This is the exact time of the academic year when it really hits me…the future of the public relations profession truly is in good hands.

No, it’s not “exam fatigue”…exams at Curry College don’t start until next week. Nor have I (as many students in my early-ish morning classes suspect is all-too-often the case) over-caffeinated.

What it is, actually, is the result of the high that I’m on because today I’m presenting the Communication Department’s “Public Relations” award, as I do every year, to a PR Concentration student who, in my own less-than-humble opinion, absolutely personifies the concept of “public relations professional” with an emphasis on “professional.”

Continue reading " The Future Starts Today "

My students at Curry College hear this all the time from me: “Never stop learning.”

Most of them, having willingly (or not!) suffered through at least two or three of my PR-related courses, have figured out the best response is a gentle sigh and understanding nod of the head. They know they’ll hear it a dozen or more times in the course of the semester, so they humor me.

So it was with a gigantic sigh of satisfaction last night that I heard the guest speaker for our PR student association say exactly the same thing as part of her “how I got where I am and how I’ll get ahead” presentation.

Continue reading " Public Relations: A Lifelong Learning Commitment "

An educator colleague and friend recently wrote me to express her frustration with organizations that are hiring former journalists as public relations professionals.

She wrote:
“Public relations” is not synonymous with “journalism.” Thirty years ago, public relations entailed much more media relations experience, but today it requires substantial research and communication planning expertise — skills that reporters don’t have.

“Frankly, I’m upset by these recent hiring decisions. These decisions send the wrong message to our current public relations students, as well as all of the fine public relations professionals who are currently seeking jobs in this difficult economy.”

Continue reading " Turning Journalists into Public Relations Pros? Training Required. "

Earlier this year, I wrote a blog post countering the claims of Robert Scoble, Michael Arrington, Jason Calacanis and others who posited that social media’s rise would precipitate public relations’ fall. A new study now confirms what I suspected all along: Public relations isn’t declining at the hands of social media; it’s gaining, as social media provides opportunities to build relationships in new ways, and as companies seek guidance on effective and credible ways to leverage the new tools.

The 2009 Digital Readiness Report, a study conducted by iPressroom with support from PRSA, found that public relations professionals are firmly in the lead when it comes to managing an organization’s use of social media communications channels.

Continue reading " Public Relations Is Leading Social Media Engagement "

What was the economy like when you graduated from college?

After reading comments to an article I wrote for the latest issue of PR Tactics about what the 1974 recession can teach us today, I realized that most college grads remember in great detail their post-graduation job search. In the article, I shared personal recollections on my 1974 graduation in the midst of a severe recession, and reflected on how little I knew then about the unique challenges of finding a job during a recession.

Everybody had a story to tell, and people shared their stories with me through calls and e-mails, telling me about their job search experiences. Everyone remembered with amazing clarity the challenges they faced. Most recalled the experience as a moment in time that ranked with other life-changing events — births, deaths and marriage.

Continue reading " Would You Trade Places With a 2009 College Graduate? "