Likeability - Is It In You?

In the real world experts emphasize the importance of possessing business savvy and professional know-how. As students, we often interpret that to stand for proficient multi-media, speaking, writing, research and critical thinking skills -- just some of the many instruments we'll need to succeed in the PR profession. However, many times we overlook a very vital component to this mix, one that is key in getting hired, maintaining positive day-to-day interaction in the office and ensuring upward mobility in the professional world. That ingredient... is likeability, and should be considered a skill-set all in itself.

In the article "Likeability, It's an Inside Job", author Bruna Martinuzzi highlights the significance of networks in the workplace and the importance of maintaining positive relationships with those you interact with. This article was both educational and enlightening for me. Yes, I have always had a knack for social interaction, but when it's time for work I often immerse myself in the focus of the tasks at hand. This article helped me to recognize that focus and camaraderie must coexist in order to ensure victory in my professional life. Without this balance success will be much harder to obtain.

I've experienced the perks of likeability on many occasions, but one that ocmes to mind includes a task I was given at one of my recent internships -- BIG Communications. Although our workload was heavy, I was always sure to make my "daily rounds", taking time to speak with every employee in the office early in the day. Before running errands outside of the office I'd often check to see if they needed anything or had any requests while I was out. It wasn't long before we'd all formed a very genuine bond, and the job no longer felt like work. We were having fun. A project came up involving one of our clients in which agency members were required to go out into the city and film selected entertainment, dining and shopping "hot spots". I'd heard about the project, but assumed BIG would choose one of their official employees as opposed to the rookie intern. To my surprise however, John Montgomery -- owner of the agency -- recommended me for the project and awarded me the position of coordinator. He said he believed me to be a "people person" and felt my organization skills made me perfect for the job. I was responsible for organizing the shoots, meeting with business owners at the sites and conducting interviews with owners/frequent visitors of the "IN Spots". Needless to say I had an awesome time working on the project. It was an excellent networking opportunity that I can now list in my portfolio (along with my new knowledge of edit and film).

Now with all of this said, I still feel I have are areas where I could definitely use improvement. As noted before, reading this article prompted me to take a hard look at my focus as a professional. I do love to socialize, and when there is time I love to interact with my co-workers. However, when the work is heavier, I often get so involved that I forget to take a moment out to shoot my cohorts a simple smile. On occasion, I have even been guilty of placing more weight on completing the tasks than on maintaining personal relationships with my peers. Simple put, work consumes me! When there is a job to be done, I get in my "zone". Although this can be beneficial to the client and efforts of the company, I recognize that it can also mean that I am neglecting (and even damaging) my personal relationships with my peers. I have to learn to consistently balance diligence with friendliness and empathy. Although there are many professional skills and talents that could serve to "beef up" my resume, making me more marketable to potential employers, this article serves as an excellent reminder that social skill, congenial interaction and attention to personal relationships can be just as affective in my success.

Building Your Personal Brand

In the article, Building Your Brand, by Sherrie Bakshi, the author sheds light ont he fact taht we as PR professionals must not onlyu invest in brand building for our respective clients, but also recognize that we ourselves are a personal brand in need of development. She highlights the need to showcase your skills and special interests to both external and internal clients as wella s colleagues in the world of communications. She lists volunteering as a primary measn of displaying your experitse as wellas a means ot try out your own tactics and strategies in a real wrold communications showground. Bakshi also notes taht getting one's works published and engaging in public speaking activities provides the opportunity for one to sharpen their leadership and communication skills.Laslty, she list membership in thel ocal PRSA Chapter as a means to create a social network. The goal is to mix and mingle with a number of professionals who can serve to further educate one another about the various aspects of the PR field.

Of all the tips listed, I believe volunteering one's services in a PR related activity is one of the most effective means of building a persona brand. Volunteering allows one to hone their current skills ( in a setting that is less demanding) as well as asses their weaknesses in order to produce better work in the future. One also getst he opportunity to network and draw from the knowledge of a more established professional. One can also gain a general understanding ot he professional environment and behaviours of those working within various fields. I believe all of this comes into play when one is searching for internship/working experience during the college years. Club affiliations, organization memberships and community service opportunities have given me a substantial amount of experience (that I now am able to use on my resume/note in my professional interviews.) I plan to continue to take advantage of volunteer opportunities such as these for the rest of my time in the PR field.

If I could add any additonal tips to Bakshi's list, I'd simply suggest skill building. As a young PR professional searching to find our way in an industry that is constantly changing, it is imperative that we keep up with the latest trends and skill-sets taht are to be required by potential employers. In order to effectively market yourself, one must be ready and able to give a client "bang for their buck". I learned basic film and edit skills at my last internship and am currently working towards graphic design proficiency. Social network expertise and a general knowledge of the changes in the computer industry have also been areas of interest for me. I have witnessed first hand these skills in action, and I am sure taht knowledge of them will help me build my personal brand.

