Recently, I met a Northwestern communications student who said she wants to pursue a career in fashion PR. Since I had just been invited to a networking event being hosted by one of the most prominent fashion PR pros in my “Rolodex,” I offered to see if it would be OK to invite her to the reception.
Fashion maven Tiffin Jernstedt didn’t hesitate to include the student on the RSVP list for her popular “Talk Shop” Chicago reception, noting there would be a wide range of talent and experience in attendance – just as has been the case with her other recent in-person “Talk Shop” receptions in Austin, TX, Washington, DC, New York, Charleston, SC, Amsterdam and virtual get togethers.
Sure enough, I was amazed to see four generations represented at the Chicago event – plenty of Boomers, Gen Xers, Gen Xs, and even Gen Alpha (babies yo 15 years). It was a special evening on the rooftop of her parents’ condo building along Lake Shore Drive.
“Since I started Talk Shop in New York City in 1999, I have never been focused on people’s titles/positions, which naturally meant different career stages,” Tiffin explained. “I think it’s important to create space for professional networking that is more casual, personal, and sparks unexpected connections.”
The event served as a learning opportunity for a recent graduate who asked a pro at the height of his career if he was retired. Being at least 15 years from retirement, he gently suggested a better ice-breaker question might be “Tell me what you do.” Tiffin noted that the same feeling occurs for recent graduates/20s professionals who are asked, “What do you want to do with your career?” She noted, “It’s not fair to ask that question so early in their career development…it works both ways!”
“This is why I love to mix it all up because when you take out the politics of career prestige…companies, titles, and the focus is only on careers, real conversations and learnings are created, Tiffin explained. “I love including Communicator Allies because this group knows our crazy lives and always offers great advice and/or humor to our crazy work drama.”
The above-mentioned fashion PR-focused student — Selma Temizel — was thrilled by the “Talk Shop” opportunity.
“As a rising sophomore studying communications, the Talk Shop event was such a great experience connecting with the communications community of Chicago,” Selma explained. It was inspiring talking with multiple professionals across different stages in their careers, while learning more about varied areas of specialization and expertise in the business.”
Observation from the evening: More professional organizations should find ways to include students and young pros in their networking events. Several years ago, Page members opened their annual spring meetings to guests, who primarily include younger professionals in their organizations. This eventually led to the formation of a highly successful offshoot organization, PageUp, which primarily consists of second-in-command pros and up-and-coming talent in member organizations. But there are significant registration costs to many Page, IABC, PRSA, and PRSSA national events. However, established PR groups can find innovative ways, like “Talk Shop,” to broaden their networking tents to the next generations of talent.