PR Techniques Extra Credit

Who: Jessica Crum

What: Speaking on “Learning the Secret of ‘Branding Yourself'”

When: Thursday, April 20 during X-period

Where: PRSSA Meeting, WTH 206

Why: For extra credit in PR Techniques

Jessica Crum is the owner and creative director of Silverlake Design Studio in Little Rock.  She spoke at the last PRSSA meeting on how to personally brand yourself as you enter professional society as a society-contributing adult. She spoke on how she originally wanted to be an actress, and that fashion designing was her back-up, hence her applying for fashion school. During her first job at Knitted Dove, she was a part fashion designer, part graphic designer. There, she says, is where she discovered her niche by accident. Mrs. Crum told the audience that we have to find our niche as early as possible and to “get to work”. When you’re branding yourself, you have to find your niche. She said when people tell you that you are good at something, that is most likely your niche. She also told us that when we enter society, people will constantly ask you what you do and there is your chance to brand yourself. She also have us 5 easy tips on how to better brand ourselves.

1.Clean up your social media account: If you do not think potential future employers are already looking at your social media accounts, you are lying to yourself. Be sure to do a thorough sweep through every social media account you have (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc.) I have seen people, even interns, get fired for what they post on social media.

2.Get a professional e-mail: It would be embarrassing to correspond with a potential future employer through a childhood e-mail account. Make one that easily says your first and last name.

3.Start putting your work online: This allows potential future business employers to see what you can do, as well as progress. Jessica Crum made a point in saying do not put up all of your work, only put up what you like and think you did well on.

4.Write down your values/Make a list of your values: Know what you want and how you are going to get it. Writing down your values allows you to remember who you are and why you decided to go a certain career path, or path in general.

5.Intern as much as possible, even if it is unpaid: Even I cannot stress this enough. Internships can lead to potential jobs with the same company in the future, or at least open doors. You will not get hired if you have no experience dealing with your field in the real world. Apply and apply and apply.

Jessica Crum ended by saying that when you discover your passion, show it to others. Overall, the main message, the call to action, was to find your niche, to find your passion. Once you do that, you are ready to take on the world.

 

-Chandler