This post previously appeared on PRSA’s New Professionals Section’s blog, The Edge. When most of us think of a mentor-mentee relationship, images of a seasoned expert offering sage wisdom and experiences to an aspiring pro probably come to mind. We tend to think that a mentor needs to have many years of experience and the mentor-mentee is an exclusive, hard-to-find relationship that helps to guide the mentee’s career. Some of these assumptions may be partly true, but it’s past time that we redefine our definition of what a mentor-mentee relationship should look like. A mentorship doesn’t typically begin by seeking someone out and asking “Will you be my mentor?” It’s usually…

This post previously appeared on PRSA’s New Professionals Section’s blog, The Edge. Many of us approach looking for new opportunities as a necessity of job searching. We find a job, start off enthusiastically, become disappointed when it’s not everything we thought it would be, continue doing the job until we can’t anymore, and then desperately search for a new job. We repeat this vicious, frustrating cycle either because we only look for a new opportunity when we’re desperate for one, we don’t take the time to think about what we need or want in a career, or we don’t feel that turning down a job is an option. This is absolutely…

This post previously appeared on PRSA’s New Professionals Section’s blog, The Edge. Everyone wants to be great at what they do and the new year is a great time to reevaluate everything we’ve been doing and how we can make ourselves the best PR pros we can be, new or otherwise. Now’s the time of year when everyone comes up with resolutions for things they’d like to change or be better at. For 2016, why not make it a resolution to focus on professional development and becoming an extraordinary PR professional. Here are 10 things all New Pros can focus on to stand out from the crowd. Be flexible. PR isn’t…

This post previously appeared on PRSA’s New Professionals Section’s blog, The Edge. “Don’t make s*!& up.” That sentence, uttered in one of the first classes of the year by my favorite journalism professor, is one of the ethical guides I follow through my career. The other is the PRSA Code of Ethics. As new professionals, navigating the working world is complicated. PR professionals, new and old, are also responsible for maintaining a certain level of ethical behavior while in the public eye. Professionals across most industries are also expected to be honest and to observe ethical practices, but not many other industries are active in the public eye more often than…

This post previously appeared on That Working Girl. When we step into the ring for a new job search, nothing is more important than bringing our A game and our best weapons, right? Social media – specifically LinkedIn and Twitter – are two of the sharpest tools we have for networking and landing the perfect gig. Unfortunately, not everyone uses the networks to their  full extent. To help, here are some great ways to get the most out of LinkedIn and Twitter for networking and job searching. Keep it current and professional. Putting your best self forward is always important when using social media in a professional capacity. With LinkedIn, it’s easy to…

This post previously appeared on That Working Girl. Public relations is a constantly evolving beast. With the new technologies and methods, how we practice PR is changing more rapidly than ever before. The first step to keeping up and mastering PR is to know which of the rules no longer apply. 1.) The only way to get press is to write and distribute press releases through a service.Press releases are great, but unless you’re Apple, using a service to distribute them isn’t going to get you press. Instead of spending thousands of dollars on PR Newswire, spend time cultivating relationships with the press you want covering your brand or client…

This post previously appeared on That Working Girl. You’ve thought it over, done your research and you’ve decided you want to freelance. Congratulations! Whether you’ve decided to make it your full-time career or you’re working in between jobs, like I am, freelancing can be exciting, liberating and frightening. Here are some tips and things to keep in mind as you venture out on your own. Share your news. Reach out to your network, your family and friends and let them know about your new venture. Those closest to you are the best ones to sing your praises to potential clients and send new work your way. Get everything in writing.  Freelancing…

This post previously appeared on PRSA’s New Professionals Section’s blog, The Edge. Pitching is one of the most difficult thing we PR pros do. Many of us do it every day, but no matter how long you’ve been doing it or how often you’re sending pitches out to media, the rejection, or even worse, the radio silence, are still an unfortunate reality. As new pros, pitching stories to established media can be a daunting task. “Pitching 101” isn’t a course offered in PR programs – it’s a crash course you take in your first internship or job that requires you to have those skills. Pitching and acquiring placements for a client…