How Golf Can Strengthen PR Skills

For almost a year now, I have been slowly learning the game of golf and developing my skills. It wasn’t until this past weekend during a round of 18 holes that I realized golf and public relations have a lot in common. Maybe not on the surface, but golf has reinforced many skills that I apply to public relations and communications.

First off, golf teaches you to be prepared. You cannot show up to the driving range or golf course without clubs, balls and tees and expect to perform. The same goes for communicating for your company. If you do not have the essential information to properly communicate your client/company’s message, how do you expect to succeed?

Golf also requires you to practice and hone your  skills. Tiger Woods, believe it or not, has to practice constantly to keep his skills at the top level of performance. The same goes for communicators. Every successful PR practitioner has spent countless hours, days, and years honing their skills and elevating themselves to the positions they rightfully fulfill. It doesn’t happen overnight nor does it come easy.

Often, most beginners in golf tend to bend the truth as they keep score during a round of golf. The hole may be a par 4 with a lake bordering the narrow fairway, and somehow the erratic beginner is able to shoot par–or even birdie! How? Well, you may not have seen them take their ball out of the water only to put themselves in great position without counting the extra stroke penalty. Sound familiar? Sometimes PR practitioners bend–spin–the truth, but golf teaches a person to be honest and remain accountable for anything that happens while you are on the course. Be honest and transparent as a communicator and you’ll be surprised at how well the public views your company/client.

Finally, golf teaches you to think strategically about your position on the course and how to best approach your goal. Professional golfers do not walk up to their ball with just any club in hand and whack the hell out of it hoping for great results. Instead, they consider their surroundings, their position, and tools to determine which will be most effective at reaching their target. The same goes for PR. You cannot simply approach a task and use just any tool to get your message out. Instead, you must analyze your position, strategize the best course of action, choose the appropriate tools and take the shot once you are confident in your plan.

The next time you are drawing a blank about how to approach a campaign or target a message, take an afternoon off and play a round of golf. Not only will it relax you–as most courses have amazing landscapes that’ll leave you breathless–but it’ll give you a chance to hone your PR skills, or just dust them off a bit.

Photo Credit: chispita_666

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Lessons Learned and the End of an Era

First off, this post marks the end of my last undergraduate semester.

In four years I have successfully completed a degree in Mass Communications at USF, held two outstanding internships, been Account Executive for the USF Bateman team, served on the USF PRSSA executive board and held  a steady job. I think I have done everything in my power to prepare myself for the next step in public relations–full-time employment!

Now, to properly end the semester, I must impart some recently aquired wisdom to anyone who wishes to listen:

1. Recommend no one unless you are certain they can do a better job than you.
Yesterday I learned that recommendations should not be something to take lightly. Regardless of how well you know a person, be very careful putting your reputation on the line for someone else’s sake. I recommended a friend–a very intelligent, hard-working person–for an internship, but they did not take the time to draft a professional email nor did they show any indication that they were prepared/capable of the duties required. Needless to say, I felt embarrassed by their lack of effort and poor reflection of my personal recommendation.

2. Use words wisely when writing.
Sounds simple enough, but sometimes you may use a word that sounds great, but it implies something else. Easy example: I used the word celebrate in a writing, but didn’t think to check to see if there really was a celebration for this occurrence. Instead, there was just a public acknowledgment. Take the time to read over everything to make sure your word choice is accurate and effective.

3. Do not underestimate the  damage liquid can do to electronics.
My wonderful German Shepherd accidentally knocked over my coffee last night with her tail and spilled it all over my brand new Lenovo IdeaPad. The laptop went crazy last night, but after letting it sit overnight and allowing the liquid to dry, it is working well now. Therefore, do not drink near any high-priced electronics unless you can afford to replace it because most warranties will not cover this type of accident.

4. Do not stress over things until you know the full scope.
When challenges arise or new things present themselves, it is human nature to stress and sometimes react to uncertainties. This semester I learned to simply calm down, look at the situation and see what options are available to handle the situation. The less time you spend worrying about the what-ifs, the more time you have to coherently adapt to these changes and move on. Life is too short to stress and worry, so put a smile on and enjoy the ride.

That’s about all for now. I’ll be sure to add to the list as I acquire new wisdom to pass on.

What are some wise words that you would like to share? Any insider secrets to the world of public relations, life, etc.? I’d love to hear them and learn!

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Seize the PR Opportunity

I’ll admit that as I near graduation, the thought of another internship post-graduation wasn’t something I had in my crosshairs. But, that recently changed.

As with any new graduate, especially a PR graduate, I wanted a job after college. I wanted to take all this knowledge I have accumulated over the past four years and apply it to that glorious  entry-level opportunity. But what do you do when that opportunity isn’t there?

GET AN INTERNSHIP!

I heard many times during my PR education that paid internships, leadership development programs, etc.,  are  excellent ways to get your foot in the door and feet wet. But being the confident student I was, I wasn’t going to do that. I was gonna get a full-time job with all the trimmings. Well, here I stand four months after that thought, seeking opportunities for internships and leadership development programs. Open mouth, insert foot.

My point is, don’t rule out internships once you graduate. Sure it isn’t a full-time salaried position, but who cares? It beats working part-time at the movie theater and fervently checking online job postings. You’ll be doing what you love and networking all the while.

If you are seeking employment as a recent graduate like me, promise me you’ll keep an open mind and seize any PR opportunity that comes around. Don’t give up, it’ll perk up soon enough.

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10 Reasons Why You Should Hire Me!

Now that I’m less than 30 days from being a college graduate, I am really bolstering my job search. In an effort to assist any potential employers with their hiring decisions, I’ve decided to list the following 10 reasons why I should be considered for employment. When you’ve finished, have a peek at my resume!

1. I am an excellent writer. I have many different writing samples in my porfolio ready for your reading pleasure.

2. I thrive on deadlines. I feel I do my best work when I’m in a race against the clock. (That’s not to say I cut corners. My work is thorough and complete.)

3. I’m self-motivated. I pride myself in taking iniative and understanding what needs to be done and when to do it.

4. I already have real-world experience. I’ve held two internships, been Account Executive of a Bateman campaign and served as Director of Marketing for USF’s PRSSA Chapter.

5. I’m willing to move. I’m the son of military parents and we moved many times during my childhood. I’m accustomed to relocating and love exploring new places. I’ll go where you need me!

6. I’m willing to learn anything new. I don’t know everything about public relations. But, I’m darn sure willing to learn as much as possible so that I become more of a critical asset to your company.

7. I’m personable. Cold calls do not bother me. Neither does interacting with new people. I am capable of forming lasting relationships that can bolster your company’s efforts.

8. No task is too small for me. I know there are downtimes. I don’t mind maintaining media libraries, updating media lists or cleaning the office. If you need anything done, just ask me to do it.

9. I think strategically. I make it a habit to fully think out any situation before acting. I like to understand the bigger picture and narrow my focus, identifying problems or opportunities that have influence on the task at hand.

10. I love public relations and working in a team environment. I know that one person cannot do everything alone. It takes a integrated team effort to accomplish outstanding objectives. Working alongside people who love what they do makes the workflow more fluid and enjoyable.

There you have it–10 reasons you should hire me. Hopefully I’ve persuaded you to consider me for a public relations or communcations position within your organization. I’m open for any new challenges and would love to hear from you!

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