One of the things I have noticed as I have been talking with students both at the University of Louisville and other universities through guest lectures or conferences is the current trend we are seeing with social media. Many students want to not only take classes in social media, but look for positions that are engaged in these practices not only because it is “trendy,” but because the firm believes in this evolution of technology. Many students are realizing the competition that is out there and with the challenging job market, emotions are rising and they are coming to professors with these questions.
I have had students ask me – how do I make myself marketable? What are the skills I need to have when it comes to succeed in social media practices? What are things I need to make sure to know before I graduate? These are all important, and I do highlight some of the essential skills for PR professionals to now to be successful in the job market from fellow PR professionals.
Here are some of my suggestions on what are some attributes to make sure to showcase to not only get a job, but keep it and move up:
- Passion: In order to be successful in social media, you have to not only do it for your professional career, but you have to live with the technology. I have found it interesting that some people who claim they are in social media or even have research lines in this area are not active on social media, do not have a blog, or even engage with others on various social media platforms. Social media platforms are not just tools to use, but it is a lifestyle and viewpoint on communities, relationships, and information. Not only do you need to have the passion, but also knowledge of the subject both from a theoretical and applied perspective. It is not only key to make sure to know the various tools, but the strategies associated with each of these tools and be able to measure them effectively.
- Curiousity: We have to explore other possibilities and become not only students of social media, but we have to make sure to expand our horizon and look at other related topics and areas as well. Mobile media is a perfect example, and this is just one area that PR professionals who are interested in social media can look at and learn more about.
- Dedication: Work hard, win easy. It does take time and commitment to be successful in social media. You have to spend the time to establish your online presence while also making sure to have content that is relevant, insightful, and strategic for others to view. Establishing a reputation online does not happen overnight, but the best person to do this is yourself. Take a little bit of time each day to write a blog post, share updates and information that is interesting, and have engaging conversations online on the main platforms you are active on. Besides, there are going to be those students who think they will get a job no matter what – but it will be the student that invests the time and resources that will get the job. Making sure your writing is precise and clear is a key component. Also, taking the time to enhance your skills in research, data analysis, and visual communication (photos, info graphics, and videos) are also essential parts to consider as well.
- Creativity: PR agencies and other professionals do not want to have “cookie cutter shaped” PR students coming into their agencies. Yes, they do want to make sure to they have the foundations of what is PR, social media, etc – but they also want them to be creative and strategic to bring in new ideas, perspectives, and insights about what they can do for their clients and extend their knowledge base. I encourage students to look at what everyone else has down and identify the missing gaps. Has this agency thought of this or that, or what are some perspectives they should address? While this is sometimes the hardest thing to do, it is the one characteristic that will always be marketable and valued by PR agencies and other professionals in the area of social media.
- Generalist with Specializations: This is a growing issue we are seeing in PR. Many professionals are telling students they have to be generalists while there are others that say they have to be specialists in one or two areas. However, I am thinking – can’t you have the best of both worlds and be both? Sure, we can be strategic communicators with a specialization in PR, but what if we have other specializations to offer like in mobile media, PR, crisis communications, social media, reputation management, and storytelling? This may be more marketable for students to consider. In addition, other areas of experience outside of PR should also be encouraged like in Marketing, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, and Psychology.
In summary, students who are interested in social media and getting a job in this area has to really do a thorough situational analysis of themselves to see what are their strengths and weaknesses, and determine what are some strategies they can use to address these when entering the job market. In addition, they have to also look at the competition that is out there so they know what they need to do to make sure to separate themselves from others applying for the same jobs. These are just a few thing students, undergraduate and graduate, need to think about right now in the PR sector.
Hope you all are having a great day!
Best Wishes,
Karen
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