PRSA 2009 International Conference keynote speaker, former White House economic policy adviser Todd Buchholz  talks about whether numbers are inherently more objective than language at communicating facts, communicating through raw data and number crunching truth in the digital age.

“On the Record…Online” returns as the official public relations podcast of the PRSA 2009 International Conference. Be sure to tune in as we’ll be talking to other Conference keynoters in the weeks leading up to the event, and interviewing several presenters and panelists on-site in San Diego as well.

Continue reading " Truth Through Numbers With Former White House Economic Policy Adviser Todd Buchholz "

The Chaos Scenario Continued
You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll change your business model. The Chaos Scenario is a movie and I play myself!

Fabian-Baber, Team Chaos partner and educational video producer extraordinaire, has made “The Chaos Scenario” into a riveting 33-minute training video that you can stream online.

How should you use it? That’s up to you, but here are a few ideas:

• Play it at a staff meeting.
• Use it as programming for your PRSA Chapter meeting.
• Show it to your college class.
• Rent a local theater and invite your clients and prospects.

Continue reading " More With Bob Garfield: The Chaos Scenario Continued "

In this two-minute video, Heathere Evans-Keenan, APR — CEO of Keenan PR, past-President of PRSA-NCC, Silver Anvil Awards winner and Washington PR Woman of the Year Honoree — describes why accreditation is an important career step for public relations professionals.

By Heathere Evans-Keenan,  founder and chief executive officer, Keenan PR, has more than a decade in corporate, government and agency public relations. Using a virtual business approach, Evans-Keenan assesses clients’ individual needs, leverages her national network of independent public relations, marketing communications and creative professionals, and then spearheads an account team of hand-picked pros with the skills to get results. Evans-Keenan and her team design full-service communications campaigns for a broad spectrum of organizations in a variety of industries. Presently, Keenan PR is working with a focus in health care and government organizations, as well as companies in the technology and telecommunications industries.

Continue reading " Is Public Relations Accreditation Worthwhile? "

You won’t be able to describe Penelope Trunk’s career advice as traditional.

For instance, during her luncheon address Monday at the PRSA 2008 International Conference: The Point of Connection, in Detroit, Trunk said that job hopping and regular sex are two of the keys to career satisfaction.

Trunk, author of “Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success,” popular blogger and syndicated columnist for The Boston Globe, has a freewheeling, almost stream-of-conscious presentation delivery. If she worked from a prepared speech, the text wouldn’t contain any punctuation.

With the sass of a stand-up comedian and an unorthodox approach to a timeless subject, Trunk began by quickly describing her unusual career trajectory, including her start as a professional beach volleyball player. Later, she spent nearly 10 years as a marketing executive in the software industry. She also founded three companies of her own, enduring an IPO, merger and bankruptcy along the way.

Her current take on career opportunities may be seen as counterintuitive, though that kind of perspective is how she has amassed a following in recent years.

“Many people think that you have a lot of choices and the ability to manage your career if it’s a good economy. But when it’s a bad economy, you have to suffer through crap jobs. This is true for people who are in crap industries. Like if your hedge fund went under, then you’ll have to suffer through a crappy job,” she said, “But I truly believe that this is the golden age of public relations. You have so much more control over your careers right now than other people do.”

Continue reading " Monday Luncheon Recap: Penelope Trunk on Navigating Today’s Workplace "

Career columnist Penelope Trunk was the guest speaker for the Monday luncheon during the 2008 PRSA International Conference in Detroit. Before her speech, she talked with Tactics and The Strategist Online.

JE: Given the scary headlines in newspapers and online, one might think there’s a 100 percent unemployment rate in the United States. What’s your take on the job market these days?

PT: In general, there are isolated job losses. Because the media and investment bankers are married to each other, it’s totally overblown. What’s happening on Wall Street is an exaggerated reflection of what’s happening in the world because all of the media come out of New York. There are pockets of the world that are doing really well. Biotech, for instance.

Continue reading " Penelope Trunk: Pay No Mind to Those Overblown Newspaper Headlines "