Christian and me touring the Windy City during a vacation with his family.

I took my first trip to Chicago this past weekend and was amazed by the city’s opportunities and culture.  Although I don’t think I could live in such a large city, it was nice to see an area where opportunities for PR professionals thrive.

In honor of an amazing weekend vacation and a short work week, here’s a brief list of five things I’ve learned in seven months as a PR intern:

1. Those who work for your organization probably don’t know as much about social media as you do, nor do they really care.

When you’re a PR student, you’re surrounded by social media.  It’s drilled into your brain.  Words like “blogging,” “tweep” and “tweeting” are part of your daily vocabulary.  You can make your point in 140 characters or less.  You know what Mashable is, and you’re probably following a few blogs with an RSS feed reader.

When you’re surrounded by the SM hype 24/7, you may forget a simple concept: Those outside of the PR bubble aren’t so knowledgeable- or enthusiastic- about social media.  Although my coworkers in the PR Department are SM savvy, many employees in other departments are not.  For many of them, establishing a Web presence seems tricky and/or absurd.  This is why you have to explain the value of SM before you try to drag them in.

2. Semesters move at a glacial pace.  The real world doesn’t.

During an average semester, PR students spend countless hours brainstorming, writing, strategizing and revising until a case study or media kit reaches perfection.

This phenomenon does not occur in the real world.

Although big projects and campaigns do require the same process,  I don’t sit at my desk every day and write out the reason I’m creating a news release or brochure.  However, it’s always important to keep the objective and “overarching strategy” in the back of your head when working on any project for your client or organization.

3. Convergence isn’t just for journalism, kids.

When I began my journey as a pre-PR major in Kent State’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication, “convergence” was the buzz word.  Everyone was talking about how the newspaper, TV station and radio station were all interrelated and working together through one converged media site.

Convergence is the same in the PR industry, too.  Truth is: PR people don’t just do PR anymore.  You also have to dip your hand into other aspects of communication, including advertising and marketing.  I wish I would have known this earlier; I would have squeezed a few advertising and marketing classes into my schedule!  Knowledge of design and creating video would be helpful, too.

4. Editing is a blessing.  A big blessing.

Microsoft Office’s spell check is a good friend to have around, but he’s not always a reliable buddy.  Editing your work (or someone elses!)  may seem like a drag, but it’s a blessing in disguise.  It’s great to have another eye to see what your 8 a.m.-with-no-coffee eye didn’t catch the first time.  Editing also saves you from little errors that could be embarrassing to your career, too.

Note: My boyfriend found a typo in this entry after I published it.  Yet another example of why editing is so important!

5. Questions are golden.

I’ve noticed that great PR practitioners ask brilliant questions.  Life has a lot to do with listening, but it also has a lot to do with the questions you ask.  Good questions and an inquisitive mind can lead to good answers, less confusion and solid communication!

If you’re an intern or if you’ve ever interned, what’s the greatest lesson you learned?

Grandma’s been gone for more than a year now, and as I spend countless hours contemplating coffee beige vs. maple beige and tile vs. vintage hardwood floors, I can’t help but think about how pleased she’d be with the way her house is turning out.

I like to think of how proud she’d be of me, too.  Hey, someone has to be there to talk my mom out of putting a hideous wallpaper border on the bathroom wall!

I can recall spending hours on grandma’s living room floor as a child.  I wrote elaborate stories about horses, which were my obsession up until 5th grade.  Once my parents finally broke down and purchased a computer, I’d spend hours surfing the Internet and making basic HTML Web sites to show my friends.

And as I stared at the computer screen while typing at 90 WPM, I can still hear grandma say:

“When you grow up, you need to find a job where you can write and be on that computer.”

So here I am: a senior at Kent State, pursuing a career in public relations.  When I chose to major in PR, I never imagined that social media would play such a large role in my future career.  Today, I’m excited to see how social media is changing the way organizations communicate with their publics.

As an intern at Children’s, I had an awesome opportunity to put my social media skills to the test this week.  One of our patients headed to D.C. to advocate for children’s health care on behalf of the hospital.  The PR Department, which already uses many social media tools to communicate with employees and the public, decided to ask the patient to tweet on his trip.

I was able to teach the patient how to tweet and set up his Twitter account.  The story ran in the Akron Beacon Journal, and my picture was included on the front-page story.  Not many interns can say they pitched to a paper and made the front page!

With patients using tweets to advocate for their hospitals, what windows of opportunity will social media open next?

I’m thrilled to be a soon-to-be PR professional in such a pivotal era for the profession.  And heck: I think grandma would be thrilled, too.  However, I’m sure she’d make a comment about how my hair was in my face for the ABJ photo, and she’d probably ask me why any person would want to tweet, anyway.

Thursdays, however, get the award for my least favorite day of the week.  By the time Thursday rolls around, the week has been too long and the weekend is still too far away.

