So You Want To Be A Communications Professional.

Friday, September 18, 2015

Com 565: Blog Theme

I wanted the theme of my blog to be about some of the tools and resources that are needed to be

competitive in the mass media and communications job market in the twenty-first century. I am by no

means an expert on this subject, but over the course of this class I have learned a lot about the skills

needed to be successful in a world impacted by mass media and advances in technology. I am in a

position now where I want to switch careers at 35, and before I started school I was clueless as to all the

ways that technology has changed the job market and our world. I was also unaware of all the skills I

would need to compete in the current job market. This blog is ideal for someone who is about to begin

job hunting or for someone thinking about switching careers. I would have loved a blog similar to this

for guidance and direction.

Enjoy!

- Drea

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Analysis of Technology, Mass Media, and Cultural Changes.

There is no question that someone currently looking for a new job in the communications field (either to advance their career or change careers all together) needs to be aware of technology, digital tools, the Internet, and how they have changed the skill needed to be successful. There are so many benefits to understanding and learning skills that will help you understand technology better and use it to advance your career. There are also so many benefits to learning how to use technology and digital tools, in general. Digital tools make communication easier. We have the ability to talk, text, tweet, message, and email anyone in the world because of tools like a computer or smartphone. Digital tools have allowed us to have easier access to information, they have made us smarter, and they have opened our eyes to more content (RoryP1, 2013).

Unfortunately, there are also limitations to technological developments and digital tools. Anyone that consistently uses technology, for work or personal use, should be aware of some of these limitations. One limitation is privacy. People put so much content online and so much of our personal information can be accessed on the Internet. In the article, Some of the advantages and disadvantages of communication technology, the author explains that "though information technology may have made communication quicker, easier, and more convenient, it has also brought along privacy issues. From cell phone signal interceptions to e-mail hacking, people are now worried about their once private information becoming public knowledge".

One way that technology can be improved is by having more options for security and privacy. But it is also important that anyone utilizing technology be smart and aware of what they are posting online. Take so time to learn what information is publicly available to others and protect yourself.

If you work in the communication field as a journalist, or plan to, it is important to understand that another limitation with using digital content for news gathering is that it has made the ability to deliver information really quick, which means that there is more competition to release information first. Kolodzky explains that, “Our ability to get information easily and quickly wherever we are and from whoever we want, thanks to mobile and digital technologies, has put the pressure on those of us who deliver it, i.e journalists, to meet those expectations”. The best way to overcome this limitation is to learn how to use social media and all the other features online that could help make you compete and deliver content faster.

Another way to overcome any limitation brought on by digital tools is to also develop some much-needed skills that will help you to thrive in a fast-paced and competitive communication and news industry. A person in this field should improve social media engagements, learn to retrieve and deliver content faster, learn to write better, and stand out among competitors (Reid, 2012). The more skills a person has and the more polished a person is, the better. It will help their job performance and make them better communicators.

Below are two excellent resources with more information about the advantages and disadvantages of technology.

References:

Kolodzy, J. (2013). Practicing convergence journalism: An introduction to cross-media storytelling. New York, NY: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.

Reed, B. (2012, May 4). The 10 skills modern communicators have (or need to get) [Blog Post]. Retrieved from http://blog.wcgworld.com/2012/05/the-10-skills-modern-communicators-have-or-need-to-get

RoryP1. (n.d.). Some of the advantages od disadvantages of communication technology ICT. Retrieved from https://storify.com/RoryP1/some-of-the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-communication

How Technology Has Changed What the Customer Wants

Okay, lets say you've finally secured that position in the communications field that you have been working hard to get. Are you prepared to deal with customers and how their needs and wants are evolving?

Technology and digital trends have altered our day-to-day lives and experiences. This has changed our culture and has changed what people expect as customers. Not everything has changed though. Before the advancements of technology, customers wanted to be treated a certain way. They wanted to be respected, they wanted good customer service, the wanted to interact with honest people who kept their word, they wanted to be impressed, and they wanted things to be easy. There were, and still are, basic human values.

These basic human values are still important, but changing technology has added another layer and the cultural expectation of customer service has evolved.

Below is a list of the customer service needs stemming from technology:

If order to be successful, a person must understand what core expectations society wants, but also be able to lead and innovate but adjusting and providing new and improved expectations.

