Future' Cert IV PR students

Future' Cert IV PR students, you guys are going to have your work cut out for you. Please remember that when you start your course, nobody is better that anyone else. That is why you guys are all there. As you go through your course you will find, in your class, there will be one or two students that will be the idiots or want to be the lecturers pet or be the best. Remember there is no such thing, especially in PR. PR requires many hands to get the job done and this is called team work. Without your team you are nothing, so never mind the idiots in your class, just focus on reaching your objectives and once that’s done then choke each other. The lecturers are there at your disposal and they are great.  Use them because they have heaps of experience, so please, all you need to do is listen, understand and apply yourself, that is all that is required of you. 

Sometime in your semester there will come a time where you might think the lecturer is being a bum, or just being impossible with you. If this happens, remember that this is not the case. The lecturers are there not because they think you are stupid and lazy, they are there because they know each and everyone’s potential. What you have to remember is that they believe in you and they want you to believe in yourself. Once you believe in yourself the sky is the limit for you. You will be able to conquer the inevitable.

PR to many of you might sound like an easy job. It’s not! It demands personality, respect, determination, understanding, loyalty, perseverance, patients and time. In order to be successful you need to have these qualities. Most importantly guys NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.

Personal Experience in Public Relation

I’m not new to PR but I do believe that we learn new things everyday. I have had phenomenal experiences working in PR for the South African Navy; and many people would die for the opportunities that I had and would kill to meet the people I have met. For me PR is one of the most interesting careers I have stumbled across in my life. I have worked in many places before the Navy; whilst in the Navy I changed my career 4 times, the fourth change for me was the best. I realised that this is where I want to be and that this was my calling. 

Working in PR requires a lot of hard work, but in the end it all pays off. Many people I know who work in PR don’t have the formal qualification. This is not a bad thing; however, I believe that getting a formal qualification would bring a better understanding and reasoning for you when you work in the field. Many people would talk about personal experiences as being the best form towards your qualification, which I agree with fully, but what we also need to know is that there are many different methods, cultures, traditions and people out in the world.

Studying PR at Central was a bit different for me because coming from a military background and from a country with a diverse background was a big change for me. But as I said in the beginning of my blog, we learn new things everyday. PR has changed my life a lot it has made me more patient and understanding, especially when it comes to people and their needs and wants. It also taught me to treat everyone like they are very important to you and with respect because you will never know where and when you might need that network as a life line again.

Same Sex Marriages

With the US President backing same sex marriages, it could be seen in two ways. One being a political motive in order for him to gain more votes, or it could be that he is a person with no judgement upon others.

Many people in the world today would see it as a political motive to gain votes because of the current position he is in, but who are we to judge. All we know is that he is the President and that he would do anything in his power to get what he wants. But what makes us the experts. Who are we to judge? Personally we do not know him or his motives, so everything we think and say is all based on assumption hoping that’s its true. We know what an assumption did it started the Gulf War.

I think whether or not he backs same sex marriages he should not be judge. He became president because the people of America believe he would do well by them so why should that change now. If he feels positive about it, that means he has good vision for the people of USA. All he is trying to do is give everyone a chance that’s what he is there for.

Should there be a thing of same sex marriage or not, as a Christian I believe that it is wrong and it is also looked down upon in the bible. Whether or not we change the word marriage to union it will make no difference because it all comes down to the same thing. So why should we lie to ourselves, is it to make us feel as though we doing nothing wrong, one might just as well say marriage instead of union. As a Christian it is against Gods law but he also say to Christians like me don’t judge others as he will be judging me. So I feel if same sexes want to get married let them do it as they will answer in the end. One does not have to condone it but just let them be if it does not affect you or your life in anyway.

Said Yoda

Being granted the opportunity to study in Australia was one of the most exciting highlights of my life. I was granted permission to study 20 hours and work 20 hours per week. This made me even more excited and made my studies more enjoyable.

