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Q.  I am from Asia and am studying public relations at a major U.S. university where you spoke recently.  You emphasized the need for students to build resumes that differentiate themselves by gaining relevant experience and internships.  I’ve been trying to find an internship for the past year, but am having difficulty doing so—I assume because I don’t have a green card.  Please suggest ways I can get the necessary experience that will lead to a future job in my home country or in the U.S. 

A.  I checked out your question with colleagues at DePaul and I found additional background at InternationalStudent.com. Here’s what I learned: You actually are eligible to gain internship experience while in the U.S. on a F-1 or J-1 non-immigrant visa status.  You can participate in paid or unpaid internships as long as you first obtain authorization.  The international student employment program is called Optional Practical Training (OPC) and can be arranged after you complete the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). Most colleges provide counsel on such matters through offices with titles such as International Student Services or International Student Office.

You also may want to check out volunteer opportunities at local nonprofits.  I am a fan of organizations such as the American Red Cross which have excellent training programs for volunteers.  Such training becomes a solid credential on your resume.  Some agencies create “extern” positions where students work for shorter lengths of time—often one- or two-week internship-like experiences.  Externships provide students with insights into agency life, although the work product is often minimal.

Early in many young PR professionals’ careers, you may start out working for a small business with only a handful of co-workers. The environment, dress code, and overall culture in many small businesses are emphatically casual, and the hierarchy is not as necessarily as rigid or clearly spelled out. For many young professionals, this is a great way to first enter the job market. Soon enough, after a few years of experience under your belt, however, you may move on to a job for a larger corporation, one whose modus operandi is drastically different. Having personally experienced this transition, I can say with some measure of authority that it takes a lot of getting used to. Here are a few tips to help ease that transition.

1.      Read the company handbook thoroughly, and expect rules to be de facto rules and not just flexible guidelines.

When I worked for a small business, we did have a company handbook that outlined rules, but it was fairly obvious after several months working there that no one had read it, and almost every aspect of work was flexible. Although it can be tough to take handbook warnings about tardiness seriously when you were once able to come in at whatever time you liked, follow rules to the T unless you are told by a superior otherwise.

2.      Observe how veteran employees act and dress.

Of course, even if you’ve moved into a more corporate atmosphere, the handbook will not necessarily give you the best indication about how your new environment really works. The best way to understand the new company’s culture is to observe it in play. Of course, you don’t want to follow the example of new or troublesome employees. Figure out who in the company has worked long and is liked and respected. Follow their ways of dress and behavior.

3.      Interact as you much as you can with coworkers and supervisors to further understand the company culture.

It should be noted that observation, of course, is not enough when trying to navigate a new company’s modes of operation. It’s important to interact professionally with those who know the system well. Integrate yourself as fully as you can in order to understand how the company works.

4.      If you are in doubt about anything, don’t be afraid to ask. 

Since you are a newcomer, everyone understands that you will sometimes inadvertently make the occasional faux pas when you first begin. At the same time, it’s important to clarify any questions you may have about company policy if you are ever in doubt so as to avoid uncomfortable situations. Never be afraid to ask questions. It’s much better to be informed than to cross a line and admit later that you didn’t know.

This is a guest post by Nadia Jones who blogs at online college about education, college, student, teacher and movie related topics. You can reach her at nadia.jones5@gmail.com.

Every year, Edelman updates and expands its ”Trust Barometer” that provides provides business and government leaders with insights into what the public thinks about their performance in the critically important dimension of trust.  And, not unexpectedly, the public isn’t thinking very highly of them at the present time.

Edelman’s bleak assessment of declining trust in most institutions echos findings of others, including Dr. Bruce K. Berger of the University of Alabama in his thoughtful Gruning Lecture at the PRSA international conference last fall.  In his remarks, Bruce focused on the declining trust of employees in leaders of their companies.  After citing alarming employee dissatisfaction, Bruce suggested the time is ripe to start acting rather than talking about the need to curb declining attitudes. 

During the presentation by Richard Edelman and others in Chicago last month, I initially was alarmed by the dramatic year-after-year decline in trust. In attempt to view the glass as half full, I decided to position the depressing numbers as an opportunity for public relations professionals.  This might be the best time in decades communicators.  My theory later was confirmed through phone calls with three executive recruiters seeking internal communications talent.  Demand for top talent exceeds available talent.  This spells opportunities for those considering the direction of their PR careers. 

Exploring my opportunity theory, I asked Rick Murray, president of Edelman’s Chicago office, to weigh in with suggestions for young people pursuing PR careers. 

“First and foremost.” Rick said.  “Be prepared to adapt to whatever the environment throws you on a daily basis. It’s impossible to teach ‘how to change’ in a textbook, and today that need [to change] doesn’t have a pause button. You have to be always on, and organizations that aren’t pay the consequences, quickly.

