Friday, April 15, 2011

Liam O’Mahony, MBA, APR

By Amy Fleishans

Liam O’Mahony, MBA, APR, information specialist for the City of Chandler, spoke to PRSSA members Tuesday evening. With a diverse background in sports PR, Liam gave unique insight into this niche area of PR.

Working in the media relations departments of the Chicago Bulls and later for the Seattle SuperSonics & Storm (WNBA), Liam traveled with the teams during each basketball season, doing PR on the road as well as in the marketing front office, practice facility and home games.

Sports PR is different than agency or government PR because the media coverage is reactive from a communications standpoint, Liam said. He explained how coverage comes naturally and his job sometimes entailed  “turning away the press” (when the volume was too much for certain star players), rather than “hustling for coverage” on behalf of a client as in an agency setting.

When asked who the “client” is in a sports PR setting, Liam explained that the players, coaches and general managers are the clients as well as media outlets. In addition to media training the players, Liam was responsible mediating interviews between reporters and players, drafting collateral (fan yearbooks, team media guides and playoff game guides) and coordinating community appearances.
Liam said working for a team is exciting, especially for someone who loves the game. But, he warned that the hours can be long during the season when there are often 60-hour work weeks, and the job takes up a lot of nights and weekends when traveling with the team.

Tips for students wanting to jump into sports PR include interning—Liam started as an unpaid summer intern for the Chicago Bulls before working another full season in a full-time capacity. He offered other career advice such as  negotiating a budget for association memberships, pursuing graduate school before age 30 and always keeping a jump drive with an electronic copy of your resume and portfolio materials on your keychain. He also suggested volunteering at PR events such as races, fundraisers and galas—that’s where the movers and shakers are, he said.

Thanks to Liam for spending Tuesday evening with ASU PRSSA!

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Julie Kurth, APR

By Amy Fleishans

Tuesday’s meeting featured Julie Kurth, APR, public relations manager for ASU’s Biodesign Institute. With 21 years of experience in the PR industry, Kurth brought plenty of career advice to PRSSA members.
  
You do marry the management

Each business Julie worked for had a distinct culture, set by executives. “When you’re working, you are expected to fit into the culture that the leadership of the company sets,” Kurth explained. “You have to represent that culture when you’re at work.” She advised students to consider a company’s culture before accepting any job. “I know the most important question is how much a job pays—but you have to make sure it’s going to be a good fit, too.”

Immerse yourself in the industry

To make yourself invaluable to a company, be sure to know as much as you can about its industry, Kurth suggested. “I never thought I’d know so much about cells as I do after working at Biodesign.” When you know more than just PR strategy information and can intelligently discuss business operations of your company, you become an invaluable employee.
 
Get your APR
 

In 2005 Kurth choose to earn her APR. She said that it had always been in the back of her mind since a professor told her PRSSA chapter about it when she was in college. She feels that the APR creates an industry standard, legitimizes the profession and builds accountability. Kurth also feels candidates with their APR appeal more to hiring managers that may not know much about the industry. In her experience, she has noticed that people looking for PR executives will gravitate toward those with certifications.

Work for a company that values PR

Kurth also pointed out that potential new hires can see how much a company values PR by who the department reports to. “If the PR executive reports to the HR team or marketing, that company probably doesn’t place a high priority on PR. Try to find a job where the PR executive reports to the CEO; it shows that the company values PR.”

Thanks to Julie Kurth for spending Tuesday evening with ASU PRSSA!

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Cronkite Launching PR Lab

By Amy Fleishans

Dean Callahan and PR professor Dr. Fran Matera stopped by Tuesday night’s meeting to share exciting news with ASU PRSSA. The Cronkite PR Lab will open Fall Semester. The program is the PR equivalent to Cronkite NewsWatch and News Service, capstone experiences for broadcast and print majors.

The lab will service actual clients in an agency setting, providing students with experience similar to what they will find in entry-level PR jobs. In addition to creating campaign proposals, the lab will also implement the campaigns which students design. “This lab is like an accelerated campaigns course [JMC 417],” Callahan said.

To join the lab, students must have the same pre-requisites as required for JMC 417. Students may opt out of the current campaigns course, instead choosing lab credit. To earn three credits in the PR Lab students must work two full days per week. A full day will be 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Six and nine credit options are also available.

“This is going to be more work and time than JMC 417, but the benefits will be greater, too,” Dean Callahan said.