The Job hunt

Now that I was in the country and commenced with my studies the job hunt began. I registered myself on www.seek.com.au to search for jobs matching my criteria. Of all the thousands of jobs I applied for one came to my rescue, not what I was looking for but hey it pays the bills and I met many interesting people and heard lots of great stories. The Manager called me to arrange an interview for this job I had applied for and this is how it went.

The Interview

When I walked into the building I was gobsmacked thinking what in the world did I drag myself into, so I said to myself Densyl, you’re here now let’s not be a coward and run away. Let’s be a man and end what you started. So the interview commenced and I went through the whole breakdown of the job requirements with the manager he was happy I think I was happy but wasn’t sure but anyway let’s see how it goes. So I got the job at a sex shop. This was something really different for me but because of an enquiring mind I decided to accept the challenge.

The Training

A week later the manager of one of the branches called me in to start training, so there I was in my new job. He went through the whole system of sales and after that we started with the products in the store. He showed me the ranges of products he had and told me what they were used for and the pleasures people get from it. Then he decided to open a few and let me test them to see how they operate. Funny enough I was now standing behind the counter and decided I will start with this penis shaped vibrator called the Rabbit. Took it out of the box put in the batteries, switched it on and watched what it did.

So while holding the vibrator switched on in my hand four guys walked into the store. They stood flabbergasted looking me. As for me not releasing what was happening continued to be amused by this vibrator which was switched on doing its thing in my hand. So there these four guys including my manager who told me to test it were standing watching me play with this vibrator. After a few minutes I realised where I was and what it is I was doing, so very slowly I looked up saw these guys starring at me. I then looked to my right there was my manager looking at me as well. At the point in my life I could not believe that a guy like me weighing 115kg and a height of 1.84m tall could feel as small and a baby pea in a pod. I was really embarrassed.

Quick thinking I decided to say good afternoon gentlemen how could I help you? I think that just released all the tension I was feeling being my first day in the sex shop. These four guys realised I was an employee and laughed at me saying “gee man I was wondering what was going on with you” so I quickly replied no we have check if all products and in good working condition from our suppliers for retail and blah, blah, blah.

This just goes to show that we should always be aware of where we are and what it is that we are doing or about to do.

Campaign awareness in schools on the use of the internet

Campaign awareness in schools on the use of the internet

http://prsistance.blogspot.com.au/

 

Stupid, stupid, stupid

The article read:

Three Adelaide schoolgirls are unlikely to face charges after uploading a risque video to YouTube, police say.

SA police confirmed on Wednesday that the incident had been referred to them by the education department and related to the inappropriate video posted by the students from the Mitcham Girls High School.

The Adelaide Now website said it featured the three girls in school uniform talking about offering sexual encounters for money. "It appears the girls involved in this incident were participating in a stunt and unaware of the dangers and repercussions their action would have."

 http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/national/13346573/girls-upload-risque-video-to-youtube/

 

We cannot blame youtube for not filtering the stuff that gets uploaded. Youtube is just a tool that is used and it could be either beneficial or detrimental to us depending on how we use it. There again "how we use it" it all comes down to us as individuals and the choices we make so we cannot simply put the blame on everything or one should something bad always happen to us.

Trying to create awareness is not always any easy task but what we should look at is maybe educating people about the dangers of the internet. We need to bring to the surface all the people that have had bad experiences through using the internet and we need to get the schools and rest of the public see that this is all true and not just tv or news stories that have been fabricated.in

We could get internet administrators go into schools and give crash courses to teachers and student about the use of the internet and its dangers. It’s really easy to access the internet from anywhere so I think these courses would be beneficial. We could also have a World Wide Web festival where all these aspects could be brought to the surface.

I really don’t think we should start blaming the tools we use for our bad habits.

Campaign to stamp out alcohol abuse and violence

Campaign to stamp out alcohol abuse and violence was the headline published on the front page of the Friday, March 30 2012 West Australian. It’s funny how quick people are to launch campaigns and raise money to try and resolve, overcome problems or create awareness. Before they do this do they really do their homework on what it is they about to do. Creating a campaign to stamp out alcohol abuse and violence is good but how effective does one think it will be. Violence and alcohol abuse is everywhere how do these campaigns think they can control it. We have campaigns such as trying to stop child abuse, child pornography, women abuse and many others which have not been very effective. All these different types of abuse still happens around us which means these campaigns have just created awareness but haven’t really done anything to deter it from happening or stop it completely. Maybe it has played a bit of a small role but hey it’s still happening.

