Bloggers – not on Target’s radar…yet

Interesting story:

Target PR Department Tells Bloggers to Go Away

Seems as though not every PR professional is as taken with social media as I thought. Apparently, a blogger’s request for Target to remove a “controversial” ad from Times Square resulted in a quick brush off and a note that said, “Target does not participate with nontraditional media outlets.”

The article describes Target’s current stance on blogging as a medium, but it also raises another question:

Does Target depreciate blogging as a communication tool or as a means of customer satisfaction?

From what I read, the blogger in question simply called to complain about the ad, not to address it from a PR standpoint. Was this customer’s concern not addressed simply because she is the author of a blog, meaning that Target does not deem new media worthy of its time? Or is Target’s PR department trying to say they are simply eschewing the concept of social media as a budgetary component of PR programming and planning until more decisive research on its effectiveness has been presented? I’m not really sure, but I can vaguely see the argument from both sides.

Is Target right or wrong? What do you think?

Warning: Don’t Forget About Face-to-Face Networking!

I’ll be the first to admit it—I’ve caught the social media bug and I’ve been networking extensively with PR practitioners via online media. But that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten the importance of meeting people in the “real” world, too. This past Tuesday I attended an Under 40 Networking Event with my friend Tory, and the night turned out to be quite eventful. Here’s a little play-by-play littered with commentary:

Tory, a fellow PR student at USF, flooded my MySpace comment wall with demands that I accompany her to a networking cocktail hour. At first, the idea intimidated me even though I couldn’t determine an exact reason why. Hesitantly, I agreed to go. I mean, what college student would turn down a $5 event with drinks, food, and local professionals?

After our Design class ended on Tuesday afternoon, Tory and I rushed back to my place to make ourselves look more presentable and professional. We chatted about our expectations for the night, and I felt pangs of anxiety start welling in my stomach. I had attended events like this before through PRSSA, but usually with a much larger group of peers, where as Tory and I would probably be the youngest professionals at this particular outing. Luckily, Tory is a very confident and well-spoken student and I prayed some of her poise would rub off on me.

Before the event, we met up with one of Tory’s friends—a successful, well-connected realtor in the Tampa Bay area. Although I’d never met him before, conversation flowed easily and though we weren’t talking about the communications industry, it was insightful to hear from someone close to my age who was making a name for himself in his field.

This is why these events are so important. While it’s great to connect with those in communications, it’s still imperative to meet those outside of your industry to learn about the business world in general and to practice your conversational skills with those in other fields.

When we arrived, we searched for parking in the most narrow and alarming parking garage (almost positive I saw sparks fly from the car behind us as it scraped up against the spiraling ramp). Then, we took an ear-popping elevator ride to the 47^th floor of one of the most intricately designed buildings I’ve seen in downtown Tampa. The interior design resembled photographs I’ve seen of the Titanic, and I joked with Tory about taking strategically posed prom pictures on the elegant staircase. Too bad neither one of us had a camera… those could have been some highly entertaining shots.

Tory’s friend was supposed to be the gateway to all things networking once we got inside, but he quickly disappeared into a crowd of USF alumni, who had turned out in full force at this event. Left to fend for ourselves, Tory and I decided to mingle with a few USF employees. As I slipped into easy conversations with perfect strangers, I realized this wasn’t so bad—in fact, it was really easy and was great practice for formal and informational interviews. I learned to pick up on conversational clues that helped me generate questions that the person would want to answer, and would do so in detail. This is common sense, but something I was never consciously aware of before this.

Our quest for gourmet food that is essentially the holy grail for all college students led us on a tour of the room, and helped us navigate our way into various conversations. Unfortunately, no matter where we were in the room, it seemed as though the food always managed to run out right before it reached us. This was, in my opinion, a form of brutal torture.

Once we realized that our mission to find food had failed, Tory and I lingered around the bar area where we met three young professionals who work for a small investment and equity firm. One of them is the Director of Marketing at the company, and was very interested in our public relations career goals. Usually, I shun anything having to do with numbers and finance, but hearing him speak about his work really intrigued me. Had I not gone to this networking event, I would have never considered financial and investor relations something that interests me.

I would go into more detail about the rest of the night, but I don’t want to brag. I will tell you that Tory and I ended up participating in a wine tasting for Bonny Doon, a premiere vineyard in California. We also ate a 7-course, 5-star meal that included ingredients I’m almost embarrassed to admit that I ate—such as ostrich tenderloin and apple and endive salad. All for FREE. Ha. This from the girl who’s been living off of PB&J for the last two weeks.

All I have to say is that networking face-to-face has its perks, and I hope more students take advantage of networking events in their area to interact with those already in their careers. Good luck and happy networking!

Building Your Personal Brand Online

If you knew how many hours I spend a week searching for jobs online, you’d probably roll your eyes and laugh. Especially when I let you in on my little secret– I haven’t applied anywhere. (Sorry, Tory, but I promise I save the countless job listings you forward me!)

I want to start applying for jobs and setting up interviews, but I’m nervous about this whole process. I have tons of questions, but more importantly, I feel lost in a vast sea of talented graduates searching for the same entry-level positions as I am.

This leaves me wondering– what can we, those graduating in May 2008, do to differentiate ourselves from our peers AND those who have been in the field for some time?

The answer that I keep hearing is to build Brand “You” using resources that are readily available. I have to give credit to Professor Bob Batchelor for this advice, and I’m thankful that I chose to follow it by launching this blog and interacting in the PR digital network.

The one thing I can say, is that I’m jealous of all the PR departments across the country that offer courses in Digital and Social Media. These topics are growing increasingly important in the communications industry, and employers are expecting the next generation of PR practitioners to be proficient with new online technology.

