tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55053210011935336352024-03-16T03:08:25.802-04:00KirkHazlett-APRofessor's ThoughtsThe musings of a public relations professional (APR, Fellow PRSA) now a public relations professor on the state of the profession, higher education, and probably everything in between.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.comBlogger148125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-26676022471179854132013-02-24T14:26:00.001-05:002013-02-24T14:26:21.556-05:00Your Career and You...We've Moved to Wordpress!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aGyXrBMZ5wQ/USpo4LJ27tI/AAAAAAAAAR4/UZ8i8he5VcM/s1600/Publication1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aGyXrBMZ5wQ/USpo4LJ27tI/AAAAAAAAAR4/UZ8i8he5VcM/s200/Publication1.jpg" width="183" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Thanks so much for stopping by! This weekend (February 24), I packed my virtual bags and moved my "Thoughts" over to Wordpress.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Please visit my new site and let me know what you think...</span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.kirkhazlett.com/">www.kirkhazlett.com</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">"See" you soon!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Kirk</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-28350662331771681472013-02-17T14:03:00.000-05:002013-02-18T15:15:45.251-05:00Your Career and You: “The Positiveness of Optimism”<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K4P2XAzyua8/USKLJ_jOm8I/AAAAAAAAARk/KvA2OPIhwcM/s1600/Publication1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" height="134" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K4P2XAzyua8/USKLJ_jOm8I/AAAAAAAAARk/KvA2OPIhwcM/s200/Publication1.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I have good
weeks in my multiple roles of public relations</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">professional, public relations
professor, and public relations</span><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K4P2XAzyua8/USKLJ_jOm8I/AAAAAAAAARk/KvA2OPIhwcM/s1600/Publication1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><br /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: right;">mentor. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: right;">And I have
not-so-good weeks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i>This one…so
far…has been nothing short of amazing.</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Here in balmy
New England, we’re finally emerging from the aftermath of a blizzard that gave
me two unplanned days off… “found time” in which I managed to write and submit
a book review, schedule two speaking engagements, and get a boatload of
badly-needed sleep.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">So, after not
having my “normal” set of four classes on Monday, I meandered down on Tuesday
to <a href="http://www.curry.edu/" target="_blank">Curry College</a>, where I ride herd over the <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/majors/communication.html" target="_blank">Communication Department</a>’s <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html" target="_blank">Public Relations Concentration</a> and teach most of the PR courses, for my one evening
class…“<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crisis_communication" target="_blank">Crisis Communication Management</a>.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Didn’t really
have a lot scheduled…planned to catch up on paperwork and grab some time with a
couple of colleagues who I don’t often have a chance to see.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I opened my
office door, unloaded my stuff, sat down, and it started…a steady procession of
students, <b><i>all eager to talk about their forays into the world of public
relations.</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">One has
scored an informational interview with a very cool entertainment/music
promotion company. She loves music. Her Dad is a musician. It’s in her DNA.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Another is
weighing the benefits of a couple of internships that will allow him to make
use of his passion for social media communication.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The third
wanted to update me on her current internship and all she has learned.
I was blown away by her obvious excitement…and by what she has done.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i>I found
myself feeling like a kid in a candy store</i></b> as I talked with each. I was having
serious flashbacks to my own experiences as a <a href="http://www.tradoc.army.mil/pao/index.htm" target="_blank">Public Affairs Intern</a> for the <a href="http://www.tradoc.army.mil/About.asp" target="_blank">US Army’s Training and Doctrine Command</a> down in Virginia…the excitement of the
unknown.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">What I
realized as I talked with these future PR professionals was that a willingness
to dive into the deep end of the pool…not really knowing what’s going to happen
but open to the idea that it might be fun…is so very important.</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">How many
different materials did Thomas Edison try before hitting on the one that
produced the electric light bulb?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Where did
Christopher Columbus wind up when he set out looking for a “shortcut” to India?</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The thing
I’ve come to recognize after a “few” years in the working world is that <b><i>nothing
new happens unless you’re open to the idea of trying unknown or different
things for the sake of just </i></b></span><b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">trying</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
them.</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As I say time
and again, sometimes things blow up or don’t work. So be it. Worst case
scenario…you don’t do </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>that</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>As a kid, I
stuck a metal nail file in a wall socket to see what would happen. Found out
fast. Blew out the house’s electrical system and apparently turned a marvelous
shade of blue myself. Lesson learned!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But, as I
have come to recognize, you learn from these experiences. And, if you’re truly adventurous…or
curious…you’ll try things again, just in a different way.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><b>And you learn
more…you gain more experience and knowledge.</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But it all
comes from your belief that it </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>can</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
be done…you just have to figure out how.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i>Internships
are a way to experiment with your professional future. </i></b>At this point as a
student, you don’t really know what it is that’s going to make you jump out of
bed in the morning eager to get to work and make a difference in some way.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">So you try
new things…internships, for example…to see how they “feel.” You gain new
experience. And you learn a LOT about yourself in the process that you can now
apply to your slowly-developing “life plan.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i>And it’s all
thanks to the “positiveness of optimism.”</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>"The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds; and the pessimist fears this is true." - </i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">James Branch Cabell, "The Silver Stallion" [1926], ch. 26</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-86368834554959405312013-02-09T21:54:00.002-05:002013-02-09T21:54:30.749-05:00Your Career and You: “Life's Journey-Finding Your Way”<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I had a
somewhat frustrating conversation recently with a friend…professional
colleague…about one of my would-be PR students.</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>The good news</b>
is, the student had contacted him about an internship and had gotten an
interview.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>The bad news</b>
is, that same student gave absolutely no indication whatsoever that he really
was interested in the internship…or </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">anything</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
for that matter.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">According to
my friend, the fellow basically sat there grunting one- and two-word responses
to questions. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And, when
asked about his plans for that terrifying “life after graduation,” he appeared
to be clueless.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Didn’t seem
to have given </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">any</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> consideration to
his plans, ambitions, hopes, or dreams.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Now this
young fellow is a graduating senior. He has indicated a budding interest in
public relations. He has already completed one PR-focused internship.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i>So what
happened? Where did we miss a connection?</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Part of the
answer is the good ol’ “well, you’re young and don’t know </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">what</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> you want to do.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Part of the
answer is “somehow we (professors/advisors/counselors) haven’t ‘cracked the
code’ yet.” We haven’t figured out how to really communicate with you when it
comes to “life.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I am
known to “preach” about the future to my <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/majors/communication.html" target="_blank">Communication</a> students at <a href="http://www.curry.edu/" target="_blank">Curry College</a>,
where I head the undergraduate <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html" target="_blank">Public Relations Concentration</a> and teach most of the PR courses, as well as to my graduate <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/graduate_programs/department.cfm?id=Org_Professional_Comm" target="_blank">Organizational and Professional Communication</a> students at <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/" target="_blank">Regis College</a>. They </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>all</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> get the sermon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i>But somehow the connection isn't being made, and it’s starting to bug me big time.</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Yeah, I
figured out my own life trajectory on my own…didn’t have anyone to sit me down
and have the “what do you want to do?” discussion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Not saying my
parents weren’t supportive and encouraging. They were. But there was no “what
do you want to be when you grow up?” conversation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">So what to do
about these situations where, in spite of my best efforts to guide and advise
you, we’re not making the connection?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><b>Maybe I’m
banging my head against the wrong wall.</b> </i>Maybe I’m </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">not</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> supposed to be able to point each and every aspiring future
professional toward his or her destiny.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But I </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>want</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> to help you get started. I </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>want</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> to share my own experience
and knowledge with you in the hopes that you will find inspiration.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><b>It’s a
two-way street, though.</b> </i></span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>You</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
have to do some serious introspection and some soul-searching about “the
future.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It’s not
going to just come tumbling merrily over the fence and land at your feet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">You’re going
to have to hunt for it…do some “inner-self” digging to get an idea what you’re
really interested in…or </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">think</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> you’re
interested in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Then we can
have the serious conversations, and I can point you in the direction of some
places that </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">might</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> be a good starting
point.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i>It’s
trial-and-error. It’s life.</i></b> And, in the end, with hard work on your side and
some thoughtful advice and counsel on mine, you’ll find your place.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i>It may not
be the last stop on your journey, but it <span style="text-decoration: underline;">will</span> be a start.</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>“A journey of a thousand miles must
begin with a single step.” - </i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(</span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Lao-tzu, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The Way of Lao-tzu</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">, 64)</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-5090109729715237852013-01-24T13:58:00.001-05:002013-01-24T13:58:49.995-05:00Your Career and You: "I Know You Don’t Know…So Ask Me!"<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pKd2aFJrj34/UQF2vnJ-_6I/AAAAAAAAARU/gxepNqZj9Ys/s1600/Publication1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pKd2aFJrj34/UQF2vnJ-_6I/AAAAAAAAARU/gxepNqZj9Ys/s200/Publication1.jpg" width="177" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>One of the
fun things</b> about teaching is the opportunity to help young (and sometimes
not-so-young) current and future professionals figure out what’s next in their
lives.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Some of them
kind of have an idea what they </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">think</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
they want to do. Others honestly have no idea under the sun what the next
step(s) should be, and they look to people like me for advice.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I’m always
quick to reassure them that, at their age, I had no clue either. </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>But I also
didn’t feel like I had anyone I could turn to. They do.</b></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Not
complaining…fact of life…and the times. Colleges have learned a lot since I
accidentally graduated with my English degree nearly 50 years ago. If nothing
else, we’re no longer using quill pens to meticulously craft our papers!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>I recall
being terrified of most of my professors and in total awe of the others.</b> They
were wicked smart, and I figured I was the least important aspect of their
respective jobs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Oh
yeah…haven’t mentioned this in a long time…I’m a card-carrying charter member
of the “Introverts of the World Club.” Taking that ginormous step forward to
actually </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>ask</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> someone who I
only knew from an hour in the classroom for advice was a </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>huge</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> step for me…still is, to be honest.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I try to
impress on my students, both my undergrad <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/majors/communication.html" target="_blank">Communication</a> students at <a href="http://www.curry.edu/" target="_blank">Curry College</a>, where I teach full-time, and my graduate students at <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/" target="_blank">Regis College</a>,
where I teach part-time in the <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/graduate_programs/department.cfm?id=Org_Professional_Comm" target="_blank">Organizational and Professional Communication</a>
area, that I’m here for them…always…any time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><b>All they have
to do is what I did NOT do…reach out and ask for advice or help.</b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">What
I figured out…after it was basically too late…was that my professors </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>did</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> have a clue, and they </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>could</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> have helped me sort things
out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Maybe. Maybe
not.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">You see…(tune
out for this part if you’ve heard it before)…after having started off as a
Civil Engineering major, I transitioned to English…mainly because I couldn’t
draw a straight line with a straight edge…a </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">prodrome</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
as I discussed with my Crisis Communication Management class at Curry the other
night…a sign that things may not be quite right.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I had a
budding interest in 18th-century British Lit, so I focused on that for my
degree.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Okey-dokey.
Now what?!?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Reader’s
Digest version…later got degrees in Business Management figuring I would “do”
some sort of business. Took a <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html" target="_blank">Public Relations</a> course as an elective, and the
rest is ongoing “history.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I’ll talk
another time about how I’ve used aspects of all those areas of study in my
actual life as a public relations professional. For now, just know that they
weren’t a “waste of time” as some folks are wont to say. They were/are
“value-added.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i>So what’s the
moral of this story?</i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Very simply…don’t write off your professors as
“heads-in-the-clouds” know-nothings.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></u></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b>Talk</b></span></u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b> to them.</b> Find out more about them as <i>individuals with lives</i> and not just as “that person who
I had for XXXX.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Who knows?