Severn, C. (2015, February 24). Customer service - what's changed, what's the same. Retrieved from http://customerthink.com/customer-expectations-whats-changed-whats-the-same/

Facebook and Twitter: Now More Than Just Social Networking Sites

Remember the days when we used to receive news and valuable information by reading

newspapers, watching television, or listening to the radio? (Did I just age myself?) Luckily,

technology has changed that forever. We are now accustomed to using social media. Social

media has not only changed how humans communicate, but it had changed how they

receive valuable content like the news. And no two social media sites have done this more

than Facebook and Twitter. When social media first started getting popular, it was just a

way to communicate and keep in touch. Now, it is being used even more in professional

settings.

According to Pew Research, Sixty-three percent of Facebook and Twitter users said they get news on the social networks. That’s an increase from 52% of Twitter users and 47% of Facebook users who told Pew in 2013 that they use each platform to consume news.

Journalists need to understand the importance of utilizing these platforms to

spread news and valuable information.

Why? There are a variety of reasons that there has been this shift.

1. Dominance: Facebook and Twitter are more popular than traditional news outlets

2. Convenience: Technology has changed how society gets information. With Facebook and Twitter, content can be easily viewed on a smart phone or mobile device.

3. Gateway Drug?: Facebook and Twitter are pathways to news. It is also easy to view news and other important content without leaving the networks.

4. Sharing is Caring: Facebook and Twitter make it easy to share content, and see shared content from friends and family.

What does this mean?
It means that if you are a journalist or member of the media, it is extremely important to understand how to use Facebook and Twitter to your advantage… If you want to be successful.

“Exploring how news consumption through social media can shape how people interact with, respond, and react to the news will be critical for news providers and others interested in advancing the real-world impact of journalism.”

Lichterman, J. (2015, July 14). New Pew data: More Americans are getting news on Facebook and Twitter. Retrieved from http://www.niemanlab.org/2015/07/new-pew-data-more-americans-are-getting-news-on-facebook-and-twitter/

Mitchell, A., Rosenteil, T., Christian, L. (2012) What Facebook and Twitter mean for news. Retrieved from http://www.stateofthemedia.org/2012/mobile-devices-and-news-consumption-some-good-signs-for-journalism/what-facebook-and-twitter-mean-for-news/

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Communications Professionals, Are You Properly Branding Yourself In The Digital Age?

One of the most important skills a communications professional must know and understand is how to do is brand themselves. Branding is a person or a product’s reputation and how others publicly perceive it. Even though branding is not a new concept, it has become a trendy term that has gained a lot of attention over the last couple of years because of technology and the Internet. There is a lot of competition in the job market and professional branding more important than it ever has been before. Companies and businesses are brands, but a person is a brand too. Having a strong and positive professional brand has become a vital component needed in today’s job market to stand out, separate oneself from competition, and secure a job or career.

Here are key ways that a communications professional can brand themselves:

Determine how you want to be perceived and use that as beginning steps to molding your brand
Google yourself: If you do not like the content about you online, take steps to change it. Many employers will Google potential candidates and employees. Always make sure that your content online best represents you.
Self Promote: Showcase achievements and accomplishments
Utilize social media to help mold your professional brand. Linkedin is a great social media site to help being the branding process. Also, if you have social media sites with private information or pictures (like those drunk photos at happy hour) make sure they are on a private page.
Look to brands you admire for direction and guidance. Examples of these would be a boss or a co-worker that you look up to.

VIDEO: HOW TO BRAND YOURSELF

Remember: If someone does not take the time to brand him or herself, other people will.

CNN. (2011, April 23). How to brand yourself [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02mNVoNHkiE&feature=youtu.be

Traditional Public Relations VS. PR 2.0

Definition: Public Relations is the use of the news or business press to carry positive stories about your company or your products; Cultivating a good relationship with local press representatives. (Everything PR)

Is Public Relations an industry you are considering trying to break into?

The art of public relations has been around for over hundred years (yes, that long). Because of technology and social media, the PR industry is evolving. Authors Solis and Breakenridge, who wrote the book Putting The Public Back In Public Relations, mention that, “PR is evolving quickly, from the technology used, to the changing market dynamics, to the increased demands and empowerment of the twenty-first-century consumer.”

Since PR is evolving, the traditional ways it previously was utilized and the professionals involved in the industry are also changing. Anyone in the Public Relations field, or interested in entering it, can benefit by knowing and understanding how the industry has evolved with the advancements in technology. Here is the breakdown of traditional public relations verses PR 2.0