Portfolios are more than just pretty pictures and links to projects. A portfolio is your proof point behind every skill you promote in your job interview. This episode gives you advice on putting together a portfolio to land your next job.

Portfolios are more than just pretty pictures and links to projects. A portfolio is your proof point behind every skill you promote in your job interview. This episode gives you advice on putting together a portfolio to land your next job.

Episode 128: Building a portfolio

The first 30 days are crucial in a new job. You can use these precious first days to form excellent first impressions that can lead to long-lasting relationships in your new organization. In this episode our hosts and producer share their 30-day challenge tips and advice so you can make your first days at a new job count.

The first 30 days are crucial in a new job. You can use these precious first days to form excellent first impressions that can lead to long-lasting relationships in your new organization. In this episode our hosts and producer share their 30-day challenge tips and advice so you can make your first days at a new job count.

Episode 127: The 30-day challenge in a new job

In this episode, the hosts discuss the benefits big data and uncover when is the best time to use data, and when is the best time to trust your gut.

In this episode, the hosts discuss the benefits big data and uncover when is the best time to use data, and when is the best time to trust your gut.

Episode 126: Data or your gut, which should you trust?

In this episode we discuss real, concrete steps young professionals, and young at heart professionals, can take to combat fake news.

In this episode we discuss real, concrete steps young professionals, and young at heart professionals, can take to combat fake news.

YPPEP125

There is a lot of advice out there, and although a lot of it comes from kindness and people just trying to help, this episode strives to debunk myths and tell the truth about some of the most common career tips given out these days.

There is a lot of advice out there, and although a lot of it comes from kindness and people just trying to help, this episode strives to debunk myths and tell the truth about some of the most common career tips given out these days.

Episode 124: 5 Career Tips that are Actually False

Companies and countries across the world are starting to implement the four-day workweek. For those of us stuck in the five-day workweek, here are tips for turning your week into a short week, leaving you a whole extra day to tackle bigger things and get ahead.

Companies and countries across the world are starting to implement the four-day workweek. For those of us stuck in the five-day workweek, here are tips for turning your week into a short week, leaving you a whole extra day to tackle bigger things and get ahead.

Episode 123: The short week – productivity in less time

This episode talks about the importance of exercising your brain through deep work, as well we discuss the damage of multitasking.

This episode talks about the importance of exercising your brain through deep work, as well we discuss the damage of multitasking.

Episode 122: How to Exercise your Brain

Our generation has been dubbed the “Start-up generation”. About one-third of young Canadians want to start their own businesses. When you first launch that business, it can be daunting, scary and exhilarating. While you grapple with so many emotions, it can be hard to learn when to say no to any work that comes your way. That is our topic today. We list red flags you should look out for when meeting with prospective clients.

Our generation has been dubbed the “Start-up generation”. About one-third of young Canadians want to start their own businesses. When you first launch that business, it can be daunting, scary and exhilarating. While you grapple with so many emotions, it can be hard to learn when to say no to any work that comes your way. That is our topic today. We list red flags you should look out for when meeting with prospective clients.

Episode 121: Saying No to Toxic Clients

Although it’s important to fail and fail gloriously in life, this episode talks about real failure. We thought we would do a twist on the top 5 things young professionals need to do to succeed and flip it around and list all the things you should do if you want your career to come down hard, crashing and burning – in a bad way.

Although it’s important to fail and fail gloriously in life, this episode talks about real failure. We thought we would do a twist on the top 5 things young professionals need to do to succeed and flip it around and list all the things you should do if you want your career to come down hard, crashing and burning – in a bad way.

Episode 120: How to Fail 

In this episode we share our biggest milestones, as well as how to mark and learn from then. We also mark our fifth anniversary with a bit of reminiscing.

In this episode we share our biggest milestones, as well as how to mark and learn from then. We also mark our fifth anniversary with a bit of reminiscing.

Episode 119: Career milestones and a Special Anniversary

Young PR Pros, a podcast for the young and young at heart PR pros looking for tips and advice on how to advance their careers. Hosted by Kristine D'Arbelles, Julia Kent and Ross Simmonds.

I started my career 8 months ago after receiving my undergraduate degree in Marketing. Working in PR and social media, I did not have the technical communication skills that many PR graduates received in college. This podcast has provided wonderful insights to building my career both personally and professionally. Highly recommend for anyone starting or building their career in communications! 

Thank you Young PR Pros team for making the transition from college grad to PR professional much simpler!

