Feature Friday: Maggie Ziemann.

                       

• Brea: Tell me about yourself

Maggie: I am a junior at Illinois State University majoring in Public Relations. I was born and raised in Chicago. I am a coffee addict and not afraid to admit it. You can always find me on my iPhone checking social media sites and staying up-to-date on the latest news!

• B: What do you like most about PR?

M: I like how there are so many directions in public relations. I love that it requires you to write, network, use social media, be creative and work with others. I love to write and I love social media, so being able to combine those two into a profession is what really attracted me.

• B: You recently rebranded your blog from PR Girl Maggie to imPRess PR, what was that process like? Did you learn anything new about branding?

M: I decided to create a brand that wasn’t so much about myself, but more about everyone I’m reaching out to. The process wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be because I had the help of Kayla Hollatz, founder of exPRessions PR! She really helped me with the visual aspect of my blog and after conversing with her, it helped point me in the direction of where I wanted to go.

The idea of rebranding had been a thought of mine since November of 2013 but I just didn’t have the time to commit to it yet. Using Weebly also made the process painless. Weebly gives you so many options to switch your look and idea without wiping out all your content, which was a plus! I also couldn’t have done it without the support of my Twitter followers spreading the word of my rebrand and following imPRess PR’s Twitter account!

• B: As Director of Relations at your university’s chapter of PRSSA, what are some benefits of joining the organization?

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Overcoming the Job Search Blues.

I’m sure I’m not the only one whose felt burned out after applying to literally every job post available and not hearing back from anyone.

*begins to play harmonica*

Fortunately, I have a few tips that have helped me overcome those job searching blues.

• BE POSITIVE- I can not stress this enough, positivity is super important when job searching. Often times you can feel defeated because you’ve spent hours/day/weeks/months searching just to get your foot in the door and it seems like no one wants to take a chance on you. You keep telling yourself how great you are and don’t just say it, believe it! "Speak it into existence and it shall be done" (That’s the motto!)

• Don’t compare- Have you ever thought about applying to a job then start thinking about the tons of other applicants who are probably more qualified than you are? Yeah, well, stop that! You can’t worry about other people and what they have to offer or you’ll drive yourself crazy! All you can focus on is YOU. Believe that you are a boss, and that job was made for a boss like you! Besides, if you don’t believe in yourself, how do you expect a future employer to believe in you?

• Humble yourself- While getting the dream job at your favorite company fresh out of college, with little to no experience, is nice to think about and all, remember that everyone has to start somewhere. You never know who you’ll meet while bagging groceries, or helping a customer decide which glue is best to use for their kid’s science project. Personality goes a long way, ya’ll.

• Pick up a hobby- LEAVE THE HOUSE!!! This is NOT a drill, people! As comfortable as it is, it’s okay to not be in your pajamas all day watching Netflix job searching. Go volunteer, start reading that book that’s been sitting on your desk for 6 months, start a blog, find an internship— even if it’s unpaid, the experience will look GREAT on your resume. What I’m trying to say is, just leave your house, bro.

I hope these tips help you get back on your job search with a new outlook. Please, please remember that every ‘no’ you get, you’re one step closer to a very awesome job. :)

Happy job searching!




(photo credit: Oregon State University)

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K-Pop Ruined My Life (Part 3 of 3): Top 10.

Concluding this painful saga, I’ll demonstrate just why this K-pop addiction is so difficult to give up. At the end of the day the music is. Just. So . Catchy. About fifty percent of the music I listen to these days is K-pop (a statistic attained with ease, courtesy of iTunes). When I needed help choosing the songs to include in this part of my story, I knew exactly where to turn: my most played songs.

10. BTS - We Are Bulletproof Pt. 2

This group is one that I am currently getting into. They won the Best New Artist award at the Seoul Music Award this past year and I’m excited to see how they grow as a group. They’ve only been active for about a year but they’ve already released like five promotional songs and two albums. They are a hard-hitting hip-hop dance group that’s been gaining attention for producing a lot of their own music, which is pretty amazing for a new group. Their company obviously has a lot of faith in them as artists and it seems to be paying off with their growing popularity. Check out the translations for their songs, as their lyrics are typically loaded with meaning.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqhWHy0rrtM]

If you like this song, you should check out their other songs like N.O. or No More Dream

9. Big Bang - Bad Boy

Arguably the biggest boy band in K-pop right now, Big Bang’s members are seven year veterans in the K-pop industry. The group comprises my second favorite guy in K-pop (or as K-pop fans would say, my number two bias) G-Dragon, Taeyang, Seungri, Daesung, and T.O.P. They won MTV EMA’s “Best Worldwide Act” award, beating out both Britney and Bieber alike. It was quite an accomplishment and truly a demonstration of the dedication of their fans, called VIPS.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qnV55LUFVM]

Check out this song from their incredibly popular album, Alive, which also featured their hit song, Fantastic Baby

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Feature Friday: Aurian Shervington.

                

• Brea: Tell me about yourself

Aurian: Ha, the dreaded interview question! Just kidding.Well, my name is Aurian (pronounced Ah-ree-on) but everyone calls me Auri. I’m in my last semester of graduate school at the University of South Florida majoring in Sport and Entertainment Management. It’s a dual degree program (MBA and MS) and I’m proud to be in the inaugural class! I actually graduated from USF with a BA in Political Science, random I know.

