PRSSA Kent Conversations

With the ending of each day this semester, marks another day closer to graduation. This can be one of the happiest moments of your life or one of the scariest — it all depends on how ready you are for the ‘real world.’ I’m still up in the air about which side of the graduation continuum I fall under — actually each day I have a different view. But tonight driving home from Goodyear, one of my favorite bands started playing and without even thinking I began to sing out loud.

“I think I’ll start a new life, I think I’ll start it over, where no one knows my name…”

Then I began thinking, ‘Wow! In less than three months I will be starting a new life, and if I really wanted to I could move to Boston.‘ I automatically start to panic about networking, jobs, interviews – anything that was beyond my control at the moment driving down I-76.

I immediately jumped on my computer and started updating my resume, searching jobs, re-posting my resume and taking out all the business cards I’ve acquired over the last few years. That’s the thing, you might be starting a new life where no one knows your name, but usually people who do know your name are the ones who help you get that foot into the door.

Attend functions - Put yourself in situations where you’re surrounded by professionals. You can do this by attending PRSSA, PRSA or IABC meetings. Go to events on campus where you know professionals might be speaking — a coffee hour, lectures, round table discussions. Go any place that you think someone worth while will be — who knows you might end up learning something while you’re there too.

Don’t be shy - When you get there talk to everyone! Speak to anyone you’re both professors and professionals — tell them about yourself, talk to them about their own lives (everyone loves to talk about themself) — the most important thing to remember is to talk to them! You’re going to get nervous and you might even run out of things to say, but just starting talking — you never know where the conversation might go.

Start a rolodex – At the 2006 PRSA Cleveland Student Day, the speakers mentioned when talking to professionals collect as many business cards as you can and keep them. This is your gateway to your new life. After you talk to them, later in the day jot something down on the back to remember which person is which. Then everytime you rummage through your cards you’ll have a table topic to start a new conversation with the professional.

Stay in touch – Don’t just keep the card for fun. E-mail a thank you for talking to you or ask a few follow up questions. Don’t add them to your list of friends and family you send forwards to, but don’t fall off the face of the Earth. Let them know you enjoyed the conversation and you want to keep in contact.

Here are some more tips to become successful when thinking about starting your new life…