3 Reasons You Should Consider an Internship in #PR.

If you aren’t aware by now, Internships are super important. They’re probably one of the most essential factors in, well, any career really; but, especially in Public Relations.

Some may think the land of the unpaid intern is scary, but you have to consider a few (obvious) things:

• Narrowing down your options- There are a so many different paths to take in PR! You’ve got Film PR, Healthcare PR, Sports PR, Entertainment PR, Government PR, Fashion PR and the list goes on, ya’ll. Interning allows you to really narrow down what it is you want to do. It also doesn’t hurt to intern in different areas because being well rounded is cool.

• Gaining Experience- Nothing beats getting real life experience in your field. A ton of companies offer internships to undergrad students, so take advantage of that while you can! It shows you take initiative!! And this probably goes without saying, but experience looks great on your resume!

• Networking Opportunities- Interning allows you to meet some pretty awesome folks you otherwise wouldn’t have met. And just because the internship is over, it doesn’t mean you can’t talk to anyone at the company ever again. Keep those contacts, ya’ll!  PR is all about building relationships so what better way to start building relationships than through interning? As the saying goes, “it’s who you know, not what you know”— Remember that.

By the way, don’t let anyone lie to you, not all internships are unpaid. I’ve seen a lot of companies offer students credit for school AND a stipend!

Although the spring semester just started, now is a great time to start looking for summer internships. I encourage those of you still in undergrad to check out Intern Queen, Intern Match, Intern Sushi, and your school’s career center might even be able to help you land an internship!

For those of you living the post grad life, internships can also help if you’re still looking for employment. In my opinion, post grad internships may make you network even harder, especially if you’re interning at a company you’d like to work for.

Do you have any good/bad experiences being an intern? Or advice for those interested in PR? Please share below! :)




(photo credit: BrandYourself.com)

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K-Pop Ruined My Life (Part 1 of 3): Girls Generation.

Every person has a turning point in their life whether it be for the bad or for the good. There comes a time when everything changes and nothing is the same nor will it ever be again. I know where that turning point was for me. It was the summer of 2009 and I can see it like it was yesterday.

If I could go back in time to where I was five years ago I would grab myself and give my butt a good round house kick into the library which is where I should have been—studying for Organic Chemistry, of course. But unfortunately such time travel technology does not exist and poor misguided old me is still sitting alone somewhere in Tampa, laptop in lap, falling into the trap that what would soon become the bane of her existence.

Hello, my name is Josey and I am addicted to K-pop.

According to the very reliable resource, Wikipedia, K-pop is defined as “a musical genre originating in South Korea that is characterized by a wide variety of audiovisual elements. Although it comprises all genres of “popular music” within South Korea, the term is more often used in a narrower sense to describe a modern form of South Korean pop music covering mostly dance-pop, pop ballad, electronic, rock, hip-hop, R&B, etc.”

So clinical. Straight forward. Innocent. But I’m going to let you know now that K-pop is So. Much. More. Than. That.

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Writer Profile: Josein Wilson.

              

Josein Wilson is a graduate of University of South Florida and is currently a student at Florida Atlantic University—she is working toward a degree in Optometry.

When Josein isn’t at work, school or watching Korean drama’s online, you can find her practicing nail art and makeup looks via Youtube.

Beginning Monday, February 10, Josein will be writing a 3 part series called "K-Pop Ruined My Life". The series will take you on her journey of discovering the world of Korean Pop music, and will also feature some of her favorite artists and songs from the genre.

Hope you all will enjoy the series! #MusicMonday will resume Monday, March 2.

In the meantime, connect with Josein: Tumblr | Instagram

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Feature Friday: Samantha Dickson.

                     

• Brea: Tell me about yourself.

Samantha: I am 22 years old and I am originally from a small-town just outside of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I attended Queen’s University for my undergraduate degree where I completed my BAH in Political Science and Sociology. I just recently moved to New York City to pursue my Masters in Public Relations and Corporate Communication at New York University. This was definitely a dream come true. I have a love for traveling, chocolate and social media!

• B: Why PR?

S: I grew up thinking I wanted to be a lawyer. It took a lot of convincing myself not to apply to law school (I even wrote the LSATS). I think what it came down to was the fact that my heart wasn’t in it any longer. After much deliberation, I reflected on my internship experience and I realized how much I loved communications. I chose public relations because it was a career that reflected everything I was passionate about.

• What area of PR are you most interested in and why?

S: Such a tough call! There are so many great industries to explore when it comes to public relations. Currently, I am exploring the hospitality and lifestyle side to the career. I grew up with a chef in the family, and I’ve always had an interest in exploring new restaurants. Since I love to travel, I find the travel/tourism side quite appealing as well. I think I am just open to exploring the possibilities until I find the right fit.

• B: There are a few articles that discourage students from going to grad school for PR, why did you make the decision to go?

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The Branding Life.

If there’s one thing I learned last week it’s how important branding really is. Whether it’s for company or for personal reasons, branding leaves an impression on people and you definitely want it to be a good one.

After participating in uPRise PR’s Twitter chat on branding last Monday, I was inspired to finally figure out my brand— personal and blog. Once I asked myself a few questions and redesigned a few things, my babies were born.

Below I’ve listed a few tips to help you with branding.

Determine a direction 
What makes you unique? What are your skills? What are your values? Who are you trying to reach? What topics will you discuss? What do you want people to remember about you/your blog?

Be unique 
Obviously if you’re doing personal branding, your brand name would be your name; but if it’s for a blog, the name that you choose should be unique. I suggest thinking of a few words/phrases that define you or define what you’re trying to convey to your audience.

Keep it simple 
Whether it’s a blog logo or your personal logo, make sure the overall designs (ie the colors, font/typography) all represent your brand. Since no one wants their logo to look like a toilet, I suggest looking at logos from your peers or even personal/blog logos on Google! Also, the layout of your personal website or blog is important. I doubt anyone wants to see a website that has images and words just thrown together for sake of having a site. Remember, K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple, silly)

Be consistent 
This is probably something you already know but it’s so true. Be consistent with the names you choose across social media, with what you write about, how often you post, etc.

If you’re thinking of branding/rebranding, be patient and good luck! To quote Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room”. So, what does your brand say about you?

Do you have any branding tips? Leave a comment below!




(photo credit: memeburn.com)

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#MusicMonday : Super Bowl XLVIII Halftime Show Recap.

Last night, Bruno Mars and his Too Live Crew of a band, performed at the most boring game ever Superbowl halftime show!

Mars started his set off with the little kiddies singing “Billionaire” then he came in with a drum solo (who knew he could play the drums? #HiddenTalents) and switched gears by singing “Locked Out of Heaven”!

While I enjoy most of Bruno’s music, Treasure is probably my all time favorite. That old school 70/80’s feel it has makes me want to hit a meeeeean two step. He definitely did not disappoint as it appeared that the entire stadium was rocking right along with him.

For the nostalgic part of the halftime performance, Red Hot Chili Peppers came out to perform their classic hit “Give it Away”. I use to love that song as a kid. I didn’t have a clue what they were saying until the chorus, but I knew that song was my JAM!

Before closing out his set with “Just the Way You Are”, a short video played of military members giving dedications to their loved ones— so sweet.

Although Queen Bey did not perform for the second year in a row, (WOMP!) I have to give it up to Bruno. Mrs. Carter is a tough act to follow and he did a fantastic job!

Catch all of Mr. Mars’ moments below:




What did you think of Bruno’s performance? Leave your comments below!

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