Kayla Bennett, Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney PC

For our first (officially) fall meeting, recent graduate Kayla Bennett (‘23) came to speak with us. Kayla majored in Journalism News and Information, and minored in Political Science. While not an alumnus of our PRSSA chapter, Kayla was involved in the Ohio University Society of Professional Journalists (OUSPJ), Thread Magazine, The Post and a few other campus organizations during her time here. During her presentation, Kayla described her internship and fellowship experiences that led to her current position as a Business Development Administrator at Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney PC. Kayla also extended comforting advice and tips to older and younger members of the chapter during her presentation. 

Key Takeaways:

• It’s important to maintain relationships: Kayla highlighted in her presentation that every major position she’s earned has come through a Bobcat connection. Kayla especially emphasized when communicating with professionals to “make yourself memorable” and “that right now, you are your biggest advocate. Talk about yourself and the accomplishments you have had. I posted on LinkedIn and sent the occasional email.”
• Get out of your comfort zone: Kayla encouraged us all to get out of our comfort zones during college or soon after because it’s the best way to discover what one truly wants to do with their life or career.
• Don’t give in to the pressure: Kayla reminded everyone that it’s ok to not have everything figured out, whether that be your next internship or your job after graduation. Kayla even said, “It clicked to me [that] I’m the only person putting pressure on myself.” Kayla also said to never let others’ positions make you put pressure on yourself and that “no one’s creating your timeline except for you.”
• You don’t have to perfectly fit the job description or make a decision right away: When asked about how Kayla handled interviewing and making decisions for her future after college, Kayla encouraged us to remember that no one has to be the perfect applicant. She instead encouraged us to be willing to learn, adapt and always be building our skill tool boxes. Kayla also reminded us that its ok to think about a decision before making it. She said, “Talk to your peers, talk to your advisors, talk to those you look up to, and don’t forget to do some self-care and self-reflection.”

You can connect with Kayla on LinkedIn here.