Dispelling Myths in PR

There are many different avenues to consider when searching for a job in public relations. However, if you asked any pr practitioner aware of the program they would mention the term convergence. Convergence deals with ability to cross-train, learn, and implement the eight forms of mass media into PR. Students interested in public relations begin with the basic writing classes that prepare them for the more hands on work, including but not limited to: press releases, speeches and letters to the editor. The role of the pr professional is similar to a “jack of all trades.” One must be adaptable enough to learn new additions to the profession, which today, consists of social media.

I became aware of the program through another journalism student who transferred to Florida A&M University. Initially, my generalization of the business was limited to thinking of it as merely interacting with different people. Like a lot of groups, I thought as long as I was social and friendly, I’d excel in the PR program. This myth was quickly dispelled once I received the course load.

The first and probably most important thing is that the foundation of public relations begins with research. This involves investigating social norms and trends in an effort to predict what will happen next. Information such as this is very important to employers because it gives them more of a competitive head start amongst competitors. Another myth buster deals with the thought that research is mostly secondary. Googling one’s way to success. However, primary research is actually the bulk of the program. It consists of surveys used to measure the effectiveness of a product or business.

While I was intrigued by the workload expectations of one program, I was most baffled by the difference between public relations and publicist’s. When I was ignorant of the difference, I allowed people to insult my intelligence by calling me a publicist. While publicity is one of the smaller tasks of a PR professional it is not the correct title to be referred by. Most publicists, as I understand it, do not have degrees. Nor are they held to the same ethical standards and codes of conduct used to represent the business and the client. The weird thing about it all is that a great number of publicists excel monetarily outside of public relations. After speaking to a few, they seem so happy, care-free and paid. I do have certain feelings about people that mimic the job of a PR professional and sometimes make more money than the educationally trained.

Introducing Dr. Green

She’s aware, the message is clear, helping to spread the word for everyone to hear! It’s Dr. Green, better known as LaRea Donnellan, a public relations professor at Florida A&M University. Dr. D has a passionate way of imprinting behavioral change on her students. Not only have we, as students become more educated in the research methodology of PR, we have also begun to partake in initiatives that will help save the environment.

By incorporating the effects of pollutants on the environment into or lesson plan I personally have become a more “green person.” Everyday prior to leaving my house I make a conscience effort to unplug electric devices that are not in use. I typically like to let the water run when in the bathroom for its soothing effects, but I have stopped that too, brushing my teeth with the water off. Yeah me!

For a lot of people like me it takes baby steps to commit to changing behavior. It begins with the little reminders of passionate people more aware of the long-term effects of climate change. Let it be known that climate change does exist and it does affect our daily lives. While we may not want to be committed to the restoration of environmental problems, the small things such as energy conservation and recycling are a big contribution.

I believe the overall problem is that people have become individuals. We no longer consider our neighbor friends or our community family. We feel as though we are only accountable to ourselves. There is no camaraderie in the essence of dreams and aspirations. Because of this we cannot come together as a community on the more important issues that affect our future and daily lives. Until we resort back to trusting and caring about one another we will continue to find it hard to evoke change.

Tip Tip Boom

Most recently I was introduced to the novel “The Tipping Point,” by Malcolm Gladwell. To sum it up briefly the book goes into grave detail about the small things that can cause a product to become more popular with time. While the book is a catering tool for public relations and marketing professionals I took it as a means of better understanding people. Gladwell describes three types of people, connectors, mavens and salesmen.

Connectors are the popular well known people around the world; they have the ability to walk into a room not knowing anyone and leave knowing almost everyone. Connectors find joy in knowing large groups of people, and helping to link those people to each other. As a person that enjoys constant travel and exploration, I find it necessary to connect with the people I meet in different parts of the world. Thankfully I have the help of the various forms of social media and internet e-mail to make that easier, seeing as how I’m not the type to sit down long enough to write a letter. Thanks to facebook I am the master of keeping in touch!

While knowing large groups of people is important, knowing large amounts of information is probably the way to go. Here’s the thing, someone said (I’m not sure who) that, “it’s not about what you know, but who you know.” Is it possible to know the bare minimum and still excel do to my networking base? Ofcourse it is, it happens every day. There are countless amounts of students who struggle to find jobs after college because they simply do not know the right people. Dare to place the blame?

If it necessary to blame someone, I’d say go with the curriculum that negates to teach students the importance of the salesmen. While knowledge is power and book smarts doesn’t really trump being well connected, there is still hope. Now that I really think about it the blame should be placed on the competitive parents that didn’t make their kids sell their own candy back in elementary and high school, for those are the early stages of the salesmen.

Understanding people comes with understanding yourself; you must first be able to recognize core values from within in order to assess the same value in others. Fortunately for me I had to sell my own candy as a child thus building on the candid blocks of persuasiveness. My family moved around a lot when I was younger, with every new location I felt obligated to fit in and connect with the people around me. I would like to think I’m knowledgeable, despite my grade point average and inability to recall many things; I simply counteract that with my ability to research.