You might stumble on someone who is doing or has done exactly what gets </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">you</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> excited and would like to try.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">know</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> you don’t know…so </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">ask</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> me!</span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></b>
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">"But where's the man who counsel can bestow,</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Still pleas'd to teach, and yet not proud to know?"</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Alexander Pope, <i>"An Essay on Criticism,"</i> pt. I, 71 [1711]</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-48620162373742055382013-01-17T14:56:00.000-05:002013-01-17T14:56:15.591-05:00Your Career and You: Thinking About and Trying New Things Is Fun<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kg4R95YQJpk/UPgwBSDzFAI/AAAAAAAAARA/AYkiHd36G7I/s1600/fun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kg4R95YQJpk/UPgwBSDzFAI/AAAAAAAAARA/AYkiHd36G7I/s200/fun.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I’m writing this on the subway as I head down to <a href="http://www.curry.edu/" target="_blank">Curry College</a> for another day of doing what I
classify as “fun.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">My “job” is
overseeing the undergraduate <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html" target="_blank">Public Relations</a> concentration in our
<a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/majors/communication.html" target="_blank">Communication</a> major, teaching most of the PR courses, and advising/counseling students. But it's more than that.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>To me, it's
having fun while helping others figure out their goals and life’s purpose.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Some folks
who haven’t wandered through my world don’t understand what I mean by “fun,”
especially when they learn that I’m a public relations professional turned
college professor teaching the next generations of what I envision as our
future professionals. What baffles them, apparently, is that I'm always smiling as I bounce along the sidewalks all over campus.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Why do I act this way? Because <u style="font-style: italic;">I absolutely love what I'm doing</u>. Period.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As I say time
and again, both to these skeptics and to my students, <b><i>“If you’re not having fun
doing what you do for a living, do something else.”</i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I realize
this isn’t the “accepted” way of approaching adult life. But it has been my </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">modus operandi</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> for more than a quarter
of a century, and I have no intention of changing…at least not changing the </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">fun</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> part! Maybe </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">where</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> I’m having fun, but not what I’m </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">doing</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> to have fun.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Trying new
things…in new places sometimes…should be part and parcel of your career
development. </b>Stepping out of your comfort zone and testing your abilities gives
you the self confidence that you </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">can</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
succeed in just about anything you try.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I’ve moved
from federal government to technology to member services to healthcare in my
professional PR career, from the US to the Philippines and back, and to Hawaii
from Massachusetts and back to Massachusetts…all in the name of “trying something new.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I’m not
saying that everything will work perfectly every time. Sometimes things just
don’t go as planned. I know. Been there; done that…a couple of times.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>But I also
learned something about myself each time that added to my repertoire of career
skills and abilities.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The
excitement (disguised as panic??) of starting a new job...or starting a new job
in a new location…or starting all over in a new location with the goal of
finding a new job…is exhilarating. <b>But it requires a firm belief in your own
ability to succeed.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I’ve had
conversations with two different friends in the past couple of days, one of whom
has hit a point in her professional career where she feels like it’s time for a
change…she just isn’t sure what that change will be. But the gleam of
excitement in her eyes as we talked about the future said it all..."new things ahead!"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The other
friend is on a mega-roll of good luck in her job. She has taken a lackluster PR
program and moved it into nationally-recognized prominence. And we spent an
hour on the phone brainstorming ideas for the next phase. The excitement in her
voice painted a clear picture of a young professional eager to make her mark on
the world…and she will.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In both these cases, my friends used the words…without my prodding…“having fun.” They are at
that point in their lives/careers where it’s not just about the “job.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It’s about
doing something new that will make a difference in their lives and the lives of
others...a</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">nd having
fun doing it.</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>"We must dare to think 'unthinkable' thoughts. We must learn to explore all the options and possibilities that confront us in a complex and rapidly changing world. We must learn to welcome and not to fear the voices of dissent. We must dare to think about 'unthinkable things' because when things become unthinkable, thinking stops and action becomes mindless."</i> - James William Fulbright, "Speech in the Senate" [March 27, 1964]</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-8924728513853005702013-01-06T17:18:00.000-05:002013-01-06T17:38:35.664-05:00Your Career and You: “I Broke a Teacup…or Perceptions and PR"<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RP7GvgIK8zk/UOn1AU4SjfI/AAAAAAAAAQE/dU6NCDWfrIs/s1600/Picture1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RP7GvgIK8zk/UOn1AU4SjfI/AAAAAAAAAQE/dU6NCDWfrIs/s1600/Picture1.png" /></span></a><span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>As the saying
goes, “Perception is reality.”</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">What you </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">believe</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
you have experienced is, to you, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">fact</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
or </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">truth</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: right;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: right;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Well…I
dropped a teacup today while setting the table for lunch.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In the realm
of teacups (in this case, a Chinese teacup…basic, inexpensive), this one was
way down on the list. It has been with us for a bazillion years, travelled to
the Philippines with us and all over the U.S. as we moved around in my career.
But (at least in </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">my</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> fuzzy brain) it
was </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">just a teacup</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Not according
to the other side of the household, who immediately set out on an hour-long
dissertation on the </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">meaning</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> behind
the dropping of the teacup.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As she </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">perceived</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b> the incident</b>…this was yet one more sign of encroaching “old
age.” Motor skills are going to hell in a handbasket.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Doesn’t
matter that I’ve been dropping stuff since the beginning of time…a 50-pound
roll of paper on my right foot (broke a toe in </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">that</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> exercise) and a computer hard drive (old-style, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">heavy</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> hard drive) on my </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">left</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> foot (ditto on the result)…just for
starters.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Nope…it’s “old
age.”</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>And that started me thinking about perceptions</b>…how others process events or actions that
we, ourselves, also experience, but in a different way.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">This, as I
tell my undergraduate <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/majors/communication.html" target="_blank">Communication</a> students at <a href="http://www.curry.edu/" target="_blank">Curry College</a>, where I head the
<a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html" target="_blank">Public Relations Concentration</a> and teach most of the PR courses, is what makes the public relations profession so interesting, challenging…and frustrating.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Things
happen.</b> Products break. Blood donors get hematomas. An employee has a really
bad day and snaps at a customer.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">If you’ve
been around for a few (or more) years, you know that these events are
inevitable. As a salesman once astutely told my wife as she was zeroing in on
some minuscule defects in a relatively inexpensive lamp, “Nothing’s perfect,
little girl.”</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Your </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">challenge</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> as the public relations leader
is to ensure that mechanisms are in place to respond quickly and efficiently…and
to ensure that everyone involved, both internally and externally, understands what
has been done.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Customers don’t
leave you because your product was faulty</b>…we all know products break on occasion.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><u>They leave
because their perception is…if you’ve done nothing to address the situation…that
you don’t care.</u></i> Your company doesn’t care, so why should </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">they</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> care? They can just go somewhere else.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Your </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">job</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> as the public relations leader is to
help everyone in your organization understand that it doesn’t </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">matter</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> that products will break once in
a while.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">What </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">matters</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b> is that the customer doesn’t see
it that way.</b> He perceives it as a sign of encroaching product inferiority…“old
age.”</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">You have to
take action to change that perception and to help the customer understand the
reality…that you and you company are proud of your products or services and
that you stand proudly behind each and every one.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">That’s </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>your</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> reality.</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i> </i>(Oh...and to close the story...she finally agreed that I'm basically clumsy!)</span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“O wad some Pow’r the giftie gie us</span></i></span><br />
<i><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">To see oursels as others see us!</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">It wad frae monie a blunder free us,</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">An’ foolish notion…”</span></i><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Robert Burns, “</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">To A Louse, On Seeing One on a
Lady's Bonnet at Church</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">” [1786]</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-75433332044971338312012-12-28T10:10:00.000-05:002012-12-28T10:10:35.070-05:00Your Career and You: “On the Eve of the New Year…Reflections and a Fresh Outlook”<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">I was camped out
in a local mall recently while my wife was at her <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acupuncture" target="_blank">acupuncturist’s</a> getting
treatment for a variety of aches and pains.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Although I
had survived the holiday season with minor damage, I was in a spectacularly
foul frame of mind...all prepared to grouse my way through the waiting period.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Then I
stopped off in one of the department stores where (unknown to me) they were
having a “door-buster sale” with amazing markdowns on stuff. Wound up getting
an awesome deal on a shirt. Whee!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><b><span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But it’s what
happened while I was in the process of </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">paying</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
for the shirt that changed my mood.</span></span></b></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">The
fellow ahead of me was chatting with the salesclerk…a genuine gentleman
himself…and mentioned that he had just returned from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistan" target="_blank">Afghanistan</a>…he’s a <a href="http://www.state.gov/" target="_blank">State Department</a> veteran and has been embedded with the troops there for a while. Now
he’s home and looking forward optimistically to the safe return of our other personnel.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">The three of
us talked for a few minutes as he was wrapping up his purchase; then he left
and I, too, made my purchase.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><b>Turns out the
salesclerk had studied Communication in college</b> (Radio major) and then had worked in
the business for a number of years. His daughter is now also studying
Communication…love it that some “traditions” run in families!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">I, of course,
got in my usual plugs for the <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/majors/communication.html" target="_blank">Communication</a> major at <a href="http://www.curry.edu/" target="_blank">Curry College</a> where I
oversee the undergraduate <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html" target="_blank">Public Relations Concentration</a> and teach most of the
PR courses. And, since my unknown friend (I totally forgot to ask his
name…uncharacteristically absent-minded of me) was a former radio guy, I also
plugged Curry’s student-run radio station…<a href="http://www.curry.edu/about-curry/news-and-events/curry-radio.html" target="_blank">WMLN-FM</a>.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="color: #20124d;">Hey! I’m a PR
guy…what’d you expect?!?</span></b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Cutting to
the inevitable “chase” here…my outlook on life in general changed dramatically,
and I walked out…and started this post…in a splendid frame of mind.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><i>What
happened, you ask?</i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><b>A simple
interaction with other people</b> whose life experiences I found fascinating and
who reminded me that we all go through a series of changes/bumps in the
road/challenges.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Some of us
emerge from our challenges re-invigorated and ready to take on even </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>more</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> challenges. Others, sadly, don’t wind up this way…and
there’s not a whole lot I, personally, can do for them other than listen,
sympathize if possible, and empathize if appropriate.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But the
bigger picture here is my realizing that, as Rick said so well to Ilsa
in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casablanca_(film)" target="_blank">Casablanca</a>: </span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <i><a href="http://www.sparknotes.com/film/casablanca/quotes.html" target="_blank"><b>“I</b></a></i></span></span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><a href="http://www.sparknotes.com/film/casablanca/quotes.html" target="_blank"><b>t doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.”</b></a></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The “secret,” if there </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">be</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> a secret, is find...</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">> <b>satisfaction</b> in
what you’ve accomplished,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">> <b>encouragement</b> in what you can do,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">> <b>comfort</b> in knowing
you’ve done your best, and</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">> <b>confidence</b> that you are ready and able to take on
what lies ahead.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="color: #20124d;">The New Year is on our
doorstep, my friends. Let’s make it a great one!</span></b></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>The sun'll come out</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i>Tomorrow</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i>Bet your bottom dollar</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i>That tomorrow</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i>There'll be sun!</i></span><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;">Just thinkin' about</span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i>Tomorrow</i></span><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;">C</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;">lears away the cobwebs,</span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i>And the sorrow</i></span><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-center;">'</span></span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-center;">Til there's none!</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;">When I'm stuck a day</span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i>That's gray,</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i>And lonely,</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i>I just stick out my chin</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i>And Grin,</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i>And Say,</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i>Oh!</i></span><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;">The sun'll come out</span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i>Tomorrow</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i>So ya gotta hang on</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i>'Til tomorrow</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i>Come what may</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i>Tomorrow! Tomorrow!</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i>I love ya Tomorrow!</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i>You're always</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i>A day</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i>Away!</i></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“Tomorrow”
</span></i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">from the Broadway hit, “Annie”</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-50607318127127702222012-12-16T20:48:00.000-05:002012-12-18T07:38:34.044-05:00Your Career and You: "I'm Positive You're Negative"<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It’s
the end of the semester. It’s the end of the year. Tensions are running high.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Work is piling up. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Deadlines to
meet. Expectations to satisfy. Which can mean only one thing.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></u></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #20124d;">Attitude assessment
time!!</span></span></u></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">I simply
canNOT allow myself to wallow miserably in a deep, dank dungeon of despair.
