Arizona and PRSSA Presidents

This past weekend I traveled to VERY sunny Arizona to attend the 2nd Annual PRSSA Leadership Rally. I wasn’t sure quite what to expect, but after leaving I feel better prepared to lead my chapter. Although I wrote a guest post for the PRSSA National Blog on some of the main messages from the rally, I wanted to touch upon on something I did not cover in the post. 

Coinciding with graduation, Phillip Tate, APR, current PRSA Board Liaison to PRSSA, spoke with attendees on the importance of joining PRSA. This is something I wish I had covered more in the final days of this school year with my chapter. There are SO many reasons to join PRSA and Tate definitely covered the most important. Here are some of the benefits he expressed:

1. Advancing the professional a.k.a. networking. If you haven’t started networking, begin. Something I do when I collect business cards is place them in holders and make sure I note where and when I met this certain person, you never know when you might need to contact them. 
2. Continuing your professional development. There is no end to carrying on with education. It is important to “keep up” with the skills in your field as you proceed with your career. Also, there are a number of affinity groups you can join within PRSA that focus on whichever field you work in or are interested in.
3. Some other major benefits include: credibility, ethicality, friendships, learning groups and relationships.

However, the most important benefit of joining PRSA for students Tate explains, “Joining PRSA is the best entry point to get you plugged into the PR profession”. Essentially, the “more” you put into it the “more” you are going to get out of it. If you are interested in PRSA but worried about the price, Tate came up with a fundraiser to help students join. Ask for a PRSA membership as a gradation present! In my opinion, this is a great idea and one that any student is able to utilize.

I can’t express how important it is to be involved in a professional group once you have graduated. Please visit the PRSA website if you are interested in learning more about what a membership entails. 

PRSA Gives 7 Tips For Your Resume

PRSA’s Caittrin O’Sullivan, public relations coordinator for iCIMS lists out 7 tips for your resume.

• Use key words often and at the top of your resume. This will help HR look exactly for the candidate that possess such characteristics. 
• KEEP IT SIMPLE. This is very important for students who want to make their resume stand out. O’Sullivan writes, “Don’t use graphics, logos or pictures. Also, don’t try to get fancy with text boxes, headers or footers.”
• If you are attaching a resume use Word as your format. 
• Always put your e-mail addresses. 
• Be careful and read the directions. Make sure there are NO typos in your resume. 
• Cover letters are always up in the air. If you are wondering what they are looking for in a cover letter whether it be very formal, very specific or right to the point just ask! 

It is always important whether you are  a student or professional to continue updating your resume as you go. One mistake I have made is not updating my resume WHILE I am either interning, working etc. I then try to “fix it up” after I have finished and forget some of the valuable things I accomplished. For my next endeavor I am definitely going to keep a notebook at hand and throughout continue writing things that I should be placing on my resume.