Ehm, PR?

It is quite interesting to see what you can find when you do just very little Google search on PR. According to Prospect.co.uk, PR pros can work  or in consultancies, which specialise in one sector.

This is quite fun to read as it doesn’t make any sense to me. PR pros can also work freelance and virtually. There is no need to have a physical workplace, when you can work from the comfort of your home. PR Agencies don’t specialise in just one sector. It is in fact quite rare to see nowadays. I’ve seen agencies devoted to more than one sector – technology & consumer for instance.

Prospect.co.uk, then continues with listing the possible PR activities:  

1. interacting with the media

2. writing and editing

3. planning, research and evaluation

4. event management.

Then they go into detail with Lobbying.

OK, so are they really trying to say that as a PR pro, I will need to know how to write, edit, plan, research, evaluate, manage events...? I must be a PR pro already! I am great in doing all of that, OMG, how comes I am not employed yet? I would be a complete and utter STAR!!! BTW, interacting with media means what exactly? Christmas Party dance and drinking?

I am afraid that Prospect.co.uk didn’t get PR at all. The description is so general, that it make it sound like an easy career choice for anyone who knows how to think and write.

PR pros can work in-house, in consultancies/agencies or on freelance basis. It is a challenging career choice that sees them working long hours.

PR activities:

Media relations – contact and follow up

Press Releases, Video News Releases (audio too) – information to contact the media with

Pitches – to get a new client, to attract media and other important opinion makers (or influencers)

Campaigns – creating, planning, running, evaluating

Event Management – organising events or PR stunts for clients to rise their profile, attract attention of the publics and media or to spread the word

Public Speaking - giving interviews or giving media training to clients' Spokesperson

Digital World - Social Media, PR 2.0, etc

(there must be way more ,but I don't know about it yet, as I am not a PR Pro yet)

What is needed: 

#Passion for PR

#Enthusiasm for your job

#Dedication to do better

#Great organisational, writing and communication skills

#Common sense (very much needed)

# ... and more

PR and Twitter

I've been a huge fan of Twitter since the minute I joined it. Now, I use it way more than Facebook. Twitter is a fantastic online tool for people or businesses in any situation, when looking for a job/employees/internship, advice, promoting products and services, networking, etc.

As a passionate PR student I've been searching information on HOW TO DO PR EFFICIENTLY all accros the Internet. The number of people who have a PR blog is large, the number of good blogs about PR is much smaller. Brian Solis is one of the best-known PR people in the Tech industry. He is really influential, therefore people are always interested in what he likes and what he hates.

I've come across 2 great videos "PR in the age of Twitter" Part 1 and Part 2. Brian Solis talks to a media guy scobleizer about Twitter and how to use it for PR. It is quite a good try, but it goes a bit on and on and on..great discussion though.

PR in the age of Twitter, Part 1

PR in the age of Twitter, Part 2

This is Who I am ...

Time after time I receive some really good viral video or presentation. They usually make me laugh and I pass them on. To my surprise I received a request from my friend to assess his personality by selecting a few adjectives that describe him. I did so and then asked my friends to do the same for me. To my surprise here are the results, this is who I really am.

Arena (known to self and others) clever, intelligent, organised, sensible, trustworthy	Blind Spot (known only to others) able, adaptable, calm, caring, cheerful, complex, energetic, friendly, giving, helpful, independent, ingenious, kind, knowledgeable, loving, powerful, proud, quiet, responsive, searching, self-assertive, spontaneous, sympathetic, warm, wise
Façade (known only to self) modest	Unknown (known to nobody) accepting, bold, brave, confident, dependable, dignified, extroverted, happy, idealistic, introverted, logical, mature, nervous, observant, patient, reflective, relaxed, religious, self-conscious, sentimental, shy, silly, tense, witty

Dominant Traits

72% of people think that katerinahejralova is friendly

All Percentages

able (18%) accepting (0%) adaptable (9%) bold (0%) brave (0%) calm (18%) caring (27%) cheerful (9%) clever (45%) complex (9%) confident (0%) dependable (0%) dignified (0%) energetic (9%) extroverted (0%) friendly (72%) giving (9%) happy (0%) helpful (18%) idealistic (0%) independent (9%) ingenious (9%) intelligent (36%) introverted (0%) kind (27%) knowledgeable (18%) logical (0%) loving (18%) mature (0%) modest (0%) nervous (0%) observant (0%) organised (27%) patient (0%) powerful (27%) proud (9%) quiet (9%) reflective (0%) relaxed (0%) religious (0%) responsive (9%) searching (9%) self-assertive (9%) self-conscious (0%) sensible (27%) sentimental (0%) shy (0%) silly (0%) spontaneous (9%) sympathetic (9%) tense (0%) trustworthy (36%) warm (9%) wise (18%) witty (0%)

Created by the Interactive Johari Window on 28.11.2009, using data from 11 respondents.
You can make your own Johari Window, or view katerinahejralova's full data.

