A North Road Communications Update from Firm Director, Julie Moller

I have recently begun my work as Firm Director with our student-run PR firm, North Road Communications, and it has already been both hectic and exciting! First, I would like to give kudos to Charlotte Catania for having been firm director for two semesters and never breaking a sweat. She made this job look so easy!

This past month, a few members of the firm were promoted to the position Account Executive. These ladies showed great dedication and really hard work this past year with our client projects. Congratulations to our new Account Executives Jackie Mucilli, Erica Jordan, and Jennifer Laski!

Though May brought the end of another school year, members of North Road have still been hard at work on projects for our clients. The most time consuming of them has been a social media proposal. It’s more challenging than any of us initially expected, but definitely a learning experience.

Initially, I was under the impression that creating a Facebook page for a client would be the easiest task we could take on. After all, I’ve been creating and recreating my social media presence since I was in high school. However, there are many more factors to consider for an organization. For instance, who is your target audience? Can that audience be reached via social media? What are the best ways to advertise that you have established an online presence? We’ve realized it’s also important to establish which social media outlet is best for the organization. While Twitter may be ideal for a celebrity or persona, it may not be the best avenue for a non-profit organization.

Luckily, Facebook has recognized these difficulties for non-profit organizations and created a helpful guide that can be found here

Facebook Timeline: The music video

The new Facebook Timeline allows users to essentially tell their life story through social media by including important dates and events. One pop star in particular creatively utilized the storytelling layout of this platform to narrate the events of their career. Katy Perry debuted her new lyric video for "Wide Awake," at Sunday's Billboard Music Awards which features lyrics to the song, as well career highlights and her own cover photo, pictured below.



Watch the entire lyric video here.

Celebrity Timeline pages were introduced in February. Not only does Katy Perry aptly use Facebook Timeline, but she also incorporates the evolution of Facebook into her new video. It seamlessly integrates the story of her album Teenage Dream while documenting the evolution of Katy Perry as the global pop star she has become.

Social media extends far beyond the reaches of users like you and me. And celebrities are helping to extend its reach by overlapping video and social media channels, as Katy Perry has done. Do you think this Facebook Timline lyric video is groundbreaking in the way that it promotes Katy Perry, her new song and social media? Does the Facebook Timeline layout truly embody the narration of one's life or, in this case, career?

Watch the video and let us know what you think!

Interviews: There's an app for that

Technology has affected everything, including the interview process. Now there is an app for everything, even for brushing up your interview skills. When you take a break from updating your Twitter handle, check out apps that will benefit your interviewing skills.

Below are a few that you can utilize to set yourself apart in an interview.

• SayHired offers a free service to conduct a phone conversation. Practicing to answer interview questions will improve your ability to speak effortlessly in an interview.
• Job Internet Questions provides you with all the interview advice you will need. Take some time to learn how to behave in certain interview situations.
• Interview Questions Pro contains vital information you need to succeed in an interview. You will be advised on how to address interview questions, which questions are appropriate to ask the interviewer and tips on how to conduct yourself.

Today, we have countless outlets we should be taking advantage of to better our interviewing skills. Brittany Troyer features a few interview apps on Come Recommended, though a full list of apps aiding the interview process can be found on CBS News.

Networking mistakes you shouldn't make

It's all about who you know. Networking is extremely important for job seekers. ComeRecommended posted a guest blog post on YouTern offering excellent advice for what not to do when networking. Here are a few mistakes to watch out for:

1. Don't ask for a job, ask for information. Networking provides a chance for you to learn more about a position or company. Take advantage of this opportunity, but don't abuse it and sound desperate by begging for a job.
2. Networking is all around you. Don't overlook those that you come across every day. Family members and close friends should not be overlooked because they can turn out to be powerful contacts.
3. Be general about your talents and interests. You should present yourself in a open manner by showing all of your skills, instead of narrowly defining yourself. That way, it is possible to be considered for more than one position.

To read the entire blog post, click here.

Your shot of industry insight!

We are proud to present Volume 3, Issue 4 of our chapter's newsletter, esPResso. View the online version by clicking here. Enjoy!

Internship advice: The do's and don'ts

This semester, I interned at a mid-size PR agency that represents consumer and lifestyle brands. The specific team that I supported was within the beauty division on the Olay team. Though I have had internships before, this one truly opened my eyes to the world of PR because I received hands on experience in an agency. I really enjoyed working with the Olay team, not only because I received some free swag, but also because I learned a lot!

I picked up a few do's and don'ts that will serve as subtle reminders while interning:

Do bring a notebook and pen with you to meetings and even impromptu run-ins with your supervisor.

Do ask if you are unsure how to prioritize tasks, your superiors will know what needs to be done right away and what tasks can wait.

Do strike up conversation with co-workers. This makes for a comfortable and personable environment.

Don't assume. Never ever ever. Always ask, no matter how silly you think it is!

Don't be afraid of anyone, no matter their title. An internship is your chance to network and learn more about your field of choice. Do take advantage of that!

Do set up informal, informational interviews with co-workers. Again, this is a great opportunity to learn more about PR professionals and the PR field.

Don't sit around waiting for your supervisor to give you your next task. Do be proactive and ask if your supervisor needs help with anything.

Do arrive on time and stay until all your tasks are finished: it shows your dedication and commitment.

Do keep in contact with co-workers and supervisors! They can provide you with great recommendations in the future.

Don't be negative. Your internship is an extended interview to see how you do, even if you're doing administrative, seemingly meaningless tasks. Always be positive!

I hope you take my advice and keep it in the back of your mind at your internship!

Clean up your social media sites!

We've all been advised to clean up our online social sites many, many times. But this is yet another piece of advice: actually do it. Clean up your Facebook, Twitter and any other site you partake in. Why? Because companies are increasingly recruiting online; just check out this infographic. Maybe then you will at least want to monitor your profile picture (it gets the most attention).



Read the entire blog post by Kate D'Amico on Come Recommended by clicking here.