Benefits of joining student media organizations

By: Andrew Glezen

Universities provide several opportunities for students to get involved and gain professional experience before graduation. College is a time where one can gain real world experience and develop their talents.

Student media is a popular example of this. Many universities have student newspapers, broadcasting opportunities and other media organizations.

There are endless advantages to student media, but three benefits stand out above the rest.

Published Work

Classroom work is nice, but many employers in today are looking for someone that has previous experience. Student media organizations give students the opportunity to publish their work whether it’s in a newspaper, on a television station or company or organization website. Having published work can enhance one’s portfolio by showing that a student can excel in a work environment and allows the portfolio to stand out above the rest.

Networking and Relationships

Student media organizations bring in alumni and guest speakers that current students can network with. This is a great opportunity to pick the brain of a professional and possibly gain a professional reference moving forward.

Students can also create relationships with peers in the organization. There is a good chance that one might end up working with other members of the organization and they might be able to help you professionally moving  forward.

It’s not all about work. Students can also create relationships and friendships in their student media organization that will last a lifetime. You likely have a few things in common if you’re in the same organization as someone.

Experience and Growth

No one expects a person to be perfect the first time they do something. By joining a student organization, you are afforded the opportunity to make mistakes without hurting a company.

As long as a student learns from their mistakes, they will be more likely to succeed the next time rather than someone who hasn’t tried it at all. Students grow from experience and that is exactly the opportunity student media organizations provide.    

PR pro's guide to photo and design

By Madeline Tunison

Sometimes PR requires us to utilize skills beyond the average communications trade. This can be a fun challenge or a bothersome one. Today’s public relations professionals  are expected to know the basics of design programs like Photoshop, Illustrator and Indesign. Lucky for us, thousands of easy-to-follow tutorials exist. But creating an attractive design goes past basic knowledge of the programs. Here are a few tips to help amatuer designers create eye-catching displays.

Photography

If you are ever tasked with picking or taking photos, here are some things to know before you get started.  

Make sure the photo has a clear, focused subject.

Cluttered photos make it harder for the viewer to understand the purpose and see the subject of the photo. It’s also always good to follow the rule of thirds to make your photo more interesting to the eye. The rule of thirds is the concept of putting a nine square grid over the photo and having the subject fall in the intersection of two of the gridlines.

Pay attention to color.

After you’ve got the basic structure of a photo down, watch for tonal range and contrast. Good photos have a wide range of dark and light colors and good contrast between colors.

Don’t oversaturate.

With that being said, do not oversaturate your photos! Your photo should have a wide range of tones while looking natural. It’s important to not lose photo detail in your colors. Make sure the light colors aren’t too light and the darks aren’t too dark.

Design

In design, you should bring out your more artistic side without letting it run away with the project.

Fonts matter.

A lot of beginners love to pick out fun fonts and crazy colors and in doing so, they forget about their audience. You should keep what’s best for your audience in the front of your mind. Simple, easy to read fonts always outmatch the curly cute fonts. When using fonts in a design, try to stick to only two. Anything more than two or three makes your design seem choppy and hard to read.

Choose your colors wisely.

Colors should be catered to what your audience would like. Just because your favorite color combo is hot pink and neon yellow doesn’t mean you should make a hot pink flyer with neon yellow text. Everything about your design should cater to the design’s purpose.

Visuals, whether they are photos, graphics, or infographics, will help your design. It is always helpful to get a second and third opinion on your work. A set of fresh eyes is never a bad thing. Some things will look great to you  but might look terrible to someone else. Critique your own work and have someone else critique it too. If you’re looking for more tips about photography and design, consult books or more experienced designers.

Five public speaking tips

By Terzah Dyer

Public speaking is already a part of our everyday college routine and will continue to be more prevalent as we become PR professionals.

Sometimes people think of public speaking just as speeches and nothing else. However, public speaking takes place in a variety of situations including:

• Small internal meetings

• Meetings with clients

• Presentations

• Conversing with co-workers

• Approaching upper-level management

• Press conferences

• Media pitching

• Group work

The list goes on, but you can see public speaking is not a small avenue. Speaking well is only the beginning of handling yourself appropriately in public speaking situations.