Applications are available at the second floor Academic Advising desk and should be submitted to Dr. Matera, Room 475, matera@asu.edu.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

PR/Social Media Internship Opening at Local Agency


Zion & Zion is currently accepting applications for a PR and social media intern that would work a minimum of 15 hours per week. There is one immediate opening and multiple openings for the summer.
The ideal candidate is someone who is hungry to learn about the industry and can provide innovative, strategic and creative ideas. Strong writing skills are also required.
Duties:
-Tracking media hits
-Drafting releases
-Producing and issuing media alerts
-Creating social media campaigns
-Creating media kits
-Producing client meeting summaries
Send your resume to ashley@zionandzion.com and tell her ASU PRSSA sent you!
Zion & Zion currently holds Number One PR Firm in the Phoenix Business Journal Book of Lists, Number Three Ad Agency in RankingArizona and Number One Social Media Firm in Arizona Foothills Magazine.

Agency internship opportunity

Looking for an internship? Martz Agency, located in Scottsdale, is looking to hire a PR intern to start immediately.

Duties and Responsibilities:

-Assist in the development of appropriate strategies to meet client needs
-Attend client meetings
-Attend media related events and programs
-Assist in drafting collateral and media materials (news releases, media
advisories, photo captions, announcements, etc.)
-Develop and maintain media contact list
-Create daily media clip reports for assigned clients
-Assist in coordination of special events, possibly requiring weekend/night hours

Preferred skills and qualifications
include previous internship experience and the following:

-Understanding of proactive media relations tactics and strategies
-Ability to draft concise, newsworthy press releases
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook, etc
- Excellent organization skills and attention to detail
- Excellent verbal and written communication
- Ability to work both independently and on a team
- Confidence working with the public and the media

The internship is 10-15 hours per week, starting immediately and working through the end of July. Successful intern candidates will have an opportunity to apply/be considered for paid Account Coordinator position, when available.

Send your resume and availability to hschader@martzagency.com and tell them ASU-PRSSA sent you!

Monday, March 14, 2011

Recap: presentation from Mindspace PR Director Jason Meyers

By Samantha Hauser

 

Tuesday’s PRSSA meeting featured Jason Meyers of Mindspace, who gave a presentation on crisis communication and offered some great advice for those pursuing a career in public relations:

The Basics of Crisis Communication

-  Asses your weaknesses and vulnerabilities:  Brainstorm all the of the potential crisis situations your organization could potentially face, from legal issues to recalls to natural disasters.   Keep in mind that the internet and increasing social media usage connects consumers with the media more than ever before, so be prepared for a customer complaint to become a crisis situation: as an example, see this CBS 5 investigation — and how Meyers handled the response.

 Even press releases put out by your organization could develop into a crisis.  Meyers’ advice is to always read over releases before you put them out and think “How could this blow up?” 

-  Always have a plan: Have a crisis team.  Establish who is allowed to talk the media.  Know who the experts are in your organization and media train them.   In other words, make sure they understand how to drive the content of an interview and stick to your organization’s messaging, even when fielding tough questions from reporters.

- Hold to your word: It’s important to maintain your credibility during a crisis, so don’t back yourself into a wall by making commitments you can’t follow through with.

 

General Advice

-       Technology is your friend: the most successful PR practitioners make the best use of technology and social media.  So stay up-to-date. 

-       Set yourself apart: Meyers recommends getting video, editing, and even on-camera experience to help you stand out against other applicants. Meyers regularly hosts fundraising segments on KAET/Channel 8.

-       Remember that there is no set path in or out of the PR field.  Realize that you may leave PR for a while and then come back… Or not.  Just keep an open mind and don’t dismiss opportunities just because they don’t sound like something that’s made for your degree.

 

About Jason:

Meyers has national-level crisis communications experience relating to hot-button immigration issues, and he currently works on major market clients from coast-to-coast in the U.S. Prior to Mindspace, he was Director of Marketing & Public Relations at Desert Schools Federal Credit Union, a $3 billion financial institution. He has also worked as Director of Marketing Communications at the Heard Museum and Senior Editor Creative Services at The Arizona Republic, azcentral.com & 12News.

Before transitioning to public relations, Meyers spent a decade in the radio and records industry as an advertising production director and on-air personality in major markets. Follow him on Twitter @Meyers_PR

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Paid internship opportunity

EmpowHER, a health media company for women, is looking to hire a public relations intern immediately. EmpowHER.com offers one of the largest women’s health and wellness content libraries on the Web in addition to one of the most active online community for women discussing health and wellness issues.