So when I grabbed a cup of coffee and headed to the Akron Beacon Journal’s Web site this Thursday morning, I was shocked to see the IT Department blocked me from viewing all news and media sites.  What a great way to start my favorite day of the week, right?

I stared at my computer for a good two minutes before I picked up the phone and called the Service Desk.  My day-to-day job includes trips to media and news Web sites to research public demographics, search for new magazines and blogs to pitch and monitor media coverage.  How is a poor, innocent public relations intern supposed to do her job without being granted access to the vehicle she uses to disseminate information?

Needless to say, IT and I are still debating the issue.  But the situation reminded me of a great story I read by PRSAY titled, “Why PR Pros Need Access to Social Media at Work.“

Come on, think about it.  How can a computer programmer do his job if the computer he’s fixing doesn’t have a monitor?  How can an accountant complete a spreadsheet if he is only granted access to half the numbers?  How can a designer create a brochure if his supervisor removes the software off of his computer?  How can a truck driver drive without a wheel?

I know a “one-size-fits-all” IT policy might be appealing, but it’s not practical.  Monitoring social media is just a part of our job.

What is your opinion about social media policies for PR professionals at work?

Every time I send a tweet, update my Facebook status or comment on a friend’s photo, I’m reminded that I’m not just representing Rebecca. I’m also representing my family, my employer, my university and my church.  And although my views and actions may not line up perfectly with the values and beliefs of these groups, I’m still connected to them through my digital footprints.

I read a rockin’ post from Mashable today about how social media is changing the newsroom.  Journalists not only have to be careful about how they represent themselves on the Web, they also have to be careful about using social media as a resource to write stories and create content.

Here are some of the tips I picked up from the post:

• Social Media: Can’t ignore it, can’t rely on it.

For example: If Kent News Net read a tweet about a house fire on S. Lincoln St., that’s a great news tip.  However, you shouldn’t consider the tweet as a reliable source until it’s confirmed.  I can’t imagine how embarassed I’d be if I went to print and later found out the tweet was a hoax.

• You always represent your organization(s).

Social media is a platform to express youself, but you’re also representing organizations you’re affiliated with.  Watch what you say, and don’t be afraid to monitor your friends’ comments, too.  I love the inside jokes I share between my friends, but I’ve had to filter many of the comments written on my Facebook wall to avoid drama.  If I couldn’t explain it to my mom, it shouldn’t be on my Facebook wall!

• Your tweets go farther than you think.

I decided to search for my name on Google the other day, and my Twitter account was in the top four search results.  This means anyone- a coworker, an old friend or a potential employer- can read my tweets, even if they aren’t following me.

• Let your followers, friends keep you accountable.

Remember the slogan WWJD?  (That’s “What Would Jesus Do?” for those who aren’t sure.)  When using social media, I like to refer to “WWMT?” (What would mom think?) and “WWMBT?” (What would my boss think?)  Go ahead, let your boss follow you on Twitter.  It’ll hold you accountable and make you more cautious about what you choose to tweet.

Now that I’ve told you what I learned, what are your own social media rules?  Have you run into any sticky situations with social media?

Gisele was there for me when I had the genius (sarcasm intended) idea to commute 50 miles to and from Kent every day of my sophomore year, and she was with me when I spent two years attempting to make a long distance relationship work.  She’s been there through shopping trips to Pittsburgh and Cleveland and random road trips to visit one of my best friends near Columbus.  Together, we’ve steered clear of numerous deer, squirrel and vermin that attempted suicide via pavement.

So when I read about GM filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy today, my first concern was for workers at GM’s Lordstown plant, which is one of the most prominent employers in the Mahoning Valley.  Once I knew GM Lordstown was not included in the organization’s cuts, my second concern was GM’s choice to kick Saturn to the curb.

Like any irrational, passionate consumer, I immediately tweeted about my concerns and voiced my opinion about GM’s decision to give Saturn the boot.  To my surprise, @GMBlogs and @GCAGreg responded to my concerns via Twitter.

From a public relations standpoint, I was incredibly impressed with GM’s quick, tactful response.  I can’t imagine how swarmed GM’s PR Department is today as it works to disseminate information to journalists across the globe.  Yet the company still values its customers enough to respond through social media efforts.

Kudos to GM’s social media efforts, and the best of luck to the organization as it restructures itself with the federal government’s assistance.

As I watched my brother graduate with his undergraduate degree in political science and criminal justice, I realized I’m only one year away from becoming a full-time public relations professional.  I know blogging will play an essential role as I transition from college to career, and I want to help others in their journey, too.

I’ve been planning a comeback for quite a while, but between finishing a hectic semester and adjusting to life as a full-time public relations intern, I’ve lost my train of thought.  It’s time to get back into the swing of things.

