“When should I start applying for that internship?”

“Where do I start with my job search?”

“Do I need to be sending my resumes out now?”

There’s a point of recognition where the senior public relations major realizes that yes, barring any major gaffes, chances are good that they’re going to graduate and need to find a job. And then the panic sets in.

Senior year both flies by in a blink and seems to drag on forever at the same time.  Benchmarking a few key activities may help you create your own plan for prepping for graduation.

A quick note: University of Oregon is on the quarter system – we start the last Monday of September and finish mid-June, so this calendar may vary based on your University.

Fall Term:

Create a “master” resume – Include every job, volunteer experience, internship and relevant-to-PR class projects that you’ve ever had, think about what you learned from each of those positions that  you can apply to your career, track down addresses, phone numbers, emails for contacts, etc. Having a single document will let you tailor your resumes and cover letters to positions you apply to.

Update your regular resume – You’ve been interning or working this summer to get some PR experience. Make sure you record your accomplishments right away before the details fade.

Update your LinkedIn profile – This goes hand in hand with resume updates.

Collect work for your professional portfolio – You need both physical copies and electronic copies. Track them down right away. You can organize them later, but you don’t want to lose track of the pieces that you want to showcase.

See your academic adviser – You don’t want any spring term surprises! Go over your grad plan and make sure you’re on track.

Meet with your faculty adviser – Get insight on upcoming topics or electives courses, talk about your grad plan, share your goals for the future and build this important connection .

Get involved – PRSSA, IR Futures, Oregon Women in Sports Communication, Unidos, Women in Creative Industries, Women in Business … pick your poison. But be involved.

Find ways to continue getting experience during the year – Allen Hall Public Relations and Oregon Accelerator hire twice a year, lots of nonprofits are looking for volunteers, plenty of student orgs need PR help and there are many internship programs that run year-round. No excuses.

Seek out networking opportunities – Is there a visiting lecturer or an executive in residence? Is there an opportunity to shake someone’s hand and ask a question or two? Take advantage!

Get and stay current on industry & world news – Subscribe to blogs, find email newsletters that you enjoy reading, listen to podcasts and register for free webinars.

Do some social media fall cleaning & planning – It’s time to get serious about how you use social media. There’s a lot of advice out there about personal branding and most of it is pretty good. The bottom line is to figure out what it is you want to say about yourself. What is your story? And how are you going to tell it.

Plan some informational interviews – Set up appointments for informational interviews over winter break. Some advice for who to ask and what to ask here.

Winter Break: 

Do some informational interviews – You set up appointments with PR professionals during fall term, so get to it! Here’s some more advice.

Work on your e-portfolio – Learning the ins and outs of WordPress (our recommended platform for e-portfolios) takes time and some ability to just dink around without the pressure of a deadline. Winter break is long enough to allow you time to do that.

Build your network on LinkedIn – Spend some time researching and connecting with people. Here’s some advice on asking for LinkedIn introductions and some do’s and don’ts.

Winter Term: 

Update your resume – This is a constant thing for seniors. Besides making sure the info is correct, have as many people as you can (and trust) take a look at it and give you advice. You will get some conflicting advice… so take what you think works for you and leave what you don’t.

Work on your professional portfolio – Chances are you’re either taking PR Campaigns this term or planning to next term. In either case, register for the portfolio review workshop and really focus on thinking strategically about your personal key messages, your goals and how your portfolio can demonstrate both.

Meet with your faculty adviser – Bring a coffee (I’m personally an almond milk vanilla latte fan – hint.hint.) and come by to chat. Talk to your adviser about your coursework, your client work in classes and internships, your goals and get advice for next steps. Building a relationship with faculty is really important. We’re also very busy, so work to make the relationship happen.

Follow up with connections you made over break – Send a thank you note, send an article or blog post that you come across that you think that contact would find interesting… keep that connection alive.

Do job research – Spend time researching internships and entry-level PR positions and get a really clear understanding of what those job descriptions say, what the work entails and how you can position yourself in your resume, online presence and portfolio to demonstrate you’re ready.

Spring Break: 

Do more informational interviews – This is a great time to travel to Chicago or New York or Los Angeles or Austin and meet people in the market you want to work in and get a little R&R at the same time. Yes, Las Vegas and Cabo are calling… you may have to make a big girl/boy decision.

