Public relations has a bad reputation. Is this news? No not particularly. So why am I bringing this topic up? I'm in public relations. I know this comes as a shock, especially since my last three posts have been related to the public relations field.
I’m frustrated. I would like to whisper the message to the media world about my opinion. I say whisper because I am not one with great authority, but that doesn't mean I can't try.
I attended an international career forum where I got to meet government and non-profit representatives from various organizations. Initially, I was excited to network at this function where I could learn about careers in the international spectrum. I was also excited to meet representatives and propose my plan to one day become a foreign public relations representative. My dreams were squashed in the first ten minutes of the networking luncheon. How, you ask? It's because I'm in public relations.
Many of the students who attended this convention were students who majored in international studies, foreign language and business. Apparently, I was one of the few to represent the journalism major, which came to me as a surprise. Don't many of the careers across the globe depend on communications? This seems like an obvious fact to me. Organizations, government and businesses have to communicate somehow if they are in nations across the globe.
I felt like the stereotype of public relations overshadowed my presence to whomever I spoke to. These representatives were excited that I participated in this function and were impressed by my questions. "What are studying?" a representative would ask. "I'm in public relations, actually," I would explain with a proud expression. As soon as many would hear this, I could see the physical reaction of a frown reverse from the previous smile. Instantly, my chances at furthering the conversation were eliminated. This result remained consistent throughout the rest of the convention. I counted how many times a professional moved on to a different student or ended the conversation a minute later. It counted four out of five times.
Are we at a disadvantage if we are in the public relations field? Are we taken less seriously than other journalists? This should not be the case. Most public relations students and professionals should be recognized for the difficulty of their work and their strong writing skills. I feel like many in public relations are underestimated and are intelligent. We have gained a bad reputation from the media and the other poor performing professionals out there.
Next time, I will just say I'm a journalist.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Monday, November 12, 2007
Public Relations: Severe Crisis
It's not too often that one and stops to think about what it would be like to be in a tragic situation. Tragic situations are depressing for most, and it sometimes hard to identify with the pain. We tend to grasp the situation, react and find some way to relate to the problem. Some people are better at disassociating themselves from a painful situation. Army marines are great examples of this.
Recently, I tried to my put myself in the position of another person: the public relations manager or spokesperson of an institution or organization where a tragic occurrence took place. Some examples could be the Virginia Tech massacre or the Columbine shootings.
This thought occurred to me when I thought of a recent friend. My brother's friend, Josh Overstreet, was released from a Portland jail where he was on suicide watch. The jail was overcrowded and unwilling to serve Overstreet who was suffering from a mental illness. In this wonderful country of ours, people who commit crimes take priority over people with mental illness. He was on suicide watch, and the director decided that he was to be released. An hour after his release, he killed himself by jumping off a building right across the street from the jail.
This incident is not only tragic but has generated contreversy in the media. With someone who is so sensitive to death, I can't imagine representing the institution who has to confront not only the media but the families. As a public relations spokesperson, you have to be the face of that company who has to supply the answers. It is not a job for the lighthearted.
I respect people who are in my field who are able to perform this type of work. I lost my older sister in a tragic car accident, so it is harder for me to fit into the role of a crisis manager in public relations. Or maybe I would be. At least I would be able to identify with the audiences who I am trying to reach.
Recently, I tried to my put myself in the position of another person: the public relations manager or spokesperson of an institution or organization where a tragic occurrence took place. Some examples could be the Virginia Tech massacre or the Columbine shootings.
This thought occurred to me when I thought of a recent friend. My brother's friend, Josh Overstreet, was released from a Portland jail where he was on suicide watch. The jail was overcrowded and unwilling to serve Overstreet who was suffering from a mental illness. In this wonderful country of ours, people who commit crimes take priority over people with mental illness. He was on suicide watch, and the director decided that he was to be released. An hour after his release, he killed himself by jumping off a building right across the street from the jail.