I work as the Event Marketing Resident at the Tampa Bay Times Forum and I love PR and Marketing. I also like food. Actually I love food. And music. And laughing. And food.

• B: If you could go back to undergrad what would you do differently?

A: My initial thought was “Change my major!” but in all honesty, I wouldn’t change anything. I learned so much about myself in undergrad; I feel so blessed and grateful to have had the experience. I learned to take care of myself, be comfortable with who I am and to do what truly makes me happy. I know it sounds corny and a bit cliché but I seriously, and unknowingly, found myself.

I also found out that my lifelong mission to be an attorney was no longer my dream. I initially wanted to venture into Sports Law but quickly realized that I needed to work with people and create ideas. After taking on a few internships in sports marketing and entertainment PR, I figured out what worked for me.

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

A: I’m definitely interested in entertainment PR. My first experience in entertainment PR was at my internship for a boutique entertainment and sports group in Tampa. I was the Publicity Coordinator for a rookie NFL player and learned so much about patience and how to draft my first press release. Working in event marketing has been amazing and I’ve been able to watch various players like the publicist, agent, tour manager and media reps in action. I love being in the thick of things and compiling strategies for clients. It’s also a great challenge to pitch shows and artists to fit with the appropriate media outlet. Learning what works and what doesn’t work for each individual artist and show is exciting.

• B: Congratulations on your upcoming graduation! How has your MBA program helped you prepare for post grad life?

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Are Creative Resumes Professional in PR?

I’ve been job searching for a while now and have yet to land even a simple interview…WOMP! Because of this, I often wonder if I’m not getting hired because of my résumé.

During my last semester in college, I took a PR Design class. One assignment my professor gave us, was a personal brand project that involved creating a résumé, cover letter and business card using Adobe InDesign. He encouraged us to Google unique résumés to get our creative juices flowing and man did mine flow! All the graphics and typography I saw on résumés had me like this:

                                                              

Lol seriously, they all looked so nice. So I ended up designing a creative résumé but a simple version of one. I designed a logo and rearranged the placement of my work history, education, and other information that makes up a résumé.

Needless to say I was proud of myself for creating something that couldn’t be made in a Word document, and for learning more about InDesign. Personally, I feel that creative résumés help your resume stand out in the gigantic stack that’s overflowing in HR’s email inbox/desk.

After seeing all types of non-traditional résumés like extremely awesome creative & visual résumés, to ones more on the simple side, I just have to ask. Are creative résumés accepted or seen as professional in PR?

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K-pop Ruined My Life (Part 2 of 3): Rain Bi.

Where I last left off in my tragic tale, I had just opened up a can of worms— one that I ultimately decided I did not want to close…not just yet anyway. While Girl’s Generation had given me my first taste of what K-pop was, it was something, or rather someone, else who sealed the deal on my K-pop addiction.

Anyone who knows me has heard this name at least once: Rain Bi (pronounced like the letter ‘B’).

He’s been in a few Hollywood productions but most notably in American film as the main character in the movie Ninja Assassin. Rain also had a lead role in Speed Racer the movie and he’s currently filming The Prince. He even won the Biggest Badass Award at the MTV Movie Awards in 2010 for Ninja Assassin. (If you haven’t already, check out his other acting roles).

Anyone whose ever used Youtube knows that you start off watching one thing and suddenly you’re watching a video about terrible parents who feed their infants lemons just to get a laugh. Well somehow I ended up watching his performance of “Hip Song” and it really changed the game for me.

That tight white dress shirt.

That dance.

His perfect JB swoop.

I was totally and completely in love. I showed this video to anyone who I could tie to a chair long enough. (Sorry, Shadizzle) It’s also what really sent me down a dark and terrible K-pop path.

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Feature Friday: Elvira Guzman.

PR pro and author of Your Blueprint: An Interactive Guide to Remembering Your True Purpose in Life, Elvira Guzman is basically the bees knees.

Guzman started her own PR & Branding company at 23 years old, worked under comedian, radio host, actor and author Steve Harvey for 9 years and was recognized by magazines such as: Sister 2 Sister Magazine, Urban Influence Magazine and Latina Magazine. She has produced a number of radio and television shows and is making her way to the movie scene.

In this interview, she reveals how she got her start in the wonderful world of PR.

• Brea: You have a Political Science/Law & Society degree. What attracted you to Public Relations?

Elvira: I was living in New York working for Steve Harvey and he would ask me every day what I wanted to do with my life now that I had graduated from USC. He knew that I could do anything I wanted because I had literally held almost every position at his company and was successful. I honestly didn’t know because I no longer wanted to become a lawyer and I didn’t care for the Hollywood life anymore.

One day he sent me on a meeting with a successful publicity company owner, and she told me that she was a TV and music producer in addition to representing top celebrities. I didn’t know you could do it all via the publicity umbrella because you get to know everyone. So I quickly decided I wanted to start my own company…a publicity and branding company but in Los Angeles. Close to my family.

• B: Your resume is a PR student’s dream! You’ve worked in so many areas of Entertainment PR ranging from music to television. What was your favorite area to work in and why?

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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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