Many of you are wondering – is it too late to find a summer internship? The answer is no. Technically, summer doesn’t start until June 21. While it might be too late to conduct an internship for school credit, there’s still a little time to try and find a summer internship that will give you first hand experience in the PR industry.

• Reevaluate your resume. Have you been applying and not receiving any responses? Take a better look at your resume. Are you highlighting what’s relevant to PR? Any spelling or grammar mistakes? Maybe switch up your email “pitch”. Make sure you’re customizing every email you send.
• Browse online. Check out sites like Intern Queen and Indeed. Look at message boards on LinkedIn. While your dream internship position may have already been filled, you can probably find one just as interesting and educational. 
• Check your school career center. While school might be out for the summer, your career center and adviser may know of an opportunity for you. It can’t hurt to check.
• Ask around. Network with your peers and don’t be afraid to ask if they know of any companies looking for a summer intern.
• Think outside of PR. While you’re dreaming of a PR internship, maybe consider interning at a media outlet instead, such as a website or radio station. Internships like these are just as reputable and relevant to the PR industry.

Have you recently found a summer internship? Tell us how!

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Last week I announced that I will be taking a new position after working with my current agency for over three years. Giving my two weeks notice was a first for me and I have to say it was the most stressful part of taking the new position. Yes, people do it all the time but breaking the news to colleagues was extremely hard plus there are a few rules of etiquette you have to follow once you give your two weeks.

• Break the news to ones you work closely with first. There’s nothing worse than finding out from someone else that you’re closest colleague on your team is leaving. Tell your manager who you’re going to tell and when.
• Make sure you’re giving at least two weeks notice. And take the two weeks literally – vacation and holidays don’t count.
• Get the next steps. Find out ASAP what you have to do next and speak with HR.
• Start clearing out your desk. Still working on figuring out how to get an entire bin filled with shoes home.
• Offer to help. Find out what is needed of you and how to best transfer your workload.  Don’t leave work hanging for your team to figure out.
• Don’t be negative. Find the positive and speak to how much the company your resigning from has helped you.
• Continue to work hard. Don’t slack off just because. You never want to burn any bridges. Especially in the PR industry.
• Give proper goodbyes. Don’t slip out the back door on your last day.

How did you handle giving your two weeks notice?

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This past week has been a complete emotional roller coaster for me. Early this week I decided that after over three years of working at my current PR agency, I am going to take a new position at a smaller, more boutique PR firm in New York City. Truth be told I wasn’t looking for a new position and rarely even had thoughts about leaving my current agency. I’ve been completely happy and comfortable with my current position and surroundings. Why would I leave? However, when I was contacted by a recruiter that was referred by a friend for an opportunity I was interested in, I couldn’t turn a blind eye.

It all happened so fast. I interviewed and was offered the position a few days later. I struggled immensely in my head – going back and forth whether or not taking a leap was something I wanted to do. I adore the clients I work on and love the people I work with, but at the end of the day, I couldn’t pass up this new opportunity. Rarely do opportunities like this come knocking at your door and if I hadn’t taken the new position, I probably would’ve regretted it. It’s going to be a total change of pace but now is the time to come out of my comfort zone, try something new and take a leap into the unknown.

Breaking the news to my colleagues was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do, particularly to my SVP that I’ve worked so closely with since day one. I was feeling moments of both sadness for leaving and extreme excitement for what’s next to come. I’ve given my two weeks notice, have a few days off in between, and then I start my new position. Stay tuned for many posts about what I’ve experienced during the transition. I’m beyond excited for what the future holds and can’t wait to bring all of you along for my new adventure!

Wish me luck.

Xo, A

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When I was beginning to explore public relations as a career, one of my parents worries for me was whether or not this would be a lucrative path for me to go down.  I can’t deny I had the same fears, especially since I was plagued with champagne taste (even on a college student’s beer budget).  Not to mention I was determined to live in Manhattan, quite arguably the most expensive place for a person to live in the United States.

Admittedly, in the beginning, it’s not an easy start in public relations.  While friends of mine were talking near six figure contracts in their early 20′s at financial firms, I was budgeting out my month to be sure I could afford attending a friend’s birthday party.  Not a super-fun place to be in.

