PR Student

As a college student interested in Public Relations, I want to learn as much as possible before finding my first job. I recently watched a few podcasts for my Audience Research class that will help me learn a bit more.

The first podcast was on Ad Age and was an interview with the editor of American Demographics, Bradley Johnson. He talked about how it is important for people working in Communications to know the American people. He talked about how to market is changing. The middle class is shrinking and the gap between the rich and poor is getting larger. For the first time since the Great Depression, people are spending more than they are saving. In a few years I'll be entering the "real world" and a country in economic trouble doesn't make me excited to be out there alone. He also talked about how by 2030, two-thirds of the American population will be in the South and West. It will be interesting to see if New York, Boston, Chicago, and other cold-weatherer cities hold up. Will they still be the major hot spots in 20 years? Another interesting fact was that the income of women is increasing. This leads to bigger spending power and more independance. This fact paired with the fact that for the first time ever, more American women are unmarried, than married (51%), could be leading to changes in the American economy and family. Will products continue to be targeted towards the average family with a mom, dad, and two kids? Will single moms be the majority? It will be incredible to see the changes that the field of communications will go through.

The second podcast was on edelman.com and it was about Careers in Communications. The podcast interviewed two seniors in college, one graduate student, and one recent graduate who is working in Edelman offices. The students talked about their interviewing experiences and their interest in public relations. It turned out that most of the students found pr later in their college careers. They wanted a profession where it was their job to keep up with news, trends, and always keep learning. PR promises change and excitement. The students talked about how every interviewer was interested in EXPERIENCE. It was not enough to just have a degree and a good G.P.A. Employers were interested in internships, practical applications of work, and experience in everything. An important tip was to always ask questions and keep up the conversaton. The students also talked about how it's important to find out what you're interested in specifically. Interests outside of PR can help you find a job you really love. Sell your outside interests and passions! This got me thinking about what I would really love to do. I have always been interested in kids, so I could maybe work in the PR department for a corporation that works with kids. I also love planning events AND watching movies or television about weddings, so maybe I could be a wedding planner. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

In other news, I got picked for Park School's trip to France!! I leave in late May for two weeks in Dijon, Paris, Geneva, and more!!! Wish me luck!!