We are in our last week of school, most of us have solidified internships for August or September (I just accepted mine this morning, yay me!) Now comes the part where we reflect over the last eight months and the people we have met, and more importantly, what we have learned and what it means for our future. It's time to go apply what we have done in class and enter the workplace, starry eyed and eager, hoping to make a place for ourselves in the world of PR.
But what has been the most important thing that I've learned, specifically about this medium - online public relations?
It's hard to say. I think the main thing is that I've realized it's a lot more useful than I first thought. I only used Facebook and constantly made fun of Twitter. But I have to admit - I've been converted (insert cheer from Schweitzer.) With so many agencies and communications teams on Twitter, it's essential for a budding PR practitioner to be involved and follow them. And keeping up with news headlines? SO much easier with Twitter. And faster!
Regardless of what field I end up getting my first communications job in I know that social media will play a part in it, be it Facebook, Twitter, blogs or otherwise and I'm happy to be enlightened about it.
And while I will miss seeing my classmates’ lovely, shiny, happy faces everyday, I know that all I have to do is pull out my laptop or Blackberry and do a quick scan of Facebook or Twitter to get an update. I hope - and I truly do hope - that our knowledge of the importance of social media will mean that we will keep in contact, not just socially, but so that we can all make the most out of having each other in different places in PR. So CCPR, I challenge you to keep in touch. I challenge us to help each other out and encourage each other. Let’s use what we’ve learned about networking and social media to its full advantage. Let’s make Barry proud!
It's funny that I've never thought of it that way, but you're right: not only does social media give us the opportunity to keep in touch with each other, but it will allow us to keep in touch with other PR professionals in the future (hopefully that's us). Instead of writing to each other with questions about homework, we can discuss what to say in that next meeting. Geez, we're getting old.
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