Three Tips for Breaking into Your PR Career by Richard Spector

As the PRSA Jobcenter manager, I frequently present to groups of graduating seniors on tips for entering the public relations workforce. Most recently, I had the opportunity to speak at West Virginia University’s INTEGRATE Conference, and I found myself searching for the right career advice to give them. What can I say to a graduating class that’s going to be facing a tough economy? I found three tips that could give them an edge in this competitive job market:

Stay optimistic and determined. It’s never easy hearing the word “no”, especially after interviewing for a job you thought fit you perfectly. What’s more bewildering is not even getting an interview. Sometimes you’ll know the reason, but other times you won’t. Take that rejection and let it make you that much more determined to get the job. The passion you will have as a new professional is your strongest ally. Employers will see and recognize it. If this was your dream job, stay in touch with the employer even if they didn’t hire you. Career experts say that 25 percent of employers that initially turn down a candidate will eventually end up hiring them.

If you keep your skill sets strong and continue to form relationships, you’ll always have opportunities. If you want to get connected with a particular company, try volunteering, which may not put money in the bank, but gets you in their door.

Do what you love while you are job hunting. You can’t look for a job 24/7 — although you should be looking most of the time. However, everyone needs a break from the exhaustion of rejection. Rest and recharge with activities you enjoy doing. Take a break from tweaking your resume. You’ll view it with a fresh eye and spot things you never would have seen before.

Most of all, remember that there are some things you can control and other things you can’t. The economy will always go in cycles. If times are tough now, have faith that it will get better.

Prepare for your interview to the point of exhaustion. In the past, doing some research on a company’s website and being somewhat acquainted with the company was enough. Now, you have to be better and more prepared than the next person. Consider these resources when researching a company and how your own skills fit in:

• Annual report —What is the company’s mission and tagline? How does this fit in with your career goals and qualifications?
• Strategic plan — How can you help the employer achieve the goals in their strategic plan? What skills and tactics could you bring to the table? Are there new goals you can identify and help them reach?
• Social media plan — How can you integrate all the different social media venues to help the company grow and succeed? A friend of mine was competing with several others for the same job. How did he stand above the rest? He put together a presentation of the different types of social media he would use to give the company a great social, digital and media presence.
• Funding companies— How can you use social media such as LinkedIn, Google+ and others to develop and cultivate new leads for the company?
• Company awards — What standards of excellence do you aspire to reach? Has the company won awards for their website or writing? Are there new skills you need to obtain to help them maintain these standards?
• Company challenges — Where does the company fall short and how can you help them? Is their branding weak? Does their communications plan need updating?
• Current employees on Facebook, LinkedIn — Who are the names and faces of the company employees? What do you know about the people that will be interviewing you? Doing your research on current employees helps you identify the corporate culture. You may even learn whether this job truly is a dream job or whether there’s not as much as a fit as you thought. Doing this groundwork will also create some wonderful networking opportunities down the road.

Change with the field. Sooner or later you’re going to have to update your skills. Who thought that Pinterest and Klout would be as important in the social media world as they have become? If you are a public relations expert, you may be asked to create a marketing plan. If you’re a strategic communications consultant, you may be asked to create new webpages for the company’s website that will increase traffic, coincide with their branding and be keyword optimized and content relevant. Peter Weddle, employment and workplace author and columnist, calls this “career fitness“. You always need to keep your skills in good shape. The PRSA Jobcenter has abundant resources for building and exercising your career.

If I could give new professionals the best lesson, it’s to always keep that youthful exuberance. Each time I present at a university, I’m always impressed by the graduating students’ enthusiasm. Enter a field because it’s something you love. Don’t go into a field because you think you’ll make money. Having a passion for your career ranks as high as having a passion for living. Hold onto that.

Richard Spector is the manager of client services at Public Relations Society of America.