Spring Term: 

Update your resume – Yes, one more time. And by this point it should be pristine. No mistakes, ready to send anytime. You may also need more than one version of it so you can tailor to the jobs you’re applying to. Remember that “master” resume? That really comes in handy now as you have to think about positioning yourself appropriately.

Update your LinkedIn profile – This is a great time to ask for recommendations, too. You can also use LinkedIn to do research on the companies you want to work for (see the next tip).

Narrow your “wish list”  – You’ve been doing research, so you have a mental wish list of location, agency, position, etc. that you’re hoping for. Applying for jobs takes a lot of time and you want to spend the time wisely – and that takes a plan. Narrow your list and focus on your top choices. Maybe even create a tier system.

Meet with your faculty adviser – You would be surprised who we know and where we have connections. Bring us your wish list and let’s brainstorm how to get you in the door. Because you’ve been building a relationship all along, this is an easy conversation.

Apply for positions – It’s time! By mid-April, you should be applying, particularly for formal internship programs. Remember at UO, we are at a slight disadvantage because we are on the quarter system. We don’t finish the term until mid-June and those in semester schools are finished my mid-May.

You have to put yourself on the semester school calendar when it comes to competing for positions. Applying for jobs (vs. internships) is a bit trickier and that timeline can vary. Entry-level position opportunities are based on need and budget and can come up anytime. You have to keep your eyes open and make sure your network knows what you’re after.

Keep your head up – It takes an average of six to nine months post graduation to land that first job. That’s not really all that long, but it will feel like an E.T.E.R.N.I.T.Y. Stay focused and positive. Every application and interview is an opportunity to get better and do better. The right position will come along.

Other advice from my social network: 

• Get real world experience – keep volunteering, interning throughout the year. Be proactive.
• Be able to “dot your i’s and cross your t’s.” Focus on paying attention to the details and communicating in a professional environment.
• Practice interviewing.
• Get involved with PRSSA and Allen Hall PR.
• Build relationships with classmates – they will always be your peers throughout your entire career.
• Diversify your skills!
• Do informational interviews and build an online portfolio.
• Find ways to get comfortable doing the things you are least comfortable with – making phone calls, public speaking, etc.
• Write, write, write.

What else would you add? What did I miss?

An invaluable communication tool, email is probably the method I use most to interact with colleagues, clients, students and friends. However, I get around 300 or so emails a day. That, combined with a very full schedule means sometimes those emails go unanswered (or even unseen). There’s no way I have a corner on the lots-of-email-busy-schedule market, so I’m often on the other end — sending an email, trying to get a busy person to reply to my requests.

So how do you get busy people to respond to your emails? Some tips:

State your subject in the subject line: Your email subject line can make or break you in a couple of ways. If your subject isn’t clear, the recipient may not open it at all. If it has any kind of spammy words, it may trigger a spam or junk filter. Don’t be clever, be clear.

My friend Sherry says she puts the action needed right in the subject line. Something like, “Info to Share: Sherry’s Awesome” or “Approval Needed: Quote for Press Release.” Another friend, Amanda Ip (UO ’09) says if you’re networking and have a referral, put the name right in the subject. That helps get her attention and makes your message a priority.

Clear subject lines also make it easier for my email program to appropriately sort or thread your message and makes it easier to go back and find it later if needed.

Start on the right foot. Your salutation is your first chance to make a good impression.

“Hey, so-and-so” is universally panned as inappropriate and annoying, especially on first contact. It’s not friendly or casual, it’s immature and disrespectful. It’s not hard to do a bit of research and figure out how formal or informal someone is in their communications. Do some LinkedIn research to get a sense of the person’s tone in the content they share.

It’s safer to err on the side of being more formal at first. Ms. So-and-So or Mr. Blah-biddy Blah is usually appropriate and you’re not going to put anyone off. I will say, be careful about which honorific you choose, though. I hate (hate!) when people call me Mrs. Matthews. Matthews is the name I was born with and I’m not married.

