Thanksgiving Break!

This year for Thanksgiving break I got to spend an entire week at home! It was very relaxing, I think I got more sleep than I have gotten all semester! I got to spend time with family and friends and eat a LOT. It was definitely hard coming back to snow and schoolwork!

These next two weeks before we're done for the semester are always fun, but I was wondering if I would rather be on quarters and be done with finals when I go home. Ohio University has a six-week intercession before their winter quarter, so they just go home at Thanksgiving and stay until after New Years. Then, I thought NO WAY! OU doesn't get to experience Christmas on Campus or Ugly Sweater parties, and they're on quarters! I then realize I prefer and appreciate UD semesters.

Happy Holidays,

Kelley

Jobs in PR

It's about that time for me to start looking for a post-college job. (Enter freak out.) I went on the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the information was very promising! Here is what it said about jobs as "Public Relations Specialists":

Employment change. Employment of public relations specialists is expected to grow by 18 percent from 2006 to 2016, faster than average for all occupations. The need for good public relations in an increasingly competitive business environment should spur demand for these workers in organizations of all types and sizes. Those with additional language capabilities also are in great demand.

Employment in public relations firms should grow as firms hire contractors to provide public relations services rather than support full-time staff.

Among detailed industries, the largest job growth will continue to be in advertising and related services.

Job prospects. Keen competition likely will continue for entry-level public relations jobs, as the number of qualified applicants is expected to exceed the number of job openings. Many people are attracted to this profession because of the high profile nature of the work. Opportunities should be best for college graduates who combine a degree in journalism, public relations, advertising, or another communications-related field with a public relations internship or other related work experience. Applicants without the appropriate educational background or work experience will face the toughest obstacles.

Earnings. Median annual earnings for salaried public relations specialists were $47,350 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $35,600 and $65,310; the lowest 10 percent earned less than $28,080, and the top 10 percent earned more than $89,220.

News Media and Blogging: Blurring the Line

I read a story on the PRSA website that talked about journalists blurring the line between being analytical and opinionated when writing for blogs. A blog is much more challenging because it is first-person. When blogs are linked to newspapers, the journalist cannot write in the same voice that he would normally use on a blog. The line becomes blurred even more when print journalists are asked to do multi-media tasks such as write news stories, blog, do [objective] analysis, and provide TV/radio/online commentary. As a result, the newspaper Web sites are blending in more with blogs and altering their principles regarding objectivity and balance.

I think blogging is a good thing, but is it really good for newspapers - print media that is supposed to be objective and non-biased?

Lighthouse Retreat

This weekend I had the incredible opportunity to attend a retreat called "Lighthouse." It was one of the best experiences of my life! I met so many new and amazing people, spent some time with nature, and really got to re-focus/center on myself and God.

I highly recommend attending a UD retreat before you graduate. Or, for those outside the world of UD - any retreat! There are many offered, and they are much needed in the midst of hectic, fast-paced lives!

A Little Too Far...

I thought this post appropriate considering we are a little over one day away from Election Day!

While reading the Flyer News this past week, I came across an article entitled, "Catholics have choice: to vote under Church or not?" It stated, "The USCCB's guide to Faithful Citizenship states that since voting for certain issues [abortion and euthanasia] is inherently wrong, the decision is left up to local bishops to deny public supporters of these rights to be denied the Eucharist." It then went on to mention Joe Biden is a Catholic in the political arena who support abortion rights and have been denied the Eucharist.

The message I received from reading this article was that voting for Barack Obama is voting against the Catholic Church. To deny someone the Eucharist sounds completely contradictory to Catholic/Christian values. I voted for Obama and I have no regrets. I voted for Obama because the core issues currently affecting our world need real solutions. The status quo we have been bearing for the past eight years is only benefiting those who need it least.

Comments?

My First Blog Post EVER

Here are some statistics I found on 'business' blogging:

-"46% of all bloggers are professional bloggers. This may mean that they’re writing a corporate blog, or simply writing about the industry that their company is in, while not necessarily mentioning their company at all."

-"This equates to just over 84.5 million bloggers that are, in essence, business bloggers. If your company doesn’t have some kind of blog presence, that’s potentially 84.5 million businesses ahead of you when it comes to reaching your target audience."

-"Online sales in 2007 totaled $260 billion. Blogs are known to increase awareness of new products and offers from companies. Less than half are utilizing this, which means that 1 out of 2 companies are losing a large part of $260 billion dollars of online income."

[www.falkowinc.com]