I think before creating a campaign one should look at the root of the problem and try find out why it is that kids turn to alcohol and violence at such a young age. They should tap into the roots of a simple family that has these problems. All type of abuse and violence has a root and that is where one should start if they want these types of abuse to stop. So if you are to create a campaign try and create one that would tap into the roots of the problem. There is no need to create awareness because everyone is or should be aware of what is happening around them. I believe once the root of the problem is stamped out then your campaign be a great success.

Anyone agree or disagree

Tips for when working on Group Projects

This is an activity which could either get people to hate each other or it could build stronger and better relationships. Working on group projects takes a lot of tact, patients, diplomacy, mutual understanding and respect. If anybody in the group does not have any of these attributes then the project is doomed.

The advice I would give t group people working on group projects are:

Always have common courtesy.

Bad personalities and attitudes must never be brought into the group.

Identify the objective and keep focused on them.

Ensure your tasks are completed on time.

Respect each other’s opinion and always be open to suggestions.

Give everyone a chance to be heard and voice their concerns.

Be fair on each other and keep everyone informed of your progress.

In my research this is what Mark Burns had to say about working in groups:

 

In the several years I have used small group techniques of instruction, many students have made suggestions to me regarding how to improve the work of such student groups. Here are some of the key points they have stressed concerning how to mount a successful team effort and how, as an individual, to relate to the work of a group.

General Points

Trite as it may seem, one of the most important points of basic behavior in a group is common courtesy. Don't be afraid to speak up, but be sure to allow your fellow students time to speak. If someone expresses what you feel is a "stupid" opinion, try to criticize it constructively rather than putting down the person.

Cooperation is also a key factor in teamwork. Don't hesitate to try to improve the work of your group by making suggestions, but don't needlessly obstruct for the sake of obstruction.

Keep me informed about what your group is doing. If you want advice later, I can probably advise you better if I have some idea what you were doing in the first place.

Groups are multi-purpose. Not only can you use them for doing the required team projects, but also you can use them for such purposes as joint study, note-taking for absent members and even recreation.

Coordination

Successful team efforts are most often achieved by thorough coordination. Organize you work as a group, and as individuals, as carefully as possible.

If you set deadlines for completing work, set them before you really need the work and try your best to achieve them anyway. If you succeed, you've got your work done early and have extra time to use for other purposes. If you don't make the deadline, you still have a little time left to finish.

The Moderator

Choose your moderator with care. Pick someone because he/she will best help your group get the job done, not just because he/she is your friend or roommate.

Group members should never expect the moderator to do all the work of the group, or even the majority of it; nor should the moderator deliberately monopolize group work. Rather, the moderator should coordinate the individual efforts of group members to produce a coherent project.

The moderator should be careful to insure that each member understands what he/she is to do on a project. Don't just assume "everyone understands." Often, "everyone" does not.

The moderator should not ignore group members who seem to be having difficulty completing their assigned task. Rather, he/she should assign other group members to assist them or should directly assist them.

The moderator should consult me if serious problems appear to be jeopardizing the work of the group.

 Evaluations

The evaluation process should be used constructively and critically. It is not the time for personal or ideological grievances to take over; nor is it the time to favor those you like. Imagine how you would feel if another student evaluated you based on such features.

At any time during the course, students may consult me to determine their evaluation averages. I will not discuss how any individual evaluated another or what evaluation a fellow student received.

Gripes, Fears, Tears, etc.

If you, as an individual, fear serious problems are occurring in your group for you or for the group as a whole, talk with your moderator first. If he/she cannot or will not solve the problem, either try to persuade the moderator to see me or see me yourself.

If you do decide to see me, do so as soon as possible. Waiting to complain about problems in your group until after the course is over, or even mostly completed, is not appropriate.