“Second, it’s critical that students understand that in today’s environment, people choose to consume the media that best suits them. Some is right and some is left, but both are the only ‘right’ point of view to those that watch / read / listen to them.”

If I had the opportunity to do college over again, I would load up on classes in business, psychology and organizational change.  Facing the imperative to improve employee and public perceptions, business and government will be increasing their efforts to hire communication professionals who can help regain trust. 

Sylvie Sadarnac

Here we are, in the midst of another political campaign. It’s easy to be blasé about the process, but if you’re a communicator looking to hone your skills, and you have some time to spare, consider volunteering for your favorite politician to gain some valuable insight and techniques.

A political campaign is a fast-moving, exhilarating milieu. The hours can be long, and the outcome upsetting, depending on which side you are on. One thing is sure: the winner is the candidate who can best articulate what he or she can do for the constituents. 

Regardless of the results of your candidate’s campaign, the journey will make you a sharper, edgier, and more versatile communicator, putting in practice these seven golden rules of communications:

1. The message is the thing
If you lose track of the message, you lose the fight. Messaging shapes the way staffers and volunteers communicate with constituents. When the delivery gets sloppy, constituents disengage. This applies to politics as well as business.

2. The most effective message is short and unequivocal
According to a study released last year, we are bombarded every day by information the equivalent of 174 newspapers. Yet our attention span has shrunk to 140 characters and 2.7 seconds. Keeping it short and clear on the campaign trail is a gift that will keep on giving in every job you hold.

3. Make use of the best communication tactics available
YouTube, Facebook, Twitter are ubiquitous to successful political campaigns today, with some starting to use Tumblr as well. If you want to “test” the latest technological tools in the field, a political campaign is the perfect place to be.

4. Understand your opponent’s frame of mind
You cannot be successful unless you understand the other side’s point of view. Being able to get into the opposition’s mind frame–to listen–allows you to develop better talking points for your side. Conservative strategist Frank Luntz,  and progressive Professor of Cognitive Science George Lakoff  show us how.

5. Adjust your language so as to resonate with those who disagree with you and communicate with them on their terms
Once you understand where the other side is coming from, you cannot continue to use the same language you have been using all along. Communicating effectively means you have to match your vernacular to theirs. This skill comes very handy in a corporate world full of jargon and acronyms.

6. Be respectful of a different point of view  
Politics, religion, children, and pets are four hot buttons that spell trouble for communicators. Learning to show respect—regardless of beliefs and stances—is an asset to a campaign, and any organization.

7. Just say it
It takes practice to become the most effective communicator. Visit www.democrats.org, www.gop.com, or contact your local party headquarters to get started. There is plenty of work to be done.

Sylvie Sadarnac Sylvie@kedrika.com is principal of Kedrika Communications, a strategic communications practice specializing in messaging, positioning, and Web strategies. She served as a volunteer communications specialist for Obama for America in 2008.

Michael L. Herman

When I was starting my career the conversation was all about “reputation management.”  Now it’s all about “Branding.”   Branding is being applied not only to products, but to organizations, perceptions and even individuals. Here’s a secret…branding is NOT new.

Growing up in Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas, branding was a hot topic of conversation at least once or twice a year, at least to those in the business of raising, buying and selling livestock, especially cattle and horses.

Branding had been around pretty much since that area of the United States was settled.

It referred to a means of marking property. With no fences to speak of, the livestock tended to go pretty much wherever the grass or food was.  In order to keep your property separate from those of your neighbors the custom became one of creating a “brand” or mark that distinguished yours from the others and burning that mark on pretty much everything you owned from livestock to fence posts.

As often happens, the meaning stretched and grew to include the actual land to which you had a claim and the people who lived there.  You rode for, were loyal to, would defend and even fight for the brand.  You in essence identified yourself with the “brand”.

By identifying yourself by that brand you, in effect, became responsible for and identified with the quality of the product it offered, the manner in which it was viewed in the community, how it treated those who created and communicated it. The “Brand” became a short-hand way of describing your reputation…your character…your ethics. It was based on a pretty simple philosophy, your word was your bond.  If you said you would do something, you did it.  Most contracts were built on a handshake, and they weren’t often broken; at least not with impunity. You stood for what was right, and there wasn’t but one definition of right.

BECOMING A LEADER

As I grew up watching and participating in livestock round-ups and working with cowboys and farmers, it became clear to me that while each member of the herd and the team was important to the ultimate outcome…providing product, there were a few “leaders”…members who, through their independence, force of will or sheer size inspired the others to follow their lead.  They became the difference between success and failure.
For you to be one of those leaders in your particular crew, it is really necessary to take control of your future and build your own “individual brand” regardless of where you are in your career.  In doing so, you can inspire others to follow you. And in the current economic environment, one should always remember that the brand for which you are now riding may change, either because its makeup changes or because you choose to join a different brand.