Though you may feel you are a masterful communicator already, there will be times when you may need to revert back to the basics to help you shake off the nerves and communicate the best you can.

With these overarching tips, you won’t ever have to doubt your public speaking ability. .

Tip 1: Know your audience.

This is a critical PR and media rule. Be sure to know who you are talking to so you can get across the necessary information. For example, if you are among co-workers, the way you speak and conduct yourself could differ from when a client is present. Your language and persuasion methods will change. To know how to communicate with someone, you first have to know who you’re communicating with.

Tip 2: Be confident.

Positive nerves are actually great for public speaking. They allow you to be animated and energized across the board. However, nerves mixed with timidness are not productive. You have to be confident in what you are talking about. This can sometimes be difficult when dealing with upper-level management. Nerves will help you be excited about what you have to say and confidence will solidify what you’re saying. You won’t be taken seriously if you cannot be confident in what you are talking about.

Tip 3: Let your personality shine.

Whatever you are saying should promote both professionalism and who you are as a person. PR is all about making connections and if you sound like a robot, people won’t relate to you as much as if you’re being yourself. PR gives us a chance to be creative, so use it.

Tip 4: Word Choice.

Though public speaking isn’t writing, you still need to be conscious of your word choice. It must be both effective and efficient. You have to get your point across simply so you can affect as many people as you are intending. In PR especially, be objective.

Tip 5: Be organized.

You will not always have enough time to put together a full on powerpoint every time you need to get your point across. This is OK. Organize your thoughts on paper by making notecards or taking notes during a meeting to more easily remember what points you want to make.

These tips will benefit you in every step of your PR journey. They can be used from approaching management to media pitching, so you can be as effective as possible in a  public speaking role.

How to find comfort at your internship

By Teddy Wingert

Being surrounded by a new group of people can be very intimidating, especially in a professional setting. Finding how to navigate the do’s and don’ts of an organization can be tough. Every intern wants to put their best foot forward and get the days of uncertainty behind them. Here are a few tips that should help finding comfort at your internship a bit sooner.

Gain knowledge of the organization

Anyone can do research to obtain general information about an organization. However, as an intern, you have an opportunity to see what happens behind the scenes. If you observe or encounter something you don’t understand, ask questions and seek out answers. Gaining knowledge of an organization can only help and your enthusiasm will be appreciated by co-workers.

Make intentional connections

Getting to know others will only make this internship transition easier. Show interest in people’s positions. Ask them about their passions and life outside of work. A lot of your time will be spent with your co-workers, so it’s best to break the ice as soon as possible. Share yourself and be willing to listen about others in return. The connections you make may take you farther than this internship alone.

Communicate and activate your skills

Learning in the classroom is a completely different experience compared to activating your skills in the workplace. If an opportunity arises for you to utilize your skills, be upfront and offer to assist in the project. Your supervisor is probably as eager to know your skills as you are to execute them. If you are asked to help with a task you are uncertain of, be willing to learn and growth will come from it.

The first day at an internship can create a lot of nerves. Gaining knowledge of the organization, making intentional connections and using your skills will set you up for success in no time. Think about how you want to look back on your experience, and take the steps it takes to get there. Take advantage of your internship by stepping in with both feet and experiencing an opportunity of a lifetime.

The benefits of joining PRSSA

By: Abby Fischer

Deciding to join any RSO can be challenging, and often the question we ask ourselves is, “what’s in it for me?” Here are some of the main benefits of PRSSA and why PR students should join.

Networking

We all know the famous saying, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Through PRSSA, you’ll be able to meet other PR students, at CMU and at schools across the country if you go to conferences. You’ll also have the opportunity to speak one on one with speakers who come to PRSSA meetings or conferences who could help you get a job or internship. Building your network is important in any profession, but in PR it’s necessary. PRSSA makes it easy to build your network, which makes it one of the best reasons to join.

