As college commencement season begins, some four million graduates are deciding whether they’ll receive their degrees in person or by mail. Having made the wrong decision decades ago, I felt a need to urge 2024 grads to do as I say, not as I did. Walk! Most graduates this year missed their high school…… Continue reading Commencement: To Walk or Not to Walk?
Category: Day in the Life
Show Your Respect by Dressing Respectfully
I recently was asked by a young reader of this blog for advice on what to wear to a relative’s funeral. The fact he asked me for advice suggested he knew that his normal casual attire might not be sufficient. The question gave me a flashback to a college course I took long ago…… Continue reading Show Your Respect by Dressing Respectfully
Performance Reviews Will Bite This Year. Be Ready.
Q. I haven’t had an in-person performance review in more than three years, so I became immediately suspicious when I got an Outlook calendar invitation for one next month. I became even more uneasy after seeing this week’s Wall Street Journal headline, “Performance Reviews Will Bite This Year. Be Ready.” I don’t have a…… Continue reading Performance Reviews Will Bite This Year. Be Ready.
If You RSVP’d, Show Up
Over the past few weeks, I have attended social and business events where lots of name tags went unclaimed by no shows. One host said 60 people RSVP’d that they would be attending, but only 25 showed up. “We now have a refrigerator filled with beer, wine and dips,” she said. Another host said…… Continue reading If You RSVP’d, Show Up
Pitching to Actual Client Creates Best Real-world College Experience
By Jack Keich New business is the lifeblood of the public relations industry, and many professionals will tell you that there is nothing more exciting than winning. DePaul University’s Public Relations Campaigns course gives students the opportunity to experience the thrills and hardships that come with competing for new business in an agency setting,…… Continue reading Pitching to Actual Client Creates Best Real-world College Experience
Chicago is No ‘Second City’ When it Comes to PR
Chicago was the epicenter of public relations last week with five major events and announcements. Bright and early on Thursday, some 25 educators and PR leaders gathered for the first meeting of Plank Partners. The new Plank Center affiliate brings together like-minded individuals who want to make a difference and help empower and advance…… Continue reading Chicago is No ‘Second City’ When it Comes to PR
‘Talkaholics’ – 5 Ways to Stop Talking So Much
Great people talk about ideas, average people talk about themselves, and small people talk about others. –– John Maxwell By John Millen Everyone knows someone who can’t shut up. They’re constantly talking, rarely listening, and don’t know when to stop. Whether during a job interview, presentation, or a conversation with the boss, they just…… Continue reading ‘Talkaholics’ – 5 Ways to Stop Talking So Much
Handling A Job Search–with Eminem’s Help
By Michael Shmarak A weird thing happened when I went to work a few weeks ago—I got laid off. I say “weird” knowing full well layoffs are not all weird or humorous—they stink badly. Having been laid off before, I find solace that I have been through this process once before, and know I…… Continue reading Handling A Job Search–with Eminem’s Help
Like it or Not: Office Attire Has Changed Forever
An agency leader who has hired several recent graduates sent me the recent Wall Street Journal story with the following headline: “What’s Too Casual for Work in 2023? You Can Get Away With More Now.” His email requested that educators do a better job of stressing soft skills – including appropriate work attire –…… Continue reading Like it or Not: Office Attire Has Changed Forever
Check List Before Finishing Summer Internship
Attention: Summer Interns As the summer internship season draws to a close, make sure you can check off key accomplishments that will lead to your next career opportunity. Here are 10 questions to ask yourself: Did you learn or seek to learn something new every day? Did you get to know the agency, association…… Continue reading Check List Before Finishing Summer Internship