New Week and New Me

I found myself strangled with work for University and no time to play. The last two weeks were very exhausting. But my Globalization report: “Media Ownership in the Czech Republic” has been submitted (at last), so happy days. What more, I managed to create a nice database with all media contacts in from the Czech Republic....it may be useful one day. 

It’s funny that every PR agency says "We work hard and play harder". I suppose that it is true in a way, but why can’t you work and play in the same time? Public Relations is fun, you get to be creative and build relationships... OK, so what is the downside of this? I suppose that research, building databases and outreach  is not much fun, but that’s why you have all the unpaid Interns working for you, isn’t it? So why is it that you cannot work and play in the same time? The logo should be “We know how to work hard and play in the same time”

Uni work may seem more daunting and in a way dull. The one big Uni rule is:

“We decided that you have to do it, so do it. Doesn’t matter if it has nothing to do with your degree or if it doesn’t interest you at all.”

Over the last two and half years (nearly), I had to deal with number of things like that. The first place would go to Quantitative Analysis. Oh my, how much I was fighting against the Uni rule, not wanting to obey.  But on the other hand, I could have picked some modules instead of those already chosen for me (if they weren’t core). This way I got to do modules such as the Intro to Management, Marketing and then my favourite Marketing Communications. That was hard work but so much fun! If you select your career, you do it because you having fun doing it, right?

There has been so much pressure on me recently and I wasn’t exactly coping well. I always let thing get to me, unfortunately. So when the offer to do some pampering came, I was happy to give it a try. It was the first Christmas present this year – a makeover in a hair salon and professional photoshoot. I’m not a model so I was only looking forward to the hair cut though. I went for a new hairdo. Te shortest I’ve ever had! It is quite funny to see how a change like this can improve how you feel about things, particularly if you are a woman.

 Do I look like a PR girl now?

So I am back, still searching for the perfect PR Grad Scheme or Job. (Not sure If I want to spend another x years just learning) I’ve applied only for the WPP Grad Scheme so far. I like the idea of trying three different disciplines and then making the final decision. I know that I like consumer PR and technology, but wouldn’t say no to corporate comms or B2B. I just need to try things I suppose. See how I can have some PR fun.

I've updated my PR Portfolio at http://kat4pr.wordpress.com/ and intend to add more things in the upcoming days. It is important that my future employer know what I've been up to, right?

Rising Star under Pressure.

Over the last few weeks I’ve been busy searching for a PR Grad Schemes. I must say that it is not that easy. Some of the big and most desirable companies are already in the stage of closing applications.

Eh? I personally don’t get it.

Why WPP had a deadline on 17th November 2009 when the Grad schemes start in September 2010? OK, they need to select the best candidates for the interviews that will take place in January (BTW, don’t forget about me!) It must be a tough job to be in charge of the selection process. The pressure must be huge! At least I hope that it is, there is lots of pressure on our side too. Being in top 100 (out of nearly 2000 application) is just beyond belief. But I still have my hope.

This whole process of applying for Grad Schemes whilst still at Uni has lots of cons. I am under so much pressure to succeed. I feel like I have to show everyone that I am capable of getting into a good Scheme, finishing University with Honours, have shiny personal life and be always at hand to advice or counsel others.

I am no superwoman!

I also need to get the counsel and feel that you trust me and appreciate everything I do. Since I am a person who would do anything just to be there for my friends and family, I spend a lot of time putting them first. I need to become more assertive otherwise anyone will get to me and will hurt me. Or perhaps just think a bit more about my needs.

In the light of the recent changes (or rather attempt to change things) I took one day off and went to the town centre to have a look around shops and so on. It was quite nice to do something by myself, with no one I knew around. It did get a bit lonely in the end though. The first person who actually spoke to me yesterday was this random 40-something guy at the bus stop. He asked me what country I was from. When I told him he said “Oh, I thought so, you Czechs are nice people” Hmmmm. What did he mean with that? I usually get some stupid comments or invitations to do whatever...I always ignore these things. But this guy put a smile on my face for some reason. Perhaps I needed to hear something nice.