In an academic setting Professor This-and-That is usually safe (the specifics of professor vs. instructor aren’t really interesting to anyone outside academia), but be careful about Dr. What’s-Her-Name. Dr. is a title bestowed upon those who complete specific requirements for their profession. In my case, I don’t have a PhD. Again, a little research will help you know what to use.

via GIPHY

Note: Mx. as a gender-neutral honorific was added to the Oxford English Dictionary. I’m not sure I’d use it with just anyone, it may look like a typo, but it’s definitely worth knowing.

Don’t bury the lede. You’ve been clear in your subject line, but make sure the body of your email is equally clear. Keep the introductory remarks to a bare minimum. You don’t want to be rude (and you want to be culturally appropriate), but keep it short.

Avoid the scroll. In a world where we often check our emails via mobile devices, consider a smart phone screen the ideal length of an email.

That’s about 115 words (the first two paragraphs of this blog post). If you can’t get your point in that space, you very well may have lost the battle. Busy people have a lot of things competing for their attention.

Another mobile tip: when you can, include the text of an attachment in the body of the email along with the attachments. Not all attachments open on all devices and you don’t want that to get in the way of getting a reply.

Make it skim-able. A big block of text is hard to read on a screen of any size. Breaking up the text into no more than two or three lines per paragraph makes it easier for the reader to see the point and take in what you’re asking. Making it hard to read your email is only going to slow the reply.

Try another line. If you have tried email and not received a response, you can try reaching out on LinkedIn. Don’t be shy about resending the email. I call my email the Pit of Despair. Once an email slides off the first screen, it can be out of sight out of mind.

Sending a follow-up is not annoying to most busy people, as long as you’re professional, polite and gracious about how you do it.

Take it off-line. As several colleagues said when I asked this question via Facebook, sometimes an in-person meeting or a quick phone call is much more productive than a back-and-forth email conversation. Ask for a few minutes of their time and set a time that you can call them. You can work through multiple screens of emails in a short time and get more done.

But don’t just take my word for it. A handful of great blog posts and resources on this very topic:

How to get a busy person to respond to your email (Medium)

How To Write Emails To Busy People (Business Insider)

7 Tips for Emailing Extraordinarily Busy People (Inc.)

How to get a busy person to respond to your email (Byrslf)

Invaluable advice on emailing a busy person that got me two internships and my current job (r/LawSchool)

What tips do you have for getting replies from busy people?

By July 16, I was a puddle. After a very busy spring term, a move to a new home after five years in our previous abode, travel to Chicago for a week with five PR students, teaching summer classes and lots of client projects, July 16 was the final day of my first summer workshop. Even though it was just a blimp, a (very) small milestone, it felt like a much needed end. After I left campus, I barely got off the couch for two days.

I realized as I shook off some of the fog of that crazy busy season was I was totally and completely burned out. I didn’t want to teach, I couldn’t get excited about client work and everything I was supposed to do felt like a giant drag. I wasn’t sleeping well at night, but wanted to sleep all day. My normal productivity is pretty high, but man, it was hard to get anything done. I spun my wheels. A lot. It’s taken me most of the summer to feel like I’m even remotely back on track.

It’s helped to set some boundaries (“I’m not going to be on campus this week, we’ll have to meet next week.”) and enjoy my time with my family. I’ve been reading a lot of advice from others on dealing with this state of mind and here are some of my favorite tips:

Do Only Three Things. I love this idea from an Entrepreneur article with a handful of “lesser known” tips. A big to do list can be totally overwhelming and when productivity is nil, it is impossible for me to get going. But committing to doing just three things a day for the next two weeks feels good. And a little momentum can go a long way. (I also like the “watch cartoons” advice in this article… I love cartoons.)

Create Outlets. Zen Habits suggests finding an outlet – maybe a side project or a hobby that can clear your mind. For me, it’s horses, reading and photography as something completely different than everything else for me to focus on when I need a break. Sometimes “totally different” is a good thing.

Be Assertive. A PsychCentral post says to say “no” and don’t feel obligated to offer an excuse. Oh man, I’m bad at this one. But I’m working on it. I am saying “no” more often, but I totally try to explain myself. I was talked to our director of student advising just today and she was giving me a total out on speaking at an event and I still offered an explanation.

