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!
Friday, April 15, 2011
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!
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!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)