Wonderful content for recent grads!

As a grad student in PR, this has been the best podcast I’ve listened to. The advice is sound, the hosts are experienced and there’s at times too much information, I can’t keep up. Thanks for the inspiration. -Kiara, Washington, DC.

Glad I Stumbled Across This......

Young PR Pros

For the eighth semester in a row, Young PR Pros host, Julia Kent, was invited to speak as part of a three-person panel at the University of Carleton School of Journalism alongside Lauren More, vice-president of communications with Ford Canada and Carrie Bendzsa, brand systems and external communications leader at IBM Canada. The hour-long panel is full of great tips and advice for young professionals who are currently studying journalism making the transition to public relation or communications. So much information, that Young PR Pros has announced a new four-episode series called From Journalism to PR. Over the next month keep your eyes out and your ears pealed for more tips and advice that we gathered from this excellent panel. In this week's episode, episode 2, we talk about the valued skills journalists bring to a PR role.  Writing, writing, and writing Networking Video, audio and image editing skills  These skills are all very important to be a successful journalist, but an even more successful PR or communications professional. We also do a quick book review on the newly released Spin Sucks by Gini Dietrich. Check out Kristine's blog post earlier this week that gives you many reasons to acquire and read this amazing book for PR and communication professionals. Stay tuned to episode 3 where we will discuss the various titles PR professionals use to describe their job; and we take a walk through the day in the life of each of our panelists. We want to hear from you. Did you attend the panel in Ottawa? Are you a journalists who switched to PR? If so, how did you manage the transition? Share your comments below, or on our Facebook Page, or on our Google+ page, or in our LinkedIn group, or on Pinterest, or send us an email at youngprpros@gmail.com, or send us a message on Twitter @youngprpros, @kristinedarbell or @kentjulia.

For the eighth semester in a row, Young PR Pros host, <a href="http://twitter.com/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Julia Kent</a>, was invited to speak as part of a three-person panel at the University of Carleton School of Journalism alongside <a href="https://twitter.com/LaurenCMore" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lauren More</a>, vice-president of communications with Ford Canada and <a href="https://twitter.com/CarrieBendzsa" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Carrie Bendzsa</a>, brand systems and external communications leader at IBM Canada. The hour-long panel is full of great tips and advice for young professionals who are currently studying journalism making the transition to public relation or communications. So much information, that Young PR Pros has announced a new four-episode series called <a href="http://kristinesimpson.com/category/young-pr-pros-podcast/carleton-university-panel-series/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">From Journalism to PR</a>. Over the next month keep your eyes out and your ears pealed for more tips and advice that we gathered from this excellent panel. In this week's episode, episode 2, we talk about the valued skills journalists bring to a PR role. <ol> <li>Writing, writing, and writing</li> <li>Networking</li> <li>Video, audio and image editing skills</li> </ol> These skills are all very important to be a successful journalist, but an even more successful PR or communications professional. We also do a quick book review on the newly released <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Spin-Sucks-Communication-Reputation-Management/dp/078974886X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1384437186&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=spin+sucks" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spin Sucks</a> by <a href="http://twitter.com/ginidietrich" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gini Dietrich</a>. Check out <a href="http://kristinesimpson.com/2014/03/31/why-spin-sucks/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kristine's blog post</a> earlier this week that gives you many reasons to acquire and read this amazing book for PR and communication professionals. Stay tuned to episode 3 where we will discuss the various titles PR professionals use to describe their job; and we take a walk through the day in the life of each of our panelists. We want to hear from you. Did you attend the panel in Ottawa? Are you a journalists who switched to PR? If so, how did you manage the transition? Share your comments below, or on our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/YoungPrPros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a>, or on our <a href="https://plus.google.com/109338807768021925543/posts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google+ page</a>, or in our <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Young-PR-Pros-4456145" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LinkedIn group</a>, or on <a href="http://pinterest.com/youngprpros/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, or send us an email at <a href="mailto:youngprpros@gmail.com">youngprpros@gmail.com</a>, or send us a message on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/youngprpros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@youngprpros</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kristinedarbell</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kentjulia</a>.