BUILDING A FOUNDATION

This means that each of us must create our own foundation of beliefs, ethics and behavior by which to live.  While circumstances may change and take you many places throughout your life and career, one truth remains constant, wherever you go; you are still going to be you when you get there.
Most of us begin building the foundation of who we are and what we believe long before we begin our career. We learn these from family, friends, social and religious organizations. We model our behavior on these leaders.  Some of us learn early, some late, some too late, and some never.

Regardless of the when, we all establish our own personal, individual brand.  That brand is what controls our professional career, our personal success, and the reputation we carry with us and ultimately leave behind.

An individual brand is affected by many elements; here are some things to ponder as you attempt to create a positive brand for yourself and the organizations with which you affiliate.

• Don’t accept a course just because the boss says it’s OK.  Neither the law nor the public will accept “I was just following orders.”
• Be true to what your gut tells you. If it’s not right, you shouldn’t have to try to talk yourself into it!
• Invoke the Mama Rule.  If you don’t think your Mama would approve of what you are doing…don’t do it.
• Greed is the greatest enemy of ethics. There is not enough money in the world to buy back your reputation once it is gone.
• Tell the truth… then you don’t have to remember what you said.

Your brand travels with you always. How do you want to be known and remembered?   Simple truths are the most evident. There is no such thing as “situational ethics”–there are just times when the lack of ethics gets you into “situations.”

Michael L. Herman, APR, SAGE, Fellow PRSA is chief executive officer of Communication Sciences (CSI) a business and communication consultancy based in Raleigh, NC.  He is an adjunct professor at Illinois State University.  A past contributor to this blog, this guest post appeared in PR News earlier this week and is republished with permission.    

Luis Agostini

My immediate, defensive reaction to Barry French’s Feb. 6 blog entry, “PR Success Is More Than a Degree,” was that public relations skills are absolutely vital to a successful career and contribute to the success of a company or organization.  I was taken aback, dare I say deflated, that a respected individual like Mr. French would downplay communication skills and background, and trump business acumen in being able to contribute to the team.

But then I thought about my current position – there probably is no greater requirement to speak and understand the business language, and know the mission statement of your organization when you are a United States Marine, especially when your business can make the difference between living and dying.

 So for this entry, I would like to translate the battlefield to the market share, and share the importance of possessing specialized knowledge in each arena.

As a public affairs Marine of 12 years, I have often encountered infantry leaders and commanders (the C-Suite) who think they know not only the desired messages to convey, but how to best convey the message to the target audiences of the American tax payer and local national (stakeholders), often at the sake of overriding/disregarding their public affairs staff.

It is important for the PR practitioner to be able to understand counterinsurgency operations and maneuver warfare (the business they represent), but we have been trained, equipped and empowered with the proper tools, skill set and knowledge of distributing the message and influencing/shaping public opinion by disseminating information as accurately and quickly as possible.

A careful balance must be struck between internal communication within one’s organization, and relaying the information to interested publics, such as taxpayers, stakeholders, consumers and fans of your product, client or organization. Public affairs Marines must be able to understand current and future battlefield operations, and integrate themselves with the commander’s plan.

So after some introspection, I must say that I agree with Mr. French in that a PR practitioner must possess extensive knowledge of the industry in order to contribute to the organization’s profit margin. However, it takes more than just plugging away within a press release template, or e-mailing a media contact distribution list. Combining PR and communication skills with the specialized knowledge, the public affairs Marine (PR/journalism-trained) is a very powerful tool on the battlefield (market share).

Luis Agostini is an active-duty Marine staff sergeant, and serves as the public affairs chief of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. He is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, and will attend DePaul University College of Communication in September 2012 to pursue a bachelor’s degree in public relations and advertising.

Four prominent women discussed success and power during today’s Executives’ Club of Chicago breakfast that was attended by more than a thousand women and a handful of lucky men, including me. 

Moderated by psychologist and consultant Gail Golden, the panel consisted of Tonise Paul, president and CEO of ad agency Energy BBDO; Anne Pramaggiore, president and COO of ComEd, and Sheli Rosenberg, of counsel to Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.  

In the ad world, Tonise said she learned long ago that “to energize brands you need to energize people.”  Anne discussed the “tool box of power,” consisting of three motivational styles–directional, relationship and inspirational.  Noting that men still dominate most senior positions of power, Sheli said more men need to become comfortable mentoring women.   Here’s a summation of comments of panel members that explains their formulas for success:

• Be really good.  As Tonise said, “85% isn’t good enough.”  Strive for excellence.
• Make sure bosses know what you’re accomplishing (but don’t brag).  Supervisors can’t be expected to know what everyone is doing, so you must determine ways to make sure they’re aware of your contributions to the organization.
• Know who you are.  Be true to your values and be resilient.  You can’t control certain things, but you can control how you respond to them. 

