Nice to see you again. Follow me, @SydneyOwen. Thanks for being here!
To wrap up the individual posts about my new friends and their tips for the Almost-Grad, I present to you, Brian Camen. He works in higher education PR in Arizona. Brian graduated college in May 2007 so he can still relate to those of us about to finish up our education. To find out more about Brian, check out his blog, The PR Practitioner.
What is your one tip for the Almost-Grad?
One main tip for new professionals: Don’t pretend to know everything. Many times students come right out of college into their first position and pretend they know everything about media relations, about writing and even the company they work for. It’s an unwritten rule that when you are in an entry-level position you are there to learn, develop and grow your skillset and knowledge about the PR industry. Mistakes happen, but learn from them and don’t pretend you are an expert when you’re really a newbie.
Are you speaking from experience?
I made that mistake when I first entered the workforce. I had 4 or 5 internships and thought I was king. That was very foolish of me. My attitude quickly changed for the better and I’ve grown so much in my first two years in the PR world.
Anything else you’d like to share with the class?
- Network, Network, Network
- Use social media to your advantage, not disadvantage
- Interviews = practice makes perfect
- Create opportunities by doing pro bono freelance PR
- If you don’t have one already, find a mentor (I’m a big fan on mentors. I am where I am today because of mine)
- Enjoy the time while you’re still in school and looking for a permanent position – your life is about to change!
Thank you Brian!
Are you in your first job and feel like you know it all? Has someone called you out on it? Do you think that people are afraid to seem unexperienced so they pretend they know all of the answers?