PRSA Professional Development Day: Networking in the ‘Burgh

By Blaithe Tarley

“It’s not who you know, it’s who knows you,” said Nick Paradise, Kennywood public relations director, during the PRSA Professional Development Day keynote panel. Professional Development Day (PD Day) was an opportunity for PRSSA chapters in the surrounding Pittsburgh area to learn from and talk to professionals in the communication field about “breaking through the noise.”

One of the highlights of the PD Day itinerary was the networking hour for students and Pittsburgh’s PRSA members. I had the privilege of meeting a wide variety of public relations specialists. Some had been working in the field for more than 15 years and discussed their challenges and experiences along the way. Others were brand new to the industry and described the competitive atmosphere they endured.

This was one of my first networking events as a public relations student. Walking in, I was unsure who would be attending, how I should approach someone or what sort of questions to ask. For all of you who may experience this anxiety in the future, here are a few personal tips I created after my attempt to ensure a smooth and beneficial networking experience.

1. Get up and go for it! Upon arrival, I noticed the quiet atmosphere and was hesitant to take the initiative and start the chatter. Instead, I opted to stay seated at my table until others started the trend. In the end, I was only hurting myself and my reputation. Professionals will remember those who made a great, approachable first impression. They will likely forget those who chose to ignore their presence.
2. Don’t be selective. “When you force yourself to get out and hear different perspectives, it opens up your point of view,” said Mike Lee, Pittsburgh 365 executive producer and panelist at PD Day. Having a variety of connections in the media industry is vital. After an announcement was made for everyone to mingle with someone new rather than continue falling asleep at the tables, I ensured I talked with a mix of individuals including professors, agency professionals, and corporate and small business media coordinators. This allowed me to reflect and compare the variety of experiences in different areas of the industry after the session ended.
3. Ask pointed questions. Try to gain some insight into their experiences and propose questions that will benefit you the most. Unfortunately, you don’t have all evening to mingle with one individual; therefore, it is vital that you make the most of your time. Some questions I made sure to incorporate into the conversation were:
   

   A. What did you do to “break through the noise” and make yourself stand out to employers?

   B. When hiring employees or interns, what is the most important quality or skill for them to have?

   C. What is one thing that you wish you knew before breaking into the media world?

4. Exchange business cards and follow up. At the end of the networking hour, I was in mid-conversation with Courtney Dwyer Tyson from PR Newswire when the announcement was made that time had run out. At times like these, asking for a business card exchange is crucial to gain information you may have missed. It may also help you develop a relationship with the professional. Even if you did manage to squeeze in all of your questions, you should still request their contact information to reach out and build a greater connection. Creating meaningful relationships allows you the opportunity to contact the individual again in the future for guidance, advice or assistance. When conducting a follow-up email, be sure to incorporate specific information you talked about during your initial conversation to make it more personal.

Blaithe Tarley is a junior at West Virginia University (WVU) and a strategic communications major with an emphasis in public relations. She hails from a small town in North Carolina, but West Virginia has always been a second home to her. Since discovering her passion for public relations, she has landed an executive position in PRSSA at WVU and assists in the public relations and social media department for The Martin Hall Agency on campus. She also serves as the public relations intern for the West Virginia University Center for Excellence in Disabilities. Connect with Blithe on Twitter, @bmtarley, send her an email at bmtarley@mix.wvu.edu or visit her website.