Building your resume and portfolio

If you join a committee within PRSSA, you will gain portfolio pieces or experience for your resume like blog posts, newsletter writing and event planning. It’s a very small time commitment to join a committee, and it’s well worth it to have that line on your resume.

Access to internship listings

As a PRSSA member, you’ll have access to the PRSA JobCenter where you can search for internships available only to PRSSA members. This is a great place to start looking for internships if you’d like to work outside of Michigan since the list is nationwide.

Travel opportunities

Members of PRSSA have several opportunities to travel throughout the school year for regional conference and national conference. Members get to enjoy the conference and expand their knowledge in the profession, but the conferences also allow for free time to explore a new city. Next year’s national conference will be in Austin, Texas.

Scholarships

PRSSA members have access to scholarships through PRSSA’s website. Every year more than $30,000 is awarded to members. Amounts range from $1,000 to $5,000, and there are more than 20 awards members can apply for.

Make sure you stop in at our next meeting to see what PRSSA is all about and start enjoying all the benefits!

How to make the most of conference

By: Abby Fischer

Like most things in life, spring conference is what you make of it. Take advantage of all conference has to offer with these tips.

Talk to the speakers

The speakers coming to conference are really excited to share their insights with us, so take advantage of that and do some networking. Introducing yourself and making connections with speakers could help you get a job or internship down the line. At this year’s conference, attendees will have the opportunity to speak with the VP of corporate communications at Edelman, the director of customer lifecycle management at General Motors and several others. This conference has a broad panel of speakers from different areas of PR, so there’s a little something for everyone.

Be attentive

Although live-Tweeting is encouraged, try to stay away from viewing your social media feed. Twitter, Instagram and Facebook will still be there when conference ends. Be attentive by listening to speakers and jotting down key pieces of information. 

Take notes

Just because you aren’t in a classroom doesn’t mean you shouldn’t jot down a few notes. After all, conference is a learning experience. You’ll have lots of information to process during the conference, so taking notes on a few important takeaways will help you later when you’re trying to apply what you learned to your work.

Network with classmates

Spring conference is a great opportunity to meet new people in the PR program. It’s always nice to take a class with someone you know, so introduce yourself to some of your fellow PR students in your sessions. Odds are you’ll probably end up with a class or two together at some point in your time at Central.

How to prepare for conference

 By: Alexis Golfis

Conference is just around the corner, and attendees can make it a great experience by preparing in the following ways:

1. Wear business professional clothing

Make a great first impression by dressing business professional. For women, this means dress pants, dress or skirt with a blazer or night blouse. Men should stick to a suit and tie. 

2. Bring resume and business cards

There will be plenty of time for networking with peers and professionals in the field, so make sure to get to know those around you.

3. Bring a phone charger, notebook and pen

You’ll want to take notes during the presentations, so make sure you have the tools in order to succeed. Plus, live tweeting is encouraged, so be sure to have a phone charger on hand in case your battery dies.

4. Bring a positive attitude and open mind

This conference will hit on many hot topics. You will get a lot out of conference if you allow yourself to take advantage of every opportunity.

Introverted vs. Extroverted

By: Krystal Black

Introvert: a shy, reticent person, or someone who tends to keep to themselves. Extrovert: an outgoing, overtly expressive person, or someone who is energized by the presence of other people. At this point in our lives, we all know ourselves enough to identify as either the life of the party or the person who doesn’t attend the party at all. There is nothing wrong with being either, and I would say there are major pros and cons to both of the traits. One thing that I am certain of is the fact that you don’t have to be one or the other to thrive in public relations.

If you ask most people about which type of person is a public relations professional, an introvert or an extrovert, most will tell you that it’s most definitely the extrovert. I, however, couldn’t disagree more. With public relations, now more than ever, taking on more roles that require multiple skills in a variety of backgrounds, outgoing people as well as quieter people are needed.

