This a post from our weekly series, Mentorship Month, appearing Tuesdays and Thursdays where BUPRSSA students interview mentors in the PR field.
Julian Greene and I recently had the chance to interview BU graduate Jenna Glynn, an assistant account executive at Marina Maher Communications. Below are some tips that she offered to use during the interview.
Finding a Voice Online
Jenna told us that one of her biggest feats while at school was “finding her voice online”, specifically as a sophomore in college.
In order to find her online voice, Glynn started a personal blog, Ramblings of a Redhead. Although many students don’t know what to write about, Glynn suggests just writing about your passions: “I began a blog about my likes and dislikes and things I found interesting. It’ s just me.” Eventually her blog found success beyond the confines of BU and she learned how to use keywords and hyperlinks to make her blog searchable, thus gaining more followers.
As a college student of today, earning a diploma can no longer land you a job — you must make a name for yourself online and in person. Check out Jenna’s blog to see how she found her online voice.
Finding Your Niche
Jenna told us that it’s okay to be confused. At first, she wanted to major in journalism, but after some soul-searching she switched to Public Relations. This also applies to choosing which internships to work for during your college years; Jenna dabbled in entertainment, text, social media, and agency internships – this only diversified her resume and led her to a great spot at an agency she loves!
Networking and Internships
While interning is the key to success, especially in the communications world, Glynn stresses the importance of in-school connections and clubs. She mentioned that BU alumni fill the MMC offices, and networking with professors and students could help in finding future jobs: “the way I see it, you could only participate in school clubs for four years – take advantage of it!”
A Last Piece of Advice
Jenna’s advice for PR hopefuls is that “Your online presence should be authentic to you, and it should be a professional reflection of your personality.”
Glynn attributes the success she has had at Marina Maher Communications to her ability to talk to anyone, and not being afraid. Glynn isn’t afraid to be herself, an attribute that all college students should all learn.
You’re welcome! I do read her blog! Her posts are very entertaining.
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Thank you very much, Emily! Interviewing Jenna and getting advice from her was definitely a good experience. We’re glad you enjoyed the article!
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Thank you for your feedback. It was great as a college student to interview someone as accomplished as she is! If you want to hear more from Jenna check out her blog at
http://www.jennaglynn.com/
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Great post! Jenna is obviously a star in the PR world and I’m glad to see she’s already giving back by sharing her own advice. It’s also good to hear that BU’s colossal alumni network helped her find a job!
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