Today is Friday and I have many things on my agenda for today and the weekend so I should better start with number 1. There is an assignment on “Ownership of the Czech Media” due next Wednesday. All I know is that some 90% of Czech media are owned by foreigner companies. I still haven’t found a link to Rupert Murdoch but I feel I am getting close.

 Photograph: Saul Loeb/Getty Images

Being an Involuntary Twitter Spammer

This week, together with many others, I’ve become a target of hackers on Twitter. Unfortunately, I didn’t see it coming! Why was that? Aren’t I experienced enough in the online world to assume that not everyone wants to network but also make my day a real pain and laugh like mad on my account? I must admit my 6th sense failed this time.



I received an innocently looking DM from @thegreenmama. She is really interesting person to follow so when she DMd me I didn’t find anything wrong and I clicked on the link that was added to her tweet. Yeah this was only the beginning. The link was phishing. And I stupidly enough entered my log-in details. Someone kick me right now please!! But nobody did...

 After few hours many people @ or DMd me that my account was compromised. The number of DMs went from 50 to 65 in just 20 minutes and even more came later. This would be fantastic if it was in any other occasion. I did change my password as soon as I found out but still felt very ashamed for having to apologise for my stupidity. Sorry folks one more time!

I’ve changed my opinion about social media after this. They are fantastic, can give us lots of freedom, let us ‘meet’ all sorts of great people but in the same time they can compromise our credibility and literally ruin our online lives within seconds. Something we all have been building for months can be gone in a blink of the eye. Poor @thegreenmama, I don’t think that she noticed the attack on her Twitter account because I’ve just received another suspicious DM from her. Please, somebody tell her! I tried but no luck...



As I said, I am going to come back down to Earth now and see if I can save the broken bits of my social media presence. I need your trust in me and my decisions. I failed once, I‘ve learned from my mistakes and I will be much more careful from now on.

Grad PR Job Hunt Cont'd

As I mentioned in my previous post my job hunt has started. In the search for the perfect 2010 PR Grad Scheme I decided to do something slightly unusual – visit the Autumn Graduate Fair sponsored by The Independent. It was quite hard to find it to start with, particularly if you go with friends and you are not in charge of the map –thnx Howie :) The venue for this event was located in between Victoria and St James' Park in the beautiful Royal Horticultural Halls.


I must say that I found it slightly disappointing. Since I am passionate about Public Relations and all that comes with it, I really don’t want to apply for IT Consulting, HR or Finance Business Placement. I may consider Management Consulting or the fancy Bloomberg Summer Internship programme but I am a PR girl...
 
I wish there was more of these Grad Job Fairs available in London before Christmas. I should perhaps consider organising one that will serve the need of us, PR & Events Management & Marketing & Advertising & Marketing Communications & Journalism & Sociology etc. graduates. I don’t want to sound like a person that moans about everything, but honestly there was nothing for me on the Show. I received this interesting email prior to the event with a list of matched companies, based on my profile and preferred sectors. One of them: ‘Cisco Systems - Associate Sales Representative’ – seriously? What a joke! I hate sales.
 
There is one good outcome of this. I finally found the time to sit down and update my C.V. and start working on my online PR Portfolio. The latter still needs some polishing since I want to include my student assignments too. At the end of the day I am a PR student and what else can represent what I am capable of better than examples of my hard work at Uni?

I noticed this poll at LinkedIn: ‘When hiring a public relations employee, what area is most important?



A Education
B Current media Contacts
C Writing ability
D Previous agency experience
E Spokesperson experience’


What would you pick? Only one answer counts. Isn’t it fantastic?

I always thought that a person comes in a package. We all have culture background that affects our life choice, ethics and many other things. I will have BA in PR but does it mean I have great writing skills? I have done very relevant PR internship but is it enough? I have worked on a large media contact database but is it what you expect? I don’t have experience as a spokesperson but can’t I learn it? I wonder what will be the result of this poll. Here is the link. So feel free to vote. Don't forget to let me know what you picked. I am curious.

Overall, this week wasn’t very successful in terms of finding one great looking PR Grad Scheme. Hope that the next week will be better. I’m staying optimistic.