Sure, your average public relations professional may be an extremely personable human who loves talking their clients up at a big event. However, there are also roles behind the scenes, like the professional who can design logos or write a radio advertisement for their client, saving their client money. An introvert doesn’t necessarily know how to communicate any less than the extrovert, rather they use a different approach. For example, while an extrovert may give excellent speeches, the introvert may be an exceptional listener, paying attention to what the client wants the most.

Overall, no matter who you are, the calm and collected introvert or the people-oriented networking extrovert, there is a spot for you in public relations.

Ethics in PR

By: Krystal Black

Ethics is defined as moral principles that govern a person’s behavior or the conducting of an activity. We make decisions all the time based on our ethics. As public relations professionals, we hear about the importance of ethics in our business all the time; it is instilled in us from the very first public relations course we take. Ethics determine the reputation of the company you work for as well as who you are. They are different for everyone because they are based on where you grow up. It is said that it takes a community to raise a child; this means your family, friends, school, neighbors and more are where you learn your morals. For this reason, it is difficult for companies to teach ethics.

In general, more simpler terms, clients need to be able to trust that, as public relations professionals, we will protect their sensitive information and that we can do a job for them. The problem is that ethics in public relations is constantly challenged, and we are constantly criticized for “spinning the truth.” However, as the front line for our companies, communicating to our audiences, we need to convey the right message. What I mean by this is sticking to the standards of the industry, as well as our “gut feeling.” Ethics are telling the truth and being transparent for consumers.

The overall goal and importance of being ethical in the public relations field is telling consumers no more than the truth about what the company can do for them. In a world full of unethical businesses, it’s important that we are ethical for our company’s sake, our own sake, consumers, and for the good of the field of public relations as a whole.

Great gifts for your PR professional

By: Krystal Black

· Starbucks gift card

PR professionals spend long days and nights working hard to complete their tasks, so what’s better than the gift of caffeine?

· AP Style Book

You can’t remember everything you learned in school, so you can’t go wrong with the newest edition of the style book.

· External hard drive

Anyone who writes a lot can use a little bit more space to store pieces of writing or to store extra pictures in general.

· PR Week subscription

This is a great magazine and a way for PR professionals to stay up-to-date in the PR world.

· Stationary

Decorated notepads, cards and letters are perfect for jotting down daily reminders. In addition, everyone can use stationary for thank you cards, especially after the holiday season.

· Planner

Help that PR professional in your life stay on track with a planner. How else will your loved one know when that dinner you planned for them is?

· Fitbit

Fitbits can track heart rate and sleep, so why not give the gift that will help them stay on track?

The holiday season is the perfect time to give back to special people in your life. With the holidays so close, give the PR professional in your life something useful and something they will surely use in their everyday lives. 

The role of PR in nonprofit organizations

By: Abby Fischer

Working in nonprofit PR can be very rewarding, especially if you work with a nonprofit organization you’re passionate about. Here is a glimpse at some of the work nonprofit PR specialists are tasked with.

1. Conduct fundraising campaigns

Fundraising is essential for nonprofits to survive, and as a PR specialist working in nonprofit, you’ll create lots of fundraising efforts.

2. Volunteer recruitment

Just like fundraising, finding volunteers to work events your organization puts on is very important. You will have to find various ways to recruit volunteers through email, social media and other platforms.

3. Utilize social media

Social media is a large part of all forms of public relations, so it’s no surprise that you’ll need to hone in those skills in nonprofit PR. Social media is a great tool to use when recruiting volunteers or promoting an event. While working in nonprofit PR, you’ll utilize this tool frequently.

4. Lobbying/advocacy

In order to make a change, most nonprofits have to call government officials to action on the issue. Lobbying is an important part of nonprofit PR because the way you portray information to government officials will affect the outcome of the decision.

5. Help mold and create the nonprofit’s story

A large part of nonprofit PR is creating a story that sticks with your nonprofit’s image that your audience can relate to or empathize. This is a crucial part of the success of your nonprofit’s PR and it will branch out into many different campaigns and promotions.