Intern Responsibilities:
•    Drafting media meterials (press releases, media alerts, etc.)
•    Develop and manage media lists
•    Conduct research for media opportunities
•    Assist coordinator in press-related efforts

For more information, or to apply, contact Joanna LeBlang (jleblang@empowHER.com), and mention PRSSA told you about the internship.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Kari Mather: Full circle PR, part two

 By Amy Fleishans

Kari Mather presented on Tuesday’s meeting, packing so much information into
the presentation that we’re breaking it up into two blog posts. This is part two, which compares the differences of working for a corporation, agency and the government as a PR practitioner. For her tips on getting a job, check out part one.
As mentioned in part one of the blog, Kari has had the unique opportunity to work in three areas of PR—for an agency, the federal government and a corporation. These are her takes on the good, bad and ugly of each PR field.

PR Agency

Good:

•    Freedom to be creative.
Kari said agencies offer the biggest creative outlet for employees. “You can be your own person—the culture of an agency is unique by offering creative outlets that corporate and government jobs don’t.”

•    Organization focused on PR
“It’s awesome to work in a company that lives and breathes public relations, all day, every day,” she said. When surrounded by colleges that get PR, it’s thrilling to have a team you can bounce ideas off of and get support from.

Bad:

•    Money
Agencies are the lowest paying PR jobs. Kari shared her first agency job’s starting salary—it wasn’t much.

•    Time
“Like a law firm, your hours at an agency are billable,” Kari explained. “You’re constantly on a tight timeline and have to keep track of projects every 15 minutes.”

Ugly:

•    Sketchy healthcare
Since most agencies are small businesses, they can’t afford great health care plans for their employees. Often times the premiums are high or the coverage is low.

•    Instability
Clients are constantly changing and practitioners must quickly adapt and learn new industries. Additionally, Kari explained that each time the economy suffers, so do agencies because clients decide they can no longer afford public relations.

Federal Government

Good:

•    Benefits
“The federal government offers amazing benefit packages,” Kari said. Healthcare, sick days and other benefits are the best available.

•    Low pressure
Unlike an agency job, working for the federal government is a low stress job. “Punch in at 9 am, take 30 minutes for lunch, clock out at 5pm and go home—it’s nothing like the go-go-go life of working at an agency,” Kari said. After coming from five years at an agency, she found herself bored working for the federal government.

Bad:

•    Limited resources
Budgets allocated to projects are limited—in addition to a limited PR team implementing the campaign. Additionally, Kari felt like she never was given a chance to “push the envelope” since the federal government has to be cautious about the legality of each aspect of a campaign.

Ugly:

•    Monotony
After coming from the fast-paced workload of an agency, Kari got bored working on the same campaign day after day. “It just wasn’t for me, it may be great for someone else, though.”

•    Bureaucratic
“At the end of the day, you’re working for the man,” Kari laughed. “Everything has to go through the legal department—it takes forever to get anything approved.”

Corporate

Good:

•    Money
Salary at a corporate PR job is higher than that paid at an agency or by the federal government. Kari said she received a large increase in pay when she started working at a corporation.

•    Branding
“When you’re with a huge corporation, it’s awesome to see the branding on every street corner, in every city—think of Starbucks,” she said. “There’s just so much resource and time allocation available for you to utilize.”

Bad:

•    6 bosses is normal
The hierarchy at a corporation is never-ending. “Seriously—six bosses is completely normal,” Kari warned. The worst part of having so many bosses: It takes forever to get anything approved.

•    Accountability
At corporations, individuals must hold themselves accountable for keeping work on track. “There isn’t anyone holding your hand or pushing you to meet a deadline—it’s all your responsibility to ensure your work is done on time.”

Ugly:

•    Posturing
Large corporations are traditional and formal—Kari explained that “covering your bases” is a common formality that drags campaign projects out.


Thanks again, Kari, for presenting to ASU PRSSA this month!

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Kari Mather: How to Get a Job

By Amy Fleishans

Kari Mather presented on Tuesday’s meeting, packing so much information into
the presentation that we’re breaking it up into two blog posts. Part one focuses
on her tips on how to get a job; part two will compare the differences of working for
a corporation, agency and the government as a PR practitioner.

In 2010, Kari switched jobs three times. She started in an agency job she’d had for
five years, moved to a federal government position and then hopped into corporate
PR. “I was lucky, at each switch I had multiple job offers,” she said. In a time when
the economy is still weak she easily found job opportunities—here’s here secrets.

1. Know the Web

Social media is a huge part of our industry—make sure you are comfortable
with the different platforms and use them yourself. “Start a blog, it’s fun,” she
suggested. She also issued warning about what students post online. During
the intern hiring process at her agency the top candidate on their list ended
up nixed after her Facebook account was found. “Her questionable profile
picture that had her and a girlfriend in lingerie was a deal breaker,” Kari
warned. “Future employers really do check that stuff.”

