Last Friday, I had the pleasure of attending the five-day PRSSA National Conference. Around 1000 students got together to learn, network and just let loose with like-minded individuals committed to a career in public relations.
At home, so many of my classmates choose to attend events to network with professionals that might just be the one to give them that all important foot in the door but then they choose to forgo the opportunity to attend the national event that their dues afford them or they commit the cardinal sin in my eyes…they fail to network with their fellow members.
This just boggles my mind.
A few semesters back I was exposed to a wonderful book; Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point. Gladwell tells us about connectors, individuals that know everyone, and their importance to networking. The thing is the connectors don’t only know the CEOs or the HR managers they know everyone. Oddly enough isn’t that what we learn about PR; it is all about relationships.
I have met some amazing people through PRSSA. Whether it is the head of our 10,000 member organization, an influential member of a student body from across the country or even the student there for their first event, all of these contacts may be invaluable one day.
Many of my new friends will be starting their careers in May, as I am, while others are working some of the most desirable internships that our industry has to offer at nationally known companies such as General Motors or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Even the least involved of our members are still here building networks of their own taking advantage of this opportunity to meet hundreds of students and twice as many communications professionals.
The people I have met through PRSSA may become lifelong friends, professional contacts, mentors and even my coworkers one day and I believe that it is our responsibility to make each and every opportunity count. Today’s casual aquaintance might be tomorrow’s CEO
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