Something New

It is time for the best public relations programs in Virginia, Maryland and DC to rise to the top and be recognized! The deadline for PRSA national Silver and Bronze Anvils may have passed several weeks ago, but I’ll let you in on a little secret: if you applied for an Anvil, you can repurpose those same application materials and put yourself in the running for another great award – the annual NCC Thoth Award.

The National Capital Chapter holds the Thoth competition to recognize outstanding achievement in public relations and to encourage continued excellence in our industry. Named for the Egyptian god of communication, the Thoth (pronounced “tot”) Awards recognize the most outstanding, strategic public relations programs and components developed and produced in the Greater Washington area. The contest requirements are nearly identical to the PRSA Silver and Bronze Anvil awards and are meant to be the local version of the national awards. So, for all the time you spent to compile your Anvil entry earlier in the year, do yourself a favor and apply for a Thoth as well.  If you have yet to apply, you still have time.  The deadline for submission of materials is May 23 for early birds and June 6 for standard entries.

As for April, it was another event-filled month. The joint program with the DC Chamber of Commerce and IPRA, NCC’s section for independent practitioners was wildly successful. The professional development committee hosted an panel on what’s hot and what’s not in the PR Job Market, and we even held a pre-Thoth Awards social networking event where a number of previous award-winners circulated the room and shared their winning insights with the aspiring.

May is all about the new.

As you know, the Chapter prides itself on being the source for professional development and educational opportunities for public relations professionals in our region.  To that end, we are trying something new with professional development.  On May 15, we are breaking our standard professional development panel format by holding a half-day seminar on writing styles and techniques.  In this longer program, you will learn the latest in writing styles and techniques for both traditional writing projects and new media. Space is limited, so click here and register today.

We have had a great response to our new tool, the National Capital Channel. The Channel is the instant link that provides up-to-the-minute information on PRSA-NCC news, events, job announcements and more from the convenience of your computer desktop.  This technology is tangible evidence of our commitment to improve communications among Chapter members. If you have not already downloaded this fabulously useful tool, what are you waiting for?  Click here and download it now!

Because of new tools like the National Capital Channel and the hard work of all of our committees, there has been a noticeable increase in event attendance among new members and non-members over the last couple of months. New people are hearing about NCC’s great programs and taking advantage of all our active chapter has to offer. In the continued spirit of the new, our Special Events committee is hosting our first networking happy hour of the year on May 22 at Gordon Biersch.  Take a break from your hectic schedule and make a ton of new contacts – register here now. I look forward to meeting someone new there – maybe it will be you!

Sincerely,

Heathere Evans-Keenan, APR
PRSA-NCC President, 2008

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PRONet To Celebrate Happy Hour at Bohemian Mahogany May 14

PR professionals with seven years or less experience in the field of public relations, graduating students, or other professionals new to the industry are invited to celebrate happy hour with the PRONet committee on Wednesday, May 14, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Bohemian Mahogany at 2001 Eleventh Street, NW, in DC.   This committee for “new professionals” aims to create networking and education opportunities for those starting out in their PR careers in the Washington, DC area.

The $5 fee includes appetizers. RSVP by May 7 to Sabrina Kidwai at skidwai@acteonline.org or call 703-683-9312

Writing is a necessary part of every successful public relations campaign, especially when it involves multi-media requirements, creativity and striking a chord with the target audience.  A new interactive half-day seminar on successful writing methods applicable in today’s public relations environment will be held on Thursday, May 15, from 8 a.m. –12 noon at Ogilvy Public Relations.

Whether it is writing for corporate public relations, appropriate styles for social media, or writing for traditional media formats, all areas of public relations writing will be discussed and all levels of PR professionals are bound to benefit. Speakers include Kaitlyn Wilkins of Ogilvy PR, Jan Gottfredsen of Lockheed Martin and Steve Sternberg of USA Today.

The cost is $75 for members, $95 for non-members. To register, visit the PRSA-NCC Web site.

Early Bird Thoth Award Entries Due by May 23

Named for the Egyptian god of communication, the Thoth (pronounced “tot”) Awards recognize the most outstanding, strategic public relations programs and components developed and produced in the Greater Washington area.  Achievements are recognized in 27 categories, including 14 program categories that celebrate the very best PR campaigns and 13 component categories that highlight top accomplishments in PR tactics. Early Bird entries are due Friday, May 23, and standard entries must be submitted by June 6.