I’m looking forward to talking about trends in public relations and some things I’ve learned thus far in my internship.  I hope you’ll stop by to see what I have to say!

When that overwhelming feeling keeps me up at night, I know it’s time to get back to the basics.  It’s stressful times like these that remind me to find beauty in the simple things in life.  It’s important to never lose sight of who you are, where you’ve been and where you’re going.

Now that I’ve had my sentimental moment: Isn’t PR the same way?  As I read tweets on Twitter, browse my Google Reader and open my PRSA/PRSSA e-newsletters, I am surrounded by a vast range of information on how social media is revolutionizing PR.

Don’t get me wrong: I enjoy social media and can’t wait to apply the skills I’m learning to my future career.  But I also think PR professionals can get so caught up in tweets and blogging that we lose sight of why we’re tweeting and blogging in the first place.

So here’s a few quick links to bring you back to the “basics” of public relations:

• Public relations takes time.

BadPitchBlog wrote a great post on why PR doesn’t happen overnight.  I know the best personal and professional relationships in my life developed over a length of time, and relationships in PR are similar.  Patience is a virtue, and it will pay off in PR.  Reporters will take you more seriously when you’ve delivered good stories to them time and time again.  Take the time to establish relationships with your audience, and they will bloom into something beautiful in time.

• Personality counts.

BadPitchBlog seems to be my blog of the week.  Savvy & Energetic: Keys to Real PR reminded me that skills are incredibly important, but your attitude as a PR professional will also affect your career.  As The Strategist Online says: You are a brand worth building.  And according to the New York Times, branding yourself in the workplace can also increase job security.

You can also set yourself apart from your peers through professional development opportunities.  PRSA will host a free webinar, “Proving and Improving PR’s Value and ROI: Why So Many People Get it Wrong and How You Can Get it Right” 3 to 4 p.m. EDT Tuesday, May 5.

• Social media is a tool.

Student and blogger Paul Matson said in a tweet:

LinkedIn is my Rolodex. Facebook is my scrapbook. Twitter is my idea generator/networking source.

It’s important for PR students and professionals to view social media as a resource.  Although it’s revoluntionizing public relations, it’s just one of the many tools we carry in our belt.

What do you consider to be some of the “basics” of public relations?  If you are a PR professional, what simple practices do you follow to stay on track?

Let me rephrase that.  It’s been a trying few months.

I grew up approximately 25 minutes away from the GM plant in Lordstown, Ohio, and a large percentage of my high school classmates had one or more parents working at the plant.  So when GM began announcing layoffs and shift cuts over the past few months, my heart broke for those families facing uncertain futures.  The situation became stickier this week as President Obama announced plans to restructure GM and Chrysler, leading to the resignation of Richard Wagoner, GM chairman and chief executive.

I always imagined I’d move home after college and pursue a career in corporate public relations, but as the major corporations in the Mahoning Valley face uncertain economic futures, my dreams are facing an adaptation process.

However, hope is never lost!  I picked a recession-proof career when I chose to major in public relations.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects PR jobs to grow 18 percent between 2006-2016, which is faster than the national average.  Here’s some reasons why PR won’t fade away in a lagging economy:

The Growth of Social Media

Public relations professionals have recognized the importance of social media communications for quite some time, but upper management and the general public are finally catching on.  Coca-Cola announced the launch of its office of digital and social media this week in hopes of connecting individuals to the company and its brands.  Large corporations are starting to recognize the importance of social media to reach their audiences in an effective manner.  Kudos to Coca-Cola for taking this initiative; I hope other corporations will follow.

Birmingham City University announced it will offer a master’s degree to teach students how to use Facebook, Twitter and Bebo.  Many critics say the degree is a waste of university resources, as many social media tools can be self-taught.  However, I respect the university’s efforts to train students to grasp social media’s potential.

Crisis Communications

Unfortunately, someone has to be the bearer of bad news.  As America’s economy navigates through a recession, it seems as though the pool of bad news has been much deeper than the pool of good news.  Executives need the expertise of public relations practitioners to guide communications through the tough times of layoffs, job cuts, administrative changes  and bankruptcies.

On the brighter side: Businesses will also need PR to announce the good news when the economy strengthens.

A Global Marketplace

Global communications has been a hot topic among several guest speakers at recent PRSSA Kent meetings.  We live in a global marketplace, and many companies are expanding their global efforts to remain viable in a shaky American economy.  These companies need solid global communications to adapt to each culture and society they reach.  PR practitioners willing to travel regularly and/or move overseas will see many career opportunities in their futures.

What other factors do you think will contribute to the growth of public relations in the present and future?  Which changes and paths are you willing to take to ensure a lasting career in PR?

