People are more than five times more likely to do the right thing when they have some time to think about the matter than when they have to make a snap decision, according to a recent study from the Academy of Management.

Unfortunately, as PR professionals, too often we don’t have the luxury of time when it comes to making a decision. Like many of you, I rarely encounter a situation where clients say “take the time you need.”

I strongly encourage a methodical, data-based approach to decision-making; whenever possible professionals should look at all sides of a knotty problem. This is particularly important when it comes to an ethical issue, as there are often varying shades of grey in the question.

But PR people often face their ethical dilemmas when a reporter is calling and asking a question, or the client presents an idea, asks “Any objections?” or simply tells them what is happening. It that case, the luxury of time doesn’t exist, so we don’t have the time benefit the study recommends.

Does that mean we throw up our hands, trust our gut and settle for less ethical decision making? No.

Continue reading " Making Ethical Decisions Under Pressure "

As the culmination of PRSA’s 2011 Ethics Awareness Month, the PRSA Board of Ethics and Professional Standards (BEPS) hosted a special webinar (click here for the slide deck) Sept. 29, 2011, on social media ethics. Members of BEPS provided insight and training for public relations professionals on how the PRSA Code of Ethics can help determine the proper ethical course of action and protect their clients’ reputation and credibility when engaging in social media campaigns.

In addition to providing guidance on how public relations professionals can ensure their social-media campaigns uphold the ethical standards of the profession, BEPS members offered lessons learned from case studies of unethical practices in social media.

Continue reading " How to Avoid Common Social Media Ethics #Fails "

As part of PRSA’s unveiling of industry guidelines for the ethical use of interns, we asked five recent public relations interns to blog about their experiences — good or bad — and offer ideas on how the profession can better prepare interns for the rigors of full-time employment. This is the third and final post in the series.

What helps you land the best job possible in this highly competitive market? There is no doubt that padding your resume with various internship experiences can help you get a leg up, but what experiences really help you when it comes to talking up experience in the interview?

As a recent graduate, former intern and a new professional I have been able to reflect on these questions, and I know all too well what works and what doesn’t. I also know that with the increasing pressure placed on students to be involved in school and extracurricular activities, it can be difficult to take time out of a paying job and devote it to an internship. That is part of the reason why virtual internship are on the rise.

Continue reading " The Internship Experience: Harsh Reality of Virtual Internships "

As part of PRSA’s unveiling of industry guidelines for the ethical use of interns, we asked five recent public relations interns to blog about their experiences — good or bad — and offer ideas on how the profession can better prepare interns for the rigors of full-time employment. This is the second post of a planned three-part series.

Today’s posts come from PRSSA members Rachel Sprung and Kimberly Ciesla.

Rachel Sprung:

Before interning at a PR agency, I prided myself on my ability to multitask and complete tasks in a timely manner. However, being immersed on multiple teams in an agency brought my abilities to an entirely new level.

Continue reading " The Internship Experience: The Art of Juggling (Responsibilities) "

As part of PRSA’s unveiling of industry guidelines for the ethical use of interns, we asked five recent public relations interns to blog about their experiences — good or bad — and offer ideas on how the profession can better prepare interns for the rigors of full-time employment. This is the first post of a planned four-part series. Today’s posts come from PRSA members Kion Sanders and Joshua Romero.

Kion Sanders:

If I weren’t able to work under amazing PR professionals as an intern, I’m not sure I would be as knowledgeable as I am now. Learning something new in class is great, but nothing replaces on-the-job training. As a student, I completed three internships. Immediately following graduation, I started my career as a post-graduate intern with a well-respected agency. I found this experience to be valuable because I wanted experience in various areas of public relations. Towards my senior year, I knew I would pursue an agency but wasn’t too sure which practice group would be best.

Interning with the mayor’s office of Charlotte quickly taught me the importance of ROI (return-on-investment). PR programs touch on this topic, but it’s much harder to fully understand ROI and its metrics when you’re in a classroom. Rebuttals from legal and objections from the finance team were common hiccups the mayor’s communications team faced. To get a program approved, the communications team had to present measurable goals, and this simple (yet extremely important) method made an everlasting impression on my internship experience.

Continue reading " The Internship Experience: Learning ROI & Value of Failing "