Fall Internship 2010

I am interning with PRodigy -- FAMU's student run public relations firm -- as well as assisting Professor Earnest Jones with updates and promotion strategies for the FAMU News Network Website. I will say that initially I expected to be working at an agency similar to the PR firm I interned with this summer -- something independent from the University. However, seeing just how packed my schedule will be this semester convinced me to explore other options, and since then I have been happy with my decision. PRodigy meetings will begin tonight actually, and I plan to ensure I am well rehearsed on the event I am responsible for planning. (I am responsible for organizing a service event for PRodigy Associates to take part in in conjunction with United Way). Once the meetings begin I'm sure the ball will roll faster than ever -- but I must make sure I meet with Professor Kinchlow frequently in order to maintain an efficient time line. The experience with the FNN website is a little new to me, considering I have very remedial skill in Graphic Design. However Professor Jones has ensured me the work will not stray away from anything I am too unused to.

I believe my basic understanding of computer operations as well as previous skill with updating the company website (at BIG Communications) will aid me in my work with Professor Jones. Facebook and Twitter are two tools that I will be teaching him how to use. Strong speaking and organizational skills will assist me in organizing the service event with United Way. I have had previous experience with this non-profit organization before, and I believe that general knowledge of the innerworkings of that company will give me foresight into the proper steps I'll need to plan the event. A strict timeline and calendar listing touch points with the client will be of additional aid. Other skills I plan to use include creativity and intuitive thinking in terms of how to make the service event helpful yet unique from others we have participated in in the past.

Time to Work!!!

I could go on forever about my work experience this summer. As an intern for both United Way of Central Alabama as well as BIG Communications PR/Ad agency, my daily to-do list was always quite extensive and provided me the opportunity to build my portfolio significantly. By the time the summer ended however, I came to the realization that the tangible benefits of my job were only a small part of the total package. The most important piece of the puzzle was my understanding of the skills I had obtained. How would I apply this to my life and future career endeavors from this point on?

At BIG Communications I had a number of responsibilities. It was my job post a weekly blog on the company website. Posts were to include anything and everything interesting or trendy in the PR/Ad world, as well as to inform the public about current events or changes in the BIG office. It was here that I experienced first hand what it means to analyze trends and predict their outcomes. I often visited advertising websites to find topics for my posts. Subjects that stood out often involved current movements or potential trends that were hip, cool, and could stand to change the face of the ad/pr world. In the future, I know where and how to search for developing trends.

In additon to writing blogs, I was in charge of co-producing daily video shoots and interviews for a client looking to draw attention to a tourism booklet (for Birmingham and the surrounding area.) I also assisted in a project to conduct surveys for Verizon Wireless during their Cell Phone Safety Week. I must admit that both tasks made me nervous at first. We had to create a calendar for the shoot dates, and were often forced to rearrange our schedule to accomodate the business owners we needed to interview. I had to approach patrons of various establishments and attendees at events, some of which were reluctant to speak on camera, and convince them that an interview would be "fun". I spent much of my time out of the office on shoot days, and learned the importance of time management and preparing for mishaps when dealing with outside parties. This particular part of my job, in addition to several other special events and projects that required contact with the public helped me hone my people skills and killed any anxiety I had when approaching strangers. Event planning and hosting is not a fear of mine anymore, and I credit this video blog/survey projects as the primary reasons for that.

Tasks at United Way include writing success stories for their company newletter. I was able to work on my writing skills as well as improve my ability to gather information during trying circumstances -- many of the stories I wrote about included very sensitive topics and issues that had to be handled with tact and care. I now know what types of questions are innapropriate to ask in certain situations, as well as how to contact the appropriate individuals to obtain information that is harder to find.

This semester I am taking six classes that I believe to will be key in my success once I leave FAMU. One of my Graphic Design courses includes Basic Computer Operations and will assist me in running certain computer programs that I'm currently unfamiliar with. Photoshop for example is a technical skill that a PR professional is not required to use, but will put me ahead of the pack when applying for jobs or future internships. My PR campaigns and Practicum classes are a two-part process in that I am recieving information from the text book on how to effectively plan and carry out a successful campaign, all the while applying that information first hand to a real life client. The hands-on experience in conjuction with the lesson is a crash course in the right and wrong way handle and satisfy the needs of a client. Again, I am improving my people, organization and time-management skills, as well my ability to think critically (in my application of the textbook information to satisfy a real-life client).

Lastly is my extra-curricular experience. I will be an active associate in PRodigy Pubic Relations Firm this semester, and responsible for an account. I am also involved with an independent study with Professor Jones, in which I will assist him in new marketing methods for a journalism news website. Additional activities include my involvement in the Beta Alpha Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated as the Ways and Means/Platform 3 Chair.

A BIG Summer Internship

What can I say? This has been a BIG summer for the agency, and an ideal time for little ones like myself to hang out and get my feet wet. As a novice to the PR industry, I must admit that when I first arrived at BIG I was a little nervy. The personnel were animated and lively. Their ideas brimmed with creativity, and the campaigns delivered measurable and significant results. I was sweating, and in the back of my mind I thought, "Man, can I keep up?"

