a layoff as hard as you can. Even in March 2008, recession was on the minds of many. Though 2009 is quite different from Q1 2008, sound advice remains sound advice.

Fortune senior writer, Anne Fisher, shares eight ways to “recession-proof your job” in an “Ask Annie” commentary. Five of these steps are particularly relevant to new professionals (with a public relations twist) are as follows:

“Be visible.” Make your presence known. Show your enthusiasm for public relations.
“Talk up your contributions.” Did your client compliment you personally? Tell your boss!
“Keep a broad perspective.” Learn about other facets of your business, like media buying or operations.
“Get Your Skills Up to Date.” You have social media savvy. Turn that savvy into strategy.
“No whining allowed.” Use your great public relations attitude toward clients and the media internally too.
Fisher also advises professionals to “never stop networking, think of ways to generate revenues or cut costs, update your resume, return headhunters’ phone calls and start picturing where else you might like to work — just in case.”

Those last three words are important: just in case. If downsizing occurs, and you are let go, keep in mind that it’s not your fault. Remember: it probably wasn’t an easy decision for your company to lose you either. Be positive — above all else, don’t lose hope. This is a small glitch in the grand scheme of your career.

Downsizing is also another chance to put your social media savvy to good use. Join public relations job groups on Facebook, update your Twitter to note that you’re looking for work and connect with headhunters and other industry professionals on LinkedIn. Industry-specific social media networks such as agencyscoop.com allow you to network and post blog entries about your strengths and status, etc. (Make sure those Facebook profiles are G-rated, too!)

Of course in-person networking is also key, so you should attend young professionals events and other industry events. Share with those you meet that you’re looking for work and ask all your contacts to reach out to their contacts. You’d be surprised how quickly word gets around when someone is out of a job.

Use PRSA to your advantage. It was, after all, created for you. Scan job banks on city chapters’ websites and, if you have access, upload your resume. Check out PRSA’s Jobcenter so you can look for public relations jobs in other locations, too.

If your company downsizes and you’re still on the payroll, be prepared for morale to be a little low for a while. Again, stay positive and show your supervisors your professional attitude. Keep in mind that morale will pick back up eventually.

Though being on the bottom of that professional totem pole seems dire, in many cases, being a young professional right now might be an advantage. Your salary is probably not as large of a financial investment for your company as those of more senior professionals. More or less, you are fresh from college with new ideas, new skills and were probably trained in the actual art of public relations more so than older professionals. In short, you have a lot going for you, and you should remember — and prove — that when times get tough.

Eventually our country will recover. When it does, look back at what happened to you during the recession and how you handled it. Think of it as a learning experience — just like everything else we’re encountering in our early careers.

 Member Spotlight

Each month, we will feature a member of the PRSA New Professionals Section! This month we introduce you to Crystal Olig:

Crystal Olig
marketing & public relations director
Event Publishing (publisher of Event Solutions magazine)

Type(s) of work performed: Leads the company’s marketing department and is responsible for all marketing communications including public relations materials and tools, sales support, circulation audience development, branding and marketing collateral copy and design.

Specializations or areas of interest: As a member of the 2009 Conference management team, Crystal coordinates marketing strategy and conference development with partner company Catersource for the annual Event Solutions and Catersource Conference & Tradeshow. Crsytal occasionally moonlights as a writer for the magazine, and coordinated development of the 2007 Event Solutions Annual Forecast and a 2008 redesign of the magazine. Event Solutions won the Best Conference & Tradeshow in 2007 from FOLIO, beating the event O! You by O! The Oprah Magazine and was featured on national television in 2008 on Lifetime’s “Get Married” program.

Educational background: Bachelors of Journalism degree in advertising, with concentrations in English and marketing and a minor in Spanish

Hobbies: Crystal lives in north Phoenix with her husband Kyle, and enjoys reading with her book club, hiking in picturesque, sunny Arizona and traveling. A lover of all kinds of design, she spends her free time learning about fashion and interior design and studying typography.