I’m not wired that way.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">So I get really uncomfortable when I encounter someone
whose whole take on life is doom-and-gloom.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Even when I
was a kid </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">and was making one of many trips to the doctor’s office to
get sewed up after yet </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>another</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
collision with a tree, the ground, or whatever the impact medium might have
been, my thoughts weren’t on the </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">pain du
jour</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> but, rather, on the “cool, the stitches will be out in a week or so
and I’ll be back in action!”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><b><i>A positive
attitude gets you through the dark nights.</i></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">A negative
outlook, on the other hand, just piles more darkness onto the heap.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">This approach
to life is something that I try to convey to my <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/majors/communication.html" target="_blank">Communication</a> students and
advisees at <a href="http://www.curry.edu/" target="_blank">Curry College</a>, where I head the undergraduate <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html" target="_blank">Public Relations Concentration</a> and teach most of the PR courses, as well as at <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/" target="_blank">Regis College</a>, where
I teach in the graduate <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/graduate_programs/department.cfm?id=Org_Professional_Comm" target="_blank">Organizational and Professional Communication</a> area.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><i><b>Not all of
them listen to what I say, and I don’t expect them to.</b></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">I can’t possibly know
what they’re dealing with either personally or professionally. What I <i><u>can</u> </i>do is
listen, sympathize if necessary, and empathize when appropriate.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">But it’s the
holiday season, and “stuff” always comes crowding in on our comfortable
routines.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><b>It takes some
doing,</b> but you have to do your best to find the good things that wander into
your daily routine...</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; text-indent: -0.25in;">v<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Maybe
it’s the cute baby passing you in a stroller as you’re
people-watching in the mall.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; text-indent: -0.25in;">v<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Or
maybe it’s the glint of sunshine peeking through your dining room window at
breakfast.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; text-indent: -0.25in;">v<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Or
maybe it’s just a song you hear that brings back wonderful memories from
long ago.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><b><i>It can be
anything that triggers a good feeling.</i></b> Just sit back and allow yourself to
enjoy it!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">And…Happy New
Year!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>"Some of you say, 'Joy is greater than sorrow,' and others say, 'Nay, sorrow is the greater.' But I say unto you, they are inseparable. Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed."</i><i> -</i> Kahlil Gibran, "The Prophet: On Joy and Sorrow"</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-28640557545988689432012-12-08T17:58:00.001-05:002012-12-08T17:58:59.696-05:00Your Career and You: “Three Wise Moves”<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Okay…I’m
reluctantly allowing myself to get into the holiday spirit and, since
“</span><i style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">bah…humbug</i><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">” isn’t part of my vocabulary, I guess I’ll go with <b><i>three tips on
how to jump-start (or refresh) your job or internship search</i></b>.</span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">One of my</span><span style="color: blue;"> <a href="http://kirkhazlett-aprofessorsthoughts.blogspot.com/2012/11/your-career-and-you-tis-seasonfor-action.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">recent posts</span></a></span><span style="color: #20124d;"> talked about resumes and networking, and that chat still
applies…and will continue to apply throughout your professional career.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Wingdings; text-indent: -0.25in;">Ø<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><i style="color: #20124d; text-indent: -0.25in;"><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b>Never stop networking</b></span></u></i><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">. Just like houseplants and goldfish,
your networking contacts have to be nurtured and nourished…keep them <i>alive</i> by keeping them fresh.</span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Wingdings; text-indent: -0.25in;">Ø<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><i style="color: #20124d; text-indent: -0.25in;"><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b>Update your resume…regularly</b></span></u></i><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">. When you do something that you feel
reinforces your case for being hired, add it to your resume…if necessary, <i><u>remove</u></i> something that’s older and
possibly less relevant today.</span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">And here’s
more for your “to-do” list.</span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span><span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"></b></span></span></div>
<div style="display: inline !important;">
<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><b style="color: #20124d; text-indent: -0.25in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></i></b><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><u><a href="http://kirkhazlett-aprofessorsthoughts.blogspot.com/2012/04/your-career-and-you-learning-to-learn.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Read</span></a><span style="color: #20124d;">!</span></u><span style="color: #20124d;"> </span></span></i></b></b><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">I know
some…not </span><i style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">all</i><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">…</span><i style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">some</i><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> of you are muttering eggnogedly, “I read enough for my
classes </span><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">including </span><i style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><u>yours</u></i><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">, Kirk.
Why should I read </span><i style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><u>more</u></i><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">??”</span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #20124d;">I constantly
remind my students both at </span><a href="http://www.curry.edu/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Curry College</span></a><span style="color: #20124d;">, where I head the undergraduate </span><a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Public </span></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html"><span style="color: blue;">Relations Concentration</span></a><span style="color: #20124d;"> and teach most of the PR courses, and at </span><a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Regis College</span></a><span style="color: #20124d;">,
where I </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #20124d;">teach in the graduate </span><a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/graduate_programs/department.cfm?id=Org_Professional_Comm" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Organizational and Professional Communication</span></a><span style="color: #20124d;">
area, that I’m </span></span><i style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">always </i><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">reading…both
for pleasure and for work/pleasure.</span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">I read and
write reviews of new PR and marketing books for Emerald Publications’ </span><a href="http://www.emeraldinsight.com/products/journals/journals.htm?id=jcm" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Journal of </i><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Consumer Marketing</i></span></a><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> and </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><a href="http://www.emeraldinsight.com/products/journals/journals.htm?id=jpbm" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Journal of Product and Brand Management</span></a></i><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">.
This hobby/ habit </span><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">keeps me up-to-date on current trends in the public relations
field as well as connects me with </span><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">thought leaders in PR, social media, and
marketing.</span><br />
<u style="color: #20124d; text-indent: -0.25in;"><u style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></u></u>
<u style="color: #20124d; text-indent: -0.25in;"><u style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">You should
do the same</span></u><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">. You want
to be regarded as an up-and-coming ”superstar,” don’t you? </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Expanding your
knowledge through reading is a way to accomplish that.</span></u><br />
<b style="color: #20124d; text-indent: -0.25in;"></b><br />
<div style="display: inline !important;">
<div style="display: inline !important;">
<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #20124d;">2.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #20124d;"> </span><span style="color: blue;">
</span></span></span></i></b><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><u><a href="http://kirkhazlett-aprofessorsthoughts.blogspot.com/2011/02/your-career-and-you-have-reason-to.html" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">Write</a><span style="color: #20124d;">!</span></u><span style="color: #20124d;"> </span></span></i></b></b></div>
</div>
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Send
handwritten (</span><i style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">legibly written</i><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">) notes
to folks that you’ve met recently at the networking </span><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">events you’ve attended (you
</span><i style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><u>have</u></i><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> been networking, haven’t
you?!?).</span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">As I’ve said
time and again, the holiday season is especially suited for note-writing. You
find a </span><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">nice holiday card, write your note, address the envelope, stick on a
stamp, mail it...Done.</span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">And start
becoming more visible on social media and other opportunities for commenting.
