If you are interested in social media take a look this article to see how the Police Departments uses these tools:

Police Department Keeps Public Informed on Twitter

What Better Way to Spend a Day?

Here is the link to something interesting that Abby Blaylock mentioned when she came to talk last week. Real World PR is a program put on by the Georgia chapter of PRSA every year and is for public relations students and includes informative workshops on  new media, internships, making yourself marketable, and lots more! There is also a career expo, resume critiques and countless opportunities to network with PR pros. The conference is an all day event that takes place on Friday February 20^th from 8am-4pm. If you register by Feb 8^th you get a $10 discount off of the registration fee.  Breakfast and lunch are provided.

January 21st PRSSA Meeting

Abby Blaylock is a PRo social media net worker from Jackson Spalding and the January guest speaker. She graduated from UGA with 2 bachelor degrees in PR and Marketing.  Abby’s presentation was on social media and networking.

These are some points from her presentation:

Social Media in the Real World

What is social media?

• It is a medium that we can use as a vehicle to share information and engage with others
• Conversation and relationship building
• It is very personal and conversational
• Engagement and discussion
• Two-way communication
• Transparency – forces people to be human and honest
• WOM
• interaction and sharing
• personality
• non-traditional
• the future!

Why should it be important to me?

• We live and breathe in this world every day.
• We use it. We know it. We can share it.
• We are the generation with the know-how.
• We can teach others.
• We can establish ourselves as experts.
• We can use it to stay connected with professionals.

How social media can help me network?

• Check your facebook profile and make sure their is nothing that you would not want future employers to see.
• Check out linkedin.  It is a great professional networking site.
• Twitter: a microblogging website used to converse with people.
• PR Open Mic: social network for PR students, PR faculty and PR students.
• HARO (help a reporter out): email listing that goes out 3 times a day.  List of media queries.
• Follow PR blogs ex: Bad Pitch Blog and PRsquared.

How social media can help me in my career

• Obtain more visibility in your company right from the start.
• Educate your colleagues.
• Educate your clients.
• Position yourself as an expert.