If you’re armed with a PR degree and little prospects for a relevant job, consider a foot-in-the-door approach to move towards your desired career goal.

Aylwin Lewis, CEO of Potbelly Sandwich Works, recently talked with PR students at DePaul about his chain’s use of values-driven communication as the main tool to recruit and keep employees and customers.  It was an inspiring presentation that gave us a peek into the up-and-coming chain that is using internal communications to build a Starbucks-quality brand.

Ears perked up when Aylwin Lewis mentioned his employees can work their way up to nearly six-figure salaries (and all employees receive bonuses based on the success of the business).  Afterwards, one student asked me if it was a sign of defeat to take a job in fast food if she can’t land a PR or marketing position.  Since her resume has no relevant PR experience, I suggested that she consider non-traditional entry points for her desired career.

Most recent graduates will switch jobs a dozen or more times during their careers, so the most important thing to do now is to land a job that builds a base of experience that might launch into future PR opportunities.

I’ve often suggested that students consider jobs in quality companies that are known for promoting from within.  My first corporate job was with such a company, Eli Lilly.  The company routinely tapped sales representatives and other employees for jobs in corporate affairs and public relations.  So remain open for non-traditional entry points at quality companies that are known for good culture and potential for job progression.

Unlike recent years when I encouraged students to delay pursuing internships until spring or nearer their actual availability to start to work, many agencies are actively screening applicants now in anticipation of increasing demand for entry-level talent. That’s encouraging news for many and it’s consistent with earlier predictions of a healthy increase in PR jobs during 2012.

Just as corporations have long sought out top business and law school students months before they graduate, agencies are doing the same as they identify top-tier talent.  Students with relevant experience and strong resumes who will graduate in May and June appear to be the focus of this year’s earlier-than-normal intern searches.  In most cases, agencies are simply identifying potential candidates now, and job offers won’t be extended until closer to May, but some outstanding candidates are landing offers now. 

I asked two top agency recruiters to provide some insights that might be helpful to anyone seeking an internship.   

“The truth is, from company to company, interns are interviewed and hired at various times,” explains Edelman’s Travis Kessel.  ”At Edelman, it even varies from city to city. For example, the Chicago office has a ‘rolling’ intern hiring process where the demands of the business dictate when intern hiring requests are approved.  This could be winter, summer, spring or fall—it simply depends on what client demand dictates.”

Travis said Edelman’s New York office, on the other hand, has a structured intern class in the summer and all interns are hired around a specific start date.  This makes for a competitive incoming class every summer and interviews ramp up one or two months in advance.  The other seasons in New York offer some opportunities for interns as well, though they are spread out and not as predictable as the summer class.

Although hiring of interns still in college occasionally occurs, Ketchum’s Katie McCarthy explains that today’s interns already have their bachelor’s degree.  ”Students should be open to securing an internship at any time of year.  We are seeing more December graduates taking winter internships, for example,” Katie said.   “There is less clutter/fewer applicants during the fall and winter and interns are more likely to get true entry-level experience when they are not part of the traditionally larger summer programs.”

 
Katie says high performing interns will get selected for entry level jobs over outside candidates when the positions become available, and that timing often is outside of the summer months.  In fact, at this writing a Ketchum Chicago intern nearing the end of her six-month tour of duty was hired as a full-time employee.   

“At the end of the day, predicting timing on internships is important, but the best way to find a job at any level is through the power of networking,” observes Edelman’s Travis Kessel.  “If you are not a member of PRSSA or attending local PRSA events as a student, you are truly doing yourself a disservice.  Get involved, make connections and give yourself an advantage over your peers even before the internship race begins.”

A soon-to-graduate co-ed made a four-hour trek to suburban Chicago last week for an informational interview that she arranged through a friend of her family.  Fortunately, there’s a real job at the end of this rainbow, so it was worth the trip.  But the student should have tried to arrange at least one other interview during her visit to the Windy City. 

I’ll contrast her trip to the recent job-exploration visit of another student who networked his way into five interviews within 24 hours.  Asked how he did it, the senior said he simply tapped his network that was largely built around his active involvement in PRSSA.  After landing the first interview on his own, he then was able to line up four other interviews ranging from coffee with junior staffers to informational interviews with agency recruiters.  He got on the radar early during the intern search season, and he’s planning a return trip in early March to see people who those in his first round of interviews have suggested he meet.  

While electronic job postings are essential starting points for any job search, there is no substitution for networking and good-old-fashioned shoe leather.