Hi, PR Student!

by Molly Tullis, @mollytullis

There are women and designers all around the world who have conquered the obstacles in their path to success; using skills such as cunning, business aptitude, and sure will power. Sophia Amoruso, Founder and CEO of Nasty Gal, is not the traditional rags to riches story; unless rags includes a vintage Chanel jacket scored for $8 and riches includes an empire worth $250 million dollars.

Amoruso has just recently added New York Times Bestseller to her profile, as her biography #GIRLBOSS released on May 6th.#GIRLBOSS outlines the untraditional route to success that Amoruso took in the founding of Nasty Gal clothing. After teenage years filled with petty theft and trouble making, by 2006 Amoruso was making $13 an hour checking ID’s at an art college. A job that she took just to get the health care benefits that came along with it. After realizing that she wasn’t going to check ID’s forever, Amoruso quit the job and began an eBay store called “Nasty Gal Vintage”. One of her first sales was a vintage Chanel jacket that she found for $8 at a Salvation Army, which then went on to sell for over $1,000. Nasty Gal was born.

Amoruso began Nasty Gal online through strong usage of social media, using MySpace to rack up over 60,000 friends, fans, and connections on the site. From the very beginning, she was handling everything in terms of the business, from the designing, merchandising, and even writing product descriptions. It wasn’t until June of 2008 that Nasty Gal moved to its own site, nastygal.com, and Amoruso made her first hire through Craigslist. That hire was Christina Ferruci, who still remains Nasty Gal’s Buying Director, over five years later.

In 2014, Nasty Gal is worth over $250 million dollars and Sophia Amoruso was named “Sexiest CEO Alive” byBusiness Insider.

  What makes Amoruso the first woman in this profile series and one of the most influential women in business today isn’t a rags to riches, Lifetime-movie story. Amoruso used a strong social media presence to build and perfect Nasty Gal, potentially one of the reasons for the incorporation of the hashtag into her now best selling autobiography. Amoruso personifies the strong, independent business woman with a feminist mentality, sans hairy armpits and bra burning (unless you’re into it – then go for it). Amoruso quotes herself several times throughout her book, my favorites including:

The only thing I smoke is my competition… I’m a wolf in wolf’s clothing… Money looks better in the bank than on your feet.

Amoruso has developed a definition of a GIRLBOSS: an independent, driven woman, who is comfortable in uncomfortable situations, but also possesses a business aptitude and financial cunning. Instead of advocating a “whatever happens, happens, you do you” spirit, Amoruso expresses the importance of individuality while still being a smart business woman.

by Molly Tullis, @mollytullis

Everyone counts down to summer vacation, but for some it can be a time of restlessness – especially for public relations students. Instead of letting your skills become stagnant throughout the holidays, there are plenty of ways to stay sharp.

Get an internship. Public relations students are highly advised to get internships before they graduate.  Internships provide excellent, real-world experience and give students an idea of what to expect when they leave school. Some internships go throughout the school year, but summer is an excellent time to apply. Without classes in your schedule, you can commit to being in an office for a traditional workday and make yourself available to your employers. The more you’re around, the better – employers love interns who can make problems go away!

Start blogging. The Internet has made it possible for everyone to become a published author. By using a simple, user-friendly format such as Blogspot or Wordpress, in under five minutes you can have your own web space. Publishing your own content gives you a platform to showcase your writing skills. A blog also gives you somewhere to practice. You can hone your skills and become a fast, efficient, and composed writer. Blogs and personal websites are also becoming a trend in job applications. Your own website can act as a virtual resume to show off your writing skills to potential employers.

Develop good habits. Public Relations professionals need to be aware of current events and what’s happening in the news. When in school, it’s easy to stay up to date. Use your summer break to develop good professional habits – read the newspaper, watch the news, and even stay up to date with social media and new trends. You won’t always have a professor asking giving you current events quizzes, and learning how to motivate yourself will pay off in the long run.

Read something other than a textbook.  College classes demand one thing above everything else – reading. When it comes time to enjoy summer vacation no one wants to think about picking up another book. One of the best ways to become a better writer, the most essential public relations skill, is to become a better reader. Knowing current events also means knowing what’s popular, and reading a few thought provoking bestsellers is an easy way to expand your horizons. 

by Molly Tullis, @mollytullis

New York City has thousands of social events every year, where hundreds of celebrities and socialites come out dressed to the nines in the name of charity. But there is one event that reigns an undisputed supreme, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala, informally called the Met Gala or the Met Ball. This fundraising event also serves the purpose of marking the opening date of the institute’s annual fashion exhibit, and the Gala allows for a star-studded opening night. The Met Gala is commonly referred to as the biggest social event of the year, as well as the most exclusive. Vogue’s Anna Wintour has been chair of the event since 1995, linking Vogue to the party. Wintour and Vogue staff handle everything from the theme to the guest list, where tickets can go for $25,000 (reported from 2013.) The Met Ball is also the most successful fundraising night in the world, with a reported $9 million raised last year.

So why does the world care so much about the Met Ball?

