MEET THE CHAMPIONS
Bridging the Gap
Helping Students Establish Relationships With Senior Leaders
BY SARAH DOUGHERTY
PRSSA VICE PRESIDENT OF CAREER SERVICES
Imagine it ’ s Career Day during your senior year of high school and you accidentally find yourself visiting the wrong company in the wrong industry . This is how Jessica Airey , assistant account executive at Edelman and former PRSSA vice president of advocacy , discovered the wonderful world of public relations . Talk about being at the right place at the right — wrong ? — time . During her time at Edelman , she has worked with various clients such as The North Face , Super Bowl 50 and eBay .
Jessica Airey joined Champions for PRSSA with a mission : To fill the gap between students and senior leaders . Because she had a plethora of experience in her former PRSSA Chapter at Biola University — serving as social media director , vice president of public relations , Chapter president and eventually on the National Committee — Airey saw the need for young professional mentors .
The Champions are an incredible resource that few PRSSA students take advantage of . “ Don ’ t be afraid to reach out to us ,” Airey said . “ We want to help you — but you have to ask .”
Champions are professionals who have already volunteered to help you ; they are on your side as you discover what your strengths , interests and goals are . Airey got involved with the Champions because mentorship has been huge in her life and career thus far . Her PRSA mentors were able to help her connect with professionals in companies and practices she was hoping to be a part of , and the rest , as they say , is history . Mentors can help you discover new things and ways to approach the seemingly-daunting task of job searching and branching outside of your comfort zone .
“ When I was in PRSSA , most of the mentors I had access to were very senior in their career — at times , what I needed was someone who had just been in my shoes ,” Airey said . “ I joined [ Champions ] to be the mentor I really wanted during the transition from student to professional .”
Airey is a self-proclaimed “ linguistics nerd ,” fluent in Spanish and well-versed in Italian , Catalan , German , Hebrew and Portuguese . These skills have provided her with ample international client experience and a global perspective . From working on international campaigns to translating different deliverables , she noted that languages are an underappreciated skill that go a long way .
Whether you ’ re seeking international perspective , hoping to learn more about agency life or simply trying to find your way post-graduation , utilize the Champions and the wide variety of experiences ( and languages ) they have to offer . You never know where it might take you .
# ItsGoodToBeAGirl in the PR Industry
BY HANNAH RIFFLE
BALL STATE UNIVERSITY
From earning a teaching degree in college to her position as a public relations and product placement representative at Vera Bradley , Holly Wagner ’ s career is constantly evolving . Through the mentorship of female industry professionals , Wagner continues to work harder and smarter every day .
Much of her day-to-day responsibilities revolve around securing Vera Bradley product placements in your favorite television shows and movies . Next time you watch “ Jurassic World ,” “ Pitch Perfect 2 ,” “ Big Bang Theory ” or “ Notorious ,” keep an eye out for a Vera Bradley product .
“ My friends think it must be so fun to watch shows and movies for work , but it can be stressful ,” Wagner said . “ You never know where a product is going to show up , and you can ’ t take your eyes off the screen .”
In her role at Vera Bradley , Wagner also manages product placements and oversees fashion and lifestyle bloggers . She said she loves what she does , and the impactful relationships she ’ s made at work get her through the tough days .
“ My first mentor was Monica Edwards ,” Wagner said . “ She always took time to check in , provide positive feedback and constructive criticism . Her support empowered me as a woman . She was a tough cookie and I wanted to please her .”
This relationship taught Wagner that strong women build a coalition of strong women .
“ My current mentor , Julia Bentley , is brilliant . She ’ s always willing to collaborate . I want her to be proud of me because she is an inspiring leader ,” Wagner said .
Based on the lessons Wagner learned from her mentors , she shared three key suggestions to thrive .
Personalization is key for successful relationships . Whether it ’ s co-worker interactions or a blogger partnership , relationships are not one size fits all . You must tailor your communication for your audience .
Always be ready for what is next . Ten years ago , the word “ blogger ” did not exist . Now it is 40 percent of Wagner ’ s job . Keep your mind open to new opportunities .
People do business with people . Don ’ t forget that . People love certain brands because of the personal connection .