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to dig out my flip flops and bask in the sunshine on a trip to sunny South Carolina.  Instead of flocking to the beaches during this spring break, I found myself at work, drinking coffee while glaring at my computer screen.  (Note: I am not complaining.  I love my internship, and I love my cubicle!  But I have to admit: Looking at the dreary Akron sky made me long for some precious beach time.)

One of my internship assignments this week was to interview sources for a Mother’s Day story and create a pitch letter to target local newspapers.  Although I was excited for an opportunity to pitch to a reporter, I knew I had to do my homework.

As I chomped on my spinach salad and browsed my Google Reader during a lunch break, I started to wonder how I should create the pitch letter.

I wondered: How do journalists really want to be pitched these days?  Is the formal, snail-mail letter dead?  Do journalists actually read e-mail pitches, or will my hard work be thrown down the drain?

I knew the last thing I wanted was to end up like an example on BadPitchBlog, so I did some research on e-mail pitches.

Believe it or not, the days of journalists calling PR specialists for stories and sources are coming to an end.  According to PR Daily, Free Web services, including Peter Shankman’s Help a Reporter Out (HARO), connect reporters will access to more than 50,000 PR pros at one time.  Journalists can post e-mail inquiries on HARO and wait for PR reps to offer their information and experts.  Therefore, the PR pro needs to pitch his or her information and/or client as the best option for the reporter.

As Rob Jewell said in his post “Life After Newspapers,” the newspaper industry is changing. As journalists adapt to changes in the industry, public relations professionals will have to change the way they interact with each journalist to ensure lasting, quality relationships.

Business Wired offers the following tips for creating e-mail pitches:

• Think like a reporter.

Know how to work on the deadline.  Scope out the sources you need.  Be sensitive to newsworthy topics in industry.

• Use eye-catching, concise subject lines.

When I open my full e-mail box in the morning, my mouse gravitates toward an eye-catching subject.  It’s the same for journalists, too.  Make your subject clear!

• Develop a relationship before pitching.

If you’re pitching a specific reporter, read some of his or her work before pitching.  Find out his or her niches and interests.  Connect the reporter with other stories he or she may enjoy reading.

• Don’t call a reporter to ask if he/she received your email.

I was actually surprised by this advice, but it makes sense.  E-mail could be overlooked, sent to the spam box or deleted automatically, so feel free to send a follow-up e-mail a few days later.

• Contact the correct reporter.

This one’s pretty common sense, but it’s easy to overlook.  Newspaper staffs are shrinking, and turnover can be high.  It’s important to make sure you’re contacting the correct reporter.

• Get to the point.

Don’t bury your story!  Get your point across in the first few sentences of your pitch.

I’ll be keeping these points in consideration as I prepare to write my pitch letter.  It looks like I’ll have to do some homework on my reporter and establish a relationship with him or her before I pitch the story.  Do you have any stories about e-mail pitches gone marvelously good or terribly bad?  If so, please share!

My decision to refrain from typing my e-mail and password into that chunky blue box led to an uproar of confusion filling my wall and text message inbox Sunday night.  Fellow bloggers Amanda and Shantae don’t believe I have the self-restraint necessary to make it a few days without my favorite social network.  It’s okay: I doubt myself, too.

So why did I decide to give up Facebook, anyway?  It all started as an innocent choice to log in and view what my 12-year-old cousin posted on my wall.  I justified my decision as a means to take a quick break while studying for a midterm.  That “break” quickly turned into a 45-minute affair of reminiscing over my 2006 senior high school prom pictures while watching two of my friends host a wall-to-wall discussion over where to eat dinner Monday night.  Before I knew it, my brain was circling in tangents over how classy my prom dress was when it should have been focusing on the difference between SEO and SEM.

In simpler terms: Facebook wastes time.  And like many college students, I’ve learned time is a precious commodity.

Although Facebook has proven to waste time in my day-to-day life, I like what PRKent graduate Alexia Harris said in a tweet:

You definitely must be an expert at multitasking when participating in the s-media community. It’s easy to lose track of time.

She’s right.  Social media can serve its purpose if you’re willing to manage your time effectively.  And according to Shel Holtz, social media can be a blessing for PR professionals who are crunched for time by allowing quick monitoring, a means to bypass and/or reach the press and access to research through blog polls and RSS feeds.

However, I think Jason Falls brings up a great point each PR student and professional must remember: Social media isn’t everything.  In his post, Falls reminds PR professionals that the type of social networking that opens doors is face-to-face communication.  We’ve all heard examples of people getting jobs through Twitter or Linked In, but it’s usually those budding relationships within social networks that lead to worthwhile F2F moments.

What’s the lesson in all of this? Social media plays a hip, “happening” role in public relations, but PR students and professionals can’t afford to lose sight of the most important relationships: face-to-face.

And for those of you who have been thinking about my classy prom dress ever since I mentioned it in the third graf, here’s a snapshot!