She also encouraged students to know the difference between search
engines. “Although Google has most of the web traffic, it’s still important to
have a working knowledge of what makes each search engine unique.”

2. Network

Kari encouraged PRSSA members to get involved with professional
organizations in the Valley. In addition to the Phoenix PRSA chapter, she
suggested looking into IABC, AMA and the Social Media Club for industry-specific networking.

3. Informational Interviews

“If there’s a company you really want to work for, ask for an informational
interview—even if there isn’t an opening at the time,” Kari encouraged.
Showing an employer that you’re seriously interested in the company,
even before there’s a position, makes a lasting impression. You’ll be the
first person he/she thinks of when an opening does open. Be sure you’ve
provided a current copy of your resume at the information interview.

4. Always Follow-Up

“Anytime I’ve had a meeting with someone and I don’t get anything from

them acknowledging our conversation it’s disappointing,” she said. Send a
quick thank you via social media, email or even a hand-written letter.

5. Use LinkedIn Effectively

Kari gave members a tour of LinkedIn, stressing the importance it plays in
the job search. Her two biggest tips: Make sure you’re profile is filled out 100
percent and get as many recommendations as possible. She also suggested
users create a custom URL address for a LinkedIn profile to ensure it shows
up when a potential employer googles your name.

Stay tuned for part two of Kari’s presentation.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Independent PR Practitioner Panel

By Amy Fleishans

The spring semester kicked off its first ASU PRSSA meeting featuring three independent PR practitioners from the Valley. Beth Cochran, Andrea Aker and Charlotte Shaff explained what independent practitioners do and how it’s different than an agency, while offering general PR advice and tips.

Aker explained how independent PR practitioners are different than freelancers: “We work for ourselves and run a business, freelancing means you work for someone else.” Shaff added, “On the surface it’s run like an agency, but with just one employee—me.”

Independent practitioners don’t always work alone. For bigger projects or during a busy month they create “teams” or outsource some work to other practitioners or freelancers. “Sometimes it’s like a virtual, temporary agency,” Cochran explained.

All three practitioners worked in agencies before starting their own companies. Cochran emphasized that agency experience is a vital prerequisite for becoming an independent practitioner. She explained how the daily exposure to running an agency prepared her to manage her own company. Aker urged students not to become an independent practitioner straight out of college, saying agency experience was vital for her success as an independent practitioner.

For all three women, the biggest benefits of being an independent PR practitioner are being their own bosses and the flexibility it provides. “It’s totally a lifestyle,” Aker bragged. “I can take my walks at one o’clock and work at 9pm.”

General tips offered for PRSSA students included:
• Don’t form friendships with clients—it always burns you. –Shaff
• Phoenix is the biggest small town, everyone knows each other—don’t burn bridges. –Cochran
• Always keep networking, you don’t know where your next job will come from. –Aker
• It’s okay to have a secondary, side job during the first few years in the industry to supplement your income. I was a bartender. –Shaff

Links to their company websites:

Aker Ink
Wired PR
The Media Push

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Mindspace internship opening

MINDSPACE
Advertising * PR * New Media

REQUIREMENTS
CLASS STANDING: JR/SR. ONLY WITH SOME PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
HOURS: MINIMUM 15 HRS/WEEK
TYPE: UNPAID

Most PR students can cobble together a decent press release, but the heavy lifting comes in finding the story that matters. That's why in addition to interactive types, we look for interns who understand where the best stories come from ---we look for the trendspotters--- students who have a sense for what’s next. We’re looking for integrated communicators who want to help redefine the future of public relations and social media.

Tasks include: daily monitoring and internal reporting on latest trends in social media, PR, design, marketing and other client-related industries; planning, editing and contributing to the Mindspace Blog; pitching story ideas to local and national media; actively contributing to client brainstorming sessions and media planning; copywriting and editing across various channels; advising and assisting clients with social media campaigns; compiling client clips and assisting creative, new media and account teams as needed.

Must be at least a junior in college, studying PR, communications or other related field; positive attitude, initiative and passion for PR and social media. Thrives in a deadline-driven, entrepreneurial environment; demonstrates professionalism at all times. Location: 2402 S. Rural Road in Tempe, two miles south of ASU. Join us.

CONTACT: Jason Meyers
E-mail: Jason [—at—] mindspace [—dot—] net
@Meyers_PR
@MindspaceAgency
480-941-8497