If </span><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">you read and are interested in others’ thoughts online and elsewhere, take
some time to </span><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">comment…to express your own thoughts. </span><i style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Communication is just that…communicating!</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="display: inline !important;">
<div style="display: inline !important;">
<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><b style="color: #20124d; text-indent: -0.25in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></i></b><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><u><a href="http://kirkhazlett-aprofessorsthoughts.blogspot.com/2011/03/your-career-and-you-you-cant-know.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Research</span></a><span style="color: #20124d;">!</span></u><span style="color: #20124d;"> </span></span></i></b></b></div>
</div>
<b style="color: #20124d; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</b><span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">I’m going out
on a long, thin limb here, but I’m going to suggest that, in your reading (see
# 1), </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">you probably came across some companies that caught your attention
because of the work </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">they do or the people who work there…both legitimate
reasons to look at a company for </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">possible employment.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Use your
computer for something besides posting snarky comments and suggestive photos on </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Facebook or tweeting profanities about your favorite sports team’s massive
mistakes.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Do
some research on the companies or the people that caught your interest. What’s
their </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">background? What do they do that you think is exciting or that you know
something about?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Not
only does this knowledge give you some talking points in an interview (</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">informational <i>or </i>job). </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">It’s a </span><u style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">lot</u><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">
more fun working with someone whose products or services are something you’re </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">interested in! I once did public relations for a cemetery…for a very short
period of time. Nice </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">people; obviously a needed and important service. It just
didn’t work for me.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><b>So </b></span><b><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><u>do your </u></i><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><u>research</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">.</span></b><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">So
there you have it…reading, writing, and research. It truly can be as simple as
“one…two... </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">three wise moves.”</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Happy
Holidays! Mele Kalikimaka! Maligayang Pasko! </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5505321001193533635" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-family: 'MS Gothic';">聖誕快樂</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">!</span></i></b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-68698730221637106052012-12-02T16:10:00.000-05:002012-12-02T20:32:12.319-05:00Your Career and You: "Professional Development: 'Periodic Maintenance for Smooth Performance'”<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Moment of
truth here. I’m sitting in my local tire dealership waiting for my chariot to
get a new set of “shoes.” There’s a mind-numbing soap playing on the television
in the lounge area, and the magazines on display would suck the intelligence
from a rock.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>So ample time
for “thinking.”</b> This exercise, for me, entails lots of soul-searching and
angst…mostly angst.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">For any of you
who have read <a href="http://kirkhazlett-aprofessorsthoughts.blogspot.com/2012/10/your-career-and-you-yearning-for.html" target="_blank">anything I’ve written</a>, you know that I’m all about <a href="http://www.deirdrebreakenridge.com/2012/10/public-relations-education-a-matter-of-degrees/">education</a>,
continuing education, and never-stop-learning education. I <a href="http://www.waxingunlyrical.com/2012/09/12/curiosity-one-of-the-three-cs-of-public-relations/" target="_blank">blog regularly</a> about experiences both in my previous professional life as a public relations
professional and in my current life as a public relations professor.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">One thing
that I hear time and again from my undergraduate <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html" target="_blank">PR</a> students at <a href="http://www.curry.edu/" target="_blank">Curry College</a>
is “I’ll be </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">so</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> glad when I graduate
and won’t have to study all the time. I’m ready for ‘real’ life.” (I don’t hear
this so much from my <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/graduate_programs/department.cfm?id=Org_Professional_Comm" target="_blank">grad students</a> at <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/" target="_blank">Regis College</a> because most of these folks
are working professionals who have figured out that ”getting ahead” entails </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>much</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> more than just doing what’s
in the job description</span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5505321001193533635" name="_GoBack" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">My unchanging
</span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">mantra</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> is just this: <b><i>“You have to
conduct regular professional development checkups to make sure that your
knowledge base is current and your skills are ‘cutting-edge.’”</i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">What </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>this</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> means is that you have to </span><u style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">read</u><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
literature relating to the communication profession, including current discussion
of public relations, marketing, social media…the list goes on and on. The
message is…</span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>read</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It also means
staying current by participating, either live or virtually, in professional
development programs on topics that you are either unfamiliar with or feel that
you could use a “tune-up” in.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">This should
be “no-brainer” advice, but we all can benefit from reminders once in a
while.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I’m a pretty
pragmatic guy…see an issue…examine it…deal with it. The “fluff and stuff” come
as a part of the overall program planning. (And I’m pretty sure someone among
you will yell at me for this wording. </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Sigh…</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>So start
local with your research</b>. What does your local <a href="http://www.prsa.org/Network/Chapters/Find/" target="_blank">PRSA chapter</a> have on tap for
professional development? What about other communication organizations in the
area?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Then, or
simultaneously, look at what <a href="http://www.prsa.org/" target="_blank">PRSA</a> has to offer…both on-site and on-line. PRSA
has a boatload of <a href="http://www.prsa.org/Learning/Calendar/list/all" target="_blank">reasonably-priced as well as no-cost programming on a variety of topics</a>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Finally, look
at your local colleges or universities. Do they offer programs or courses that
you might be able to take advantage of? Check ‘em out. You might be surprised!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The bottom
line is that professional development…</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>your</u></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
professional development…is critical to your continuing ability to provide the
public relations services that your employer or your client wants and expects.</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">One of the <i>"Provisions of Conduct"</i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> addressed in PRSA’s Code of
Ethics is “<a href="http://www.prsa.org/AboutPRSA/Ethics/CodeEnglish/index.html" target="_blank">enhancing the profession</a>.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">This, to me,
means that <b><i>we…public relations professionals…have a responsibility to demonstrate
our commitment to continuing education and learning in order to provide clients, employers...or students...with the most current advice and counsel possible…periodic maintenance for
smooth performance.</i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">To
paraphrase my hero, <a href="http://www.southparkstudios.com/" target="_blank">South Park</a>’s Eric Cartman, “What we </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">should</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> have learned here…”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">See you in
class!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Properly speaking, for the public relations
man, as for every other person whose life is more than unthinking routine, the
process of education should never cease.”</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> (<a href="http://www.prmuseum.com/bernays/bernays_1915.html" target="_blank">Edward L. Bernays</a>, “A Definitive Study of Your Future
in Public Relations,” Chapter VI: <i>Education
and Public Relations</i>)</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-18483551292338192172012-11-24T17:04:00.000-05:002012-11-24T17:04:19.341-05:00Your Career and You: “’Tis the Season…for Action”<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><b>I’ve noticed
a “trend” these past few years that I’ve been teaching</b>…that of some…not all,
mind you…some…of my students putting their brains on cruise-control in mid-November
and not re-emerging into reality until mid-January.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Need a spring
internship? </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“I’ll look during the
holiday break and hopefully find ‘something.’”</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Need a
recommendation for an internship or job? </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“I’m
sorry to bother you this (Sunday) evening, but could you write a letter of
recommendation for me…oh, and they need it tomorrow morning.”</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Sadly, these
are all real-life examples</b> not only that </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>I</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
have run into at <a href="http://www.curry.edu/" target="_blank">Curry College</a>, where I teach most of the <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/majors/communication.html" target="_blank">Communication Department</a>’s <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html" target="_blank">Public Relations Concentration</a> courses, but that my colleagues at </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">other</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> schools have experienced as well.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">I realize
that college is considered by many to be a “transitional period” between high
school (youth) and working life (adulthood) and, therefore, deserving of good
times.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Fortunately, though,
there are enough others (hence the </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">some</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
up above) who recognize the seriousness of this time in life and dive
headlong into the “maturing” process…and have fun along the way as well!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="color: #20124d;">These are the
ones who I champion and shepherd carefully along the way.</span></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">My belief is
that these young men and women will go out, heads held proudly high, and get those
entry-level positions that will put them solidly on the road to success.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">The others?
Well….</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">This time of
season (mid-November until mid-January) is a great time to take stock of your
assets - resume…work/internship experience…network of contacts - and start
fine-tuning each.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #20124d;">Things
change. Priorities shift. Does your resume reflect those changes?</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Even at this
point in my sketchy career, I re-visit my resume regularly to see if what it
says about my previous life as a public relations professional and my current
life as a public relations professor still “sounds” like me.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">The same
holds true for work and/or internship experience…<b>does your resume show you at
your best?</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">I always
remember the young fellow who asked a human resources colleague and me if his
summer job as a waiter in a restaurant back home should be listed on his
resume.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">We
simultaneously asked him, “How long have you been doing this job?”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">His response:
“Five years.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Us: “Yes!
You’re demonstrating longevity. You’ve been developing customer service skills, relationship skills…all the things that go into the making of a public
relations professional!”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><b>Networking</b>…I’m
gearing up for the <a href="http://www.prsaboston.org/" target="_blank">PRSA Boston</a>/<a href="http://www.pubclub.org/" target="_blank">Publicity Club of New England</a> “Holiday Party” in
a couple of weeks. I always look forward to this event…no agenda…just an
evening of camaraderie…and networking, and I’ll walk away with at least a
half-dozen new contacts that I can turn to for possible internship
opportunities…or jobs…for my students.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Start
today…reach out to someone…a professional who you’ve met either as a speaker in
one of your classes or at a professional meeting (or on the golf course, as did
one of my students a few years back when he was working as a caddy)…and send
him or her an email expressing your appreciation for the advice he or she
shared.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">It’s a small
gesture that can pay big dividends by starting a relationship. <b>There’s no
guarantee that anything will come of your effort, but you never know until you
try!</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The main
thing is to take positive steps so that you will be prepared for the
inevitable event…graduation and…</span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">gasp!</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">...”real”
life! <b>Take action…today!</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>"I will not steep my speech in lies; the test of any man lies in action."</i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Pindar, "Olympian Odes," IV, l. 27</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-64149947607537588752012-11-12T15:54:00.000-05:002012-11-24T17:06:53.722-05:00Your Career and You: "Social Media...Why Not?"<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I presented a
session recently at <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/" target="_blank">Regis College</a>, where I teach part-time in the graduate
“<a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/graduate_programs/department.cfm?id=Org_Professional_Comm" target="_blank">Organizational and Professional Communication</a>” area, on <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/KirkHazlett" target="_blank">social media’s role in career progression</a>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We had a good
turnout comprising, interestingly enough, mostly grad students and faculty from
Regis’ <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/about_regis/school_of_nursing.cfm" target="_blank">nursing program</a>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Social media
is an area I’ve gotten even </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">more</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
interested in after having noticed that my grad students at Regis, as well as
my undergrad <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/majors/communication.html" target="_blank">Communication</a> students at <a href="http://www.curry.edu/" target="_blank">Curry College</a>, my full-time gig where I
oversee the <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html" target="_blank">Public Relations Concentration</a> and teach most of the PR courses,
are not as “fluent” in social media as I had expected.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">This
realization really hit home when I launched a “Social Media Communication”
course at Curry and discovered, when I polled the class, that less than 10
percent were active on any social media platform other than Facebook.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b>Now I’m not advocating devoting your
life to hanging out on Twitter, Facebook, and the other “usual suspects” all
the time.</b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But I </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>am</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> suggesting that you
acknowledge the realities of the 21st-century and accept that online
communication…</span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>in addition to</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">…not
in place of…face-to-face dialogue…is here…and expected.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The gist of
my Regis presentation was that human resources folks as well as hiring managers
are turning more and more to social media as a means of identifying potential
candidates for jobs they’re trying to fill…and to get a sense of who the person
is that they’ve pinpointed (personality, interests, etc.).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">How this relates
to </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>you</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">, my loyal reader, is
that, if you don’t have a presence on at least </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">some</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> of the major social media platforms, you may be missing out on
opportunities to move up in your profession…to expand your career beginning or
advancement possibilities.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">My questions to you…</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Does your
<b>Facebook </b>page give an indication of your interests (outside of keg parties and
other generally inane activities)? How about photos of interesting places
you’ve visited? Or links to other websites with interesting information?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Are you on
<b>Twitter</b>? If I looked at your recent Tweets, what would I see? Thoughtful
comments or retweets of others’ equally thoughtful comments? Or profanity-laced
diatribes directed at the </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">football game
du jour</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">??</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>LinkedIn</b>?
