Marist to Hold Expert Panel on Launching a Career: Monday, May 2

Open To All Marist Communication Students!

With graduation for the Class of 2011 only a few days away, Marist communication students will have a timely opportunity on Monday, May 2, to hear advice about launching a communication career. The advice will be offered by a panel of three experienced communication professionals: Mr. Larry Hughes, Saint Francis Hospital; Mr. Stephen Cole, Marist College; and Ms. Laura Katen, Katen Consulting. The panelists will present two programs on May 2, from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. and from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. on the Marist campus in the Henry Hudson Room, Fontaine Hall (3rd Floor).

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Larry Hughes is host of Ask the 
Doctor/Ask the Nurse radio programs.

Larry Hughes is a public relations coordinator with the Saint Francis Hospital and Health Centers Corporate Communications Department. Part of his responsibilities include producing and hosting for the hospital three weekly radio programs heard on four stations in the Hudson Valley. He has been a journalist for over 40 years beginning with the ABC Radio News network in 1962. In 1972, he joined the Poughkeepsie Journal, where he won several awards for news writing.

Stephen Cole

Stephen Cole is the executive director of Marist College's Office of Career Services. Cole leads and manages all facets of Marist's career services program, including advising for entry into graduate school, post-graduate fellowships and scholarships, career development, field experience, internships and externships, career planning, job search, and corporate and employer outreach. During his 34-year career with IBM, Cole previously served as a human resources manager and held responsibilities for corporate communication strategy and implementation, business planning, community relations, public policy, crisis management, and media relations.

Laura Katen

Laura Katen is a partner with Katen Consulting LLC, a firm specializing in professionalism training. Laura and her team, located in New York City, travel around the country speaking to corporate, entrepreneur, student and job seeker groups about the importance of their “7 second” impression and the essential skills needed to appear polished, professional and make a positive impression in the business world.

The panel is hosted by the spring COM 370 Public Relations classes. Students in this course have been assigned to read a chapter about launching a career from the course text, The Public Relations Practice, by Fraser Seitel. Seitel makes several recommendations about preparing for a career.

Leading up to Monday's panel, I wanted to touch upon some of Seitel's tips for launching a career and offer my own suggestions:

1. Read and follow professional trends. Read widely, from a variety of print and online sources, to familiarize yourself with problems, opportunities, and trends in the public relations profession. Be prepared to discuss these with prospective employers during a job interview. Also use your knowledge of trends in the field to prepare and position yourself to compete for “niche” positions in the industry for which others might not be qualified.

"Employment of public relations
specialists is expected to grow
24 percent from 2008 to 2018,
much faster than the average
for all occupations." 

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

For instance, industry analysts predict growth in public relations revenues, budgets, and hiring. The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics has also predicted a 24% growth in public relations employment from 2008 to 2018. This growth is directly related to the demand for social media services and practitioners who are experienced in social media management and measurement. So, if you want a competitive edge, this means you should gain knowledge and practical experience in social media before your graduate from college.

To follow trends and the employment climate for public relations, read websites like the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. Click here for BLS occupational outlook for 2010-2011. You can also follow professional organizations like the Council of Public Relations Firms. Click here for a recent post on the Council’s “Firm Voice” blog that describes a positive rebound in the public relations industry.

Reading also extends to traditional forms of print media. For instance, I read a recent article in The New York Times written by a young man who offered tips for a successful job interview. His insights were so valuable that I “clipped” an electronic copy of the article and shared it on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook … and our Marist College Red Foxes Public Relations Student Society of America blog. Click here for a copy of the article.

2. Join professional organizations. I just mentioned Marist College’s PRSSA chapter – one of fewer than 20 such chapters in New York State. Many employers look for PRSSA membership on a resume. The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), sponsors PRSSA chapters. The PRSA is the world’s largest professional organization of public relations practitioners. As a member of PRSSA or PRSA, you receive access to banks of job listings, networks of public relations professionals, blogs that report the latest industry trends, annual conferences, etc.

Click here for information about the 
Marist Red Foxes PRSSA Chapter.

If you plan on a career in public relations (or are just thinking about it) you can join Marist’s PRSSA chapter for $60 a year. As a PRSSA member when you graduate, you receive a significant discount on annual PRSA dues for the first two years after graduation. Simply check out PRSSA’s career tools Web site for an example of the resources you will have access to. Access to some of PRSSA’s resources like its Job Center, are limited to PRSSA members. If you are interested, contact the Marist's Red Foxes Chapter of PRSSA via its website at http://clubs.marist.edu/prssa/.

3. Invest time in technology. I have already described how you can use online sources of information to keep up to speed on professional trends and opportunities. You should also join Web-based communities, where you can follow and participate in professional discussions, find listings for internships and entry-level positions, follow news feeds about the industry, and gain experience with social media. For instance, if you haven’t already done so, join the Marist College Public Relations Alumni and Student Group on LinkedIn.

You should also use Facebook and Twitter to follow professional public relations organizations and extend your professional (as well as social) network. Many respected public relations firms, agencies, and offices use social media outlets to spread their messages and hire new employees.

For example, check out Hunter Public Relations, a New York City-based firm that is staffed by several Marist College alumni. Hunter actively employs Marist interns as well. Want to follow (and “like” them)? Go to Hunter’s Facebook Page and the firm’s Twitter feed. Hunter also has a presence on LinkedIn, where you can locate and network with other Marist interns and alumni like Meghan Carroll (Marist ’11), Trisha Seminara (Marist, ’07), and Lauren Castelluzo (Marist, ’07).

As a busy student, you may not think you have time right now to join these organizations, read, and network. Think again, though. Will you have more time for all of this when you are trying to finish your last year of course work, complete an internship, AND search for a job? Actually, there is no better time than now to follow these tips … and start preparing for your professional career.

Once again, all Marist communication majors are invited to attend Monday's panel. Please join our COM 370 Public Relations classes in welcoming our guest panelists. I'm sure, regardless of your class year, you will benefit from their advice. Furthermore, if you take time to introduce yourself after the discussion period, the panelists could become important members in your professional network.

See you on Monday,
Mark