For more information about the awards, visit the PRSA-NCC Web site.

Preparing for International PR Challenges
May 13

In today’s world, preparing for the unexpected is an important and necessary part of public relations. The PRSA-NCC International Committee will help members learn how to best prepare for international challenges at a special seminar called “Expecting the Unexpected: Preparing for International PR Challenges” on Tuesday, May 13, at the National Press Club. The event, sponsored by Media & Communication Strategies, will begin with a networking reception from 6-6:30 p.m. followed by a speakers’ program from 6:30-8 p.m. Speakers include Scott Sobel of Media & Communication Strategies, Tom Carver of CLS & Associates and Jackie Geissinger of Control Risks.

The cost is $35 for PRSA members, $40 for non-members and $25 for students and retirees. There is an additional $5 door fee for those who do not register in advance.

Visit the PRSA-NCC Web site to complete the online registration.

How is PR Shaping the 2008 Election?

IPRA, the network of experienced public relations counselors who own or operate independent PR businesses and consultancies, will continue its series of monthly luncheons on June 5 with a focus on how PR is shaping the 2008 election.  The luncheons are held at the Embassy Suites Hotel/Tysons Corner in Vienna, Va. from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. the first Thursday of the month.

For more details or to register, visit the PRSA-NCC Web site.

PRSA National 2008 Nominating Committee Begins 2009 Board Search

Strong boards need strong leaders, and there is no shortage of potential candidates among PRSA members. In addition to contributing to the management of the organization and representing the Society to a variety of internal and external audiences, board members benefit greatly as they use and hone their senior executive management skills and experience.

Fifteen PRSA National board positions are available beginning in 2009. The officer positions are one-year terms and the director positions are two-year terms. The Assembly delegate-at-large and International Assembly delegate-at-large position are one-year terms. Eligible candidates must be accredited, PRSA members in good standing, and have served in at least one of the following capacities: voting delegate in at least one national PRSA Assembly, chapter president, section chair, district chair or chair of a national committee.

Nominations should be sent to Donna Jonas, 33 Maiden Lane, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10038-5150, or by e-mail to nomcomm@prsa.org. Information packets that outline the specifics of the nominating process will be sent to those individuals. The candidate application, process timetable and other nominating materials are available on the PRSA Web site.

Candidate materials must be received by 5 p.m. (in the time zone in which the candidate resides) on Monday, June 9, 2008 — no exceptions. For example, an East Coast-based candidate must submit materials by 5 p.m. EDT, while a West Coast-based candidate must submit materials by 8 p.m. EDT/5 p.m. PDT.

PRSA Technology Journalism Awards Due May 27

The PRSA Technology Section has issued a call for entries for its annual Awards for Excellence in Technology Journalism. The awards are intended to recognize journalists in general or business publications and technical/trade magazines and newsletters who have published articles that are valuable to their readers, show clarity in the communication, and are significant in disclosing, explaining, interpreting, and reporting innovation and recognizing newsworthiness. Published articles are judged by peer-interest journalists.

Two winners are chosen to receive a cash prize award of $1,000 and two crystal award trophies each, one for the journalist and one for display by each news organization that published a winning story. Deadline for entries is May 27. For complete details, visit the PRSA Web site.

PRSA to Conduct Major Membership Survey

PRSA is embarking on a major membership research initiative to measure and evaluate member satisfaction, and to examine members’ perceptions of the services and products we currently offer.  This research will help PRSA identify the needs of professionals by career stage, organization type and professional specialty. As a result, PRSA will look to create and deliver membership benefits that meet the needs of a vibrant and diverse group of professionals.

Historically, the Society has surveyed members every three years. The last survey was conducted in 2005. Later this spring, a random sample of PRSA members will receive a survey via e-mail.

Making the Most of PRSA Teleseminars

The feature article ‘Making the Most of PRSA Teleseminars’ is now available on the PRSA-NCC Web site. Written by PRSA-NCC member Amanda Piasecki, the article details what it is like to participate in an online seminar as well as her advice for getting the most of the events. Visit the PRSA-NCC Web site to read more.

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Angela Brown

Account Manager
Sightline Marketing

1) Why did you join PRSA?

