Don’t forget to join us at 11:00am on June 1, 2010 for our member appreciation meeting/luncheon.Click to view slideshow.

PRSSA Interview Etiquette

Calendar of meetings:

January 26, 2010: Interview Etiquette

February 9, 2010: Whizbang Ideas

February 23, 2010: Charlotte Rinaldi/resume building

Mary Verdin: President, Verdin Marketing, Inc.
•    Full-service marketing and communications agency
•    Diverse list of clients including the Wineman Hotel, French Hospital, Advanced Hearing Center
•    Verdin Marketing has stayed strong in the economy ☺

Background
•    Psychology major in college
•    Diversify your education, take classes outside of your major
•    Advertising, marketing, public relations are great outlets for any liberal arts majors
•    Paid internship for Macy’s – great experience because it was exposure to how a full-service (in-house) marketing department works.
•    Mentors are other entrepreneurs like her father
•    Find the balance between flexibility and meticulous planning

Advice
•    1,000 non-profit organizations in San Luis Obispo: Great way to get experience and build your resume is to volunteer your time and expertise to one of them
•    Find an internship!
•    PRSSA involvement is impressive, as are service clubs
•    Social networking – be aware of technological innovations and demonstrate to an employer how to apply them to the business
•    Keep your college mentality
•    Writing skills are AWESOME! Demonstrate a range of writing styles
•    Push your comfort zone
•    Integrated marketing is the most successful
•    “Fake it until you make it!”

Resume
•    “Objective” portion is outdated
•    Find marketable experience in past employment/experiences
•    Study abroad, volunteer work, and community service make resumes standout
•    Look at the website of the company you want to work for – employers want employees who want to work for THEIR company
•    During an interview, always have questions at the end!
•    Demonstrate how you are a valuable employee once you have been hired (i.e. show your employer why they should keep you if the company has to downsize)

1.    Director of Marketing, CA Mid-State Fair. Primary focus is on concerts, as concert goers are, per capita, higher spenders than exclusively fair-goers
2.    Corporate Sponsorships
3.    98.1 KJUG Jug Country Mornings

What’s most important to consumers?
•    Consistency
•    Matchbox20: Sincerely engaged with special guests backstage – generated goodwill (read: PR) by being personable with fans
•    Website – keep it clean or it looks amateur
What’s wrong with you?
•    Narcissism, selfishness
•    Poor impressions generated negative opinions that permeate different levels of consumers
•    As a young professional, it’s important to leave your ego behind, play the old man’s game
Advice – “Expert”
•    Be an expert at something; it’s important to have breadth of knowledge, but specialization is impressive and useful
•    Know your limitations: Aerosmith doesn’t do back-to-back shows
What have editors forgotten about?
•    Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? Keep these in every press release
Advice – “On time”
•    Early is on time
•    Being on time will keep you above your competition
•    Toby Keith is on time
Internships
•    KJUG tk@midstatefair.com
•    CMSF – paid
THIMI: That’s not how I meant it
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Smart Phones

view the meeting if you missed it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQ7HZdoXym0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L0brHU0BiQ

Sports & Entertainment PR
Shaun Russell – Asst. Athletic Director CP Athletics

Background
•    University of Rhode Island, finished at University of Maine.
•    Internships with LL Bean, Portland Seadogs, Boston Red Socks, Marketing Asst. at University of Maine, Marketing Director at University of Maine,
•    Networking is important – maintain relationships and capitalize on them. Throwing a resume around isn’t a good way to find a job.

Advice
•    Volunteer, take internships in areas where you’re interested – take advantage of the amount of time you have as a student.
•    E-mail is impersonal, phone calls are better. Always make a point to connect with people when you’re in their area – add them to your “Christmas Card List”
•    Interns are judged by their interviews, eye contact, sincerity, approachability, drive, having “their stuff together”
•    The job is demanding – make sure the people in your life know that
•    Be a constant student; never stop learning, continue to educate yourself and stay current with trends, issues, and new technologies.

Mentors
•    VP Marketing and VP Corporate Sales for Boston Redsocks; interned together
•    Athletic Director at University of Maine, Blake James
•    America East Athletic Commissioner

Internships with CP Athletics
•    1 paid intern per academic year
•    Marketing, community outreach, media relations
•    Many ways to get involved in CP Athletics srussell@calpoly.edu

PRSSA Announcements:
•    PRSSA dues by October 20th! Turn in to Ina, to any e-board member, Dr. Swanson, or place your check in a sealed envelope in any of our boxes.

•    Next meeting: Tuesday, October 13th

Membership forms and Dues: October 27th
Please return completed forms to Ina’s mailbox, deliver to any PRSSA member, or return at the soonest meeting.

Coming Up:
•    National Conference in San Diego, CA this November 6-10 http://www.prssa.org/conference2009/resources.aspx

Cal Poly PRSSA Online:
Twitter: @calpolyPRSSA
Facebook: Cal Poly PRSSA
Website: www.calpolyprssa.org

Fall 2009 Meetings: 11:00am @ 26-106 on the following dates
October 6
October 27
November 17
November 24