Professional Connections and getting a job in Public Relations

Welcome, once again.

If you are not aware I am now the Alumni Relations and Professional Development Coordinator for our PRSSA chapter here at the University of Wisconsin Whitewater. In this role it is my job to network with professionals at events, keep in contact with them after the events, and invite them to come to our speaker meetings. I also have to keep contact with Whitewater alumni and invite them to come in and speak with us about their endeavors since leaving our institution. This position helps me to network on a professional level and work with professionals in the Public Relations, Advertising, and Marketing fields. I am very fortunate to have such a wonderful networking position in our PRSSA chapter.

 I have organized our first speaker meeting that will Take place on Monday, October 3^rd with Karin Conway, President and CEO of PROAlliances in Glendale, Wisconsin. She is going to speak to us about professional networking and building relationships with professionals. I am very anxious for her to come speak to us. This position will also allow me to build connections on a more personal level with professionals which will also help me to obtain an internship or professional position in the future.

With today’s economy being down jobs are very competitive and you have to have an edge up on others in order to obtain the position you would like. It is so important to network and stay connected with professionals you meet because those are the people that will assist you in getting your first position. I have learned that through my first internship. I talked to and met multiple people that will be able to help me get a position in the future such as the internship I am applying for this summer with the Wisconsin Rapids Raftersnbaseball team.

In conclusion, networking and building professional relationships with practitioners in the field is very important and it is a tactic you will have to use for a lifetime. Hold onto the connections you create.

So long,

Amber

Let's catch up...

Wow! Summer flew by and I am already beginning my junior year. I am so excited to embark on this year and I can’t wait to see what is in store for me, but first let’s catch up on the summer.

Over the summer I was an intern at Adrenalign Marketing LLC out of Wausau, Wisconsin. They are a full-service advertising agency that provides fun and creative energy to marketing and they are a great group of people to work with. All summer I worked on a promotional project for The Grand Lodge by Stoney Creek Inn. My job was to meet with the managers at The Grand Lodge, discuss promotional ideas and then plan, organize and implement the events. Our main focus was the water park, Logger’s Landing, at The Grand Lodge. Our target audience was parents with small children, so I traveled all around the central Wisconsin area with Bernie the Bear, the mascot of The Grand Lodge, went to different events and handed out coupons and other promotional items. It was busy, but I had an awesome time. I really enjoyed working on promotions; it put a different spin to PR for me. A went to a balloon rally, the weekly farmer’s market on the square in downtown Wausau, and we also traveled to the St. Joseph’s Hospital Pediatric unit where Bernie handed out stuffed animals, played games, and read books with the children. Overall, it was a great experience. I learned a lot and got to see a whole different side of PR. While interning with Adrenalign they also had me do a few other tasks for them such as writing press releases and I even got to write the copy for my dad’s company's website that Adrenalign is putting together. I got a lot of great experience this summer and I am anxious to put my new found knowledge to use.

I am also beginning my 2^nd year as a Resident Assistant on campus. I am living on an all freshman, co-ed, scattered floor. As you may know that can often times be challenging, but I am always up for a good challenge. I have a great group of residents this year and I know we will have a lot of fun. Being a Resident Assistant, taking 18 credits, being involved in student organizations, such as PRSSA, and maintaining some sort of social life can be very tiring, but if I can handle that I think I can handle anything.

Until next time… bye! J