Today is “Help a PR Professional Out” (HAPPO) Day, an amazing event that seeks to pair jobseekers with employers across the country. Many eager participants have taken to their blogs or Twitter accounts to post lengthy pitches about their internship and/or work experience. What some of these pitches are missing, however, is one of the most important elements of a career: passion.
I can’t remember a time in my life when I did not have a passion for communication. I learned how to read by age three, and I progressed to a fifth-grade reading level by the end of kindergarten. As I grew older I gravitated toward newspapers and media clubs because they allowed me to think creatively and interact with people. While words and language are an important part of my past, they are equally essential to my future. I have known from a young age that I would pursue a career that allowed me to use my reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. Pursuing a career in communication, therefore, is a natural step.
I brought my interests in communication to a higher level as an undergraduate student at Bryant University, where I graduated in May 2009 with an Honors BA in communication and minors in business administration and political science. During college, I gained first-hand experience in working with government contacts and the media as a public affairs intern at Duffy & Shanley in Providence, RI. I also interned at Bryant’s Office of Conferences and Special Events, learning the ropes of event planning as a manager and day-to-day contact for Gordon Research Conferences. In addition, I wrote an undergraduate honors thesis on the relationship between the advertising industry and Facebook as a way to develop my knowledge of social media. All of these accomplishments helped me to enhance my skills in communication, and my interests and passion grew even further.
Currently, I am a graduate student in the Public Communication program at American University, where I have further developed my skills through courses such as Principles of Strategic Communication, Political Communication, and International Public Relations. As graduation nears, I am eager to begin my career and prove myself as an up-and-coming professional. I am a driven and organized person who is offering a fresh perspective and great ideas. If you are looking for an excellent candidate who will apply her passion every day, you don’t need to look any further!
Tags: communication, happo, jobs
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