This platform has taken firm hold as the </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">de
facto</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> job and job candidate resource. Do you have a LinkedIn page and, if
so, does it give a clear picture of your experience, your knowledge, and your
professional capabilities?</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">These three represent
just the tip of the iceberg, with many others also available.</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The question
for you is…if you’re </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>on</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> these
social media platforms…are you maximizing their potential in helping you either
</span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">find</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> a job or </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">move up</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> in your profession?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And, i</span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5505321001193533635" name="_GoBack" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">f you’re </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>not</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
using social media as a means of “getting the word out”…</span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><u>why not?</u></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><u><br /></u></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>"The codfish lays ten thousand eggs,</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>The homely hen lays one.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>The codfish never cackles</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>To tell you what she's done.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>And so we scorn the codfish,</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>While the humble hen we prize,</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>Which only goes to show you</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>That it pays to advertise."</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Anonymous ~ "It Pays to Advertise"</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-75968062941736630742012-11-06T09:14:00.000-05:002012-11-06T09:14:43.583-05:00Your Career and You: "PR 'Foreign Policy'"<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I had a cup
of coffee with a new friend the other day who wanted to try out some ideas on
how, after completing her Master’s degree, she might further that education
with “real-life” experience in the U.S. before returning to her home and family
in <a href="http://www.ebeijing.gov.cn/" target="_blank">Beijing</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">We spent
about an hour…first “session,” more to come…discussing her practical experience
in China, which aspects of that experience she really enjoyed, and how she
could build on the knowledge she has gained both from her previous worklife and
from her graduate studies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">As might be expected,
I was firing off ideas right and left, and she was taking everything in and
processing it in terms of her own goals and objectives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">We parted
with the agreement that I would introduce her to colleagues at upcoming
<a href="http://www.prsaboston.org/" target="_blank">PRSA Boston</a>, <a href="http://www.pubclub.org/" target="_blank">Publicity Club of New England</a>, <a href="http://socialmediaclub.org/chapter/boston" target="_blank">Social Media Club of Boston</a> and other events.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">You’re
probably sitting there thinking to yourself, <i>“Okay, Kirk. This is ‘interesting’ but what’s the point?”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Good
question. And one that we all, as professionals or soon-to-be professionals,
should be prepared to ask <i><u>and</u></i>
answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">What’s the point?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Our world is shrinking at warp speed.</span></u></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> At the recent <a href="http://www.prsa.org/" target="_blank">Public Relations Society of America</a> International Conference, I met and spoke with dozens of PR
professionals from across the globe. They represented a host of practice areas
as well as the gamut of public relations experience levels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The one
unifying theme in all the conversations was a desire on the part of each to
practice public relations in a way that would make them…and their respective
employers…proud…that would represent the public relations profession for what
it is…an honorable, ethical field of endeavor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b><i>No surprise
here, but 21st century public relations has become a global
concept. </i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">What is
tweeted in Boise is retweeted from Beijing to Bangladesh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Casual”
statements in a CEO’s blog in Memphis are seen and responded to by readers in
Moscow and Mozambique.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The challenge
for us as professional communicators, then, becomes one of thinking “outside
the box,” or, better yet, “outside the borders.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I had a great
chat with our <a href="http://www.curry.edu/directory-bios/potash-david.html" target="_blank">Academic Dean</a> at <a href="http://www.curry.edu/" target="_blank">Curry College</a> a few days ago during which he
asked me a series of questions about my definition of the ideal learning
environment for today’s (and tomorrow’s) students.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">My response,
in a nutshell, was that I wanted/expected students to be well-grounded in the
<a href="http://www.curry.edu/about-curry/our-legacy/mission.html" target="_blank">liberal arts</a>…to be familiar with history, literature, the sciences…and <b><i>to be
aware of events in the greater community outside their campus</i></b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I always try
to be crystal clear that the students <i>I’m</i>
talking about are my <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html" target="_blank">Public Relations Concentration</a> troops. Ideally this would
encompass other disciplines as well, but I’m being the conservative here and am
sticking with what I can (sort of) control.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Happily, the
Dean shares my vision, so I see, as Rick said to Louis in “Casablanca,” the
“beginning of a beautiful friendship.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">But that’s
the reality, again. Our “world” no longer consists of friends and neighbors
within driving distance of our hometown. And the impacts of our actions no
longer affect merely those who are the immediate recipients of our message.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b><i>Ours is a
world without borders</i></b> which means that we must be aware of cultural and other
differences and be prepared to communicate successfully with our various
audiences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">It’s not a
“new” world that we live and work in, but it <i><u>is</u></i> a different and rapidly-evolving world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It’s a world in which, as communicators, our
“foreign policy” will prepare us for events and opportunities that impact us
and our clients.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-80129120675880849522012-10-29T17:25:00.000-04:002012-10-29T23:10:27.950-04:00Your Career and You: "What We've Got Here Is A Failure To Communicate"<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I’m dealing
with an internship situation right now that, hopefully, I can get straightened
out soon before everyone gets discouraged and gives up.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The bottom
line/root cause is, as goes that great line spoken by “the Captain” in “Cool
Hand Luke”: “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_we've_got_here_is_(a)_failure_to_communicate" target="_blank">What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate</a>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The irony of
this particular situation is that it’s a <i>public
relations</i> internship…and public relations (to <i><u>me</u></i>, at least) is about <a href="http://www.prsa.org/aboutprsa/publicrelationsdefined/" target="_blank">accurate, understood, and agreed-upon communication</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">There are problems on all sides of this particular kerfluffle…expectations of the
internship supervisor, expectations of the site supervisor, and expectations of
the student intern.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Right now,
the conversations are running on parallel tracks, all heading in the same
general direction, but each just <i>slightly</i>
away from the others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b>And,
unfortunately, that is how most misunderstandings are created…from <i>general</i> agreement but <i>slightly divergent</i> expectations of that
agreement.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><i>Will the
world as we know it come to a screeching halt as a result of this?</i> Doubtful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><i>Will some
feelings be hurt?</i> Probably.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><i>Will
important lessons be learned?</i> Definitely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Lesson 1:</b> <i><u>Be
crystal clear on expectations</u></i> of all parties involved. (Assumptions were made
on all sides here.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Lesson 2:</b> <i style="text-decoration: underline;">Act
quickly</i> to clear up misunderstandings or miscommunications. (There was a delay,
again on all sides, in acting on perceived problems.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Lesson 3:</b>
<i><u>Change procedures</u></i> to ensure that, in future, the problem won’t bubble up again.
(Done, with fingers crossed.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In looking
back at this situation, it’s pretty easy to see where the train jumped off the
tracks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Everybody was
<i><u>right</u></i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
And everybody was <i><u>wrong</u></i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">It’s not the
end of civilized life as we know it. But it <i><u>is</u></i>
a good learning experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In the course of our careers, we (professionals, professors, clients, students, employers, employees…) sit in a room and
talk at each other...a lot. And we <i>assume</i> that the other parties understand and agree with us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Most of the
time, things go as expected.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Sometimes, “we’ve
got a failure to communicate.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Much learning does not teach
understanding.”</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">–
Heraclitus, “From <i>Diogenes Laertius</i>,
Lives of Eminent Philosophers.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-72664853777889634382012-10-18T18:37:00.000-04:002012-10-18T18:37:18.366-04:00Your Career and You: "Yearning for Learning"<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I just spent a remarkable
three days in San Francisco at the </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="goog_854666498"></span>Public Relations Society of America<span id="goog_854666499"></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">’s annual
</span><a href="http://www.prsa.org/Conferences/InternationalConference/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">International Conference</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As usual, I came back
home with a headful of information gleaned from the breakout sessions I attended
as well as the countless encounters I had with other PR professionals attending
the conference.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My undergrad
<a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/majors/communication.html" target="_blank">Communication</a> students at <a href="http://www.curry.edu/" target="_blank">Curry College</a> have a little difficulty wrapping their
sleepy heads around this thing that I do so regularly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“You’re a <i>teacher</i>, Kirk. Why do you spend your
money and your time traveling to these things and then ‘all’ you do is sit in
rooms and listen to other teachers?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Logical enough question
with a (in <i>my</i> mind) logical enough
answer.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I can’t <i><u>not</u></i> be
learning.</b> Nor, apparently, can thousands of other like-minded souls.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wasn’t always
consciously like this. Back in prehistoric times…right after graduating from
the <a href="http://www.uga.edu/" target="_blank">University of Georgia</a> (planned) and joining the Air Force (unplanned)…I
thought I had checked off the “learning box” on my life’s resume.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But I started traveling
to other parts of the world (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam" target="_blank">Vietnam</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan" target="_blank">Taiwan</a>, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines" target="_blank">Philippines</a>, <a href="http://www.virginia.org/" target="_blank">Virginia</a>) and
realized that I was pretty ignorant when it came to “worldly affairs.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This epiphany actually
occurred when I got married and brought my foreign-born wife, who had…and <i>still</i> has…a thirst for knowledge and
curiosity about life in general, back to <i>my</i>
country.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I gradually realized
that, as I was introducing <i>her</i> to
America and American ways, I, too, was learning new stuff…and I <i>liked</i> it!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so it began and
continues…my seemingly never-ending quest for knowledge. I collected a couple
more degrees in the process and ultimately earned my “APR” (<a href="http://www.prsa.org/Learning/Accreditation" target="_blank">Accredited inPublic Relations</a>) designation from PRSA.</span><br />
<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></b>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What
I realized in the process, though, was that I wasn’t alone.</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The more I went to PRSA
and other organizations’ programs, the more I saw and interacted with others
just like me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In some cases…PRSA, for
example…I see hundreds of familiar faces year after year, as well as hundreds
more <i>new</i> faces…new “students” in the
learning game.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They’re seasoned
professionals as well as soon-to-be new practitioners. They’re from all parts
of the US and from all over the world.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But they…<i><u>we</u></i>…all share a common trait…a <b><i>yearning
for learning</i></b> that keeps us motivated and energized…and coming back for
more.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That’s the great think
about our profession. We are expected by clients or employers to either have
the answers or know where to find them.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Complacent mental inertia doesn’t play a
part in this…<u>curiosity</u> (something I also write about frequently) and <u>a
thirst for knowledge</u> do.</b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In <i>my</i> world, there’s <i>always</i>
something new to be discovered just around the corner or a bright shiny new
object to figure out how to use.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I indulge my curiosity
and thirst, I find that I am better able to address the challenges of the
modern-day world of communication…especially public relations. And I do so with
confidence born of learning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>"Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other."</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">- John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Remarks prepared for delivery at the Trade Mart in Dallas [November 22, 1963]</span></i></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-15732859726476823892012-10-06T16:47:00.000-04:002012-10-08T23:11:34.540-04:00Your Career and You: “Optimism and Opportunity”<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I’m gearing
up for the <a href="http://www.prsa.org/Conferences/InternationalConference/" target="_blank">PRSA International Conference</a> held this year in <a href="http://www.sanfrancisco.travel/" target="_blank">San Francisco</a>. Although
I’ve been fortunate enough to have been able to go to almost every conference
since I joined in 1981, I’m still looking forward to attending.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>You’d think
this would be “old” by now</b>…that I would be looking at this annual pilgrimage as
a burden…“I have to do this as a public relations professional.” But that’s not
the case.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Instead, I
find myself getting increasingly excited about the possibilities that lie
ahead.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">Ø<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b>New
things to learn</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">Ø<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b>New
people to meet</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">Ø<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b>New
cities to explore</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">This is
something I try to hammer home to my undergraduate students at <a href="http://www.curry.edu/" target="_blank">Curry College</a>,
especially those in my <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html" target="_blank">Public Relations Concentration</a> who will (I hope) follow
my footsteps and will make the PR profession their career “home.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">They soon will
be venturing out into the professional world and need to understand the value
of taking advantage of opportunities to learn, to meet, and to expand their
horizons.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>The optimism
aspect is, or should be, obvious</b>…a firm belief that learning new things and
meeting new people is beneficial…that good things will come from these actions.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The
opportunity part comes from the interactions that take place throughout the
conference…in the breakout sessions when public relations professionals share
their experiences and lessons learned as well as in the many relationships that
are sparked among the conference attendees.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>It’s a
proactive endeavor, though</b>. You can’t stand in a corner and wait for </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">them</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> to come to </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">you</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">…something that took me a couple of years to learn.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">At first I