Because USF does not offer a class on this subject (yet), students in my sequence must be proactive in learning about these tools on their own. Those who take the opportunity to advance their own educations will be more employable post-graduation.

But how can we level ourselves with students in other programs who spend entire semesters learning how to do these things?

My best advice is to use the blogging world to learn. For example, I never would have thought to create a digital portfolio if I had not stumbled across Professor Robert French’s blog and visited some of his students’ web sites. I asked him for advice, and he quickly responded with a detailed e-mail about how to design digital portfolios. This is why I love the blogging community as a PR student– everyone is willing to help, and I know that I will be a more enlightened professional because of it.

(If you’re interested in seeing how my site turned out, here’s the link: www.megmroberts.com. It’s still rough, but you should get the general idea.)

10 Lessons I Learned in the First Week of Classes

I apologize for my absence from the blogging world last week, but I have a good excuse. Last week marked the first week of the new semester—to be more specific, my last semester of college. While the first week of classes has a reputation for being “syllabus week,” I always find it to be extremely hectic, mainly because I haven’t established a routine. Those of you who know me well know my compulsive need for order and organization. Even though most of my time in the classroom was spent perusing syllabi and memorizing exam dates, I did learn some valuable lessons.

10. Take classes outside of your comfort zone. I’ve been trapped in the Mass Communication building for four semesters now, and while I’d grown accustomed to it, I decided to venture across campus for a change of scenery and to “broaden my horizons.” This semester I’m taking three classes that deal with world perspectives including International Relations, World Conflict, and Great Literature of the World. While I’ve always been interested in history, I’ve usually steered away from contemporary world politics, which seems to be a standard ideology for a large percentage of Americans. To enhance my knowledge about a this subject that I have limited knowledge on, I stepped out of my academic comfort zone and into these classes. So far, they’ve been really informative and intriguing and I’m interested in the material. Who would have thought?

9. Visit past professors whose classes you enjoyed. Sometimes, especially at a large university like the University of South Florida, it’s easy to lock away past semesters in a vault for minimal-to-no reference in the future. I highly discourage this. If you really enjoyed a class, let the professor know. It won’t make you look like a suck-up, it shows you have an interest in your education, which will set you apart from your peers. Besides this, professors are one of the best resources you have for your future as a professional. My professors are willing to talk to me about issues in PR, help me in the job search and relocation process, and evaluate my resume. I would not have made these connections if I didn’t take the time to visit them during their office hours. Just because the class ended doesn’t mean the academic relationship has to stop, too.

8. If you don’t know the person sitting next to you, introduce yourself. After growing very close with my classmates in the PR sequence, it was difficult for me to walk into a classroom where I didn’t know anyone. Instead of secluding myself before the start of class, I made small talk with the person next to me. Now, I have a new friend who happens to be a journalism major. You never know when that connection will benefit you in the future.

7. It’s okay to talk—even in a class with over 200 students. It can be nerve racking and intimidating, but it will help you become more comfortable with public speaking—something that I consider one of my weaknesses. Plus, if you have something to say, you should share it with the class. It only improves the quality of the class discussion for everyone.

6. Join PRSSA. Just do it. As a member of the executive board for USF’s chapter of PRSSA, I can’t stress how valuable this organization has been to my public relations education. From networking with both peers and professionals to gaining experience in the field, PRSSA has paved a path for me in public relations. I’ve seen a lot of my friends stop going to meetings because they are too busy and want some free time, but I highly encourage you to make the time for at least most of the meetings. If you can’t attend your chapter’s meetings because of work or internships, contact the executive board and offer your help for any projects they might be working on that require times that work with your schedule.

5. Make time for your friends. Another thing is to remember to have fun along the way. Professionals and former professors keep telling me to “have fun.” I know it seems like I’ve taken on a lot this semester, but I have set aside time when I refuse to schedule any events/meetings/study sessions so that I can make plans with my friends and family. Even though you want to build your resume and land that dream job, you won’t get far if you don’t learn to balance your time.

4. Carry around business cards. I definitely learned this the hard way. I was asked to attend a business meeting at the last minute, and as I was rushing out of the office I realized I had left my business cards at home. I figured it wouldn’t be that big of a deal, I could always just take down contact information as I needed it. Well, while I was eating I discovered the person I was meeting with had graduated with a PR degree and worked in New York, Chicago, Boston, and Washington, D.C.—all places I am interested in moving to after graduation. When she asked for my card, I was left coming up with excuses for not having them, which made me look unprofessional. From now on, I’ll be carrying these little guys with me everywhere I go. You never know who you’re going to meet. (I hate how clichés can be so right…)

3. Take pride in small victories. If you’re like me, you get upset when a big project has a few glitches, even if the main outcome is well-received and successful. Through my work with Student Government here at USF, I’ve learned to reward myself and my team for small victories. Each step in the right direction, no matter how small, only adds to the dynamic of the team, which makes for a better work environment.

2. Buy your books online—it’s worth the wait. I’m a broke college student who suffered at the hands of her college bookstore this month. I wish I had bought my books online so that I could eat something other than peanut butter and jelly sometime in the near future…

1. Let go of your routine. Sometimes it’s okay to just “go with the flow.” As I said at the beginning of this post, I used to have an obsession with schedules and routines. While I still live by deadlines, I’ve slowly deterred myself from having a set plan. With graduation rapidly approaching, I spent my winter break trying to formulate a plan that would have me big city-bound in May with a job and an apartment lined up, but the truth is, I don’t know where I’ll be on May 5, 2008. And, for the first time in my life, I’m okay with not knowing how the future is going to play out. This semester will be a time of change and growth, and I look forward to just going with the flow.