As you move forward you realize there are plenty of opportunities to make serious dough in your PR career.  And not just in your salary. Our people pay off the passionate, so if you successfully bring in more talent, score a great new client or even have a desire to go to grad school there may be opportunities to bring in some bank.  Here’s a quick break down for you:

AVERAGE SALARY FOR PR PROFESSIONALS BY LEVEL IN 2013 (According to PRSA)

• Account Executive – $52K – $59K
• Senior Account Executive – $62K – $70K
• Account Supervisor – $77K – $80K
• Vice President – $114K – $117K
• Senior Vice President $136K – $138K
• Executive Vice President – $161K – $173K

The above is just a guideline for salary, but it’s a pretty good one.  Salary depends on the size of your agency and the type of clients you’re working with.  Smaller boutique firms usually pay under average, but they come with great perks.  Bigger agencies with bigger  clients may be able to pay more.  But guess that your starting salary as a Junior Account Executive or Assistant Account Executive will be around $36K. Interns are usually paid an hourly wage, or with college credit.

ADDITIONAL PAY PERKS WITHIN PR

Finder’s Fee – Pretty much your nice “thank you” from your company if you bring in a new team member that stays on for at least 6 months.  Many companies offer this perk so they don’t have to pay recruiters. Average is about $2,000

New Client Cut – If you have a great new business lead and bring it to your company and you win the business, many PR firms offer a percentage of the total contract amount to the person who brought in the business. Ca-ching!

Basic Bonus – Not all PR firms have Christmas or Holiday bonuses, but many offer a little bump in pay for a month if you work extra hours over the weekend or extraordinarily hard with a special client project

Grad School Grant – Some companies have amazing programs for their employees who are interested in attending grad school while working. Check with HR if there is an opportunity within your company

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Many of my friends, whether they’re in PR or not, have been going through emotional roller coasters at their jobs.  It has been interesting to witness from the outside looking in, because I definitely have been in their shoes before.  Though we are taught (especially as women) to never get emotionally invested in our jobs, it is hard when you literally spend 75% (if not more) of your time at your desk with your co-workers and managers. Emotions are definitely involved in our day to day business lives, whether we want them to be or not.  We’ve been told to go outside if it all gets to be too much, but that’s not really feasible all the time.  Not to mention, some emotion is good to show in the office!  It displays your passion and want for your job, and how hard you work for the position you’re in.  Here are a few ways you can control your feelings while at the office:

You just landed your promotion, and you’re over the moon – COMPLETELY awesome, and definitely good to celebrate with your managers and those who know about the move. Be sure to stay discreet, and not brag or boast. Don’t let the bump go to your head, but celebrate your victory to your heart’s content outside the office.

You just hit Reply All on a sensitive email, and you want to crawl under your desk and die – Breathe first. Try to recall the message if you can. If not, send an apology note directly after and talk to your managers about how to best solve the issue. Being quick is key.

Your manager just lost it on you and/or your team, and your flight senses are kicking in. You feel the tear ducts welling – Crying because you’re being scolded is the worst offense in the office, but it’s manageable.  You don’t want to be the girl who loses it every time it gets rough, but it’s okay to show that you care about the mistakes that were made. Try to hold back, and if you do need to cry take a walk around the block and call mom (try to avoid the office bathroom aka the office rumor mill)

You were right about a work issue when everyone was wrong. You want everyone else to eat crow – Save it. Everyone knows you were right without you saying “I told you so.” Trying to establish you were thinking straight while everyone was crazy doesn’t buy you any brownie points.

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Hi A + M,

I recently set up an interview with one of our clients for the editor of a local paper. The editor said that he would be available, “Friday…morning is preferred…say 10 a.m.?” I checked with my client’s schedule and then emailed the editor saying that she would be available at 9 a.m. I closed my email by saying “Please let me know if this time is good for you.” The editor responded “Thank you.” 

Do I take that as a yes? How should I respond to that? I just sat there and stared at his response. I ended up responding “I’ll let her know that you’ll be calling at that time. Good luck with the interview!” How would you have responded? Have you experienced any silly editor/reporter responses that stand out in your mind?

I love this question because I’m sure any PR professional would say that this happens all the time. Don’t let it drive you crazy. Communication is the most important part of our job and it’s imperative that emails don’t get misconstrued. Your response was fair, but don’t ever be afraid to confirm what a response means. A lot of the time we’re too cautious to seem overeager with media, but truth be told it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Something like, “To confirm, you will be calling X at 9 a.m. on DATE.” Make sure you have the reporters number so you can call him/her if he/she doesn’t follow through or forgets.

Situations like this happen frequently with media – whether you’re arranging an interview, a deskside or confirming a placement. We tend to forget that media are people too – not just email addresses – so we shouldn’t be afraid to double check if we’re confused by a response. They tend to make mistakes in their communication too.

How have you handled silly media responses?

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