PR Agency Work
My blog has been hanging around about five to 12 views daily since I don’t post as regularly anymore. But yesterday it jumped to 38! I thought that was pretty interesting.
Agency work sounds so exciting and I’ve really enjoyed reading Time Well Spent, an article in PR Tactics and The Strategist Online written by an intern about her PR firm internship experience.
I really would like to get some agency experience. Ever since my first PRSSA Spring Conference when I heard about Franco Public Relations Group, I have wanted to work at an agency. Then, last fall, I job shadowed two CMU alumna that work there (check out Lauren and Nikki). They were fantastic and really got me excited about agency work. My post about their session relating to agency work at the CMU PRSSA Spring Conference has received more hits than any other post on my blog.
I think that even if I decided I didn’t want to work at an agency for the rest of my career, the experience would be priceless. The experience of multiple clients and projects would teach me a lot.
I do really like my publications internship with CMU Public Relations and Marketing though. I think CMU is a great school and I like the publications area. I do a lot of writing! But ever since I was in junior high, I have been saying I wanted to be the editor of my own magazine. I think my experience with publications might help me with that dream. But I think all the experiences with CMU PRM will help me in the future.
Free Guides for New PR Professionals
Have you ever heard of the Public Relations Consultants Association? I recently stumbled across the UK-based PR organization’s website and found some interesting things.
First of all, there were free guides. As a college student, free is my favorite word. In the introduction, it says that the guides are for new public relations practitioners. They appear to be fairly simple and easy to understand, although I have not read much of any of them since I haven’t printed them.
They have the following type of guides:
- Event Management
- Communication Materials
- Media Relations
- Client Handling
- Copyright for PR Professionals
- Surviving PR
As soon as I can make it to one of the school’s computer labs (with free printing) I will be printing them all out. Even if I can’t use them now, they might be good reference later. Plus, I love the camouflage look of the cover 🙂
Go to the PRCA website to see the guides.
You can also read the blog of the PRCA Chairman.
Platform Magazine
I feel bad that I haven’t been writing. I really do. For awhile, I was writing daily. I haven’t even been reading any blogs lately. I’ve noticed many other bloggers aren’t posting as much as well. I blame the weather. Who wants to blog if you can be outside grilling or rollerblading?
I recently came across Platform Magazine, an online PR publication. It looks like a great website. It recently received a gold placement in the Hermes Creative Awards for the Web Site Overall category.
You can listen to an audio interview with a Ketchum account executive, take an AP Style Quiz, and read articles relating to PR, leadership, ethics, trends and more. You can even become a contributing writer.
On another note, feel free to check out PR Intern, my blog tracking my projects related to my internship.
I will also be posting about the project management workshop I attended. It will probably be broken up into several posts.
My Internship & More
I know I haven’t been posting much lately. I just haven’t felt that I had anything to say. I did start my internship yesterday and started a blog to track what I am doing and learning. Check out PR Intern if you are interested.
For Budding Public Relations Professionals has a post about PRSA vs. IABC. I am very active in PRSSA so I found his post very interesting. I know very little about the International Association of Business Communicators.
PRSSA has given me so many opportunities and great experiences. I absolutely love the organization. Out of curiosity, I checked out the IABC website. I don’t really see myself paying for a student membership when I already pay for PRSSA, but the website still had some links I found interesting.
Call for Research Papers & Communication Plans
The coolest part? You don’t have to be an IABC student member to submit your paper or plan! The deadline is June 20. I don’t have anything to submit, but maybe somebody else reading this does.
The Student Newsletter has some articles you might also find interesting, from communication plans to communication jobs.
Sorry but I don’t have anything more to write right now…
Public Relations Online Magazine – What do you think?
Have you ever checked out Behind The Spin?
It’s pretty nice, but it is based out of the UK. Is there a magazine for US public relations students?
So I have an idea now. What if I created an online magazine for PR students and young practitioners in the US?