just went to the conference and chatted (hesitantly) with folks at the dinner
table or sitting beside me in sessions.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Then I
figured out that, if I wanted to </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">really</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
get my money’s worth from attending, I would have to reach out and engage in
conversation with people.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Now this is a
“duh” moment for a lot of you, but, as many of you know…I rarely miss a chance
to remind you!...I’m an introvert…not good in crowds of strangers. So imagine
if you can me walking into a ballroom jammed to the rafters with unfamiliar
faces! Not a pretty sight.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>But I kept at
it.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Why? Because
along the way, others reached out to </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">me</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
and made me feel welcome which, in turn, encouraged </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">me</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> to reach out to others.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I’m not
saying all’s wine and roses now, but I’ve gotten reasonably comfortable
cruising the crowd to pick out familiar faces and, at the same time, walking up
to total strangers, sticking out my hand, and introducing myself.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The outcome?</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">Ø<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b>I’ve
made aw<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5505321001193533635" name="_GoBack"></a>esome new friends</b> from across the country, as well
as from other countries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">Ø<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b>I’ve
met fascinating PR professionals</b> from all walks of life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">Ø<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b>I’ve
established contacts</b> in the areas of the PR profession that I’m interested in
who I can turn to for advice and counsel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In short,
I’ve more than gotten my money’s worth by attending both PRSA events and those
put on by other organizations.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And I know
that the same will hold true this year in San Francisco.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I’m
optimistic that I will come away with a boatload of new acquaintances whose
knowledge and expertise will broaden my own capabilities.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><b>And I am
determined to take advantage of every single opportunity that arises to do so.</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>"Art is long, life short; judgment difficult, opportunity transient."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, "Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship" [1786-1830], bk. VII, ch. 9</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-32746413041795797022012-09-30T15:29:00.000-04:002012-10-01T20:15:02.792-04:00Your Career and You: "Don't Be Invisible"<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I’ve noticed
recently, especially since I launched a “Social Media Communication” course at
</span><a href="http://www.curry.edu/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Curry College</a><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">, where I oversee the </span><a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Public Relations Concentration</a><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> and teach
most of the undergrad PR courses, the incredibly low profile that a majority of
my students have.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b>It’s not that
they’re not <i>aware</i> of the need to “see
and be seen.”</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">It’s just
that they don’t seem to have grasped the true meaning of “social media
presence” in today’s ultra-wired world…the need to “see and be seen” on at
least the most popular platforms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">If they were
studying science (I’m gonna hear from the <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/majors/biology.html" target="_blank">Biology Department</a> on <i><u>this</u></i>!), this might not be so much
of an issue. But they’re <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/majors/communication.html" target="_blank">Communication</a> majors, and the very name implies a
knowledge…and utilization…of current avenues for both getting the message out
and being “seen” by others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">It’s not
confined to my troops at Curry, however. I’ve been invited to present a seminar
on social media’s role in career advancement and job search at <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/" target="_blank">Regis College</a>,
where I teach part-time in the graduate <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/graduate_programs/department.cfm?id=Org_Professional_Comm" target="_blank">Organizational and Professional Communication</a> area. The objective is to present a clear explanation of why
social media, in this case LinkedIn specifically but also other platforms, is a
“must be there” reality today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I “get” that
not everyone <i>is</i> or is <i>going</i> to be social media savvy. But I’m
not talking about “everyone.” <b>I’m talking about college seniors and grad
students</b> who are feverishly combing online job sites and (or at least, <i>I <u>hope</u></i>) career services job listings
at their college or university.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Note the
emphasis on “I hope.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5505321001193533635" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Colleges' career services offices, from what I saw in my peregrinations about the state a
few years back as a part-time professor at several colleges in the Boston area,
are a woefully underutilized resource. </span></span><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Granted not all are what I would classify as “with it,” but <b>the majority have databases that can at least pry open the employment gates</b> so that you can catch a glimpse of the wonders that await you.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">At Curry, I'm happy to say, we offer a <a href="http://www.curry.edu/resources-and-services/academic-resources/career-services.html" target="_blank">robust selection of services and resources</a> for both current students as well as alums...<i><u>and people find jobs or internships regularly by taking advantage of the advice, assistance, and guidance offered</u>.</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>But that’s
just one piece of the puzzle.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The other is
establishing yourself “out there”…creating an online “you” that I, as a
potential employer, can access and learn more about you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">An obvious
start would be LinkedIn…populated by employees, employers, would-be employees,
employment specialists (recruiters), and others. To use my explanation (that
those smarter than I absolutely <i>hate</i>),
it’s the professional’s Facebook. Yes…before you start spamming me with your
protestations…I <i>know</i> it’s much more
than that. But let’s K.I.S.S…Keep It Simple, Savant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">And there are
other “value-added” options such as Twitter (where you can post frequent and
regular comments about events in the news, your own observations on
life/business/college, etc.), Pinterest (where you can create boards to post
articles, cartoons, and such that show your interest areas)…your blog (created
with a clear vision of who you are or want to be and populated with regular
posts showing the depth and breadth of your thoughts).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b>I’m not
suggesting you <i><u>have</u></i> to be
using all these, or even <i><u>most</u></i>
of these.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">What I <i><u>am</u></i> suggesting
is that you have a presence on at least <i><u>one</u></i>
so that, if I meet you at a professional event (<a href="http://www.prsa.org/" target="_blank">PRSA</a>, <a href="http://socialmediaclub.org/" target="_blank">Social Media Club</a>,
<a href="http://www.iabc.com/" target="_blank">IABC</a>, or elsewhere) and you give me your card, I can do a quick Google
search or visit the website that you indicate on your card to find out a little
bit more about you…and…perhaps…pass on your name to someone who I know is
looking to fill a vacant position.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b>But this isn’t
going to happen unless I can find you online…so <i><u>don’t be invisible</u></i>!!</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>"As I was going up the stair</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>I met a man who wasn't there.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>He wasn't there again today.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>I wish, I wish he'd stay away"</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Hughes Mearns, "The Psychoed"</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-52383475191208181802012-09-22T17:39:00.000-04:002012-09-24T06:13:35.893-04:00Your Career and You: “Smiles Go Miles”<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>One thing
I’ve become aware of</b> as I wander aimlessly around campus and around town is the growing number of otherwise intelligent humanoids patrolling the pathways with their
faces stuck in some sort of mobile device.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Eye-to-eye
contact apparently is neither practiced nor, it would seem, encouraged.</b></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #4c1130;">It suddenly
(today starting out dark and dreary) occurred to me that I’ve overlooked an
important aspect of career advice when discussing careers, internships, job
searches, and everything in between with my undergraduate <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/majors/communication.html" target="_blank">Communication</a>
students at <a href="http://www.curry.edu/" target="_blank">Curry College</a>, where I head the <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html" target="_blank">Public Relations Concentration</a>, as
well as with my graduate <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/graduate_programs/department.cfm?id=Org_Professional_Comm" target="_blank">Organizational and Professional Communication</a> students
at <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/" target="_blank">Regis College</a>.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I hammer home
the absolute necessity of having good writing skills, being able to conduct
basic research, and having some degree of creativity in program development and
planning.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But I haven’t
been talking as much as I should about the fact that, at least in the public relations
profession, human contact is kind of part of the whole package.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>At some point
in your life, you will be required to interact with others…employers,
co-workers, potential clients…media.</b></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And “texting”
isn’t going to cut it. </span><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">You are going
to be required to actually </span><i style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">look</i><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
someone in the eyes and</span><i style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> talk</i><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> to him
or her. </span><i style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">(Cue anguished wail)</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">A good way to
become comfortable with this (alien) concept is to start practicing as you roam
about campus between classes, on your way to lunch, heading back to your
residence hall…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Instead of
feverishly checking your phone to make sure you didn’t miss that all-important
IM from your friend who you just saw three minutes ago in class, </span><i style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>look</u></i><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> at fellow students…and
professors…who might be walking in your direction.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Make eye
contact.</b></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Say “good
morning/afternoon” as you pass.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">You might be
surprised to see that they won’t suddenly burst into flames or turn to stone.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In </span><i style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>fact</u></i><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">, they just might talk </span><i style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>back</u></i><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> to you!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Now I know
I’m suggesting something very foreign to your current level of experience, but
trust me…really cool things happen from these adventures.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b><br /></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b>You meet interesting people</b></span></i><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>.</b> I often tell my students about
starting a conversation with a fellow in an elevator at a <a href="http://www.prsa.org/" target="_blank">PRSA</a> <a href="http://www.prsa.org/conferences/internationalconference/?utm_source=adserver&utm_medium=250x250ad&utm_campaign=international_conference" target="_blank">International Conference</a> several years ago. I commented on the interesting attire that he was
wearing. He turned out to be the Director of Tourism for <a href="http://www.magicalkenya.com/" target="_blank">Kenya</a>, and he was on
his way to a function where he would be recognized for the amazing PR programs
he had created to promote tourism in his country. Very cool!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b><br /></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b>You make new networking contacts.</b></span></i><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> I try to attend two or three
events...public relations, community, social...a month, and, each time, I walk away with a
minimum of four or five business cards of interesting people I’ve met. Some of
them make it into my database depending on circumstances; some don’t. But the
database steadily grows…and I have contacts not only for personal activities
but also as potential resources for my students’ internships and jobs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b><br /></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b>You find jobs.</b></span></i><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> I often (<i>some</i> would say “<i>too often”</i>)
talk about my move from Massachusetts to <a href="http://www.gohawaii.com/" target="_blank">Hawaii</a> in search of a new start on
life. I hit the ground running, with more than two dozen informational
interviews scheduled <i>before</i> leaving
Massachusetts and dozens more within a couple of weeks of hitting Hawaii. I
scored <i><u>three</u></i> serious job
interviews within a month of arriving…all from contacts made at <a href="http://prsahawaii.org/" target="_blank">PRSA Hawaii</a>,
<a href="http://amahawaii.org/Default.asp" target="_blank">AMA Hawaii</a>, <a href="http://www.iabchawaii.com/" target="_blank">IABC Hawaii</a> and other meetings that I either finagled my way into
or was invited to attend. <i><u>And I wound up with
what probably the whole world now knows was the BEST public relations job I’ve
EVER had</u></i><u>!</u></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">All this and
more has happened for one simple reason.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="color: #4c1130;"><i><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></u></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="color: #4c1130;"><i><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I looked at, smiled
at, and spoke to someone.</span></u></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #4c1130;">“Better by far you should forget and
smile</span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Than that you should remember and be
sad.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #4c1130;">Christina
Georgina Rossetti, “Remember” [1862], l. 1</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-13490324183782938362012-09-17T20:14:00.000-04:002012-09-17T20:14:34.972-04:00Your Career and You: “Coffee Helps, Too!”<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I’m often
asked…usually by my bleary-eyed undergrad <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/majors/communication.html" target="_blank">Communication</a> students at <a href="http://www.curry.edu/" target="_blank">Curry College</a>, where I head the <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html" target="_blank">Public Relations Concentration</a>, but also by my grad students at <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/" target="_blank">Regis College</a>, where I teach in the
<a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/graduate_programs/department.cfm?id=Org_Professional_Comm" target="_blank">Organizational and Professional Communication</a> area…how I manage to seemingly </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">always</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> be chipper and energized.</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">My response
is invariably some rendition of “oceans of coffee.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">And, while I <i><u>do</u></i> slurp down about three mugs in
the morning with my breakfast, that’s usually it for caffeinated stuff until…if
the day allows…I settle back for “teatime”…a tradition born of marvelous days
at the <a href="http://www.peninsula.com/Hong_Kong/en/default.aspx" target="_blank">Peninsula Hong Kong</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b>“Coffee,” for
me, is rapidly becoming a euphemism for “I <i><u>love</u></i>
my work!”</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">And little
has changed in my transition from public relations <i><u>professional</u></i> to public relations <i><u>professor</u></i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">With only,
perhaps, one instance in my professional career where I was genuinely miserable,
the bulk of my working life…even when I was a civil engineering intern as a
high school senior and college freshman back in the 60s…has been a wonderful
mélange of challenges and learning opportunities that helped shape who I am.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><i><b>Why? Because
I was and am allowed and encouraged to try new things, to step outside my
comfort zone and do stuff that I thought
I didn’t know how to do.</b></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">Ø<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I
taught “English as a Second Language” in Vietnam armed with a major in
English/18th-century British Lit (and an M-16 semiautomatic rifle by my side).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">Ø<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I
