With the months flying by, it’s hard to believe we’re already in the ‘Dog Days’ of summer this year. During this particularly hot season, it’s especially important to relax and take extra time for yourself– because when else does a college student get this much time off! But, as we know, the professional world never stops, and as pre-professionals, we should also be aware of these trends, news and events occurring. It might be stressful to know where to begin finding the latest PR news, but luckily, I’ve found some great resources, some of which are specifically targeted for college students!
First on the list: blogs. There are countless PR blogs I could mention, but I’m going to stick to some of the most reliable, up-to-date and enjoyable ones.
- PRogressions. Open to any PRSSA member, PRogressions posts new (and fact-checked!) articles every few days. My favorite part about the blog is that some writers relate pop-culture to PR! Featuring a sidebar with links to every article pertaining to a specific topic, PRogressions is both engaging and easy to use.
- MuckRack Blog. I actually discovered this blog because I use MuckRack quite frequently for my internship. I love how they don’t shy away from important topics, like LGBTQ+ rights and Juneteenth. I also really like how some of the articles are entirely based on specific people in the field, whether it’s MuckRack staff members, or other PR pros. I’d say one of my favorite recurring ‘themes’ is their “This Month in Bad PR Pitches.” They’re definitely entertaining!
Next: newsletters.
- PR Daily. Run by Ragan Communications, both PR Daily and its sister website, Ragan.org attract over 600,000 communications professionals each month. Not only is PR Daily’s newsletter, yes, sent daily, but it also caters to a wide variety of interests. Before signing up, you select your ‘topics of interest.’ For example, you might select ‘Crisis Communications,’ ‘Workplace Wellness,’ and ‘Branding.’
- PRWeek. Another popular resource for communications pros, PRWeek is great for those who want options. Newsletters include PRWeek Healthcare Daily, PRWeek Dashboard Daily, Breaking News Alert, Weekender Newsletter, PRWeek Breakfast Briefing and PRWeek Weekly Online Edition.
My last piece of advice for staying up to date on PR news during the summer is a bit more obvious: Look to PR professionals! Who better to learn from than those who are already in the field? A personal connection, like your internship boss or last year’s professional mentor is always preferable over a distant one, but both can still be helpful. Follow or connect with pros on LinkedIn who work in the industries you’re interested in, read their recent posts and comments and see where their attention is turned towards. It’s likely you should also be looking in that direction! Dig deeper, when possible, too. For example, if your internship boss asks you to research contacts for an event, learn everything you can about the event and its significance; that background information may come in handy later down the line in your career. And as always, don’t be afraid to try to reach out or ask questions. Remember: if you don’t ask, the answer will always be ‘no.’