One thing that Wintour understood, that perhaps no other charity committee has grasped, is the idea of changing the event from simply honoring the Metropolitan Museum of Art to making it an event that can change the face of an industry. Wintour has made the Met Ball the night to represent an entire fashion industry, that brings out designers, celebrities, and muses alike, in order to show off their best gowns all on one stage. By creating this fashion phenom, the Met Ball has become a major platform for designers. Its already common knowledge that stylists are used as public relations representatives when it comes to red carpets, and that it’s common for an actress to be paid to wear a designer on the red carpet. At the Met, however, this wheeling and dealing can benefit both sides of the equation. If a young and up-and-coming celebrity can snag a famed designer, they can bring attention to both them, and the brand. Designers with an older fan base have been known to dress young celebrities, in order to get younger fans interested in their brand – see Cara Delevingne in the well established Burberry in 2013. Delevingne has since become a Burberry favorite and helped create Burberry’s invigorated image.

The Met Ball is only rivaled by the West Coast’s claim to fame, Vanity Fair’s Oscar Party – which is said to have more star power, but is much less notable in the fashion industry. The Met is legendary for the perfect juxtaposition of celebrities and designers, where the dealings that go on create big money and publicity for everyone involved.

Cara Delevingne. Met Gala 2013. Burberry.

No other night in the world combines actresses and designers so strongly, with more publicity power than a designer at a movie premiere or an actress at a runway show. For the days leading up to the event, celebrities and models are tweeting, Instagram-ming, and sharing little snaps of their anticipated outfits of choice. Social media has also played a large role in the Met Ball’s popularity, as these little teasing glimpses by people’s favorite celebrities lead up to a much grander reveal the night of.

By Amanda Howard

Internships have become the new essential requirement that employers are looking for in college graduates. It turns out that young, career-seeking adults have to have their own skill sets developed from prior experience- all achieved while being a full-time college student. In fact, 67 percent of college graduates in 2013 said they had completed an internship before his/her graduation (internships.com). Many internships transform into jobs with employers because the interns are already familiar with the company and the intern has had the opportunity to make a positive impression. The debate is not whether or not internships are valuable, but more of how do students apply to and land these now-competitive internships. Through applying to multiple internships and landing a couple myself, I have found some helpful pointers of what college students should consider before and during the application process.

8 Tips for Applying to and Landing an Internship:

1.      Make the Time, Take the Time

Unfortunately, students are overwhelmed with textbooks, projects, studies and assignments. For many, being a student is a full-time job. It is difficult to find the time to apply to countless internships when juggling 16 credit hours and extracurricular activities. Apply to one internship at a time; make it a goal to apply to one or two every day. Eventually, it will add up. If you are applying for an internship in the summer, then many companies start reviewing applications in February and March. Try applying during your Christmas break when you have time away from school. Before you make the time to apply for internships, you also need to make time to have the attractive necessities that potential employers are looking for.

2.      Update Your Resume

Make sure to update your resume. If you have more organization experience (Student Government Association, etc.) than work experience, then make sure to make an “Organization Experience” or “Leadership Experience” area in your resume listing all of your experience with different organizations as well as the leadership positions you have held. Numbers are important- so be specific. If you created media lists, say how many. Make sure you are not only informing the employer of what you have done, but also how much you have done. Once you have updated your resume, have someone review and edit it. He/she may notice missing items.

3.      Tailor Your Cover Letters

Each company you send your resume to should have its own tailored cover letter. It does not have to be completely different, but it should be specifically for that company. Make sure you do not address the company as “To Whom it May Concern” but take the time to fill in the company name. This does not mean you need to re-write a new cover letter for every application. Decide what information every company should know. Keep the necessary information and tailor the introduction and/or conclusion to the specific company. For example, I always keep my two middle paragraphs and change my introduction and conclusion. This way, I can efficiently tailor my message and purpose while maintaining some of the original content. Since you will be sending countless cover letters, save each one with the company name. For example, “Apple Cover Letter”.  By saving each cover letter individually, you will not accidentally send the wrong letter to a company.

4.      Online Portfolios

Creating a whole website/profile to send to your potential employers is a great way to market yourself. Fortunately, students/professionals can choose from multiple online portfolio sources such as Weebly.com and Wix.com. Personalize your website with your “about me” section and attach your resume, recommendation letters and noteworthy projects/pieces. By hyperlinking your online portfolio in an electronic cover letter, you will be more likely to make an impression on the potential employers. An online portfolio shows that you care enough about your future profession and how you market yourself. In addition, an online portfolio will give a face to the name, making you memorable.

5.      Make a List, Check it Twice

Make a list of all of the prospective companies- even if you do not think you have a chance. Collect the information: main contact, email, web link, address, etc. As you apply to the different companies, highlight them. It will give you a sense of accomplishment seeing what you have applied to. I like to highlight mine in green if I got an acceptance, yellow if I simply applied and red if I was declined. This system is a great way to keep track of where you have applied to and what feedback you have received. You can never apply to too many places. Last winter, I applied to approximately 35. This year, I have applied to 18. The more you apply to, the better your chances are!