catalogued (typed information cards for) roughly 1,000 films for a job with absolutely <i><u>no</u></i> clue as to what they were about...OR how to
type…taught myself…which explains (if you could see me doing this) why I type
the way I do!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">Ø<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I’ve
now been teaching undergraduate and graduate college courses for going on 10 years with no “formal”
training in how to actually <i><u>do</u></i>
this…just relying on my love for my profession and pleasure that I get from passing on my knowledge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The point of
this rambling is to emphasize, as I do time and again, that I <i><u>was</u></i> doing and am <i><u>still</u></i> doing something that I
genuinely love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The
challenges were…and are…invigorating. I have to get and hold attention, focus
on detail, and present information that will be of use to students at some
point in the (hopefully) near future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><i><b>What this means is that I have to be on top
of my game</b></i>…to be current and proficient in the technologies and techniques that
comprise 21st-century public relations practice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Which means
that I can’t just load my camel at the end of a day of classes and head for the
oasis of my wonderfully comfortable chair for a snooze.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I have to be
combing the news, reading the professional publications, scanning the Internet
in search of new and exciting things that have bubbled up to impact the public
relations profession or public relations practice in some way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><b>What this
means for <i><u>you</u></i> as a future
public relations practitioner (or whatever your chosen field of endeavor will
be) is that <i><u>learning never stops</u></i>.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Yeah, you
won’t have to take exams (at least not those administered by evil professors on
a beautifully crisp fall Monday morning) to test your absorption of knowledge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Instead, you
will be tested “real-time” by work requirements and work-related incidents that
will try your professional knowledge and skills.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">And <i>your</i> success or failure will affect your <i>employer’s</i> success or failure.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The lesson
here, grasshopper, is to find your “coffee”…that shot of energy disguised as a
profession that invigorates you…that gets you bouncing out of bed in the
morning eager to get on with the day.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Find what you love doing and want to become what I refer to as "the world's walking expert" in doing. Make it yours. <u style="font-style: italic;">Own</u> your successes and <u style="font-style: italic;">learn</u> from your mistakes.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">And…a
well-brewed mug of fresh-ground espresso doesn’t hurt!!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><i>"Cato said the best way to keep good acts in memory was to refresh them with new."</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">- Francis Bacon, "Apothegms" [1624], no. 247</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-44637743218466523572012-09-09T12:44:00.000-04:002012-09-09T17:23:02.139-04:00Your Career and You: "Life's Little Surprises...Talk to People!"<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was in Chestnut Hill (MA) Bloomingdale's the other day looking at things I couldn't afford, didn't need, and, of course, desperately wanted, when a sales assistant caught my eye.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you <i>don't</i> know, I'm a transplanted <a href="http://slay.me/category/funny-jokes/southerners-jokes" target="_blank">Southerner</a> and am absolutely genetically incapable of not speaking to folks I see in stores, on the street, and just about everywhere else (except the subway, where weirder people than I seem to congregate).</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, I said "hello" to Geneva, the sales assistant, and we struck up a conversation.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Turns out she is from <a href="http://www.cityofamericus.net/" target="_blank">Americus, Georgia</a>, a hop-skip-and-a-jump from my own hometown of <a href="http://www.cityofdublin.org/" target="_blank">Dublin</a>. Instant connection there!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />What a coincidence!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also found out her son was born in 1978...the year Margaret and I moved from <a href="http://www.hampton.gov/" target="_blank">Hampton, Virginia</a> to a state where, watching the <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/weather/gallery/013108_78blizzard/" target="_blank">weather reports earlier that year</a>, we declared "only crazy people live."<i> (Note: Except for a three-year sojourn in wonderfully laid-back <a href="http://www.honolulu.gov/government/" target="_blank">Honolulu, Hawaii</a>, we've been here ever since.)</i></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also turns out Geneva used to work for Boston Edison (now part of NStar) and knows my friend Walter Salvi, who now heads the community relations activities for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NSTAR" target="_blank">NStar</a>.</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What all this means both for you and for my <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/majors/communication.html" target="_blank">Communication</a> students at <a href="http://www.curry.edu/" target="_blank">Curry College</a>, where I head the <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html" target="_blank">Public Relations Concentration</a> and teach most of the PR courses, as well as for my graduate students at <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/" target="_blank">Regis College</a>, where I teach in the <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/graduate_programs/department.cfm?id=Org_Professional_Comm" target="_blank">Organizational and Professional Communication</a> area, is that <i style="font-weight: bold;">the world is really, really small</i>.</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You never know <i>where</i> you might run into someone who has some sort of connection with an organization you're interested in working for. The "trick" is to connect with <i>that</i> person.</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">It's called "networking,"</i> and I preach the sermon almost daily in every class.</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Go to professional meetings for associations in the area you're interested. Here's </span><i style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my</i><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> list of regulars: <a href="http://www.prsaboston.org/" target="_blank">Boston Chapter, Public Relations Society of America</a>; <a href="http://www.pubclub.org/" target="_blank">Publicity Club of New England</a>; <a href="http://socialmediaboston.org/" target="_blank">Social Media Club of Boston</a>.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take advantage of special programs offered by organizations in your desired career field. I'm on the mailing list for several PR firms and other organizations, and I go to as many of their programs as possible...to learn and to network.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Go out with your friends and your friends' friends...some of the best leads come from casual conversations over a beer/soda/chocolate milk.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And, <i>talk to folks in the stores where you shop and the restaurants where you eat</i>. Once again, just like my chance meeting with Geneva, </span><i style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">you don't know who knows who</i><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is what makes up what I think of as "life's little surprises." Learning how to <i>look</i> at people and <i>speak</i> to people can open up Forrest Gump's "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOn4vg0JIAo" target="_blank">box of chocolates</a>." And, in the midst of all those yummy goodies just <i>might</i> be a connection that you can use.</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"The man seeking his first job or trying to change the job he has should remember that third parties can approach employers as friendly middlemen. First of all, people he knows, experienced friends with knowledge and contacts, can broach the matter for him and can presumably be depended on to do a friendly service. Professional and trade associations know what goes on in their fields."</i> - <a href="http://www.prmuseum.com/bernays/bernays_1915.html" target="_blank">Edward L. Bernays</a>, "Your Future in Public Relations" (Richards Rosen Press, 1961)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-51392923000339256762012-09-02T15:21:00.000-04:002012-09-02T20:27:52.987-04:00Your Career and You: “Don’t Drive and Shave”<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;">I was standing
at my bus stop a few days ago waiting…and watching the traffic pass by. I’m
always curious as to what the various drivers might be doing as they’re wending
their way to work or wherever.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Quite a few
were yacking on their phone (I won’t go down </span><i style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">that</i><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> little alleyway!). A couple were (somehow) reading something. </span><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Then a car
rolls by.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I look at the
driver…who’s not really focused on much outside his car. </span><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Why?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><b>'Cuz he’s
busy shaving!</b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Now this is
nowhere as alarming as the fellow I saw once who was </span><i style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">brushing his teeth</i><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> as he drove along. Occasionally, when I’m having
trouble sleeping, I spend a few minutes speculating on how he handled some of
the more obvious aspects of tooth-brushing…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><b>Back to the
present…</b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Watching the
shaving driver, I started thinking about how we have a tendency to jam
as many tasks as possible into a finite amount of time. Some of my
undergraduate <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/majors/communication.html" target="_blank">Communication</a> students at <a href="http://www.curry.edu/" target="_blank">Curry College</a>, where I head the <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html" target="_blank">Public Relations Concentration</a> and teach most of the PR courses, as well as a few at
<a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/" target="_blank">Regis College</a>, where I teach part-time in the graduate <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/graduate_programs/department.cfm?id=Org_Professional_Comm" target="_blank">Organizational and Professional Communication</a> area, are budding masters of this “art.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And I
occasionally spend some time talking one or the other of these troops “off the
ledge” as he or she goes into a virtual stress-driven meltdown.</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We hear a lot about the importance of being able to "multitask," to do a gazillion things at the same time...and do them reasonably well. Multitasking <u style="font-style: italic;">is</u> a valuable skill, but don't get too carried away!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Although the
poet said…very wisely… “<a href="http://www.bartleby.com/101/248.html" target="_blank">gather ye rosebuds while ye may</a>,” he wasn’t talking
about self-induced massive overload. He was more about “enjoy life,” etc.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Enjoying life
means setting priorities and focusing on things in descending order of
importance. For example, if you have a test in a class tomorrow morning and you
haven’t read the chapters yet…</span><b style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>read</i></b><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">! Don’t settle in with a “cool
beverage” to watch the Red Sox go down in flames…again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>On the other
hand, don’t get lured into the “busy work” syndrome, either.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I’ve had the
dubious pleasure of knowing folks who have figured </span><i style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">this</i><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> little jewel out…</span><i style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Keep
something on the stove so that…in case you’re approached by a supervisor,
co-worker…teacher…you can self-righteously say “Gee, I’d like to help but…” as
you point pitifully at your desk.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The “secret”
here is to find a balance in your life where you are able to take on and
complete the tasks that you </span><i style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>have</u></i><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
to do while, at the same time, you accomplish the things that you </span><i style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>would like</u></i><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> to do.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>It’s called
“setting priorities,”</b> and it involves some serious self-evaluation to determine
what, of all the things buzzing around you, are the most important…the things
that, if you </span><i style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><u>don’t</u></i><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> do them,
life as you’ve come to know and enjoy it is going to quickly become unpleasant.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Once you’ve
created that mental or physical list, then you turn to the “If I had more time,
I’d like to…” things.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Step 3 in
this is to actually </span><i style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>stick with your list</b></i><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
recognizing, of course, that occasionally something unplanned will bubble up to
the top of the pile. But if you’ve done your homework (loving these school
analogies!), you will be able to fit the “intruder” into your schedule and
quickly recover.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And there you
have it. Take control of your life…and don’t try to shave…or brush your
teeth…while driving!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“More men are killed by overwork than
the importance of the world justifies.”</span></i><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">– Rudyard Kipling, “The Phantom ’Rickshaw” [1888]</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-60053672711678024892012-08-20T14:51:00.000-04:002012-08-20T14:51:51.232-04:00Your Career and You: “Use Your ‘Wings’!”<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">I
was driving home from an appointment this morning when a bird darted out into
the road in front of me. </span></span><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Now
this isn’t an uncommon thing, but this particular bird caught my
attention.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">First
of all…<b><i>he </i></b>(I’ll assume it was a “guy” bird until told otherwise) didn’t strike me as
being the brightest candle on the menorah.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">And
the look of sheer panic in his beady little eyes told me he really hadn’t
thought this through very carefully.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">So
he hunkered down and picked up speed…</span><b style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i><u>running</u></i></b><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">My Thoughts...</span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">“It’s a <b><u>road</u></b>, for Pete’s sake!...</span></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">And you’re a <b><u>bird</u></b>!!</span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Why in heaven’s name
are you <b><u>running</u></b> across the
road trying to beat the oncoming traffic?!?</span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Some Almighty Being
gave you <b><u>wings</u></b>…<b>not</b> to use as decorations…to <b><u>fly</u></b>.”</span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Then,
me being me, I started thinking about conversations I’ve had recently with
students at <a href="http://www.curry.edu/" target="_blank">Curry College</a>, where I oversee the <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/majors/communication.html" target="_blank">Communication Department</a>’s
undergraduate <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html" target="_blank">Public Relations Concentration</a> and teach most PR courses,
and at <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/" target="_blank">Regis College</a>, where I teach part-time in the graduate <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/graduate_programs/department.cfm?id=Org_Professional_Comm" target="_blank">Organizational and Professional Communication</a> area.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">While
some of the folks with whom I’ve been chatting both in person and online seem
to have their respective acts together and are diligently mining the career
opportunities that they discover, others…not so much.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">These
latter “birds” only bubble up to the surface sporadically…usually when panic
sets in because the month’s rent is due and they realize where they are in the
jobsearch process.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">So why
“wings”?</span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Wings”
are my metaphor for “</span><b style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">contacts</b><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">”…people
who can help you rise out of your current situation and soar over the others…your
competition for that job.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Where
do you find these wings?</span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">In
a number of ways:</span></div>
<ul>
<li><b style="color: #20124d; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In-person networking</span></b><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> (professional events like your local
chapter of the <a href="http://www.prsa.org/" target="_blank">Public Relations Society of America</a>, <a href="http://www.marketingpower.com/" target="_blank">American Marketing Association</a>, <a href="http://socialmediaclub.org/" target="_blank">Social Media Club</a> and others)</span></li>
<li><b style="color: #20124d; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Online networking</span></b><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> (professional groups on LinkedIn, Facebook,
and other platforms)</span></li>