This incident is not only tragic but has generated contreversy in the media. With someone who is so sensitive to death, I can't imagine representing the institution who has to confront not only the media but the families. As a public relations spokesperson, you have to be the face of that company who has to supply the answers. It is not a job for the lighthearted.
I respect people who are in my field who are able to perform this type of work. I lost my older sister in a tragic car accident, so it is harder for me to fit into the role of a crisis manager in public relations. Or maybe I would be. At least I would be able to identify with the audiences who I am trying to reach.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Small Trickle In The Vast Blog Ocean
Over the course of history, we have seen great advancements in communication and media.
Lately, the question has been raised, "Is there too much information out there?" Most media and scholars agree that there is. Thousands of blogs, articles press releases are published everyday. It's a matter of filtering through all the crap that is out there.
More specifically, my complaint is related to the area of blogs. This subject might serve as a little ironic, considering, this is a blog.
What I've discovered in my frustration is that it is possible for Grandma, 10-year old Timmy and drunk Uncle Joe all now have access to post unlimited blogs. I consider these more as online journals as opposed to credible content, but yet, they can still be published.
Although I have some complaints in this area of blogging, I feel that is has some profound benefits. The media is continually trying to keep up with advancing technology.
The latest development of blogs (as most professional and student journalists know) is that it has proved as a unique way to advertise, initiate public relations and expand on media content. Blogs can also represent different viewpoints within major companies that the mass would not have otherwise.
In Robin Goode's article, "Are Blogs Credible News Sources?", he says, "In fact, blogs may have in some instances additional credibility that the mainstream media lack, and as they refine and improve their own shortcomings, blogs can definitely play a unique role in today's media landscape." This article is available at http://www.masternewmedia.org/news/2005/10/22/are_blogs_credible_news_sources.htm. Goode further expands on the benefit of blogging in his article.
Overall, I would agree that the development of blogging has pro's and con's in this unlimited internet ocean. This blog represents a wave.
We all can make as much as a hurricane or small trickle.
Lately, the question has been raised, "Is there too much information out there?" Most media and scholars agree that there is. Thousands of blogs, articles press releases are published everyday. It's a matter of filtering through all the crap that is out there.
More specifically, my complaint is related to the area of blogs. This subject might serve as a little ironic, considering, this is a blog.
What I've discovered in my frustration is that it is possible for Grandma, 10-year old Timmy and drunk Uncle Joe all now have access to post unlimited blogs. I consider these more as online journals as opposed to credible content, but yet, they can still be published.
Although I have some complaints in this area of blogging, I feel that is has some profound benefits. The media is continually trying to keep up with advancing technology.
The latest development of blogs (as most professional and student journalists know) is that it has proved as a unique way to advertise, initiate public relations and expand on media content. Blogs can also represent different viewpoints within major companies that the mass would not have otherwise.
In Robin Goode's article, "Are Blogs Credible News Sources?", he says, "In fact, blogs may have in some instances additional credibility that the mainstream media lack, and as they refine and improve their own shortcomings, blogs can definitely play a unique role in today's media landscape." This article is available at http://www.masternewmedia.org/news/2005/10/22/are_blogs_credible_news_sources.htm. Goode further expands on the benefit of blogging in his article.
Overall, I would agree that the development of blogging has pro's and con's in this unlimited internet ocean. This blog represents a wave.
We all can make as much as a hurricane or small trickle.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Let's Get Ready To Rumble: The Fight For Jobs
Welcome, ladies and gentlemen! Tonight is a night that you are witness to a spectacular schmooze match that will make history. In the blue corner, we have the optimistic, young college graduate who hopes to gain enough points to move on to next round. In the red corner, we have another young college graduate who gleams with competitive spirit. The winner tonight not only receives the glory of successfully being recognized as a great candidate for a PR position but may also receive the chance to participate in the semi-finals of an interview. May the best player win!
