Internships. What used to be icing on the cake on a college student’s resume now is an essential ingredient. In fact, it’s not uncommon for young adults to have (and for employers to expect) multiple internships under their belt before landing their first post-graduate job. In addition to its strong and competitive summer internship program, Osborn Barr actively supports and participants in programs that grow and nurture the area’s next generation of agri-marketing and communications professionals.
Spooner (left) speaking on the Young Professionals panel at the Public Relations Society of America Pro-Am day hosted by St. Louis University.
I was honored to represent O+B on the Young Professionals panel at the Public Relations Society of America Pro-Am day hosted by St. Louis University on March 23. I shared personal insights into making the transition from college to a full-time job. As a May 2011 graduate, it wasn’t that long ago that I was on the receiving end of these sessions; however, what a difference a year can make! As Keynote speaker, Carrie Muehlemann with The Creative Group pointed out, managing your personal brand is a top priority in this day and age. With the amount of social media channels, prospective employers can easily form an opinion of you before ever reading your resume. 72 percent of PR executives said they’re likely to look up a new hire prospect online before an interview.
Even professionals who are comfortable in their current position still need to successfully manage their own brand. Muehlemann shared the following tips to polish your brand:
- Demonstrate that you can successfully manage your own brand through your resume, business cards and social media pages
- Search yourself on Google and YouTube, and make sure your personal brand appears how you want people to see you
- Stay relevant by choosing one online platform to join in on the conversation, whether it be Twitter, LinkedIn or Google+
Your digital footprint describes who you are as a person. Establish personality, interests and core attributes through social media to enhance your credibility. While interns are polishing their resume, the rest of us should be right alongside them managing and polishing our own brand.
