Joshua T. Kauffman spoke in the Intro to Public Relations class. Kauffman has earned numerous awards and certificates throughout his years, including earning his APR. Kauffman currently serves as the president of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Central Illinois chapter.
Kauffman provided a vast amount of great information and advice for us students. I learned a lot from hearing him speak. Here are some of the pieces of advice he talked about that really stood out to me the most.
We create your own destiny within our carrier. The choices we make can either propel our carrier forward, or keep it stuck in one place.
Wherever we go we should always be asking the question, Who should I know here?
This is going to help us get to know people and make connections with people we probably would have otherwise never met. Networking is one of the best things someone can ever do for their career. Along with that its important to always make a good first impression. Ask smart questions and sell yourself and the qualities you bring to the table.
Ask yourself the Right Questions. Know who you are and stand by that.
- What are your values
- What motivates you
- What is your passion
- What are you willing to stand up for and speak on behalf of
Mentorship is Instrumental to Growth
- Who is your mentor? Find someone who will advise you in your career and help you through difficult choices. Talking to someone who is experienced and knowledgeable will be a benefit to you and your career.
- Take advantage of the student status
- As students we have a lot more benefits and opportunities. We are young, and still learning the field. People will be more willing to speak with and work with us, and that’s something that needs to be taken advantage of.
- Every Challenge is an opportunity and Getting Ahead Requires Sacrifice
- I know I speak for myself when I say that it is so much easier to take the easy route. .. But it may not be the best route. Sometimes accepting a difficult challenge and sacrificing yourself a bit is what learn from the best. The challenge helps us learn more and become stronger workers in the end.
- Identify your weakness early on – be honest with yourself
- no body likes21 to admit their weaknesses. We always want to be the strong one who has it all together. However, when we admit our weakness and recognize what they are we can learn from it and come out even better in the end.
- Remember those who helped you
- Never forget where your started and who helped you get to the place you are now
- Always work hard no matter who’s looking
- Hard work pays of . Always doing work to the best of our ability is what gets us the prize at the end.
- Take calculated risks and often
- Its scary but worth it. You never know what an opportunity a risk could to.
- No matter the circumstance believe in yourself. Be bold be confident and be intentional
- Nobody can be you. We all bring something new and unique to the table, and that’s something we need to foster.
By Samantha Lopez, Junior Account Executive, KC-CASA
