My Note: I’m pleased to introduce a very smart and savvy star on the near horizon. Christina Grehlinger was reaching through Twitter to connect with other professionals for a school project. In her last year, she was asked to interview working career PR-types about their work. During our conversation, it dawned on me she was bright and potentially talented. She asked probing questions and established a rapport immediate. And I’m sure did well on her assignment, which is probably indicative of the work she’ll do professionally.
With that, I asked her to share her thoughts here. And this is what she wrote — excellent.
By Christina Grehlinger
Twitter: @babecmg
LinkedIn: Christina
In this day and age, the people we are looking for are on social media. Yes, they may be out of the office, they may not be available through email outside of business hours, but they are accessible through social media. One must strategically use social media to get in contact with the right PR professionals. Want to know how I met Rodger Johnson? A few weeks back, I was given an assignment in my Communication Capstone course. The goal was to interview Public Relations professionals and discover what made these talented people stand out in the field.
Naturally, I turned to social media. The first step was to get the pros’ attention. I scrolled through Twitter and started following all types of Public Relations companies and Public Relations professionals. I then tailored and catered my Tweets to these crucial people: “I want to hear your story!” “From the #experienced to the #newbie…” and of course “#PR pros.” One morning, I woke up to a message in my inbox on Twitter. Rodger Johnson had agreed to an interview. Social media had guided me to the right Public Relations professional. I mean look, I’m guest blogging for him. It doesn’t get more right than these types of opportunities.
Maybe you don’t know who you are even looking for. The amazing thing about social media is PR professionals, potential employers, and recruiters can find YOU. Your social media sites are simply free spaces to promote YOU and your goals as a Public Relations pro. Getting noticed is not difficult if your social media is focused on your career search. There are many opportunities to promote yourself: identify yourself as an aspiring PR professional in your bios, list your past experience, or comment on current PR news. The right people can find you through social media if you give them the right content to look at.
By applying these strategies to my own social media accounts in the past few weeks, I have made an unbelievable amount of connections. In the past twenty one days, one hundred more people have followed my Twitter account. Many of these followers are successful PR firm owners, bloggers, event coordinators, and gifted Public Relations professionals. I receive new direct messages every day from potential employers across the country asking if I still need a PR professional to talk to. Of course, I never turn them down! My networking through LinkedIn has increased greatly and is more focused on Public Relations. Social media has made meeting the right people easier and definitely more direct.
Whether searching for the right Public Relations professionals, or baiting them to find you, social media serves as the most helpful tool in the process. Social media can lead you to those who have PR opportunities waiting for you. What are you waiting for?
Suddenly, the start of the career search in Public Relations doesn’t seem so scary.