If I knew all the words

In this Web 2.0 generation there has been a shift of power–Companies lose power and individuals gain it. The Web becomes the greatest word-of-mouth amplifier in history; consumers learn to trust peers more and companies less. This is where there becomes an apparent shift from secrecy to transparency. There is the old saying, “Loose lips sink ships,” this where employees of companies were meant to keep the happenings of work at work and not spill anything to competitors, or the government for that matter. Being transparent means owning up to the truth—this may hurt in the long run, but it also comes down to your ethics and integrity in the end. A company with an open door policy has the ability to promote good will through the sharing of information. And as a consumer this gives the sense of trust as the utmost importance in a relationship with consumers. In this day and age, your consumers are your biggest promoters and being transparent with them will only do you good in the long run.

I began to explore transparency more after we discussed IACC-Coach campaign in my Advanced PR writing class. This is an opaque campaign if you ever saw one. It’s frustrating to see this kind of a thing go on.

The one thing I will take away with my education is the value of transparency, and sending transparent messages to my clients. The more we explore this practice during the term, I’m beginning to realize the ability to remain transparent in your practices is a valuable skill to obtain.

Flickr Photo rgdaniel

I used to always ask myself whether or not the skills I’m learning in school will be of any value to me once I am out in the real world. After reading David Reich’s blog my 2 cents about whether or not knowing social media makes you a better job candidate, I now have better perspective on what to focus on during my remaining time in college.

Now, after settling on after college plans, the daunting task of job searching is glaring me in the face. Reich suggests that knowing social media tools is a plus, but what it really comes down to is your ability to write clearly and concisely. Reich believes this skill is acquired though studying how media stories are written, coupled with good on-the-job training.

Though employers look for writing skill, there is more to the job. Employers look for candidates with good ethics, which may come from working in smaller agencies. Smaller to mid-sized agencies work hard to help their junior employees dive right in to all aspects of the business, creating well rounded PR pros.

More tips:

• get involved with extra-curricular activities, such as working with college radio, newspaper, or helping with marketing for a student organization.
• start a blog. Blogging is a good way to refine and improve your writing skills, while also showcasing your thoughts and ideas.
• dive into all forms of social media. even if you don’t participate on a regular basis, your knowledge of the different forms will help you in the long run.
• Interact with professionals. PRos (as My PR instructor likes to call them) are a great resource, and they are more than happy to help point you in the right direction. — Using Twitter has been a great way to interact with PRos. When I have questions about social media tools I throw up a question and they help provide resources to answer my questions.

It’s nice to know that the skills I’m learning will the the skills that set me a part from other candidates. Have faith and confidence in your skills as  a writer and an active consumer and participant in social media.

Have you ever asked yourself how some people are able to work so many different activities into their schedules while others barely seem to have the time to attend classes? are they smarter? Probably not. More organized? Probably. Better at managing time? You got it!

Time management is important to any person, but particularly to student organizations members and leaders. Involvement in extra or co-curricular activities means that in addition to classes, homework, meals, jobs, and socializing, another significant amount of time is taken up with organizational obligations.

Time management is a personal skill; only you know your peak work hours, your attention span, your eating and sleeping needs– which must be planned for. Finding a time management strategy that best fits your needs is important.

Follow what I call the Big Five:

1. Plan-Individuals who set personal goals have a greater chance of success. Create realistic goals, believable and achievable. People who set goals also evaluate their progress and make any necessary changes on a regular basis. So, if you want to better manage your time, your first step is to set the goals you would like to achieve, either for the semester, year or throughout your college career.

2. Assess- Assess how you currently use your time. You cannot make productive changes unless you know what areas need to be changed. Keep a log of your time and find the breaks in your day where you can make changes. Begin to prioritize your activities and work your way down your list.

3. Organize- Ideally, you should make a list each morning of everything that you need to do for that day. Some people find it more helpful to list their “things to do” in 5 to 7 day groupings. In this way they can plan for longer projects and get a better sense of their week. Whichever method you choose, keep in mind that everyone has good and bad days. Don’t hide if you don’t accomplish everything, just include the uncompleted tasks to your next day’s list and get them done.

4. Prioritize- After you have recorded these “things to do”, go over the list and rewrite in priority order which things you need to do at the top and less important/pressing tasks at the bottom. Keep in mind due dates, commitments you have made, and whether or not these tasks involve other people. How you choose to prioritize is a very personal matter. What is important is that you are responsible with your priorities. Review your personal goals-how do these priorities fit with your goals?

5. Schedule- The last thing to do is to take this list and begin to work these “things to do” into your schedule.Remember to leave room for breaks, socializing and those unexpected things that pop up. There’s no use making a schedule that is impossible to follow.

Try these suggestions, see what works for you best, and then be sure to integrate them into your learning lifestyle. Learning effective time management now will help you throughout your personal life and professional career.

