Tag: Sophie Lair

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3 Benefits of Becoming a PRSSA Member

As the finance director for UO PRSSA, I am often asked, “Why should I become a dues paying member?” Well, of course, I’m going to do my best to encourage you to pay the membership due and become a part of what I see as one of the best organizations on campus. But you deserve the facts. So here are my top three reasons why you should become a dues paying member of the PRSSA National Chapter:

Enhance your education.
Events, competitions, leadership opportunities, scholarship and awards, writing practice, and current news are all provided once a member of the National PRSSA chapter. All of these opportunities provide members with the chance to network and interact with other public relations students around the country. Experience is one of the best ways to enhance your education so use these PRSSA benefits to your advantage.

Broaden your network.
The National PRSSA organization provides students with many ways to network and meet new people. They organize events, start discussions via social media platforms and provide students with access to the Champions for PRSSA directory, which gives students access to a network of dedicated professionals.

Launch your career.
Ultimately, we all hope to graduate from college with the security of a job position. The National PRSSA organization provides students with three databases to help launch their career. Once a member, students have access to the PRSA Online Job Center, an internship database and the PRSA Associate members’ list.

Interested in becoming a member of the national PRSSA organization and beginning to work towards your public relations career? Membership dues are $80 per student annually and are due by February 18. You are welcome to pay with cash or check – please make checks out to ‘University of Oregon Foundation.’

Sophie_Outside1_thumbnailSophie Lair, Finance Director, manages and prepares the chapter’s budget for the academic school year and collects annual dues from members. Sophie is currently majoring in public relations with a minor in French. Follow her on Twitter at @sophielair.

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How to Network: Beyond LinkedIn

Networking is essential to a successful career. You should already be working to build relationships with your peers and make connections with professionals. LinkedIn is one of the easiest ways to accomplish this, but it’s not the only effective way. So what are other ways to start networking as a full time student?

I just returned from PRSSA National Conference in Washington, D.C. this past weekend. I have to say that this is the “headquarters of networking.” After being placed in a group of PRSSA students and thrown into a mixer with PRSA professionals, I gained some insight on networking effectively.

Here are my top three ways to network as a student:

Demonstrate your skill-base through multiple platforms

Did you know that LinkedIn is not the only way to exhibit your skills and experiences? Not that LinkedIn isn’t effective, but there are other tactics to network. In-person communication has been proven to be the most effective way for others to remember you. By putting a face to a name, people are able to remember each unique personality. On the other hand, WordPress, Cision and Vocus are other unique online databases you should begin developing.

Force yourself to practice

Put yourself in a situation where you will have to make conversation with unfamiliar people and professionals. I know, I know – who wants to use their free time to talk to strangers, right? But it’s a well-known fact that practice makes perfect. Start going to mixers on campus or attending meetings and dinners organized by groups associated with your interests. Even if you’re not good at networking now, the practice will send you on your way to being an expert. Start building your networking skills now, so when the time comes, you’ll be prepared to wow.

Always have your projects and information on hand

If you don’t have business cards, I’d suggest you design and order some. If you don’t have a portfolio of your work, I’d suggest you put one together. These methods give you hard-copy ways to demonstrate your skill set as opposed to just tweeting your projects or publishing your work online. Prepare for the possibility of networking at any time.

Photo Credit: danielfoster437 via Compfight cc

Sophie_Outside1_thumbnailSophie Lair, Finance Director, manages and prepares the chapter’s budget for the academic school year and collects annual dues from members. Sophie is currently majoring in public relations with a minor in French. Follow her on Twitter at @sophielair.