<li><b style="color: #20124d; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Existing relationships</span></b><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> (former professors, advisors,
classmates, mentors, your family members…this list can go on forever)</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -24px;">The
point here is that you don’t have to “run” through your job search. You can
take advantage of the uplifting support of new and existing friends,
colleagues, classmates, teachers…anyone and everyone who can give you a boost.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Sometimes
that boost is a referral or a suggested place to look.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Other
times, <i>it’s a comforting reassurance that you’re not in this alone</i>…that
there are others on the sidelines who believe in you and are cheering you on.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Whatever
the case, <b><i>they’re there for you</i></b>, so take advantage of them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Use
your “wings” and, with luck, soar into a new opportunity or a fresh start!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“No bird soars too
high, if he soars with his own wings.”</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">-William
Blake, “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell” (Proverbs of Hell, l. 15) [1790-1793]</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-40184752946697964042012-08-14T14:28:00.000-04:002012-08-14T14:28:39.020-04:00Your Career and You: "They're Not Always 'Little' Things"<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Once
in a while I wander off mentally and start beating myself up for not “making a
difference.” It's a "me" thing, and I've gotten used to it.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
was halfway down that path this morning when my phone rang.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>From
the other end of the line came a little giggle</b> as my wife, Margaret, excitedly
told me that one of the senior people in her company had just returned from
vacation and had brought her some chocolates and a little gift.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Now
Margaret routinely brings back souvenirs for her friends and co-workers when we
go away. But she doesn’t expect others to reciprocate…this is just something
<i style="text-decoration: underline;">she</i> </span><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">always</span><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> has done.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">And I'm sure the person who brought <i>her</i> these gifts was doing what <i>she</i> would usually do.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">But,
as I listened to the sheer joy in Margaret's voice, I realized that what </span><i style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><u>we</u></i><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> might think of as a “little
thing” just </span><i style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">might</i><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> be seen by others
as </span><i style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">BIG</i><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">And
that’s something important to remember as you’re interacting with your
co-workers, your friends, strangers who you meet in the course of your day…</span><i style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>the actions that you take, the things that
you say, no matter how trivial they may seem to <u>you</u>, can make a world of
difference to someone else</b></i><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
try to emphasize this in my classroom conversations at <a href="http://www.curry.edu/" target="_blank">Curry College</a>, where I’m
full-time faculty in the <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/majors/communication.html" target="_blank">Communication Department</a> and teach most of the
undergraduate <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html" target="_blank">Public Relations Concentration</a> courses, as well as at <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/" target="_blank">Regis College</a>, where I teach part-time in the graduate <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/graduate_programs/department.cfm?id=Org_Professional_Comm" target="_blank">Organizational and Professional Communication</a> area.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
caution my students that <b><i>actions, words, and deeds are powerful forces for good
as well as for harm</i></b>. And I urge them to never forget that the person on the
receiving end of something you do or say will then make a decision based on </span><i style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">your</i><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> action, word, or deed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
not trying to get all navel-worshippy deep here. <b>I’m just thinking about the
feeling of absolute glee that a simple action on the part of one person (way
higher in the “food chain,” by the way) brought to someone else.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">And, you know what? <i>My</i> day has gotten brighter as well!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">“And
now you ask in your heart, “How shall we distinguish that which is good in
pleasure from that which is not good?</span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Go
to your fields and your gardens, and you shall learn that it is the pleasure of
the bee to gather honey of the flower,</span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">But
it is also the pleasure of the flower to yield its honey to the bee.</span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">For
to the bee a flower is a fountain of life,</span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">And
to the flower a bee is a messenger of love,</span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And
to both, bee and flower, the giving and the receiving of pleasure is a need and
an ecstasy.”</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">--Kahlil Gibran, </span><i style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The Prophet</i><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">, “Pleasure” [1923]</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-78812230905100004102012-08-07T21:07:00.001-04:002012-08-08T10:04:14.176-04:00Your Career and You: "Enthusiastic" or "Obsessive"?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">I started thinking this morning…after a flurry of
email conversations with someone about a request he had made (and which he had
been assured multiple times had been taken care of)…about the fine line between
being perceived as “enthusiastic about an opportunity” and being regarded as
“borderline obsessive.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">While this is something I <i>think</i> about from time to time, I haven’t really gone much deeper
than that. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">But I’m thinking I need to.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><b><i>Why?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Because I’m always telling my undergrad
<a href="http://www.curry.edu/" target="_blank">Communication</a> students at <a href="http://www.curry.edu/" target="_blank">Curry College</a>, where I oversee the <a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html" target="_blank">Public Relations Concentration</a> and teach most of the PR courses, as well as my graduate
<a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/graduate_programs/department.cfm?id=Org_Professional_Comm" target="_blank">Organizational and Professional Communication</a> students at <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/" target="_blank">Regis College</a> (a very
cool part-time gig!) how important follow-up is and how they should be diligent
in their follow-up on job or internship applications as well as PR outreach to
media and others.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><i>I forget sometimes, though, that “follow-up” can
be interpreted in several ways, most of which are good…some of which are just
two whiskers short of “creepy.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><b><i>“Good”?</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Once a week…NOT on a Monday or Friday. I
suggest this because of my own work schedules both present and past.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">> On Monday, I’m preparing for the week ahead and/or dealing
with some issue that bubbled up over the weekend.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">> On Friday, I’m reflecting on the week that was and (mentally,
at least) promising myself some downtime over the coming weekend.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><b><i>“Bad”?</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">More than once a week…unless you actually
have <i>spoken</i> with someone who
suggested you “call back [fill in the blank].”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><b><i>Why?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Because if you’ve left me a message…phone, email,
note tied to a brick and thrown through my office window…I <i><u>will</u></i> get back to you…<b><i><u>when I have time</u></i></b>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">I hate to break this to you, but you are <i><u>not</u></i> my first priority, no matter <i><u>how</u></i> nice you are and <i><u>how</u></i> wonderfully formatted your
resume (or news release) is.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">On the job/internship side of this diatribe…I
might be desperate to fill a position or eager to support the internship
concept, but I have a “real” job to do as well, and I’ll get to the other stuff
as quickly as I can.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">On the news release side…if you’ve sent <b><i><u>news</u></i></b>,
I <b><i><u>will</u></i></b>
get back to you…I <b><i><u>need</u></i></b> your information and you are important to me.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">However…if you’ve sent me a <i>“my boss just
got an award and he/she wants to let our customers know”</i> release…well…….<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><b><i>I appreciate enthusiasm.</i></b> My professional
colleagues do as well.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">I don’t appreciate stalkers or people who disrupt
my train of thought or workflow.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><b><i>Learning the difference</i></b> between enthusiasm and
obsessiveness is part of the “growing up” process for us. You will, as have I,
get your hand slapped once in a while.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Take that act as “guidance” and not as
“punishment.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Be enthusiastic, and that enthusiasm will show…in the quality of your work…in the realization of your successes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Be obsessive and… <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Wait! Hear that sound??</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Silence.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”</span></i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">– Ralph Waldo
Emerson - “Essays: First Series. Circles.” [1841]</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505321001193533635.post-40366306220344036272012-07-30T15:58:00.002-04:002012-07-30T15:58:50.063-04:00Your Career and You: "It's about 'Time'"<br />
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
Rolling Stones had a great hit in the ‘60s called “</span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzcWwmwChVE"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Time is on my side</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">.” It was all about
“the world is my oyster and sooner or later things will go my way.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Good
concept. Bad for the working world…especially for those who are (or </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">should be</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">) looking for jobs/internships.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
constantly on my undergraduate </span><a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/majors/communication.html"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Communication</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> students at </span><a href="http://www.curry.edu/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Curry
College</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">,
where I head the </span><a href="http://www.curry.edu/programs-and-courses/undergraduate-programs/majors-minors-and-concentrations/concentrations/public-relations.html"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Public Relations
Concentration</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
and teach most of the PR courses, as well as my graduate students at <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/">Regis College</a>, where I teach in the
graduate <a href="http://www.regiscollege.edu/graduate_programs/department.cfm?id=Org_Professional_Comm">Organizational
and Professional Communication</a> area, to <i><u>act
now</u></i>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Take
the ol' bull by the horns. Don’t wait for someone </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">else</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> to make the first move.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">What
brought this to mind was, in the course of </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><u>one
week</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">, receiving </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><u>four</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
different messages from </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><u>four</u></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
different students in which timing has been or will be a factor in the outcome
of their efforts.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">One
student asked for help drafting an internship application letter.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">One
student wanted to meet to discuss some internship opportunities.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">One
student wanted to meet to schedule a “catch-up-on-life” meeting.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">One
student was following up on internship application progress.</span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Exhibit A”</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> took exactly <i><u>one week</u></i> to respond to my
suggestions on the letter.</span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Exhibit B”</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> hasn’t responded…<i><u>four days</u></i> after asking to
meet…to <i>my </i>response.</span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Exhibit C”</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> “<i>forgot”</i> to check Facebook (on which the
request was sent).</span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Exhibit D”</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> acted on my
recommendations, applied for the internship, and has an interview scheduled.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">It
doesn’t take a rocket scientist (or ditch digger…or school teacher) to figure
out which of the above stands a snowball’s chance in Hades of realizing
success.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
point to all this is that </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">time</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">…that
elusive, fleeting, amorphous thing that is always looking over our shoulder and is never around when
needed…is a major player in life’s successes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">The
annoying thing about time is that it doesn’t sit around waiting for you to act.
It moves on.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">And,
if you </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">don’t</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> make your own move, you
will be a fading memory in time’s rearview mirror.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Thomas
Jefferson…one of history’s master time-users…came up with this take on time: </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Never
put off tomorrow what you can do today.”</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Today,” of course, has morphed into a nearly
unrecognizable concept with the advent of intercontinental, interactive
communication. When I write to my niece in Taipei </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">today</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">, it’s already </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">tomorrow</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
for her…which makes wishing a “Happy Birthday” a bit of a trick!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">But we’re talking about </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">here and now…<u>your</u></i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> response or reaction to a situation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m absolutely not suggesting kneejerk responses.
But I </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><u>am</u></i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> suggesting…when the
situation arises…that you start </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">thinking</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
about what you'll do…and start <i>planning </i>your response.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Then…</span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><u>act</u></i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">…immediately
if possible (and feasible) but at least within 24 hours…unless there are some
really complicating factors.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">The point (again) is that someone on the other
end of the communication loop is waiting to hear/see what you think/are going
to do.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">In some cases, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">they </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">can’t act until they know what </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">you</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> are going to do.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">In other cases, they’re </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">not</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> going to <u>act</u> until they </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">hear</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
from <u>you</u>.</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><u>Think about this if you’re applying for a job or
an internship.</u></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">“Often do the spirits</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Of great events stride on before the events.</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #20124d;">And in today already walks tomorrow.”</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“Wallenstein,”</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> [1799-1800]</span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> pt. II, act V, sc. i</i></span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10517054023431864957noreply@blogger.com0