PRSSA- A good investment for your future

Guest Post by Stacey Davidson

As a public relations student in college, it is difficult to differentiate yourself in a flooded job market. There are too many candidates and too few positions. One way I have found to differentiate myself was to be involved with PRSSA, the Public Relations Student Society of America. In conjunction with PRSA, the largest professional public relations association in the world, PRSSA helps students to gain real world experience, leadership and networking opportunities outside of the classroom. At the University of Florida each month we learn about interview skills, industry trends, resume writing and more from professionals in the industry. These speakers help us to transfer what we learn in the classroom to our internships and future jobs.

In addition to monthly meetings and speakers, PRSSA also provides opportunities like its annual conference in November. PRSSA annual conference is held alongside PRSA national conference to allow for increased networking and professional development opportunities for both students and practitioners. At this conference, I was able to learn about multiple facets of PR from the industry’s leaders, such as media relations from the media trainer and media relations director for the United States Army, and non-profit public relations from the VP of communications for United Way.

This conference provides a unique opportunity to do more than listen to a lecture. For five days I was immersed in an amazing learning environment where I could ask questions and build my professional network in addition to hearing from presenters. After leaving the conference, I was armed with business cards, e-mail addresses and phone numbers from agencies and practitioners located all around the country. I was ready to take on the world and the job search.

One of the most important factors when applying for a job is make yourself more than just a resume. Many of the people I met at the conference were active recruiters and account executives at companies where I desire to work. To them, I am now a face, a person, no longer just a resume. When I begin seriously applying for jobs in the spring, I know that our relationships will be integral in landing interviews and eventually jobs.