So I’m headed into the new academic year not feeling very motivated and inspired, but at the end of the day, I love my job and that matters a lot.

How about you? Ever felt burned out? How did you cope?

That’s a lot of time spent in the car and my mom tells me that for hours upon hours every day, she’d read to me.

This sparked a love of reading that carried me through school. I remember reading Les Miserables when I was about 10; it was the first book that made me cry, or more accurately, sob uncontrollably through the last chapter. I remember reading with the third graders in the school library when I was just a first-grader and feeling special. I remember leaving the public library in any town we lived in with more books than I could carry. I’ve always loved to read.

Fast forward to 2021 and I rarely read for pleasure. I read a ton, but it’s for work, for classes or for research. About a year ago, I started working with Reflection Point, a nonprofit that works with companies and organizations of all shapes and sizes to build relationships through storysharing. The concept sounds like a book club when you first describe it — a group of people get together and read and discuss a story. But it’s definitely not a book club.

The storysharing focuses on encouraging the participants (guided by a facilitator) to use the story as a springboard for conversations… for giving space for people to talk about their lives, their childhoods, their history, their families, their biases and their perspectives in a new way that isn’t threatening. In fact, it creates stronger teams and more inclusive workplaces.

I’ve worked with lots of clients that do lots of interesting things and I always try to immerse myself in their work to really understand them (shall I tell you about the time I learned to knit because I worked with a client that made exotic wood knitting needles?). Reflection Point has been a different experience.

I now read a lot of short stories and poetry – at least one or two a week. Sometimes I’m reading them for social media content, but more and more, I’m reading them for myself. I read through the lens of how do I relate to this story? how might others? what kind of conversations could we have about this? And once a month, I join the Reflection Point internal team for a facilitated conversation about a new story that they’re testing.

Turns out, we all have a lot in common and our conversations are funny, serious, thought-provoking, vulnerable and refreshing. I look forward to it every month.

Even if you’re not having conversations about them, read more short stories! And think about how you relate (or don’t) to the characters. Do they give you a new perspective on a problem or an issue? Some of my recent favorites:

• In Camille Acker’s “All the Things You’ll Never Do,” we meet Bess, a TSA agent w/ literal & figurative baggage, working to be seen & respected. Who don’t you “see” in your life? The story makes me think of the quote, “be kind because everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about.”
• This time it’s Naira Kuzmich’s “The Kingsley Drive Chorus” set in L.A.’s Little Armenia. It’s a powerful narrative about mothers & sons (and life & death). This one broke my heart over and over.
• Ever had advice from a mentor that didn’t sit well or felt inauthentic to you? Chibundu Onuzo’s short story “Sunita” is about mentorship & marginalization.
• Skinned is an award-winning short story by Lesley Nneka Arimah. It’s powerful story that’s a bold take on women’s autonomy and gender inequality. African fantasy stories are among my favorites and I loved this one.
• Greg Jackson’s “The Hollow” is a new short story just published in November. So much about this story made me remember those (very) hard years in my 20s when I was trying to figure out who the heck I was and how do I build a life and a career?

I find myself saying, “I read this great short story!” and sharing those stories with my social media connections, my Reflection Point friends and saving them in a folder for another day when I might need that message.

I may not be able to curl up in a corner for hours on end devouring every book I can get my hands on, but I do feel more connected to the power of story and the impact a great story can have.

I’d love to hear your recommendations for stories you love.

So is winter break that light at the end of the tunnel? I guess we’ll see. In the meantime, lucky for us, there’s great stuff to inspire us to talk, think and blog this week.

The value of getting personalization right–or wrong–is multiplying | McKinsey — We talked about personalization related to email strategy a couple of weeks ago. This article from McKinsey confirms that people expect personalization in their communication from brands. You’ll find some interesting data you can draw new insights from here.

5 Tough Job Interview Questions Answered | Korn Ferry — Some of these won’t feel like they’re relevant to entry-level jobs, but they are! How can you answer these based on your experience?

Other People Don’t Think You’re a Mess – Scientific American — Are you a beautiful mess? I love this article about vulnerability, self-compassion (hint: people are not viewing you as negatively as you view yourself).