The arena of job competition can be tough. You must be ambitious, hardworking and enthusiastic. Not only that, you have to compete for these positions against many other qualified candidates. If you possess similar qualifications, how do you differentiate yourself? One must know the art of networking. How do you network? If you know PR, you know networking. Professors and colleagues teach you this from Day One. A great reference for public relations networking strategies is Don Crowthers blog titled, "Public Relations Networking How To Work A Room" at http://101publicrelations.com/cgi-bin/mt-tb.cgi/152.
I may be a cynic, but I use the term "schmooze" when I refer to the idea of people networking in a forced and artificial way to enhance their agenda.
This I hesitantly bared witness to when I attended the 2007 Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) National Conference. Among the other eager members who sought the same goals as me, I attempted to schmooze and sell myself to potential clients who were recruiting the young and bright for their desirable PR internships. I inhaled the air of competition. Little did I know how much competition I was actually up against.
These competitors were strong, strategic and aggressive. First, They were strong in their willingness to physically push others aside to make way to the front of the line in hopes of being heard before speakers at sessions or visiting agency representatives departed. They were strategic in producing resumes and classy business cards (even though they are students) to hand to the already overwhelmed recipients. They were aggressive in obtaining the representative’s key information as well as employees or contacts information.
For me, this experience proved nauseating and exhausting. Although I did not possess the edge of the other competitors, I felt I put up a good fight and did not lose entirely. I did not produce fancy business cards. I did not engage in insincere, strategic conversations, such as “Oh do you know Eddie Money? He is my second cousin’s friend’s roommate’s brother who works with you.” I also did not feel obligated to sprint up to the front of a line to make sure my voice was heard. Instead, I utilized my outgoing personality, researched clients I was interested in and remained earnest to these representatives.
Even though we all have to inevitably fight in the schmooze arena to get ahead, we must fight in our own fashion without any tricks or unnecessary hostility. Call me old-fashioned, but I believe the best type of a public relations individual is a sincere one.
The arena of job competition can be tough. You must be ambitious, hardworking and enthusiastic. Not only that, you have to compete for these positions against many other qualified candidates. If you possess similar qualifications, how do you differentiate yourself? One must know the art of networking. How do you network? If you know PR, you know networking. Professors and colleagues teach you this from Day One. A great reference for public relations networking strategies is Don Crowthers blog titled, "Public Relations Networking How To Work A Room" at http://101publicrelations.com/cgi-bin/mt-tb.cgi/152.
I may be a cynic, but I use the term "schmooze" when I refer to the idea of people networking in a forced and artificial way to enhance their agenda.
This I hesitantly bared witness to when I attended the 2007 Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) National Conference. Among the other eager members who sought the same goals as me, I attempted to schmooze and sell myself to potential clients who were recruiting the young and bright for their desirable PR internships. I inhaled the air of competition. Little did I know how much competition I was actually up against.
These competitors were strong, strategic and aggressive. First, They were strong in their willingness to physically push others aside to make way to the front of the line in hopes of being heard before speakers at sessions or visiting agency representatives departed. They were strategic in producing resumes and classy business cards (even though they are students) to hand to the already overwhelmed recipients. They were aggressive in obtaining the representative’s key information as well as employees or contacts information.
For me, this experience proved nauseating and exhausting. Although I did not possess the edge of the other competitors, I felt I put up a good fight and did not lose entirely. I did not produce fancy business cards. I did not engage in insincere, strategic conversations, such as “Oh do you know Eddie Money? He is my second cousin’s friend’s roommate’s brother who works with you.” I also did not feel obligated to sprint up to the front of a line to make sure my voice was heard. Instead, I utilized my outgoing personality, researched clients I was interested in and remained earnest to these representatives.
Even though we all have to inevitably fight in the schmooze arena to get ahead, we must fight in our own fashion without any tricks or unnecessary hostility. Call me old-fashioned, but I believe the best type of a public relations individual is a sincere one.
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