I studied advertising and public relations in college, but wound up working in services marketing for several years.  While there is a lot of overlap between marketing and PR, I realized how much I missed the PR world, and now that I'm working at an agency, I would like to network with and learn from other professionals in the area.

2)         How long have you been in the PR field?

I have worked in PR on and off for about two years.

3)         What skills are required to do your job?

Painstaking attention to detail is very important. My firm specializes in services marketing, so the clients we serve are very detail oriented and expect immediate, flawless results. Patience is also key – services firms have needs that are very different from companies that deal with tangible products.  It's important to take time understand their issues and industries so we can provide the solutions they need when they need them.

4)         What’s your greatest career achievement?

I think it's a bit early for me to have a greatest achievement, but I am really grateful for the opportunities that I've had at my firm to grow and expand my skills in the profession. Sightline is a small firm that gives its young employees a great deal of control and ownership with the work that we do. This makes it very easy to leave your footprint on the company relatively quickly, and to me, the fact that I've been able to do that in less than a year is a great achievement. 

5)         Where would you like to see yourself in five years?

I have been toying with the idea of exploring a career with the federal government. In five years it's quite possible that I'll have a public affairs position in the public sector.

6)         How do you begin each day?

If there are no immediate fires to put out, I have a soy latte and read news headlines.

7)         What’s your dream job?

I would love to write for a women's magazine. Glamour is one of my favorites.

8)         Who’s your role model, and why do you admire him/her?

I think Tina Fey is fantastic. In addition to her brilliance and quick wit, there's a lot of authenticity to her. I'd love to shadow her for a day.

9)         What’s the last book you read or movie you saw?

I am midway through an executive MBA program so I haven't read a book for pleasure in

some time. I watched Bee Movie with my husband on Saturday.

10)       Tips for maintaining the elusive work/life balance?

Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize. Your family and friends were there long before your job and will be around long after you've moved on to another position. Never lose sight of who and what are really important in your life.

If you’ve joined the chapter within the past six months and would like to receive a questionnaire, please contact newsletter@prsa-ncc.org. To view past new Member Spotlights, visit the membership section of the Web site.

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I’m graduating this year with a Bachelor’s degree in communication.  I’m thinking about writing my resume to get my first job.  But how do I include experience in public relations when I haven’t really had a PR job?—BAH, McLean

Remember that the purpose of a resume isn’t to get a job.  Nobody was ever hired based solely on their resume.  The purpose of the resume is to get an interview.  The purpose of the interview is to get a job offer.  And the purpose of the job offer is to give you the opportunity to decide whether to accept it. 

Think about your resume as basically a piece of collateral that is designed to sell someone on the idea of hiring you.  Put yourself in the position of a busy HR person who is screening hundreds of resumes a day, most of which look exactly alike.  Keep in mind that they seldom read more than the upper third of the first page before putting it into one of three piles: highly qualified, qualified or unqualified.  So put all of the important buzz words in the top third of the page.  Examine the position description and try to write your resume to fit it.  Since they’re looking for someone with a certain profile, try to show how you fit that profile. 

Since this is for your first PR job, you appear to be at a distinct disadvantage.  It would help if you served as an intern in a PR/communications role so you could list that as relevant experience.  Listing the courses you took and even the grades you got is irrelevant to the person who wants to hire an entry-level employee.  They know you don’t have any “real world” experience except your after-school activities.  What they want to know is how much time it’s going to take to train you for a certain position.  Are they going to have to teach you all of their jargon and everything about their business?  So think about your academic career as your job history.  Make a list of the projects you conducted, such as putting together a communications plan, building a Web site or doing a project for a group at your school.  Briefly describe what you did, how you did it, and what you accomplished. 

To find your first PR job, take advantage of the many resources that are available.  Go to the PRSA-NCC Job Line at www.prsa-ncc.org.  There you will find lists of job openings, internship openings and online job resources.  Finding your first PR job won’t be easy.  By all means, don’t give up.  This time and effort is an investment in YOU.  There’s nothing more important! 

Regards,

Fred Whiting, APR

Do you have a question concerning the practice of public relations that would be of interest to others? Ask a PRofessional! Click on Programs/Mentoring/Ask a Professional or just click here to pose your question and receive a personal reply. Your question and the answer may appear in a future issue of the PRSA-NCC Chapter newsletter.

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