6. Promote an idea or cause

Most importantly, when working in nonprofit PR you are promoting an important cause or idea that will help make a difference in the world and change people’s perspective. Working in this industry is a great way to affect change through your career and help others.

Five Steps to Take After Internship Fair

By: Haley Les

1. Send out a follow up email

It is important to send potential employers a follow up email so that they know you’re interested in the position. Potential employers receive so many resumes; sending a thank you email will help separate yourself from others. It would also be helpful to include distinct topics from conversations you had with potential employers in your email. Make sure that the email is well written and professional. 

2. Organize/keep track of notes

Taking notes is important not only during an internship fair but also very much after. Revising your notes from an internship fair will help you organize them as well. There are so many different employers which is why organization is key when following up with them. This step will also help you keep track of all the different positions available within companies.

3. Consider suggestions from potential employers

Critique yourself after the internship fair to help yourself improve. Pay attention to what potential employers suggest you to work on. For instance, if you were told to work on your writing skills, it would be a good idea to practice writing. 

4. Revise

Make sure to triple check your resume and LinkedIn account for anything that could be revised. Look for previous employers on LinkedIn to help with references for future employers. Review and revise the questions you asked at the fair for beneficial information. Remember: this is only the beginning, and there is always time to improve for next year’s internship fair.

5. Practice your interviewing skills

The interview stage is the scariest part for some students, which is why practice is key. Watch videos online, practice with friends, and read tips.

Confidence 101

By: Krystal Black

Confidence is something everyone struggles with at some point or another. It could be your looks or confidence in a task you’re working on.

There are some simple ways you can gain confidence in your everyday life, and one way to start is by being positive. I saw a quote once and it said, “Your body hears everything your mind says.” If you wake up every morning, look in the mirror and tell yourself you can do it, imagine the possibilities. Whether it’s acing that test, staying healthy, performing your best, or anything else; telling yourself you are worth it and you can do it is the very first step.

Another simple way you can gain confidence is by practicing. Everyone knows the quote “practice makes perfect.” Although I don’t believe in absolute perfection, I do believe that if you run through your speech four or five times versus one or two times, chances are you will present a stronger speech.

The most important thing about confidence that everyone needs to understand is that confidence isn’t the same for any two people. Each person was put on this Earth with different abilities, appearances and talents. Whether you are good at cooking or writing, rock wall climbing or swimming, taking tests or playing an instrument; no one person has the same exact talent. You can’t compare yourself to someone else. Everyone looks different for a reason, and everyone has different talents for a reason. What if we lived in a world where everyone looked the same, acted the same and had the same talents? First, we wouldn’t last long because we need people who are good at being chefs, doctors, scientists, police officers, firefighters, teachers and more. Second, the world would be flat out boring. Once this idea that you were created differently is understood and accepted, your confidence will soar. Imagine all the things you could do if you just believed in yourself!

What to bring to internship fair

By: Abby Fischer

Internship fair doesn’t have to be intimidating. The best way to conquer those nerves is to be prepared! Here is a list of things you should bring to Internship Fair.

1. Your Sunday Best.

Dress to impress by wearing your best suit. Make sure your outfit is professional and not too flashy - you want the focus to be on your personality and your skills, not your outfit.

2. A Smile.

It’s like they say in “Annie,” you’re never fully dressed without a smile. Make sure you’re approaching booths with a smile and a positive attitude.

3. Notepad and a Pen.

You may need to jot some information down, and potential employers will be impressed that you came to the Internship Fair prepared. Don’t be that kid who’s typing notes into their phone.

4. Resume.

Obviously, you’re going to want to bring a few copies of your resume. Look over the list of businesses who will be attending, and make sure you have enough copies to hand out to all the businesses you’re interested in. Side note: make sure you review and update your resume before you hit print. Double check spelling, update any new information and remove anything that isn’t relevant.

5. Business Cards.

If you have business cards, bring some to give to potential employers. Some recruiters might not accept resumes, but rather ask you to upload one to the company website. You want to make a lasting impression, so if they won’t accept a paper resume, offer them a business card.

