Switching from Print Journalism to Public Relations

When I first started college, my major was Multi-Platform Journalism. This involved interviewing sources, doing research, and then writing a 600-word article. As I reached my junior year I began to find myself disliking this sort of writing. I had to stick to the facts and nothing but the facts. I began to realize that print journalism was not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Although it was too late to change my sequence and restart on the Public Relations track, I did manage to find a loophole.

If you find yourself in the same situation as me, don’t panic! It’s not too late! You can still go into public relations without changing your major! You just have to alter your writing style a little bit. Public relations requires you to think more about your audience and allow your creativity to flow. I find that when writing plans, it is easier to find your photos first and then think of fun and interesting captions to go with them! It is also important to remember that a lot of online readers tend to skim articles. So, you have to capture their attention and keep it with only a few sentences or words! The best thing about Public Relations and writing for social media is that it isn’t routine, every day is something different and that’s why I am so happy to have changed my career path before graduating!

I have been very blessed to be given the opportunity to work with Rebecca Adele PR & Events. In just the three weeks that I have been here I have learned so much! I have been able to break free of the writing style I was so accustomed to and have allowed the creativity to flow. Being here has only made my decision to continue a career path in PR even more certain! So, if you find yourself stuck between the two, my advice is to go for it! Maybe later on in life you’ll find yourself missing print but at least you’ll have the skill set to write for both and your opportunities will be endless!

Written by Tiffany Jackson of Rebecca Adele PR & Events

Reflecting on My Summer at Rebecca Adele PR & Events

As my time as a summer intern for Rebecca PR & Events comes to a close, I have a lot to be thankful for and reflect on. I’ve had experience writing and using social media, but I’ve never used these skills in the platform I’ve been able to during my time here.

When I first applied for this internship, I had no idea what was in store for me; I just knew it felt like the perfect fit. Turns out, I was right! This experience has provided me with the knowledge and skills I need to be successful in my future career. Not only have I learned new skills and improved the ones I already had, but it’s been a reassuring experience for me. I always knew I loved the public relations field, but looking back on my time here and everything I’ve done, I know for certain that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life, and I have Becki to thank for that.

From creating blog posts to social media plans to working the events throughout the summer, not a second of it was mundane or boring. I’ve had the opportunity at this internship to do more than just sit in an office day-in and day-out and wait for my dismissal. I looked forward to my work day and the conversation and friendships I’ve built with Becki and Lexie, the other intern.

Normally, I would be very sad to leave this internship forever. However, I’ve been fortunate enough to be asked to stay on with Rebecca Adele PR & Events and continue my internship experience virtually for the upcoming fall semester. Being the last semester of my college career, I know the continuation of this internship will keep my skills sharp and keep me focused and ready when a full-time career opportunity arises.

I couldn’t have asked for a better internship and I can’t think of another way I would have rather spent my summer than here at Rebecca Adele PR & Events!

Written by Shaylee Dillen of Rebecca Adele PR & Events

A Reflection at My Time at Rebecca Adele PR & Events...

As I approach the end of my internship and the fall semester of my senior year I am so thankful for this experience and all that it has taught me. As a fashion major with a minor in marketing, I have never had any experience in PR but I was excited to get some hands on experience in the industry.

I came into this internship not knowing what to expect and eager to learn more. I was thrown into the crazy life of PR and event planning as I began my experience with Rebecca Adele PR & Events. Starting daily tasks like writing social media plans for various clients, learning how to use social media management websites like Sprout Social and Schedugram, writing blog posts, as well as writing press releases, all quickly became a part of my day-to-day learning.

This internship has taught me so much, and I can’t even begin to explain how thankful I am that this was my first internship experience. I didn’t just learn things like the media writing and how to use the websites like Sprout, but I learned how to deal with clients, vendors, and customer service. I learned how to work in a professional environment and how to work with a team of people. I learned how to manage my time and how to delegate tasks in order to work efficiently and for the office to run smoothly. 

I particulary enjoyed getting to know clients, and learning what kind of content they wanted to see posted to their websites/social media, who they are trying to target, and other information needed to brand their companies successfully.

As well as all of the things I have learned through this experience, one of the biggest ones that I will take away from this are the friendships that I have made working here. Between the days in the office listening to country music or classic Disney songs, the to road tripping to Columbus for a craft show, I have can now call these girls that I worked with some of my good friends.

My favorite part of this internship was getting to learn and see first hand what it takes to run your own business and what goes into planning events like all the craft shows that I have worked throughout this semester. One of my daily tasks was to read and post artist statements from our craft show vendors to our social media. I got to see what kind of products the vendors would be making for the craft shows before we even went to the shows.