Meghan’s Image, Battered in Britain’s Tabloids, Thrives in U.S. | The New York Times — US vs. British media is a fascinating topic and the specific treatment of Meghan Markle really highlights the differences.

Twitter Blue Is for People Who Love Reading the News | WIRED — New subscription model for Twitter is coming. I love the idea of less noise and an edit option! What do you think?

How to Read Like a Writer. | by Diane Callahan | Creators Hub — I’ve had to reengage with my “deep reading” skills recently. On one hand, I have a client that focuses on story sharing and we have a team short story discussion every week and on the other hand, I have a sophomore who is learning to think critically and annotate stories for his English classes. I loved this article for both purposes. Whether you’re reading fiction or non-fiction, being able to learn from what you read will make you a better writer.

Why more people are staying single—and how workplaces can adjust | Quartz at Work — Changing demographics are not just important for workplace policies but also for internal communication and employee engagement. How does data that say more people are staying single change the way you might communication with employees?

Taylor Swift Knows the Internet All Too Well | ICYMI Podcast — It’s Taylor Swift’s world and we’re just living in it. Love her music or not, Ms. Swift is one of the best promoters and marketers in the biz and understands how to bring her audience along.

How Americans feel about ‘cancel culture,’ offensive speech | Pew Research Center — Really interesting data from Pew Research. I think we’ve all used this phrase a lot and are familiar, but don’t assume everyone is. I liked this point/definition — Around half [of respondents] (49%) said it describes actions people take to hold others accountable.

A Year-Long Plan for Senior PR Undergrads – PRos in Training — I wrote this post a few years ago and periodically update it. You may find this helpful for mapping out your senior year.

This week’s inspo launchpad has a handful of links to articles that will give you some fodder for your own blog (if you’re in my class) or just give you something good to read (if you’re not). Buckle up!

Inside Facebook’s struggle to keep young people | The Verge. Teens aren’t using Facebook and it’s a problem for the company. Why do you think the company isn’t working harder to curb issues that affect teen mental health? I’m always the cynic, but in this case (as with most…) you just need to follow the money.

The Science You Need To Make Your COVID-19 Decisions | FiveThirtyEight. Science and public health communication has… not been great over the last 18 months. Part of the problem, IMO, is a lack of science literacy (how does science get “done”?). FiveThirtyEight is a fascinating site that slices and dices data on all kinds of topics. How effective is a tool like this to help people make smart decisions for themselves and their families?

Atlanta Braves Will Chop And Chant Themselves Into Embarrassment During World Series | Forbes. This is a fascinating look at the risks that the Braves’ ownership is taking on a bunch of fronts to alienate their audience. I’m still mad at the Astros for cheating… and I love that the Braves beat the Brewers (I’m a Cubs fan). What’s a baseball fan to do? What do you think?

The Netflix Effect is Bigger in Texas | The Qualifier. If you’re watching Formula One racing, you can probably thank Netflix (and this isn’t the first time the “Neflix Effect” has been a factor. Can you think of other examples?

Mars Wrigley’s Allyson Park shares top skills for rising comms pros | PR Daily. Excellent advice from a veteran communications pro! My top skill is always “flexibility” and Allyson agrees. Is there anything on here that surprises you?

A guide to integrating Disability Inclusion in marketing campaigns | Twitter. This is a guide from Twitter about how to be inclusive of people with disabilities in your campaigns with some great examples of creators and brands.

TikTok is causing problems for teachers, and it’s bigger than just a classroom distraction | The Hustle. Every time I see things about stupid TikTok challenges, I sigh and shake my head and wonder who is actually doing this stuff. But it’s bad enough that the largest teacher’s union made a plea to the social media platforms to help protect their members. Like teachers don’t have it hard enough. What do you think?

This term, I’m teaching a PR writing class that includes a term-long blogging assignment. Students pick topics, set up blogs and prep to write between 10 and 14 posts between now and the first week of December. Each week, I find a handful of posts and news items from around the web that have caught my eye, made me think or that I think are worth a read for the students in my class. This is my first inspiration launchpad list — designed for students to use for inspiration on their own blogs to launch their own take on their own blogs.

Facebook to add new Instagram safety features for children | NPR — Too little, too late? Facebook is facing an onslaught of issues related to a whistleblower’s claims, including that it’s ignoring safety in favor of profits.

