The Office Hours of a Lifetime: A deeper look into the Champions for PRSSA — GVSU PRSSA – Grand Valley State University Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America

As members of PRSSA, students are offered unique opportunities to develop aspiring PR pros careers.

Recently, national members of PRSSA were offered a list of so-called “Champions for PRSSA” that offered contact information, positions held, as well as companies they had worked for or even founded. The list included individuals with positions like CEO, Senior Content Strategist, Independent Practitioner, Professor, or Founder. The list, as I have so lovingly referred to it, had dozens of professionals’ names that were available as sources of knowledge, mentorship, advice, and networking.

I decided to put this seemingly-exhaustive list to use. Over the course of two weeks, I contacted ten of the dozens of “Champions for PRSSA”. I received responses from many of the champions outlining their experiences, pieces of advice, and unique opportunities that aided them in their successful career.

Throughout the responses, there were recurring themes that I found important to note.

Brand Yourself
Intern, Intern, Intern
Writing

Brand Yourself

Have strong social profiles, network like a boss, make your name heard (for the right reasons of course). Nearly all of the professionals I was in contact with mentioned maintaining a substantial, professional image on all social platforms; may that be on a professional network like LinkedIn or a relaxed medium like Twitter.

Amp up your dull resume with tried-and-true tricks from PRNEWS. Creating a stand-out resume and cover letter is essential to gaining that perfect job post-graduation.

Networking is the scariest part of PR for many young professionals, although it does not have to be. Even as a heavily-identifying introvert, I find ways to take advantage of the networking opportunities afforded to me by being a part of PRSSA and my university’s nationally-affiliated public relations firm. For all of the networking-fright introverts, I have your salvation, a blog specifically about this topic.

Intern, Intern, Intern

Internships are a large part of most PR programs across the country, although one internship is no longer sufficient. Some students complete upwards of three internships simply to stand out from other applicants, and I cannot blame them; this career field is competitive.

While keeping the quantity of internships in mind, it is also essential to pay attention to quality. Ensure that the internships you are spending your valuable time at are worth-while and beneficial to your future.

Writing

Many of the “Champions for PRSSA” mentioned a report from the Commission for Public Relations Education (CPRE) that outlines the improvements upon writing that must be made. Writing is an essential skill for PR practitioners, even if our education has not prepared us for it in our future career.

Gain experience with writing by drafting pieces for your university newspaper, writing blogs (personal or professional), attending writing workshops, or simply focusing on excelling in this aspect for your typical coursework.

The opportunities afforded to PRSSA members are monumental and have the ability to be career-changing for all students. By utilizing the opportunities put forth by PRSSA, I was able to make connections in the industry, gain valuable inside opinions, and take-away useful tips for self-betterment.

About Lindsay:

Lindsay Corwin is a junior during the 2020-2021 year at Grand Valley State University. She is pursuing her degree in Advertising and Public Relations with a minor in Writing. Lindsay is the CEO of GVSU’s nationally-affiliated student-run public relations firm, GrandPR. Outside of GrandPR, Lindsay enjoys serving as an executive board member for Grand Valley State University's award-winning, Public Relations Student Society of America chapter.