Alright, let’s be real. If you’re on my blog, you’ve probably never met Bill Gates. And if you have, you clearly weren’t prepared. Cause if you were still an associate of his, you wouldn’t be wasting your time on a college student’s class required blog post. Which brings me to the point of this post: be prepared.

Without trying to sound cliche, every day of your life is a chance for greatness. You never know who you’ll meet, or what opportunities you’ll be given. As a PR professional, you’re often the face of your organization. In order to do your job to the best of your ability, you need to prepare for the unexpected. And not only for the company, but your own ambitions as well.

An easy way to stay prepared is by presenting yourself well on a daily basis. When you go leave home every morning, you should be able to look at yourself in the mirror and think, “I would do business with that person.” As you socialize and develop your network, it’s important to carry an ample number of business cards. People run out all too regularly. Commonly others add people straight to their cell phone contacts these days, but there’s something to be said for a high-quality tangible card.