A Final Note

Remember, what happens in your group is often similar to what occurs in a real civic, administrative, or political group. Problems such as coordination, division of work, leadership, disagreement, voting, dissent and even evaluation all have their counterparts in events which you will encounter life in your life. How you handle these issues now will give you ideas for constructive participation in the "real thing."

 http://www.auburn.edu/~burnsma/tips.html

Is this Exploitation or not

This article http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/world/13152191/homeless-people-wifi-hotspots/ can go two ways:

The Good Way

Homeless people will be getting employment and we all know employment is a good thing and a necessity in today’s life. Its keeps them well not literally off the streets and creates hope for the homeless and gives them back their confidence, self-esteem and dignity. It reduces the risk of theft, crime and drug use. It would give them a plate of food to eat and some cash in hand to live at a shelter or maybe who knows they could one day get their own place again. This could also be a huge relief on government, not to take responsibility away from them but to show them that there are ways of reducing the plight of homeless people to the streets. This initiative could have a domino effect which could evolve in an increase in the country’s’ economy by the jobs being created as well as the amount of money paid in taxes by the homeless employees and the profits generated from the company.

The Bad Way

All homeless people belong to a family somewhere but we as humans don’t give them a second chance because of their living conditions and situation. Many would also say yes that it is a good idea that they be employed because of all good things I have mentioned earlier in my blog. Has anyone sat to think who really gains from this initiative? O yes all well and good HOMELESS employed YEAH! but how much are they being paid. 

I mean $2 for 15mins that means about $8 an hour seriously now who works for that money. This means that the initiative is solely commission based According to the statement made in the Daily Mail “Visitors to homelesshotspots.org can donate to the Front Steps Shelter or pay participants directly for internet access at a suggested price of $2 for fifteen minutes.” 

If this company had to put an ad out for employees they would have asked for experience and a degree and whatever. So now because we use homeless people let just follow this method of saying, ok here is a job and here is your pay. HOW MUCH IS THEIR PAY. I mean come on why was that not was disclosed. It is nice to take photos and say we employed X amount of homeless people and we cleaning the streets and blah, blah, blah but how much money are you making as that company and how much are you paying the homeless for creating awareness. By the way how manyhour will they be working?

FACT a homeless person is most grateful for anything given to him/her because we all know that many of them feel they have nothing to live for.

Which way do you see it?

The purpose of blogging in Public Relations

A blog is another means of communication for connecting to your audience. Like many other social media sites blogging is about one of the best two way communication tools used. This tool can either make you or brake you depending it is used.

Blogging is a good way to attract people to your website, interests and or your opinions on what you are writing about. Providing useful information on your blog is a good way to hook more people through networking and referrals from other bloggers.

With so many websites and competition on the net, it’s really not easy to make yourself stand out from the rest but, with a good blog, you stand a much better chance.

Through blogging, you can connect with your audience and let them know you better and also build relationships with them. People like to do business with people they trust.

Blogging in PR can be used to increase the conversion rate. By using your blog you build your prospects’ trust and confidence in yourself. It also keeps you abreast with whats in and whats out in trends of fashion, food, places and people.

Do you beg to differ.

Communication Excellence

Communication is the process of exchanging information and ideas. There are many means of communicating and many different language systems. Speech and language is only a portion of communication. Methods and ways of communication are best learnt in Public Relations. What is Public Relations? We hear many people talk about or state that they either in or do Public Relations. What is it that they actually do?

Well let me shed some of my understanding about Public Relations.

Public Relations is the management, through communication, of perceptions and strategic relationships between an organisation and its internal and external stakeholders.

I chose to study public relations because it is dynamic, analytical, planned it implies action requires evalution and demands adjustment. There is always a challenge in Public Relations and that is what makes it unique and exciting.

Learning and understand Public Relations is not just and open door into the world of business and commuincation but a door which will never shut.The key to success is excellent communication skills and that is learnt in Public Relations.

Learning to understand people and business is what i expect from my studies in Public Relations.

What is Yours?