How The PR Industry Can Help Tackle Vaccine Hesitancy | Provoke Media — Some perspective on what the PR industry could offer public health communications. Let’s be honest, the communication so far hasn’t been great (appearing inconsistent, contradictory, etc.) and it’s just been compounded by politics. What do you think?

Richard Blumenthal’s finsta question to Facebook: Actually, it was good. | Slate — Politicians are notorious for asking tech people really (really) dumb questions. But Slate argues Senator Blumenthal’s line of questioning in this hearing was actually good — and important.

Black Hair, Red Carpet: How the Push for Representation Is Reshaping Beauty in Hollywood and Beyond | Vanity Fair — I love the focus on representation and how and why that matters. It has to be an intentional and thoughtful process. This is a little longer read, but for those interested in consumer-facing product PR, it’s important.

How wildlife sightings create community (Sightings) | High Country News – I grew up in a small town and I understand where the author is coming from. Relationships in small towns are the glue of life, but can you be connected while still remaining true to your values?

What Does It Actually Mean When a Company Says, “We Do Not Sell Your Data”? | The Markup — Frankly, not much. But this is a great read to get literate about your privacy online. How do you think this affects brands who “need” your data for marketing purposes?

The NFL’s Empathy Gap | The Ringer — Another good, long read about the empathy problems in the NFL. I remember watching the Aaron Rogers situation this summer and wondering why they weren’t communicating. Obviously relevant if you’re interested in sports, but a good read, regardless.

What we do and don’t know about kindness | BBC Future  — Being kind makes us feel good. I love that people actively study kindness and give us important insights. What do you think? and how do the ideas about kindness apply to organizations?

Leadership Lessons from Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles | Black Enterprise — These two athletes have really lead the way in terms of showing that athletes can and should be taking care of their mental health. What can we learn from them?

OPINION: We need to think about college student hunger | Hechinger Report — Food insecurity is a tremendously important issue. Do you see ways for the UO, our community, organizations and students to address this? What kind of communication is needed?

By Kayla Thomet

Everyone says that the most important thing you can do during this strange and difficult time is network, network, network. That’s all fine and good, but what does it actually mean? How are we supposed to network in a time when we can’t even leave our homes?

For the past month, I’ve been on a complete networking journey – researching tips and tricks, delving into different platforms, and, of course, practicing. I’ve learned there’s a whole network of strangers out there on my team; all I had to do was ask.

Cold-calling is a stressful and nerve-wracking process. I always worried: “am I bothering them?” But what I learned is that people are not bothered at all; in fact, they find joy in helping you. Many successful professionals got their start from networking, from the kindness of a stranger. From over 35 informational interviews, I’ve learned a few best practices along the way.

LinkedIn can be your friend or your foe.

LinkedIn can be one of the most useful tools in searching for a job; however, it can also be intimidating to the first-time user. Take the time to set up your profile and perfect it – make sure to include featured work, a professional headshot, a goal-driven “about” statement, and a detailed description of all work experience.

Use Youtube and other online resources to learn how to use the filter features to refine your search. You must have a quality profile to attract connections and impress potential future employers.

Utilize your alumni network.

There are alumni networks for regions and cities all across the country full of professionals willing to connect and help. Reach out to alumni leaders in the regions you want to move to and ask if they know of anyone in the industry you want to work for.

Additionally, you can use filters on LinkedIn to sort by school; the University of Oregon, in particular, has amazing alum willing to chat with any fellow Duck.

Search for individuals who work in your field or for companies that you want to work for and connect with them.

Identify companies and specific industries you want to work for. Reach out to people working for your dream company; even though you may not start out there, you can learn different paths to get in and put your name on the minds of the people who work there.

While searching, make sure to connect with people in roles you are interested in – you may find that the reality of a position is different than you thought. 

Be sure to customize your invitations to connect.

On LinkedIn, you have the option to customize a message with your invitation to connect. Always customize a message to whoever you are trying to speak to – it shows effort and sets you apart from random requests. Explain who you are, what you hope to learn, and express your desire to learn about the company and its culture.

Follow-up, always.