With the help of John Montgomery (founder of BIG Communications) and his staff however, I soon realized this wouldn't be an issue.

He and his team allowed me to jump on-board their existing projects, and even went the extra mile of creating new opportunties to ensure that I was learning. BIG staff was patient in giving me instruction, and never let me finish a task without making sure I knew where I could stand to improve. I've blogged, produced press materials, as listed with events and even gained a basic knowledge of filming and editing thanks to their helping hands.

As if this wasn't enough, the relationships I've built are priceless and serve ast he cherry on top of a wonderful experience. Employees at BIG have been more like a family, and the office a home away from home. They coached me on the ins and outs of the PR/Ad industry.... but found a way to make it fun. That's the spirit I've grown to love about BIG.


Other internship experience I've obtained includes Alabama Power (in their Public Relations Department), as well as United Way of Central Alabama (Birmingham Metropolitan area).

HootSuite -- How Cool Is This!

HootSuite is a convenient tool that allows businesses and individuals the opportunity to manage and organize multiple social networks at one time. The network is ideal for companies that have numerous Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn accounts (or multiple users) and need a hand in receiving, sending out and organizing information.

There are various applications that make HootSuite unique and easy to use - two of the main remarks users make when bragging about the site's services. The site is constantly updating, and the features continue to grow to suit the convenience of its users.

HootSuite assists companies in keeping track of trending topics and messages. Company representatives and individuals can, in turn, create graphs and statistical charts that reflect these reoccurring posts or topics, thus giving them insight into how the public feels about a particular subject or what they feel about the company brand. The site offers search bars where companies can type in keywords and trending topics to see what is being said about their business in the world of Twitter.

HootSuite users are also able to manage (multiple) Twitter accounts at one time, and they can track the number of "clicks" they receive on posted links each day. This application provides information about the audiences who are viewing the posted links and company website. Business have the opportunity to keep track of their top followers and organize them into lists where they can be managed more closely.

Another interesting HootSuite feature is the pre-scheduling of automatic posts to Twitter and other social networks, rather than having representatives come in and do the updates manually. Companies are able to maintain a constant presence on Twitter, but the tedious work and effort it would normally take to keep the content current has now been eliminated. HootSuite will do the work for you.

Businesses are able to maintain outside social networks and blogs from HootSuite as well. The site provides companies and general users the opportunity to load RSS feeds from their site/blog directly to their Twitter accounts - once again using the option of prescheduling the updates automatically. The site also provides outside sources that assist with other social networking sites in addition to Twitter. Ping.fm integration is a tool that is offered and allows companies and individuals the option to update their Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other soial network accounts ALL from the same source.

Additional perks for HootSuite include automatic updates of the Twitter feed, elimination of spam, secure log-in, and an easy-to-read multi-column-view to organize all of the information.

All in all, Invoke (creators of HootSuite) seems to have realized the growing popularity and usefulness of Twitter in the workforce. As a result, Invoke created a site that would help companies and public relations professionals organize the receiving, sending out and analyzing of information being broadcast over these social media. Without HootSuite, managing social networks and analyzing their users might be a far more difficult and tedious task than ever before. HootSuite makes it convenient and easy for us. How cool is this!

Climate Cover-Up ...Are You Being Manipulated?

A small fire breaks out in the basement of a building. Smoke begins to rise. An eerie glow shines from the creeping blaze. No spriklers have been triggered, no sirens are heard, but subtle signs of impending danger are everywhere. Despite warnings, skeptics choose to deny -- all because they have something to lose.

This book, "Climate Cover-Up: The Crusade to Deny Global Warming", by James Hogan describes a situation similar to the one above. Hogan -- Co-founder of DeSmogBlog -- reveals key players in society and their mass efforts to conceal, disprove and deny that climate change really exists. The book examines big-business and stakeholders in various industries who might stand to suffer if climate change is taken seriously. The novel uncovers the tactics and strategies that are being used to sway public opinion in the direction against global warming.

I believe the first chapter, "Lifeguards vs Lemmings" is one that resonates with readers in that it provides the foundation and general understanding for what climate change is all about. Hogan describes the issue as one involving rocks (or dangers) hidden under water. The skeptics of climate change are "lazy lifeguards", telling the uniformed public that the waters are "safe" to go ahead and take the leap.

While in one chapter he uses a clever metaphor to help readers identify the general issues, he uses the rest of the chapters to emphasize the importance of researching sources. He warns against the habit of trusting "the facts" so easilly, encouraging the public to question all information they are given -- even the information he lists in his book.

When it comes to serving a public, it is the duty of all PR professionals to present information in an accurate and well rounded manner. In the issue of climate change, PR practitioners must be sure to confirmt that "experts" are knowlegeable and truthful of the issue at hand.... Hidden agendas are a DANGER and credibility is KEY.

Climate change is a world issue, and with CO2 emmisions on the rise, it is the public's duty to ensure they are not being manipulated. This WILL affect our future. Do you take climate change seriously? Or have you fallen subject to manipulation?