For these reasons , Wagner embraces Vera Bradley ’ s campaign : “ It ’ s Good to Be a Girl .”
“ Vera Bradley is a company by women for women . “ It ’ s Good to Be a Girl ” is part of Vera Bradley ’ s evolution ,” Wagner said . “ We have aspirations of making a difference for women , and our initiative asks women to share what they ’ re proud of .”
So why is Wagner proud to be a girl ?
“ It ’ s the little things that make me proud to be a girl : women organizing to support each other , the ability to bring life into the world , wearing awesome shoes and having a rewarding public relations career ,” she said .
Why do you think it ’ s good to be a girl ? Share your thoughts by using # itsgoodtobeagirl .
Hannah Riffle posing with Holly Wagner at the PRSSA 2016 National Conference Opening Night Celebration .
TALES FROM CUBELAND
TIMESHEETS , COFFEE AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
Achieving Work-Life Balance in the Workplace
BY RYAN MCSHANE
ACCOUNT MANAGER , TIAA
The struggle is real , you guys . The depressing feeling sinks in when you ’ re updating your timesheet and check the math again and again . “ Huh ? I didn ’ t even know there were that many hours in a week ,” you might say to yourself .
Don ’ t fret . A healthy dose of work-life balance will take your public relations blues away . That ’ s right ; work-life balance isn ’ t a myth . It ’ s possible ! I ’ ve outlined five steps below from my own experiences that should help you be the best you , in and outside of the workplace . No calculators required .
1 . Discover the right employer .
Before you hit send on that job application , make sure you ’ ve done some research to determine the employer ’ s reputation . Some places of business are more motivated than others to establish a culture that promotes a healthy work-life balance .
In such a competitive environment , many employers attract top talent through generous personal time-off policies , flexible hours and the ability to work from home . Coming from the agency world , it was often the little things that made certain agencies stand out to me — team outings , summer Fridays and beverage service to name a few .
2 . Don ’ t expect balance every week .
It has to be said . There will be weeks , possibly months , when employees will have to lace up for a marathon . Public relations is a continuous process , with ebbs and flows of activity .
I recommend charging up with some time out of the office before a major product launch , event tour or other spike in activity . Even a long weekend will sometimes be enough to recalibrate the mind . Once the activity winds down , you should reward yourself with another day or two of rest , because you ’ ll likely need it before the next marathon begins .
3 . Talk with your manager .
Assuming you ’ ve selected an employer that supports your work-life balance , your experience may still drastically vary by your manager . I ’ ve found it helpful to establish an open dialogue with managers so they know what ’ s happening beyond business hours . Feel it out before oversharing , but the more they see you as a human with an actual life outside of work , the better they will recognize your need for balance .
Pro tip : Proactively tell your manager how that vacation they approved was exactly what you needed . This helps reinforce the mutual benefit of employees being happier and more productive for the company as a result of work-life balance .
4 . Talk with your peers .
While employers can impact a staff ’ s ability to achieve balance , it ’ s often up to the employees to establish the culture . Something ’ s got to give if employees are staying late every night simply to avoid being the first to leave .
As long as you ’ ve aligned expectations with your manager and are keeping up with your workload , don ’ t be afraid to set the tone and live your life . It ’ s amazing how quickly others will follow ; and suddenly there is a lot less animosity among colleagues .
5 . Be strategic with your balance .
Managing expectations is only the halfway point to achieving balance in the workplace . What is it that you ’ re going to do with your time off ? This is where strategic and creative thinking come into play .
Daily : Some may find a morning gym visit the perfect way to jump-start a day , while others might take pleasure in an evening art class or young professionals membership .
Paid Time Off : As fun as a twoweek beach getaway would be , you might benefit by saving a few of those days for the months to come . On the flip side , avoid saving all of your days for the end of the year ; a balanced schedule is the way to go .
Business trips : Make the most of your business travel by taking some paid time off following your work activity . Just be certain to discuss with your manager to sort out expense guidelines .
Staycation : Sometimes a simple staycation is exactly what the mind and body needs to recuperate . Sleep in , catch up on housework and recharge for another round .
WINTER 2017 WWW . PRSSA . PRSA . ORG / FORUM
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