Networking, Networking, Networking!

Can you say networking? Well that was the word of the evening at the UW-Whitewater Career Development Night at the Hudson Business Lounge in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. At this event, all of the UW-Whitewater students were able to listen to guest speaker, Jeff Carrigan, founder of Big Shoes Network, as well as be interviewed by two professionals in the field of public relations and conduct one informational interview of our own with a professional. I greatly enjoyed this event because it was a lot of fun to participate in and also a wonderful learning experience. 

The presentation by Carrigan was very interesting and thought provoking because he talked about two big questions students ask themselves. For me, the most important topic of his presentation was the 5 C's to Stand Out. These 5 C's are competence, connections, character, chemistry, and c-suite. Competence is you knowledge about the organization and business, as well as asking good questions. Connections is knowing the right people; for every year in the industry, he suggested that we find 4-5 legitimate contacts that want to see us succeed. Character is being honest in the presentation of yourself, especially when interviewing. Chemistry is making sure that the job is a good fit for you and that you don't make yourself fit by changing. C-suite is thinking like a CEO.

After Carrigan's presentation, we were able to start interviewing with the professionals in the field of public relations. My first interview was with Matthew Wisla, a public relations strategist who recently returned to the United States from working as the Vice President of Communications at the American Chamber of Commerce in the People's Republic of China. Wisla asked many interview questions related to my experiences in Whitewater and why I was interested in public relations. He made really helpful recommendations for interviewing. I am not planning to actually work in public relations after graduation and so he recommended I definitely sell my experiences in event planning rather than just trying to be interested in public relations and writing. 

After my interview with Wisla, I was interviewed by Kyle McCormick, specialist senior e-marketing at Harley-Davidson Motor Company. This interview was a lot of fun because McCormick graduated from Whitewater recently and he was very interested in my campus involvement. He asked questions similar to the questions asked by Wisla, but McCormick definitely focused on the leadership positions I have held on campus, and how those relate to a possible profession in the future. McCormick said that I was very personable and talkative. He really enjoyed that I was so involved and passionate about everything I was a part of. He said that his concern would be the lack of an internship, however, with the many experiences I have had, he said I did a good job of framing those experiences to sound "internship like."

Following this interview, I was able to conduct my informational interview with Mary Anderson, account executive in public relations for Bader Rutter and Associates, Inc. Anderson enjoys her position with Bader, Rutter and Associates, Inc., and said that she loves the variety in the work she does. As an account executive, she is able to work with clients and with businesses. She is able to create publicity and work to organize all aspects of the events her clients are putting on. Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of her job is her position working with interns. Anderson started with Bader, Rutter and Associates, Inc. as an intern herself, and she said, "It is very interesting to see the internship process from the other side. I am now the one doing the interviews and assigning tasks to the interns working in my department." Her suggestion for a student looking to work in public relations is to get started early and do many internships in different areas to find the best fit for you. 

I really enjoyed this event and found it very beneficial to attend. I hope this is available in the future to other students. I would like to thank Dr. Ann Knabe for organizing this event, and also to the sponsors Big Shoes Network, Public Relations Society of America, and the Hudson Business Lounge for supporting such a successful event. 

Steve Staedler and the Powers of Cision Point

Today our class was able to participate in an interactive presentation with Steve Staedler. Steve Staedler is a Public Relations professional working for LePoidevin Marketing who often uses Cision Point software to excel in the Public Relations field. The first part of Steve's presentation focused on Cision Point, and how beneficial it is for Public Relations professionals to understand what Cision is and how it works. I have often heard professors talk about Cision, but I have never taken the time to ask what it is or how it would benefit me to know more about it. Today, I didn't have to ask those questions, but I still received the answers.

