Advice For Students Still Relevant to Seasoned Pros
Posted on May. 4, 2022 / Subscribe 0
As our society takes more significant steps to get back to a more normal way of life, I recently had an opportunity to join 18 metro Detroit PR, communication and marketing professionals in person at the Oakland University PRSSA chapter’s Mocktail Networking Night on the university’s campus.
45 students, ranging from freshman to graduating seniors, came out to make professional connections and get insights on what to expect in their anticipated careers. I was uber-impressed with the strong student turnout and the questions they asked.
Five other PRSA Detroit board members joined me at the event among the other professionals. I asked Megan Bonelli, Cynthia Carey, APR, Maribeth Farkas, Janine Krasicky Sadaj and Dave Whitman, APR, two questions, with the first being:
Why do you feel it’s so important to participate in these kinds of networking events with students?
Megan, PRSA Detroit’s current secretary, responded: “It is important to engage with students and new professionals because they are the future of our industry. I was nervous about seeking mentorship when I was in their shoes, so I try to offer mentorship now. I always learned a lot from my mentors, and I hope they learn something for me.”
The second question I asked my professional colleagues was:
What piece of advice did you leave participants with?
Here’s what was shared:
- Ask questions and speak up.
- Have a great go-getter attitude.
- Take great notes.
- Never stop learning.
- Continue to make professional connections to ask for guidance or advice.
My takeaways
As I read through their advice to students, I was amazed at how much is still pertinent to me – someone who has been working in PR for 32 years.
- May we never stop asking questions and speaking up.
- May we continuously challenge ourselves to keep a positive attitude – even on the most challenging days.
- What a great reminder to always take great notes – because it means I’m not multitasking during meetings.
- Here’s to ongoing learning. Think about how the public relations profession would have passed us over so many times if we objected to learning new skills or ways of doing things.
- Lastly, productive networking and the art of building meaningful professional connections will always be important. I’ve never earned my next career move through a blind application. It’s been the professional relationships I’ve built and nurtured that have helped me advance my career.
If you’re interested in working with college students studying our profession, let us know. We’re collaborating with several Michigan colleges and universities that have PRSSA chapters. We’d love you to share your expertise with the next generation of communications professionals.
Michelle Gilbert is the 2022 PRSA Detroit president. She is the vice president of public relations for Comcast’s three-state Heartland Region, including Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky.
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