My PR Real World Experience

This past Friday I attended PR Real World in Atlanta. It is put on by PRSA and features different breakout sessions and speakers relating to many different aspects of public relations. I was not sure what I was getting myself into, but I think that the information I learned will benefit me in the coming years. One thing that I really liked about PR Real World was the variety of the speakers. Our first session featured three people from CNN, who covered a broad range of professions. They were the first of many to speak on the importance of social media. I do not think that there was one session that did not mention it's importance. One of the speakers, Victor Hernandez, who is the Director of Coverage at CNN, gave one of my favorite quotes of the day. He said, "Social media tools are like running shoes. You never fall in love with the your first pair. You have to look around and find the one that works best f

or you." I feel this is very true. It takes some time to get used to the different types of social media and it takes some time to figure out which one works best for your needs. 

A lot of the professionals at PR Real World told us that our generation has an upper hand on social media because there has almost never been a time when we have not had access to it. In middle school we had AIM Instant Messenger and Xangas, and now we have Facebook, Twitter, and so many more! Today's PR professionals have a very active presence on these social media sites and already knowing how they work puts us one step ahead. 

I also really enjoyed the variety of the sessions. I was able to attend sessions on Internships, Non-Profits, Media Relations, and Sports and Entertainment PR. During our lunch, we also got to hear from the Director of US Communications for the one and only McDonald's! I am not sure where else you could find all these people in one room! PR Real World helped me to see that I think my future lies somewhere in non-profit public relations or event planning. I really don't see myself working for an agency or corporation. I really enjoyed PR Real World and hopefully will be able to go back next year! 

Just some of the GCSU PRSSA Chapter at PR Real World

For more information about PR Real World and PRSA, click here!