Learn to say now. You will reach a point when there is only so much that you can do instead of burning yourself out or not doing quality work. Learn to balance how much you can do with what you need to do.

photo from flickr gamookie

As a senior public relations student, active leader, and former Panhellenic Vice President of Recruitment for Greek Life at the University of Oregon I’ve taken on the role of team leader and manager of my peers in various situations. Along the way I’ve learned a few tips I thought I would share with my peers for when they take on this role. Whether it is during a plans and problems class, campaigns class, your account team at work, or a sports team being a leader can be a tricky task.

When I was in kindergarten I learned the concept of ’sharing’, now some of my classmates didn’t quite grasp this idea of sharing like I did. In team efforts you share your thoughts and ideas to accomplish a common goal. More often than not a team leader emerges to help guide your team on the right path to this common goal. These leaders have two choices, they can MANAGE the team or they can LEAD the team. This is a fine line and only few know how to truly LEAD a team to success.

When dealing with your peers, especially as students no one wants to admit that someone else is smarter than they are. So the leader needs to be aware of its member thoughts and feelings and follow these six steps on how to successfully lead your peers to accomplishing a common goal:

1. Gain Trust-you must show your team members that you are there to work with them.

2. Listen & Collaborate- Let your team members know their voice is important. That their ideas are valuable and you can work together to improve the path to your goal by working together. More heads are always better than one!

3. Avoid Micromanaging-As a leader, when you begin to micromanage you lose the trust of your team. You begin to take over their task and it becomes a one man show. This defeats the purpose of the team.

4.Direct constructive critisism toward your goal- If team members are off task or moving in a different direction come together as a group and define your common goal again. Never put down a team member but build off what they’ve done and find a way to move on from there.

5.Express Each member is vital to group success- Without the team you as a leader will be alone to accomplish this goal. Every person brings ideas, personality, and passion to your team. Without certain members you may not be able to move forward. Be a cheerleader. Let them know without them this project would not be happening

6. Communicate-Without communication your team will go no where. Your team must trust that they can come to you for help if they are stuck. Without communication the team doesn’t know if they are moving forward or standing still. Communicate the good and the bad. Each member must be knowledgeable about all aspects of your project.

You learn how to lead as you experience it. Leading can be intimidating because everyone is looking to you for direction, but turn it around and make it a group effort where everyone is a part of the process. When you are a successful leader it encourages others to do their part become a part of the team. For more information and leadership skills check out the resources from the Holden Leadership Center at the University of Oregon.

As our unit on social media is wrapping up I’m beginning to understand how to utilize these tools to improve relationships amongst clients. The Wall Street Journal published an article by Marshall Loeb from MarketWatch, Improve Client Relationships through Social Media. Many businesses and organizations are utilizing this technology to strengthen relationships with consumers, and measure their interests.

Loeb gave four key points from Dan Backus, co-founder of ThePort Network on how to improve client relationships through social media.

• Know your audience
• Align organizational objectives with social media tools
• Establish procedures
• Identify resources and bring everybody on the same page

Your organization must be on the same page to evaluate whether or not social media is the right outreach to embrace. Then you must define your audience and find the right social media tool to reach out and get your target audiences attention will be key in your relationship. After accomplishing the first two, you must first create a code of ethics and how your organization will respond to negative buzz and upset consumers. Then create guidelines for the social media to keep your organization on the right track. Make sure everyone is participating. Consumers like to hear from the leaders of organizations, it helps create an intimate relationship with the consumer.

Social media is a new way to create lasting relationships with clients.

With graduation peeking its head around the corner, many of my fellow classmates of the Graduating Class of 2008 will be thrust into the real world to fend for ourselves. With millions of opportunities at our feet we will be battling one another for that perfect job. But how do you stand out from one Public Relations student to the next? Well it all begins with the cover letter.

Cover letters should be no more than 3-4 paragraphs. With employers looking at 50-100 cover letters they must be well written, concise, and tell the employer who you are and why YOU are perfect for this position.

Purpose of a Cover Letter

There are specific reasons for including a cover letter when submitting a résumé to a prospective employer. These include:

1. Identifying your reason for writing the employer
2. Linking major job requirements with your related past performance and experience
3. Demonstrating what you can do for the employer

Craft your letters to reflect what is appropriate for your audience and respond to the specific requirements of the position.

Characteristics of a Strong Cover Letter

• Addressed to a specific individual and position
• Verified correct spelling of recipient’s name and title
• Organized and visually pleasing
• Clear and concise in articulation of skills and interests
• Correct grammar and spelling
• Presented on high quality paper/envelope
• Ideally one page

Components of a Cover Letter

• Top of Page
  • Date
  • Salutation (Dear Mr. Jones)
  • Your Contact Information
• Introductory Paragraph (about you)
  • Specify why you are writing
  • Identify the individual(s) who referred you
  • Pay a compliment (perhaps they spoke in class)
  • Make a connection between you and the reader identify with the values and mission of the organization
  • Do research about the organization
• Body of Letter (About Me)
  • Do some personal marketing – elaborate on your strengths as they relate to the employer’s needs
  • Be honest – provide specific examples that demonstrate your knowledge and experience
  • Refer to your enclosed résumé
  • Wrap-up by identifying your potential contributions to the organization
• Conclusion (About We)
  • Reiterate your interest in the position and the organization
  • Suggest an action plan – request an interview
  • Identify the next step – your plans or your request for them
  • Indicate you will call during a specific time period
  • Provide additional contact information
  • Express your sincere appreciation and enthusiasm

  Here are a few examples and more focused cover letters.