6.      Follow-up 

After you send your application, follow-up! Send an email, letter or give the company a phone call. Jenn Goethel, a senior studying public relations and sports management at Indianan Wesleyan University says, “In my experience, employers have given me a second look simply because I went out of my way sending them a thank you card. This gesture is also nice to do at the end of an internship to keep in good relations with those you worked with.”

7.      Cleanup Your Social Media

Employers will look at your social media. Make sure it is clean. This does not simply mean steering away from offensive language and inappropriate pictures. Make sure you are not a negative social media user always posting depressing statuses. If you use Facebook or Twitter like it is your diary, stop. Save venting sessions for private writing instead of a worldwide platform on social media. Employers have fired employees from their companies because of social media posts.

8.      Network

Landing internships has turned into a process of not only talent and experience but also who you know. If you land an internship, do not forget to network. For example, this summer I interned in New York City. As much as I loved the city, I realized I did not love my internship. Because of my epiphany of not loving my- at the time- current internship, I sent out approximately six cold emails to employees at Viacom, a company I knew I wanted to intern for. Cold emails or cold calls are when you contact someone without knowing them. As an intern, you will more than likely quickly learn how to make a proper cold call or cold email. Because of my networking, I have now landed an interview with Viacom. Play your cards right and meet who you can when you can. Molly Tullis, a junior studying public relations at Loyola University, shares about her experiences as an intern. “It [her past internship] has expanded my portfolio and helped me make connections! Not to mention, it’s great office experience!”

As much as what some people may think, college is not simply about having a good time. It is, however, designed for students to better educate themselves and become marketable for potential employers post-college. Internships are the way to achieve this, and with the eight tips, you can get closer to landing an internship. Leah Huggins, a junior studying business at Indiana Wesleyan University comments on her internship experience, “I wouldn’t trade the learning experience or the relationships I built during my internship for anything!”

by Molly Tullis, @mollytullis

Feminism is cool again.

With the pop culture popularity of feminist anthems, such as Beyoncé’s “***Flawless” and “Who Run the World? (Girls)”, and songstresses such as Iggy Azalea, Icona Pop, and Lorde, feminism is undergoing a refinement process in the eyes of America’s young women. A movement that was once written off for ‘bra-burners’ and the ‘I won’t shave my armpits’ women has now become a defining characteristic of a younger generation. Beyoncé’s song, “***Flawless”, includes a monologue by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a feminist Nigerian author, with a new definition of feminism that strikes a chord with its listeners: 

Feminist: the person who believes in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes.

Who wouldn’t agree with that statement? If you ask a stranger if they believe in the equality of the sexes, the answer would probably be yes. If you ask that same stranger whether or not they are a feminist, their answer could change. Disbelievers in the feminist movement believe that there is already equality between the genders, it’s 2014, is it not? We just celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the Equal Pay Act, which prohibited sex-based pay discrimination in a position that requires the same skill set. But this new wave of feminists is meeting a new set of challenges. While women still receive on average only 77% of what their male counterparts make, its the depiction of powerful and feminist women that has come under fire. Women are now standing up for their right to equal pay, as well as their right to equal representation.

January 2014, TIME Magazine.

The January issue of TIME magazine featured an article onHillary Clinton and put the spotlight on her rise to political power, and as a symbol for powerful women in all positions. While the article highlighted Clinton’s success, the cover design chosen reflected a different story. Playing off of Hilary’s infamous pant suits, the cover depicted a pant-clad leg and a high-heel crushing a male individual as he held on precariously to her shoe. What kind of image does this leave in the mind of its readers? The title read “Can Anyone Stop Hillary?” and when paired with the cover design, portrayed Clinton as a rampaging politician who needed to be stopped. Versus a powerful, political woman, who couldn’t be stopped. The subtitle wrote: “How to scare off your rivals without actually running (yet)”. Is this what it means to be a powerful woman in politics? This language justifies Hillary’s position in government as one that she achieved through scaring off others. According to TIME, to be a powerful woman, you must be scary.

This is not the first instance of women being portrayed negatively in spite of their success. The Girl Scouts have launched a new campaign entitled #BanBossy which aims to eliminate the use of the word bossy when describing powerful women. As a young girl who was called bossy often, while her male friends were called leaders, this resonates. Pantene also released a #ShineStrong campaign, also hoping to end the negative labels given to powerful women. The Pantene campaign highlights how a working mother may beselfish, and a working father may be dedicated; how an opinionated women is pushy, and a well-spoken man ispersuasive.

Today’s feminists are fighting for not only equality in pay and on paper, but for the same respect and opportunities that a man in their same position would have. The face of feminism has become the face of equality, for all genders, races, and cultures, and does not believe in female superiority over men. Our culture’s unwillingness to accept feminism is based in a chauvinistic, societal fear that the bra-burners want to take over the world. We don’t. We want the opportunity to take it over beside you.

Can you believe that it has been fifty years since the Equal Pay Act?