By Krista Sanford, Account Associate

Internship application tips.

College students - this one’s for you. The end of February means that the summer internship application process is in full swing. Deadlines are quickly coming and going, and it’s time that you dust off that old resume, start listening and engaging with social media, and begin contacting your professional network. For companies like Fahlgren Mortine, you still have a week or so get started, but it’s definitely time to begin applying.

Some organizations receive hundreds, if not thousands, of applications every year from very qualified and impressive students. Although college courses are important and a good GPA is a bonus, experience is extremely valuable. Prior internships, leadership positions and involvement in campus and community organizations set you apart from the other applicants. The more experience you have, the better.

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By Lara Kretler, Associate Vice President

Put down your Blackberry and step away from the keyboard. Seriously.

Social media monitoring is important for countless reasons, many of which we’ve elucidated on this blog. But sometimes, a very real benefit of social media monitoring is to find cool opportunities to make genuine human connections with other people — the kind that can only happen face to face.

We had a great moment in random social media connections last week. As part of regular daily monitoring for both the Advertising and PR sides of our agency, we caught this Tweet by Jeremiah Owyang, a nationally renowned social media VIP, columnist for Forbes, and web strategy genius:

@fahlgren. I see you. http://twitpic.com/13s6d1

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By Vince McMorrow, Senior Counselor

Leveraging PRSA can help prepare you for what’s next. 

I recently completed a year-long turn as president of the Central Ohio PRSA chapter. At the end of the term, my wife asked me what I was going to do next. I told her that one thing I discovered in leading the 350-member chapter was that I still have a lot to learn and that PRSA will be the catalyst to help me build new skills.

Everybody comes to PRSA with a different expectation, but almost all are looking to develop additional expertise to not only keep up, but take advantage of the changes in our profession. It’s no secret that communications has become more specialized in content, media outlets and manner of delivery. To stay on top, continual learning is mandatory and leveraging your local PRSA chapter can help you develop, shape and control the skills you use in the future. The following are what I plan to take advantage of in the coming months to continue to grow.

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By Charlotte Halliday, Fahlgren Mortine Intern

The Art of Networking

There are always those individuals who enter a room and everyone stops to stare. They radiate confidence as they move through the room shaking hands and striking up conversations about the power client they recently acquired. 

This individual isn’t me. In fact, I tend to be the one staring. 

Three years ago, as a freshman in college, I frequently contemplated the importance of networking and how to actually do it. How do I talk to these people who have the job I could only hope for in the future? Why should these professionals be interested in me? The truth is, the networking process tends to be extremely intimidating for students. 

Today, as a senior who is approaching graduation, I cannot stress enough the importance of networking as soon as possible. Meeting local professionals can only help students learn about what public relations actually is, the range of careers in our industry, and current internship opportunities. 

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