After graduation in May, I hope to move to New York City and work in marketing or PR for a fashion design label. No matter what path I choose to go, I know that I will be well prepared for a life in the professional industry. Becki has taught me so much and I am so glad that I had this experience with Rebecca Adele PR and Events!

That’s a Wrap!

As I approached my last semester of graduate school, I knew I needed to find an internship to complete my degree. But not just any internship. I’ve already had two public relations internships and needed something different. I needed to find an internship where I would be challenged in a variety of ways to develop my writing, communication and creative skills. It just so happens that I met every one of those goals and more with my internship with Rebecca Adele PR and Events.

 

Before starting my internship with Rebecca Adele PR and Events, I was instantly attracted to the girly, feminine website and dreamt of being one of Becki’s interns. I was completely overjoyed and psyched when Becki reached out to me to come in for an interview. I knew I would love every second of the internship opportunity when I sat down for my interview, and her dog, Google, jumped on my lap. I thought to myself, “I could really fit in here!”

As I made it through my first week as an intern, I was amazed at how much I had already learned. From writing press releases to learning how to use different social media planning tools, I started to learn all of the ins and outs of the public relations industry. Becki wasn’t kidding when she told me that she was going to train me to be her, and I couldn’t have been more relieved! I knew this wasn’t going to be a typical internship, and that was exactly what I needed. 

My internship provided me with new learning experiences and opportunities where I was able to grow as a young, public relations professional. I have learned the importance of producing creative work to its fullest potential, the importance of remaining positive in hard situations and the importance of always learning new things. Not only did my internship improve my skills and expertise, I also gained a newfound confidence. Now that I’m entering the real world of public relations, I feel extremely confident in myself, and I owe it all to Becki.

As I finish up my portfolio and cuddle with Google one last time, I leave my internship knowing I have a mentor I can always count on. Whether I needed advice about a job or just needed someone to talk to, Becki was there for me for a number instances. Her superior guidance, advice and education all helped me grow to the person I am today. While I’m excited about starting my career, I will greatly miss my internship. I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity, and I will be taking each lesson, piece of advice and learned skill with me. Thank you, Becki!

Written by Alisa Frye of Rebecca Adele PR & Events

Moving Forward After Graduation, an Internship Reflection

I knew I should have an internship on my resume, but where to start? When I first received internship emails from school I would read all of the details about the company and what would be gained from their internship experience. After five emails I learned that most of them did not apply to me.  Kent would send an email with a list of three to five internships which I would quickly scan to find a fatal flaw. Not that these internships were flawed, per se, just not for me. There would be internships for accounting majors (I hate math), internships in Kentucky during the school year (I live in North East Ohio), internships with forty hours a week (I take classes and require sleep). Where could I go to find an internship that suited my needs but didn’t have a fatal flaw?

As it turns out I had a trivial assignment for a computer class. Did you know those classes are a requirement? The assignment was to search information technology jobs on monster.com. While finishing that assignment I started looking into internships for myself. I applied to several local internships and received a call the next day! I was so excited, this wasn’t as hard as I thought. I was not near my phone and I did not call them back immediately. The next day was Saturday. “I’ll call Monday,” I thought. During the weekend this particular company urgently emailed me demanding I contact them immediately. They seemed a little too urgent and a little bit like a scam. I didn’t return their call. I did however, get a call from Rebecca Adele PR & Events.

Becki asked me when I was available for an interview and we set a date. I was very impressed with her office and with her business. I’m a business major and from the beginning of my courses business professors tell their students that most entrepreneurs don’t make it and most startup businesses fail. Well, here was Becki with her own business and a cute, girly office and she was successful!

I chose this internship because I enjoy sewing and crafty things and figured as a millennial I would be able to learn any technological things I was unfamiliar with. I did learn how to use Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Schedugram and Sprout Social which would be expected during a social media internship. I learned things I did not expect to learn. I learned how to write shorter, more concise pieces. I have learned how to manage my time effectively. I have learned how to delegate work based on strengths in a team. I have also learned how to organize a workload in the most efficient manner possible. I could list social media writing, press releases and event planning, but learning how to work with others in a dynamic environment and how to manage assignments has been even more valuable and has taught me a lot about myself.

I hope to find a career starting 2016 and am fortunate that Becki called me for this internship. Becki told me that when she was in school she had an internship with a prestigious company where she did data entry. I am glad that I received hands on experience and actually learned something. I hope to find a career in an international business capacity and hope the skills I learned in school and at this internship will help me in my career.

Written by Stephanie Wells of Rebecca Adele PR & Events