Name: Jordan Parker Graduated: I graduated in the winter of 2013 but I left Blacksburg after spring semester of 2013. I had just one class I needed to take and decided it would be easier to take over the summer at a community college while having an internship than staying in Blacksburg for the summer. Course of Study: I started off as a communication major with a cognate in nonprofit work. As I started interning with nonprofits I realized that what they wanted was an experienced writer and communicator (among other things) and not entirely someone in a cognate in non-profit work. I dropped my major and started to pick up English classes so I could continue to challenge myself. PRSSA Involvement: During my junior year, I started off as just a committee member for the Events Board. The following year I was Co-Chair for The Firm. Current Employment: I am currently employed with Epic Health Services, a pediatric health care company that does in-home nursing and therapy. I am the Client Services Supervisor. What does a day at work look like for you? The great thing about this job is that every day is different. In my position I have 23 clients for which I am responsible. I schedule their nursing, communicate with the parents and nurses (to make sure both parties are happy) and manage our other field nurses to make sure they have everything they need to be successful at work. I do payroll for all my clients, hire new nurses, fire them if need be, and work hard to give our clients as much normalcy as possible. How did you originally learn about where you are working? I moved to Texas with my fiancé who just got stationed at Fort Hood. When moving here I did not know a single person. Through college we are told that connections and networking can get you far. Unfortunately my networking was not as useful halfway across the country. I started off emailing local businesses and when I wasn't receiving feedback I went online. I started applying to jobs online through an array of sites. I came upon Epic and I thought I had found my perfect job. When I went in for the interview I actually found out that one of the girls I would be working with would be the sister-in-law of Meredith Spencer, the 2012-14 Special Events Co-Chair. So maybe my connections did follow me all the way to Texas? :) What other advice would you give PRSSA members in preparation for postgraduate work? I think that you need to be prepared for a lot of hard work when it comes to searching for the perfect job. Never settle for less than you deserve and attend interviews for jobs you are not sure of -- a little practice never hurt anyone. Sometimes it takes months to find a job and that is okay, just don't give up on yourself. Also, a MAJOR piece of advice...everyone I currently work with told me that one of the HUGE reasons I got my job was because I had high energy and I communicated with everyone in the office as soon as I entered. Just be yourself and always try to be professional. Do you mind being contacted by PRSSA students with questions, etc? What is the best way to contact you (current email address, Facebook, etc.): Not a problem! You can contact me through Facebook or e-mail. Or if you have any immediate questions feel free to text me. Your Webmaster/Editor-in-Chief has all of my contact information. Words from a VT PRSSA student (Meredith Spencer, Special Events Co-Chair 2012-14): "Jordan has a lot of PR/Marketing experience. She volunteered for the Orphan Network in Nicaragua, interned for DC's Starlight Children's Foundation, interned for Plurro, Inc. and interned for Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. You'll notice she has a trend in nonprofits - that was definitely her passion! She was always giving back to people, volunteering her time and putting so much effort in to making other people's lives better. Jordan Parker was a PRSSA leader that many younger students looked up to while she co-directed the PRSSA Firm in the 2012-2013 school year. Always running around with a smile on her face, Jordan put so much hard work into creating a successful year for the firm and its clients. She is so passionate about giving back to society and helping others. I am so proud of Jordan and all that she has accomplished at Virginia Tech and post-graduation!" See Jordan's LinkedIn profile here. #ThrowbackThursday Blog edited by Melanie Ford, Webmaster and Editor-in-Chief 2013-2014
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Name: Sarah Kilbourne Graduated: Spring 2012 Course of Study: Dual degree in Communication (PR) and French PRSSA Involvement: Years active: 2009-2012 Firm Director 2009/2010 and President 2011/2012 Current Employment: I currently work as an au pair in France, and spent the past year teaching English at two primary schools over here. What does a day at work look like for you? Since my current job isn't relevant to PR, I'll speak to the internship I did with Edelman in the summer of 2012 before leaving for France: I was a digital intern on the RIM account and did a lot of monitoring of social pages and crafting responses to consumers. I created content for the social networks and developed a daily internal newsletter for RIM developers. I spent a significant amount of time on Google Reader monitoring the tech space and had allotted times where I was logged onto the monitoring program for the BlackBerry Facebook page. How did you originally learn about where you are working? I learned about Edelman just from being in the PR field. They're a name that always pops up. I was interested in working for them since they are a top international firm. What tips do you have for the application and interview process? Landing an internship with a big firm can be tricky and it takes networking. I originally reached out by sending in a question to their website and from there asked for an informational interview. Persistence is key, but don't be pushy! A PR student can best prepare themselves for a career in PR by: Getting a wide-range of experience. Do internships or take classes that offer you a variety of skills. Having a well-rounded resume will put you ahead of your competition. What other advice would you give PRSSA members in preparation for postgraduate work? Don't stress too much about finding a job right out of college. Travel first :). Do you mind being contacted by PRSSA students with questions, etc? Not at all, feel free to contact me at [email protected]. Words from a VT PRSSA member (Cat Goergen, President 2013-14): "Sarah is a free spirit. She had fun with meetings and she never acted like she was above anyone in PRSSA just because she was president. She talked to me all the time. I remember in a meeting about social media she introduced us all to Pinterest. I blame her for my obsession." See Sarah's LinkedIn profile here. #ThrowbackPiece Written by Melanie Ford, Webmaster and Editor-in-Chief 2013-2014 Edited by Katharina Elberti, Webmaster and Editor-in-Chief 2014-2015 |
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