Would you be interested in reading it? Or would you be interested in contributing? Or do you think it would fail miserably? I am interested in knowing what you think.
Crisis Communication & Management
I am three credits short of completing my minor in Communication at Central Michigan University. I need one more elective. None of the remaining electives really appealed to me. Instead of taking a class that I really am not interested in, I designed a syllabus for an independent study and submitted it to my adviser. She approved it. Next fall, I will be studying crisis communication and management.
I plan to keep a journal of the course on wordpress.com. My adviser will be able to keep track of my progress and others may benefit from reading about what I am learning in the course. Check back in August to get the link.
Does anyone have case studies or other suggestions that I may use for this course?
Please contact me if you do. It would be greatly appreciated!
Here is the syllabus that I designed:
Course Description:
This course focuses on crisis communication and management, emphasizing practical application of theories, strategies, and tactics from a public relations perspective.
Course Objectives:
- To understand the theories of crisis communication
- To critically analyze crisis communication case studies
- To competently utilize crisis communication and management strategies and tactics for detection, prevention, preparation, containment, and recovery.
- To be able to create a crisis communication plan
- To be able to transfer learned crisis communication and management skills to a real world context
Course Assignments:
- Case Study Analyses
- Critical analysis of case studies related to crisis communication and management
- Crises In The News
- Critical analysis of crisis situations showcased in the media
- Crisis Communication Plan
- Creation of crisis communication plan, preferably for local business or organization
- Professional Journal
- Professional journal, created through www.wordpress.com, will contain notes from readings, case study analyses assignments, crisis in the news assignments, and any other details related to class.
- Crisis Management Manual
- Reference manual created from class materials that can be used as a reference tool in future crisis situations
Course Points:
- Case Study Analysis 1 10 points
- Case Study Analysis 2 10 points
- Case Study Analysis 3 10 points
- Case Study Analysis 4 10 points
- Case Study Analysis 5 10 points
- Crisis In The News 1 10 points
- Crisis In The News 2 10 points
- Crisis In The News 3 10 points
- Crisis In The News 4 10 points
- Crisis In The News 5 10 points
- Crisis Communication Plan 150 points
- Professional Journal 150 points
- Crisis Management Manual 100 points
- TOTAL 500 points
Recommended Texts:
- Ongoing Crisis Communication: Planning, Managing, and Responding by W. Timothy Coombs
- The Crisis Counselor: A Step-By-Step Guide to Managing a Business Crisis by Jeff Caponigro
Interesting Links…
Here are two links that you should check out. I promise to have a post that is more than just links in the near future. I have a PRSSA e-board meeting to go to first!
My Internship
Last Friday I received a phone call. I was offered an internship at Central Michigan University’s Public Relations & Marketing in the Publishing department.
I was ecstatic! I will be starting sometime next week.
I also have more good news. My elbow is feeling much better now. I’m not wearing a sling anymore. But, I can’t straighten it out completely and can only bend it to a certain extent. I am also DONE with final exams. It is such a relief!
Now that I can type without extreme pain, finals are over, and I have a couple of week before summer classes begin, you’ll be seeing a lot more of me!
I currently have had 405 “steps ahead” (hits) on this blog. I’d like to get 100 more in the next week.
Does anyone else make blog goals like me?
My Interview
I just got home from an interview for a summer/fall internship. Overall, I think it went well. I did all of my homework and pitched two ideas for their website. I brought in a folder of writing samples and other items as well. I had to take a writing test, which was interesting because I haven’t taken one in awhile. I think I need to brush up on my AP Style!
I really would love to have this internship. It is nearby and with a reputable organization. The people seem great and I love that it would be a very independent job. Not to sound antisocial or anything, but I love working by myself on projects.
I’ll find out before the end of the semester. I’m confident that I did well and that they liked my ideas, but I also don’t know who else has applied for the job. I’ll be sure to post an update when I find out!