Be sure to send a follow-up email or message the following day thanking them for speaking with you. I’ve found that it’s helpful to include at least one piece of advice which they gave you that resonated with you. It shows you listened and genuinely took their advice to heart.

Questions to ask once you get the informational interview:(Not a question) but make sure you start with gratitude and humility – you’re here to learn.

1. Can you share with me a bit about your journey?
2. How did you figure out what you’re passionate about?
3. What is one piece of advice you wish you had known at my age?
4. Do you have any newsletters or blogs you recommend I read?
5. The golden question: who else do you recommend I talk to?

My name is Kayla Thomet and I’m a graduating senior from the SOJC at the University of Oregon with a major in PR and a minor in business. My greatest passions in life are fine wine, sustainability, and, above all, people. In the future, I hope I can find a career that will allow me to combine my passions to better the world.

Connect with me on LinkedIn

I shared a handful of resources & then asked each student to find another that they found helpful to add to the list.

First, I’ll share my list. I wanted to both find practical tips, but also help them see that this term is a great time to build some skills in working from home… and honestly, that’s it’s not a fad. Much of the work we do in PR and comms is either already done remotely or easily could be.

• How to Work from Home During Coronavirus Quarantine (Search Engine Journal): Advice from a veteran work-from-homer.
• Working from home is great for diversity. Let’s keep it going (Fast Company): Helpful stats about how working from home opens up opportunities to more people.
• New to working from home? Here’s what you should know (CNN video): Practical tips for setting up an office and keeping a schedule.
• How to Actually Work…When You’re Working from Home – (Harvard Business Review Video): Separating time and not always being “on” is a challenge. This video has some good advice.
• What Coronavirus Means For The Future Of Work From Home (CNBC via YouTube): Good piece about how this immediate requirement will change our long-term practices.
• How to Work From Home as a Team (Minute Earth via YouTube): This is my favorite find for this module. The Minute Earth team video shares really practical tips for TEAM collaboration remotely. This was the number one concern my students had going into this term.

Now for my students’ finds (and their comments about why they’ve shared a particular article or resource). You could consider this a master list of tips and ideas, to be sure! Also: Forbes in killing it in either good advice or good SEO… probably a bit of both.

10 Quick Tips To Create A Home Office You’ll Actually Want To Work In (Fast Company)

• I’m sharing this article about how to make an at-home office space because I think it’s important to have a workspace that minimizes distractions and gives you a space to feel the most productive. – Suzie G.
• I’m sharing this article about how to create an at-home working space that is separate from your living space and will allow you to be productive. – Hannah M. 

A Simple Trick for Staying Focused While Working From Home (Mental Floss)

• This article stuck out to me because it addresses the overwhelming amount of distractions (social media, roommates, Netflix, etc). The author suggests that the most important tip for staying focused while working from home is to create a contract with yourself, which I think could be very beneficial. – Hannah C.

How To Stay Productive Under Quarantine (Forbes)

• I enjoyed this article because I really liked what was said about mental and emotional health. This is obviously a time that is making everyone a little more on edge, so I think it’s important to practice self-care and do what’s best for yourself to stay happy and healthy. – Elise H.

How To Work From Home (Life Kit from NPR)

• I want to share this article because it mentions the importance of technology in a tough time. It is the most effective way to keep communication with the outside world. Since most physical stores(including telecoms) are closing now, we need to repeatedly check our internets and other devices to ensure they are working in order. – Andy P.
• I’m sharing this article because it ties in similar strategies like the ones above, such as being able to claim your own space and set your boundaries with those you might be quarantined with. – Savannah K.
• This NPR article gives you 8 really good and concise tips on how to work from home and I found it really helpful! – Cole K

Josie Ruff 

Working from home with spouse: 7 tips to make it work (CNN)

• This article is about how to work from home with a spouse, but a lot of the tips can work for family members, roommates or significant others who many of us may be quarantined with. We may usually be excited about the prospect of getting a day with them, but months on end can strain any relationships so setting up some rules may be really helpful. – Josie R.

5 Ways to Manage Stress During the Coronavirus Outbreak (Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic)

• This article offers five clear, simple ways to manage personal stress during this pandemic. I appreciate these suggestions because stress management is a key to success; I  am  more productive when I’m not stressed out, so finding ways to keep ourselves calm and collected will be helpful throughout this term. – Jodi A.

