Sorry for the lack of updates, I've been busy with a lot of assignments and minimal adventures outside of the public relations world. However, the world of public relations is exciting! I'm truly looking forward to entering the field. To be successful in the industry, I have volunteered to participate in every public relations opportunity that I am presented with.
The IABC recently ran an event called the "Gift of Communication." I was essentially there to help Halton Support and Housing by providing some public relations advice . I was asked to help them out with some marketing ideas that cost little to no money. I had a long list of ideas. However, I froze. I've never had that happen to me in my entire life. It was mortifying. It was my first time sitting at a table to give some public relations advice with other industry professionals at the table. If it were just me and them one-on-one I'd be fine. I've been in those types of situations plenty of times. It was the fact that there were other public relations practitioners at the table that intimidated me. Normally, I'm fairly confident. My ideas usually receive positive feedback. I was so excited for this event and yet so disappointed with myself because I let myself down. After the event, I thought about everything that went wrong. I made a list of all of the things that I need to do next time so that I don't freeze up and to help boost my confidence. Fortunately, I don't give up too easily. I will be signing up for a lot more public relations events to gain experience discussing with clients and share my ideas with them. After all, I am an idea machine.
Last night, I attended the IABC/CPRS Holiday Humbug. I signed on as the Volunteer Coordinator to maximize my experience with a public relations event. It was quite a bit of work added onto my schedule considering it is the busiest time of year, academically. Nevertheless, it was a great opportunity to work with industry professionals. The event ran smoothly. I had the opportunity to speak with many individuals. I saw some old friends that I didn't even know were in the field. I gained a bit more confidence. I was chatting away the entire night. I had an amazing time! A lot of people commented on my goals and how they respected how clearly defined they were. For those of you who don't know, my biggest career goal is to work in the financial industry and to create a positive public image with a strong use of ethics. I want to get the organization I work for on the World's Most Ethical Companies list. It's pretty ambitious but I tend to reach every goal I set out for myself.
The most frustrating aspect that I tend to encounter at networking events is how forceful people are when it comes to their opinions on what I should do with my life. I am open to people's suggestions. However, one person will tell me to go after my dreams and another will strongly advise against them. Thus, while people are highly opinionated on what my next career steps are, there tends to be various opinions. I feel as if I need to just trust my own instincts. My instincts have always been right up until this point. I just need some time to sit down, create an action plan for what I need to do immediately upon graduation and then live it out.
I'm really looking forward to the holidays that start on December 16th. I wish you and your families a safe and happy holiday season. My next blog post will likely be after I pursue my next extreme sport adventure, which won't be until after it begins to snow. It'll either be snowboarding or ice climbing.
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