Activities: Communications chair for the local Chi Omega Alumnae chapter, volunteering for the group’s philanthropic fundraisers and activities for groups including the Chrysalis domestic violence safehouse and the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

Would you like to be in a future Member Spotlight? Send an email to the PRSA New Professionals Newsletter chair Alyson Campbell at alyson.campbell@porternovelli.com.Include a headshot and the areas highlighted above for consideration.

State of the Media Today and Strategic Implications for the Practice of Media Relations for Nonprofits
Maria D. James, member, PRSA Hampton Roads Virginia Chapter

An invisible funeral is taking place in the United States and the victim isn’t a person or even an animal. The burial has yet to take place because the victim continually jumps — refusing to be buried alive. The victim is an entity known as the media.

Before the 1990s, the term mass media, communications that reach a mass amount of people, included broadcast, print and radio. Then the Internet boom came and it changed business as usual. The Internet forced the current mass media outlets to take a serious look at its newest rival. Today, mass media no longer includes these traditional news entities; the Internet has forever changed how the public receives their news.

Generation Xers, those who were born from 1961 to 1981, are now young adults.[OU1]  Generation Y or "millennials,” those who grew up in the 1990s and 2000s, want their news and information catered to their lifestyle: when they want it and how they want it —which is often immediately. Even baby boomers, people born from1946 to 1964, are falling into this lifestyle. According to the “State of the News Media” by www.Journalism.org, news is shifting from being a product to becoming service. This trend has advertising, marketing departments as well as mass media, as a whole, scrambling for ways to reach their audiences.

With these changes in news media, public relations practitioners and the companies they represent are in danger; particularly in the nonprofit arena. Media relations by large corporations may be able to adapt and recover from these changes, however it’s nonprofit organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association, the American Red Cross and the Susan G. Komen Cure for Breast Cancer, will suffer the most in their media relations efforts if they do not learn to use these changes to their advantage. In order for nonprofits to succeed in developing a media relations strategy with positive results, public relations professionals must take time to assess and learn from their mistakes.

From September 11–23, 2008, Bulldog Reporter/Tekgroup International conducted a survey for the second year on media relations practices. The objective was to track changes in journalists’ usage of the Internet and other resources in research, following how they report news and features. According to the report, the single greatest challenge in journalism was due to new Internet technology and the ability to research corporate and other news online 24-hours a day, and access media contact phone numbers and email addresses online. Journalists reported most corporate websites seemed inadequately designed to accommodate them. Almost half of the journalists complained when they visited organizational websites it was difficult for them to find the organization’s media representatives or to find contact information for those representatives. When it comes to press releases, 74.8 percent prefer to receive information by email.

Nonprofits should raise an eyebrow at this information regarding their website. Based on this survey, journalists are telling public relations professionals that their company’s website could either help or hinder their efforts to gain more media coverage.

Another avenue for improved media relations is the use of social media. There was an increase in journalists visiting social media sites to do their job. About three quarters of journalists are using social media to research stories, compared with 67 percent last year.  Almost 38 percent said they visit a social media site at least once per week as a part of their reporting compared with 28 percent last year.

Along with this data, journalists reported public relations professionals must do their home work. About 60.7 percent of journalists fully agreed that public relations professionals try to shade or spin a story to their advantage — a drop from three percent last year. Nearly half of all journalists surveyed believe public relations executives do not understand the media or subjects they cover, so there is a greater need for media research before pitching or distributing press materials. Fifty percent of journalists noted that public relations professionals are not sufficiently familiar with media outlets in general.

The overall state of the media shows traditional news outlets are struggling. Partnered with the struggling economy, the public relations and media relations departments of corporate and not-for-profits are, for once, on a level playing field in 2008. On the corporate level, it’s the public relations and marketing departments who have seen immediate layoffs, which leaves a skeleton crew to continue managing reputations and promoting companies. Although not all major corporations have made these drastic cuts, for many who have, the limited public relations and marketing staffs are challenged to continue producing. For the public relations professionals employed at one of the more than 1.5 million nonprofits in the United States (note: nonprofits employ one in 12 Americans) already have the experience of producing with limitations, both financial and staffing.

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!