6. A Folder.

Bring a folder to carry your resumes and business cards. This way they won’t get damaged, and you’ll look much more professional and organized.

7. Your A-Game.

Give yourself a pep talk, do a power pose in the mirror before you leave your apartment and practice your elevator pitch. If you know what you’re going to say before you get there, you won’t feel nearly as nervous.

The power of PR

By: Krystal Black

After officially signing my IPR major at CMU this week, I thought about all the ways public relations affects people around the world. Whether we see it or not, PR shapes the way we view the world around us. From the content we see on big brands’ social media accounts to the speeches we hear from public officials, PR never fails to be a part of everyday life. The coolest part of PR, especially coming from CMU’s IPR program, is the fact that I will know how to communicate with people, persuade people, sell myself or a brand and, most importantly, I will know how to write in various styles.

PR is all about what we want to get out of it. Do we want to work for a celebrity? Do we want to work for a nonprofit organization? What about a big corporation, do we want to work for them? There are endless opportunities in the PR field, and that is what makes this degree so special.

PR has come such a long way from its humble beginnings. The field is no longer made up of people who went to school for journalism. PR professionals have similar skills to people with journalism degrees, like the ability to write, but professionals in the PR field sell themselves. They sell brands. It isn’t just about crisis management anymore; public relations professionals work alongside companies to prevent problems.

As you can see, there is so much that PR can do for us. Remember, with PR you can do more, and that’s the power of PR.

A glimpse at health care PR

By: Alexis Golfis

After hitting it off right away with the marketing and community relations director at Aspirus Iron River Hospital and Clinics, I was hired as an intern for the summer.

Here at my internship, I help with event planning, introducing new doctors to the community, media relations, press releases, internal and external communications, photography, design and working with ad agencies.

I was given the opportunity to help plan one of our largest events called “Aspiring Women in the Outdoors.” This free event that provided women with knowledge on how to live a healthy, sustainable life was part of our women’s outreach program called “Aspiring Women.” This program was recognized for being successfully integrated into an eight-hospital system throughout the Midwest.

Because of this recognition, the marketing director, myself and a few other marketing employees within Aspirus got to attend a marketing conference in New Orleans to present why we were able to have such success with the “Aspiring Women” program.

Overall, this internship has been very hands-on. The work environment is fun and relaxing while also being extremely productive and professional. I am so grateful I get to work for one of the Top 20 Critical Access Hospitals in the nation (ranked by iVantage Health).

A firsthand look at entertainment PR

By: Elena Panyard

For the last few weeks I have been interning at Allied Integrated Marketing. Allied works with some of the world’s largest entertainment, consumer and lifestyle brands. The Detroit office mainly works with movie studios. I’ve been able to work on early screenings for “Snatched,” “Baywatch” and “Baby Driver.” I’ve always been interested in working in entertainment promotions, so this internship is the perfect fit for me. On a day-to-day basis, I am collecting clippings of mentions of our client’s work, as well as creating social media content and contacting local businesses who may be interested in partnering with us. I work on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so when I’m not in the office I am working on early screenings for the press, as well as any events for businesses that may fit certain movies that are coming out. Not only is the work I’m doing enjoyable, the office culture has been a great fit for me. I’m learning that I love agency life. There is always something to do when you have multiple clients.

While I’ve always wanted to work in entertainment, I’ve never seen myself working with films. This internship has been great in showing me that no matter who your client is, you become extremely attached to your work. I used to never go to the movies, but now I love going to see what the crowd thinks, and I’m always reading reviews in my free time. If I’m scrolling through Facebook and I see people talking about an event coming up that relates to one of our clients, I write it down and send it to others in the office.

Internships are the perfect opportunity to see if your major is the best fit for you, and this internship has shown me I am 100% in the right industry.