Share this...157460

KUTANA NA DR.SEBASTIAN NDEGE KUJIFUNZA NJIA ZA UJASILIAMALI

Kutana na Dr.Sebastian Ndege pale Tumaini University.Kurasini Campus leo kuanzia majira ya saa 9 mchana usikose.mwambie na mwenzio. 

Source:Nyanja Poti.

Mahakama yabatilisha hukumu ya Mchungaji aliyehukumiwa miaka 30 jela Mbeya.

MAHAKAMA Kuu Kanda ya Mbeya, imebatilisha hukumu ya kifungo cha miaka 30 jela na viboko 12 aliyokuwa akiitumikia Mchungaji wa Kanisa la EAGT la Lwambi la mkoani Mbeya, Daniel Mwasumbi (57) aliyekuwa akikabiliwa na kesi ya kumbaka na kumpa mimba mwanafunzi wa Shule ya Sekondari Itende, Neema Beni (19), mkoani humo.

Aidha, Mchungaji Mwasumbi, alihukumiwa kifungo hicho, Januari 2, 2014 na Mahakama ya Wilaya ya Mbeya na Hakimu, Gilbert Ndeuruo, na serikali kuwakilishwa na wakili, Achiles Mulisa, ambapo Mahakama ilimtia hatiani kwa makosa hayo kinyume cha sheria kifungu cha 130 (2)e na 131(1) sura ya 16 ya sheria iliyofanyiwa marekebisho mwaka 2002.

Mchungaji wa Kanisa la Evangelical Assembles of God Tanzania (EAGT) la Lwambi la mkoani Mbeya, Daniel Mwasumbi,  akitoka Mahakamani baada ya kuachiliwa huru

Awali Mchungaji Mwasumbi alikuwa akitetewa na Wakili wa kujitegemea, Victor Mkumbe, ambapo ilidaiwa kutenda makosa hayo kati ya Januari 2008 hadi 2011 na kumpa ujauzito na kumzalisha mwanafunzi huyo watoto wawili wa kiume kwa nyakati tofauti na kumkatisha masomo kinyume cha sheria.

Rufaa

Katika upande wa rufaa iliyokatwa na Mchungaji huyo, alikuwa akitetewa na wakili akujitegemea, Benjamin Mwakagamba, wakati serikali iliwakilishwa na Wakili, Prosister Paul.

Akisoma hukumu hiyo leo Juni 4, 2014, Jaji wa Mahakama hiyo, Atuganile Ngwala, alisema sababu zilizowasilishwa kwenye Mahakama hiyo na wakili wa upande wa utetezi zilidhihirisha kuwa kulikuwa na ukiukwaji wa kisheria kwenye hukumu hiyo. Alisema katika utoaji wa hukumu hiyo haukuzingatia vipengele muhimu vya kisheria viilivyotumika na Mahakama ya Wilaya kumtia hatiani Mchungaji huyo.

Amebainisha kuwa kutokana na maelezo ya wakili, Mwakagamba, ni kuwa muda lilipotekea tukio hilo na liliporitiwa kwenye vyombo vya usalama unaonekana kuchelewa na kukinzana kwa baadhi ya vipengele,  lakini pia ushahidi ulitolewa mahakamani hapo na Mhanga ulionekana kujichanganya hivyo haujaonesha mrufani kutenda kosa hilo.

Hata hivyo, Jaji Ngwala alisema kuwa kwa upande wa Jamhuri ambayo ilikuwa ikiongozwa na wakili wa Serikali, Prosister Paul, una haki za kukata rufaa na kesi kuanza upya endapo utaona haujaridhika na hukumu hiyo.

Kwa upande wake wakili aliyekuwa akimtetea Mchungaji huyo, alisema rufaa ya mteja wake aliwasilisha sababu Saba za kupinga hukumu hiyo ambapo alidai kuwa hakimu wakati wa kutoa hukumu hiyo alikosea kisheria na haki kwa muda tukio hilo liliporipotiwa katika vyombo vya usalama.

SOURCE: Fikra Pevu.