Temple PRSSA held their third annual TU Invitational on Saturday, Mar. 12. TU Invitational is a one- day, regional conference focused on public relations, marketing and the communication industry. It offers a variety of guest speakers to attendees, as well as a networking session with professionals from the region at the end. The theme this year was “ Telling Your Tale: Storytelling for the Modern-day Professional.”
As the former conference coordinator for this event, TU Invitational is something very near and dear to my heart. Each year is different and there is so much to take away from attending no matter age or experience level. I want to share with you my three main takeaways from being present on Saturday.
Just Do It
Yes, similar to advice from a Nike advertisement. One of the guest speakers, Kaja Rasmussen, the Marketing Manager for the Liacouras Center shared her story of landing a position at one of Philadelphia’s top venues. It was inspiring to hear someone only two years out of school have a great deal of success. Her path to her current job was spontaneous and gutsy. She moved back home to California after graduating from Temple University and back to Philadelphia all in one month for her job. This story showed that in life you have to just go for it and trust the process. Landing a job may not be the most cookie cutter experience, but that’s OK and makes for a great story later on in life.
Follow Your Heart
I’ll admit, this takeaway title is a little corny, but still applies to public relations. Whether it’s changing jobs or moving to a new city, Jessica Lawlor’s session made me realize how important it is to be happy about what you decide to do. Jessica is a public relations professional in the Philadelphia area who recently left a job she loves to become her own CEO and take her business, blog and brand to the next level. This reminded me that things take time and everything won’t always be perfect, but it is important to take a step back and ask yourself “are you happy?”
Be Different
What separates you from the pack? The concluding networking session reminded me first, I am not the best at this and second, networking is REALLY important. Identifying what makes you different from other students or applicants isn’t always something that is clear cut. Personally, I’ve had to take time to think about what I have to offer that I believe makes me stand out during something like this. Networking in this industry is crucial and so is making connections that are worthwhile.
For those lucky enough to still be in college next March, be sure to take advantage of this spectacular event held on Temple’s campus. Hopefully next March, I will land a job in this great city within the next few months and will be able to offer encouraging words to those who were once in my shoes.
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