Good Luck!

photo : the trial

The bloggesphere can be a scary venue to many, especially for a young blogger such as myself. I’ve also heard the frustration of PR professionals and also my fellow students and colleagues from Allen Hall Public Relations, University of Oregon’s student-run PR firm, that many companies and organizations are nervous and unwilling to get involved in social media, especially blogging.

I have found that the more blogs I read and research I do I’m truly learning the power of blogging. Many may feel as though this form of informal communication is irrelevant because it isn’t in a professional format. Little do they know that this form of communication is becoming popular as well as beneficial.

According to Don Crowther’s Blog 101PublicRelations, “What the traditional media doesn’t recognize is that many bloggers, though unrestrained by traditional journalistic methods and ethics, have audiences and actual readership larger than many newspapers, television and radio shows,” Crowther said. “Plus this audience is often more loyal and able to be influenced than that of traditional media, giving bloggers tremendous power to shape opinions, actions and purchasing behavior.”

I believe many companies don’t understand the purpose of blogging and how there is an entire world of consumers and potential consumers who are talking about your product or service. Just because you feel as though social media is untraditional means you’re not listening to your customers and it removes you from the conversation and opportunity to make changes and advance in our constantly changing world.

This past weekend I dove into the task I’ve been avoiding for months. Searching for a job. With graduation looming around the corner I’ve put off this task. I went to my brothers college graduation my freshman year. Sitting in the crowd I never thought that day would come for me. Boy was I wrong. Only three months away. Scary. As I search for job openings in the PR and Event Management fields I keep finding a skill or experience level that turns me away because I feel I’m not qualified for.

When reading Penelope Trunk’s blog on “How to get a job you’re not qualified for” it helped give me that nudge I needed to go for it. She offers 3 simple tips:

1. Create a project from a different arena that interests you.

2. Take responsibility for your own education

3. Just Apply!

One of the things that struck me was, “if you are always taking jobs you’re qualified for, then your learning curve is really flat, and your work life is really boring.” This is incredibly true. Last year I took on the job as Panhellenic Vice President of Recruitment for Greek Life at the University of Oregon. I was NOT qualified for this position and I was not transitioned into this position. But it was the challenge. I loved the challenged of figuring out what the job required and how to manage a staff of my peers. If there is no challenge you won’t take the time to educate yourself.

I took advantage of Penelope’s advice to Just Apply! I applied for three jobs this weekend that I don’t believe I am qualified for any of them. But with a great cover letter, some confidence, and a great interview I know I can land any job I may not feel I’m “qualified for”. Thanks Penelope!

I was recently reading a blog about how youtube.com is going to take over the world, but in actuality, I believe Google is going to take over the world.

Google has many different widgets to put on your Igoogle site. It’s the number one search engine, and it has created Picasa to edit and store your photos online, so there is no need to take up space on your computer when you can save your photos online. Google has also created gmail, where you never have to delete another email again in your life because it also stores all emails online with unlimited space. Google is soon to come out with the G phone, which will revolutionize the cellular telephone market.
The G-phone is said to look similar-ish to the iPhone, with a big wide screen and few buttons, Google wants to bring their software, search, advertising, IM, VoIP and Web 2.0-style apps to a stylish hand held device that plugs you right into everything Google, bringing Google to those even without a computer.

The only downside some may see is instead of listening to a ring, the person calling you will hear advertisements, making the phone cost $0. Pretty amazing if you ask me. It seems as though Google’s mission statement is to accomplish the impossible. Google’s vision is to bring the Google brand to those who don’t own a computer.
I used to believe that apple was revolutionizing the market when it came to cell phones, I mean instead of carrying around your phone, i pod and camera now its all in one. I think apple still has the upper hand on the ability to have i-tunes on its phones. Google may have free service and most of the same technology but the ability to have you music on your phone…. might whisk college students off their feet.
but when it comes down to the fight over music or free service…. Google will win the ultimate fight.
And that is why I believe google is out to take over the world.

Sustainability and being Green is currently one of the biggest hypes in the world. To help contribute to do my part in keeping the world green and save some trees, I’ve started reading my daily news from the Newsmap.

This is an application that visually reflects the constantly changing world of news. The site is updated every 10 minutes, and shows you the current news across the world.

The more coverage the news piece has received, the larger the lox is within the grid. You can change your country and find the most up-to-date breaking news across the world. The map is split up into categories labeled by colors. Categories such as World, Nation, business, technology, sports, health and entertainment. If more people subscribed to this venue of receiving their news, we sure would keep Oregon Green!

Do your part. I’m doing mine.