Public relations students, are you eager to graduate and begin your career? The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations wants to position you for even greater success. The presentation titled, "Things I Wish I'd Known Before Entering the Workforce," was part of the Center's webinar series. The webinar featured industry professionals discussing their own experiences and what they wish they’d known when beginning their first job. Watch the webinar on-demand: http://plankcenter.ua.edu/resources/webinars/

1. Things I Wish I’d Known When
Entering the Workforce
@PlankCenterPR

2. Rick Looser
COO
The Cirlot Agency
Brian Price
Digital Marketing Manager
Starwood Retail Partners
Jacquie McMahon
Account Executive
Ketchum
Jesse McCraw
Brand Strategist
The Cirlot Agency

3. Presentation Overview
Corporate vs. Agency
Agency vs. Agency
Mid-Size Agency
10 Key Takeaways
• Impress your colleagues from day one
• Overcome “millennial” perceptions
Q&A

4. Brian Price
• Attended Northern Michigan University – B.S. in
communication studies in 2012, master’s in public
administration in 2015
• Internships:
• Taylor Strategy (Charlotte)
• Porter Novelli (Chicago)
• PRSSA 2013-2014 National President
• Edelman Digital (Chicago)
• Social media community manager for ConAgra Foods, Bush Brothers
• Starwood Retail Partners – Digital Marketing Manager (Chicago)
• Social media, websites, email marketing, SMS marketing
• Client contact, public relations, B2B digital

5. Corporate vs. Agency
Agency
• Hyper-focused on what you’re hired to do
• You are the expert on your subject matter to clients
(who also know what they’re talking about)

6. Corporate vs. Agency
Corporate
• Broader scope of work
• Willing to trust the work of others
• Colleagues beyond the communication/marketing
function

7. Corporate vs. Agency
Either Way
• It’s exciting
• It’s challenging
• Mentorship required

8. Jacquie McMahon
• Graduated from University of Alabama – Public
relations major, double minor in business and
organizational communication
• Past experience:
• Edelman (Atlanta)
• Ogilvy (New York)
• Ketchum (New York)
• Corporate and Purpose work for JPMorgan Chase,
Jameson, Association of Zoos and Aquariums
• Client service, account management, content
creation, media relations

9. Be Proactive
Take Initiative
Don’t Wait to be Told

10. Get Involved
…Even When It’s Not Easy

11. Find the Right Fit

12. Be Patient

13. Jesse McCraw
• Attended Mississippi State University –
Communications Major with an
emphasis in Public Relations, minor in
Marketing
• Attended University of Mississippi –
earned a Master’s Degree in Integrated
Marketing Communication
• Internships:
• The Cirlot Agency (Jackson)
• Paradigm Talent Agency (Nashville)
• The Cirlot Agency – Brand
Strategist
• Huntington Ingalls
• Bell Helicopter
• Sanderson Farms, Inc.
• Sanderson Farms
Championship

14. It’s not about geography, but about the
work
Age is just a number at a mid-size agency

15. Keep your friends close, and your colleagues
closer
Treat every assignment as if it’s the most
important assignment

16. Your boss sees everything
Your boss just wants it done

17. Be prepared, constantly.

18. Learn when to be seen and when
to be heard

19. 10 Key Takeaways
1. Find a mentor
2. Challenge yourself
3. Be proactive
4. Get involved
5. Find the right fit
6. Be patient
7. Listen well
8. Your work speaks for itself
9. Always be prepared
10. Redefine the “millennial” perceptions

20. Questions

21. Thank you.
Similar webinars are on-demand at plankcenter.ua.edu.
@PlankCenterPR #PlankWebinar