9 Tips For People Taking Online Classes (Forbes)

• The article offers helpful tips for students to adapt to remote education, some of which I had not even thought about myself such as the advice for optimizing my internet. – Lorenzo C.

3 Productivity Tips From Work-From-Home Veterans (Forbes)

• I’m sharing this link because it’s very authentic. A lot of people are writing about this topic and giving their opinions given society’s new way of life, but the employees referred to in this article have done it for years and offer good advice. – Regan H.

7 Tips for Working Remotely During the COVID-19 Crisis (Dice)

• I found this article entitled 7 Tips For Working Remotely During Covid-19. I am going to share this because I am going to write these 7 steps in my planner notes to remind me that remote work is achievable and I can be successful during this time if I create a set schedule for myself. – Caitlin E. 

Easy Recipes to Cook During Your Coronavirus Self-Quarantine – The New York Times  

• These are not the healthiest recipes (there’s a lot of baking!) but they use a lot of items that can be easily found in a pantry. – Sara E.

5 Tips To Balance Remote Working While Your Family Is Also At Home (Forbes)

• Trying to work from home while balancing family priorities is a new challenge. I liked this article from Forbes sharing how to balance different relationships at home while still making time to get your work done. – Kelsey F. 

Coronavirus: How to work from home, the right way (BBC Worklife)

• I thought this article was really interesting.  It helped me think of ways to stay productive and positive while at home! – Emma S. 

The Ultimate Working From Home Guide (Investopedia)

• I like this article because it covers all of the aspects of working from home and how to execute them successfully. – Ashley H.  

Work From Home Tips for the Coronavirus Quarantine (Staffbase Blog)

• I really liked this article because it is very applicable to this class and how we can be successful in our teams! It talks about staying connected to your co workers,  having clear communication, outlining expectations etc. – Maddy F. 

Coronavirus: Mental Health Coping Strategies (NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness)

• I think assessing one’s mental health is already necessary, but even more so with coronavirus. A little unrelated to resources for at-home productivity, but definitely essential for getting through your day and staying healthy in the long run. – Alexa M. 

People are sharing their best advice for working from home (Cosmo)

• I liked this Cosmo article because it provided people’s actual experiences from their “home offices”, so you get real feedback about what works and what might be helpful to you too. – Gracyn E.

I ask students to make appointments with me using an online calendar system because it helps me manage my schedule and be more available and present for students.

With that in mind, keep these tips in mind for helping both parties make the most of an office hour meeting.

1. Have an agenda. I don’t mean anything formal, but be clear in your mind what you want to accomplish. It’s helpful if you can let me know your agenda in advance, too. You can just leave it in a note on the appointment app. Often conversations require me finding grades, reviewing coursework or just digging for resources (or just giving something some thought). If I can do that in advance, that’s a win-win.
2. Come prepared. The topic of meetings varies so dramatically that this tip can mean so many different things. Sometimes, it means doing some advance research and other times, it’s having a sense of the process you’re asking me to participate in. 
3. Bring smart questions. Do you want to learn about PR? Interested in figuring out the best way to approach an assignment? Figure out the questions that will help you get the answers you need. Smart questions can help drive the conversation in a productive direction.
4. Provide solutions. If you’re coming to see me with a problem – maybe you didn’t get the grade you wanted on an assignment or in the class, or your teammates are a bunch of lazy jerks – bring some ideas for things you think you could do to make it right. I may not agree, but I will certainly appreciate that you have put time into being proactive about the solution.

Some more tips for specific situations:

1. Want me to look over anything (resume or assignment, for example)? Bring a printed copy. I prefer not to read and edit things on your laptop. 
2. Are you mad? Don’t be defensive. People makes mistakes — you, your teammates, your GTF and myself included.
3. Really just want to get to know me? It’s still smart to have a way to get our conversation started. Don’t rely on me.

Even more tips!

Conversation Topics for College Office Hours (ThoughtCo)

Uncovering A Huge Mystery Of College: Office Hours (NPR)

13 Ways to Make Your Professor Love You (US News)

3 Keys to Getting in Good with Your Professors (College Fashion)