jackhardy Communication, Public relations, Writing

12 Tips for PR Graduates

  1. Develop a humble  attitude. You are not entitled to a job; you must earn it.
  2. Be a continuous learner. Graduation doesn’t signal the end of learning to communicate. Practice your writing skills and learn to use new tools.
  3. Choose face-to-face communication. Eye contact is important! See this recent WSJ article.
  4. Volunteer. Help a colleague on a project or be on a committee. You will win friends and influence people.
  5. Read, Read, Read. The best way to stay on top of current events, trends, popular culture, politics, art, international affairs, the environment–and improve your writing–is is to develop a love of reading. Note: Now that you’ve graduated, you’re not stuck reading textbooks so it’s time to branch out.
  6. Write everyday. Whether it is to your boss, your mother, your best friend or your own journal. Develop the habit of writing every day. At least 500 words. Start a blog and give your opinion. No, I don’t mean Facebook posts.
  7. Make time to meditate. Take a break from technology each day. No cell phone, tablet, PC, TV, Internet, radio. Ponder your family, career, life goals and what you can do for others.
  8. Get a hobby. It’s best if it’s physical and you interact with people.
  9. Develop a solid work ethic. Be early to work. On occasion, stay late until the project is finished.
  10. Travel. This is a lifelong education.
  11. Be curious. Learn from people from other cultures. Develop an interest in new subjects.
  12. Be a good listener. Effective listening means asking good questions.

In the spirit of graduation, I offer up these tips to PR graduates. Congratulations on making it to this point and I wish you all the best.

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jackhardy Communication, Marketing, Public relations, Writing

Read to Write Better

I love to read. Just about any subject. I’m one of those people who can find something interesting to read from the magazines in the dentists office and the hair salon. Whether it’s Ladies Home Journal, Guns and Ammo, Reader’s Digest, The Wall Street Journal or The Economist, I’ve developed the life-long habit of reading. From monthly book club choices to new reading Apps on my Kindle and iPad, I could simply read all day long – even if I wasn’t paid to do it. One of the best ways to cultivate your writing ability is to read regularly. As I was reading this recent post, I thought this advice was not simply valid for PR and Marketing folks, but for all business people. Besides writing regularly, how do you continually improve your writing skills?

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