Comments on: Finding a balance.

By: Matt Cheuvront

Matt Cheuvront — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:37:38 +0000

I think there is a clear shift in mindset once we're working full time (at a job that we love). Whether that be an internship at a bad-ass agency or finding our true calling to lead the life of an entrepreneur – once our search has 'ended' or at least come to a halt for the time being – our 'personal pimpage' often takes a backseat to promoting and enriching the lives of others. We may only send one tweet our about our new blog post instead of 10. We may use a resource like Twitter to drive business instead of random chit-chat. It's all constantly evolving. Just as our lives do, so does our social media identity and presence.

Congrats on finding your way Sydney. Hopefully I'm not too far behind.

By: Matt Cheuvront

Matt Cheuvront — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:10:44 +0000

I think there is a clear shift in mindset once we’re working full time (at a job that we love). Whether that be an internship at a bad-ass agency or finding our true calling to lead the life of an entrepreneur – once our search has ‘ended’ or at least come to a halt for the time being – our ‘personal pimpage’ often takes a backseat to promoting and enriching the lives of others. We may only send one tweet our about our new blog post instead of 10. We may use a resource like Twitter to drive business instead of random chit-chat. It’s all constantly evolving. Just as our lives do, so does our social media identity and presence.

Congrats on finding your way Sydney. Hopefully I’m not too far behind.

By: My Shifting Social Media Presence: From Student to Professional « PR Interactive

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:14:41 +0000

[...] to Sydney Owen for asking some great questions recently that sparked this [...]

By: Ryan Stephens Marketing » Don’t Underestimate a Head Start

Ryan Stephens Marketing » Don’t Underestimate a Head Start — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:58:27 +0000

[...] Sydney Owen separated herself from her classmates by learning about all these social tools and playing in the social media sandbox. But what now? I know she’s working on what’s next. Are you? [...]

By: Meg Roberts

Meg Roberts — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:10:52 +0000

Hi Sydney,

I believe Sophia said it best: “focus on what you need to learn rather than what you already know.” This helped me achieve that balance at my internship with Fleishman Hillard last summer. It’s funny because I thought my knowledge of social media helped land me the internship, but a vice president later told me it was a traditional PR campaign I launched for USF’s Student Government that got me the position. Um, what? I had no clue! My point is: your interest in social media has helped you network, write better, analyze and communicate ideas, and teach you about industry trends. All of those are valuable skills in traditional PR, too. If you use these as a foundation for all the new things you’re going to learn at your internship, you’ll most certainly be on the right path toward success! Basically, keep on keepin’ on…

Also, as for how you’ll use social media in the future, you’ll figure it out. Many people realize I don’t write on my blog anymore, but I’m still active in the blogosphere through comments. My Google Reader provides a continuous education about trends in PR, social media, and the entertainment industry (where most of my clients are) and this level of engagement works for me, and I always comment either on the blog or through Twitter to ensure I’m still participating in the conversation. If blogging remains your passion, keep on doing it! But, if you find it to be too stressful as you balance your new career and social life, don’t be afraid to take cut back.

Your friends, family, and fans will be here regardless.

By: Dad

Dad — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:56:13 +0000

Yes, your parents do read this. Thanks for cleaning your room. “Know-it-all” is a matter concerning the perception of others. Nobody goes around saying “Hey, look at me, I’m a know-it-all!” Often the difference in perception is subtle but most always stems from how one interacts with others.

By: Nate

Nate — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:59:16 +0000

Sydney,

I think for us recent grads, the uneasy feeling of not measuring up in certain aspects of our profession tends to bog us down. Having conversations with seasoned pros and reading their blogs has shown me that I will not have the most polished skills when I start my job. Instead, we should continue to hone our strengths, but spend more time addressing our weaknesses and find ways to balance out the two so that we are well-rounded in our approaches to communication.

I’m now working to improve my media relations skills and to stray away from the poor strategies that have led to journalists despising our existence. The more we learn to listen, learn and communicate, the better we’ll be. You are awesome at SM–no big secret–what’s next for Sydney to conquer?

Good luck in Chicago!

By: Sophia

Sophia — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:57:06 +0000

Hey Sydney gal! Missing you over here in Tampa. As far as addressing the know-it-all issue, I believe it’s a mindset. You won’t come off as a know-it-all if you don’t believe you are one. I have found there’s a fine line between confident and cocky. However, your responsibility is to focus on your task at hand and do the best job you can. Understand that you can bring knowledge and insight to the table but your experience makes you no better than anyone else. If you focus on what you need to learn and where you need to grow, rather than what you know already, you will remain humble. That’s my thought chica.