If you are like me and do not know what Cision Point Software is, it is used to connect professionals, especially those in Public Relations, with media outlets and professionals that can help disperse materials created by Public Relations professionals and their clients. Cision allows you to create a list of "contacts" or organizations that fit the client you are working with. The list created allows you to see the contact information for the employees you can contact, send materials to hundreds of organizations in a matter of minutes, and learn about how many organizations use the information you are dispersing. I found this part of the presentation to be very informative; however, to feel as though I fully comprehended the information presented, I feel I would need to actually use Cision. 

The second part of the presentation allowed us to work through a case study about Snap-On tools and the new education certification programs available to the public. I found this to be informative as well. I believe that seeing the education box created was very unique and would be very helpful when presenting the education model to administrators, faculty, and educators at the technical colleges and universities. 

I learned a lot during his presentation, I was very excited to learn about his experience taking photos from the top of a wind turbine! Through this experience, he was able to ghost write a story about Snap-On tools, and have a once in a lifetime experience of climbing a wind turbine and seeing the view from the top! I believe that it is the once in a lifetime experiences like that and the ability to help a client that make Public Relations an amazing field to be starting in!

A UW-W Grad and Her Story About Life After College

Every college student spends a great deal of time going to classes, doing homework, and being involved in activities that will be beneficial for their future success. When looking at their future, students often look to professionals in their field for guidance and reassurance. One of the individuals that can be used as a resource for public relations is Amy Paul, a UW-Whitewater graduate and current employee of Ascedia.

While she was an undergraduate student at UW-Whitewater, Amy was very involved in PRSSA or the Public Relations Student Society of America. She joined this organization the year she declared herself a public relations major and she quickly rose to leadership through her position on the executive board. PRSSA provided Amy with the opportunity to go on agency tours, luncheons, conferences, and BMA events.

Also while in college, Amy had many internships that would later help her excel in public relations. These internships included brand ambassador for Qdoba Mexican Grill, Student Assistant for the UW-W University Development Office, fundraising and special events intern at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, and the communications intern and street team member for the Milwaukee Admirals. For all of these positions, Amy had to dedicate a great deal of time and effort into being successful. Through her position with the Admirals, Amy was able to create a website for the team to sell the photos taken of the team. She also was able to write press releases and do work that would later be a part of her portfolio.

Amy had many recommendations for being successful and how college students should prepare themselves for success. These recommendations include: participating in and making the most of internships, networking and maintaining connections, getting involved, not giving up even when things become frustrating, and having fun!

Amy is a wonderful resource and connection to have. She surprised me because she has done so much in her short life and has really enjoyed everything she has done. Amy is a great example to show students that with a little determination and a lot of hard work, everyone can be successful!

My Continuing Journey in PR

When I started at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, I never could have imagined I would be who I am today. I thought I would be a teacher after graduation. However, after moving in, I realized all that UW-Whitewater had to offer through organizations, extra-curricular activities and degrees I never knew existed. Through my involvement with the Residence Hall's Leadership Involvement Team, LIT, I learned that my true calling was event planning which allowed me to constantly be creative, and do something new and exciting every day. This led me to my new major of Public Relations.

Public Relations is a different path than I had ever considered as a young adult. I didn't know what kind of classes I would be taking or the skills I would ascertain through my many classes. This journey of switching majors and starting in a degree that was unknown to me has been difficult, but enjoyable. I am now in my third semester as a College of Arts andCommunications student. I enjoy being challenged as a writer and in my communication techniques. I have learned through my classes that with a lot of hard work, an education major can learn how to excel as public relations major.

With my third semester just starting, I can't help but imagine what the future holds. Although this is a mystery, I know that I am very excited for my new class Public Relations Tactics II. Through this class, I will be able to learn a lot about the use of social media and the web in Public Relations efforts. I am very excited to learn about optimizing my LinkedIn profile, updating my resume, using a blog, and working with Twitter.

Although I am the unconventional Public Relations student, I know that I have finally found the place that I was meant to learn and grow in as an individual. I’m sure you’re probably wondering who is living the life described. My name is Jeni Gruber and I can't wait to tell you where my crazy life as a Public Relations student takes me next!