Senior Year Reflections

By: Alyssa Tippens

To say, “time flies in college,” is a colossal understatement. One moment, it’s your first day of college. You’re strolling across campus with a pit of nervousness and anticipation in your stomach, praying you manage to find your classes in what feels like a jungle of longboards and Vera Bradly backpacks. Everything is new-- scary, in a way, but liberating. The next moment, it seems, you’re slapped with a jarring realization that not only are you a second-semester senior, on the brink of being ripped away from the place that has become your home, but it’s time to start looking for real-life jobs. Goodbye, perfectly curated list of take-out establishments. So-long, friends and mentors who have guided you along the way. You’ve always known that this day would come, but never dreamed it would arrive so soon.

Personally, I thought I would feel far more prepared than I do. The biggest challenge, for me, has been accepting that I am indeed ready to enter the “real world.” It seems I’m not alone, as I’ve yet to meet a fellow senior who has zero qualms about life after college. So, if you can relate to these feelings, I hope my perspective will provide some comfort amidst this time of anguish and great anticipation.

You’ve learned a lot more than you realize. These past four or five years have equipped you with a strong foundation of necessary skills knowledge. You’ve made it this far, so you have undoubtedly learned perseverance and determination. You’ve dealt with challenging group project members, reasoned with more than the occasional ornery professor and survived your fair share of eccentric roommates. Your resume is perfected, the applications have been sent and the imperative LinkedIn connections have been made. So, have some faith, and accept that you’re ready for your post-grad journey.

To those lucky enough to call yourselves underclassmen, please make the most of your experience at Central. Work hard, but take time to embrace this time in your life. In the blink of an eye, you’ll move moving your tassel from right to left

Five tips on speaking to professionals

It can be difficult and a little intimidating when speaking to business professionals. Most of us have been there.  If you haven’t, it is okay. The PRSSA Professional Development Committee has some tips for you.

1)      The Handshake

If your hands are naturally cold, go to the bathroom and wash your hands with warm water before approaching the professional. It will make your handshake more welcoming. Make sure your handshake is firm and extend your hand so it runs parallel to theirs – this means no one is dominating the handshake.

2)      The Pitch

Briefly prepare a pitch stating your name, year in school, major, previous internships/work experience, and what you are looking to get out of the conversation. Don’t wait for them to ask you questions, just dive right in. You will come off as more prepared and professional.

3)      The Conversation

Always remember in the back of your mind that the person you are speaking to is a human as well. We should treat the conversation as if we are talking to a parent or one of their friends. Watch your language, but you do not have to throw in extra words to sound smart.

4)      SMILE! :)

It’s okay to laugh and smile! Actually, please do! We are all at the conference to learn and have fun.

5)      Thank You

Thank the professionals for their time speaking with you. If you would like to keep in contact, bring some business cards with you, or ask for one of theirs. It’s even a good idea to email them when you get home, and thank them for coming to the conference.  Refer to something specific from the conversation to make the email more personal. Remember, they took time out of their day to be there.

10 Reasons to go to Conference

1.  Expanding your knowledge - At Age of Polarization, you’re going to walk away knowing something you didn’t before. This conference is about learning new dynamic material in a time of constant change.

2.  Networking- Our conference will allow you to network with some of the top PR professionals in Michigan.

3.  Focus- Sometimes we doubt our major, even when we’re half-way done with it. This will allow you to regain your focus for public relations.

4.  Encouragement- You’ll be even more fired up for public relations! Your productivity and passion for public relations will dramatically increase and you’ll want to do more than ever.

5.  Trends- Current trends in the professional workplace change every single day. As college students, we’re not always aware of what’s going on. Our speakers will be here to share and educate our audiences on what’s new and what’s to come.

6. Our speakers- Between top PR agencies and Fortune 500 company executives, our speakers have all the bases covered.

7.  Inspiration- sometimes we get into a creative rut and not sure where to go with our next project. Hearing new ideas and outside ideas can inspire you to something new with anything!

8. Ah-ha Moments- When you listen to speakers and absorb the expertise, talk to others with the same passion and learn about new things, you’ll have your Ah-ha moments.

9. Surrounding Passion- You’ll be surrounded by people who have the same passion that you do for PR.

10.  Food- We have food. Good food. What more can be said?