From Journalism to PR: Episode #2 – The Skills Journalists Bring to a PR role

In this episode, our hosts discuss the future of PR. Our industry is always changing, as professionals it is important to always be on top of what is new – not to change our strategy every five minutes, but rather to ensure the tactics we use continue to connect with our audience. As young professionals, it is even more important to be on top of trends. As the “young” ones in the office we may be called upon to provide information about the latest social media trend. While our host Kristine D’Arbelles attended a conference in Minneapolis, she ran into a good friend of the podcast, Shel Holtz, founder of the FIR podcast network and host of For Immediate Release, one of the longest running podcasts on communications and PR. Shel was presenting on the future of PR. Kristine sat down with him after his presentation to ask him a few questions. Shel had some good insight to share. Our hosts dive into some of the trends he presented:  Messaging: the number one trend in social media? Dark social: what is it and how can PR and communications professionals deal with it? Facebook strategy: a pointless exercise, we explain why. Content strategy: how to build one in 60 seconds or less!  Young PR Pros wants to thank Shel Holtz for taking the time to share his insight and knowledge on the future of PR and communications.

In this episode, our hosts discuss the future of PR. Our industry is always changing, as professionals it is important to always be on top of what is new – not to change our strategy every five minutes, but rather to ensure the tactics we use continue to connect with our audience. As young professionals, it is even more important to be on top of trends. As the “young” ones in the office we may be called upon to provide information about the latest social media trend. While our host <a href="http://twitter.com/kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kristine D’Arbelles</a> attended a conference in Minneapolis, she ran into a good friend of the podcast, <a href="https://twitter.com/shelholtz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Shel Holtz</a>, founder of the <a href="https://firpodcastnetwork.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FIR podcast network</a> and host of For Immediate Release, one of the longest running podcasts on communications and PR. Shel was presenting on the future of PR. Kristine sat down with him after his presentation to ask him a few questions. Shel had some good insight to share. Our hosts dive into some of the trends he presented: <ul> <li>Messaging: the number one trend in social media?</li> <li>Dark social: what is it and how can PR and communications professionals deal with it?</li> <li>Facebook strategy: a pointless exercise, we explain why.</li> <li>Content strategy: how to build one in 60 seconds or less!</li> </ul> Young PR Pros wants to thank Shel Holtz for taking the time to share his insight and knowledge on the future of PR and communications.

Episode 117: The Future of PR

This week, hosts Kristine Simpson and Julia Kent talk about an important subject for young professionals in general who have just landed their first job and are now accumulating a salary. This episode is all about finances for the young PR pro. Kristine found this great article called Financial Checklist for Young Professionals on Ms. Career Girl, a blog about career change, personal finance, dating and relationships, life after college, job searching and entrepreneurship for young women. But a lot of their articles can be beneficial to both sexes. Kristine and Julie cover four main topics:  Student debt tips: bank debts vs. OSAP, which should you pay first? What is a credit report and why is it important to young professionals RRSPs are not just for retirement anymore, you should start saving early The importance of sitting down with a financial planner/adviser  Our hosts want to reiterate that neither are experts in the field of financial planning and this episode is meant to get young professional thinking about their finances and being smart about how they begin their career as well as their life. We want to hear from you. Share your opinion or ideas by leaving a comment on our blog or on our Facebook Page, or on our Google+ page, or in our LinkedIn group, or on Pinterest, or send us an email at youngprpros@gmail.com, or send us a message on Twitter @youngprpros, @kristinesimpson or @kentjulia.

This week, hosts <a href="http://twitter.com/kristinesimpson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kristine Simpson</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Julia Kent</a> talk about an important subject for young professionals in general who have just landed their first job and are now accumulating a salary. This episode is all about finances for the young PR pro. Kristine found this great article called <a href="http://www.mscareergirl.com/2012/12/26/financial-checklist-for-young-professionals/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Financial Checklist for Young Professionals</a> on <a href="http://www.mscareergirl.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ms. Career Girl</a>, a blog about career change, personal finance, dating and relationships, life after college, job searching and entrepreneurship for young women. But a lot of their articles can be beneficial to both sexes. Kristine and Julie cover four main topics: <ol> <li>Student debt tips: bank debts vs. OSAP, which should you pay first?</li> <li>What is a credit report and why is it important to young professionals</li> <li>RRSPs are not just for retirement anymore, you should start saving early</li> <li>The importance of sitting down with a financial planner/adviser</li> </ol> Our hosts want to reiterate that neither are experts in the field of financial planning and this episode is meant to get young professional thinking about their finances and being smart about how they begin their career as well as their life. We want to hear from you. Share your opinion or ideas by leaving a comment on <a href="http://youngprpros.ca" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">our blog</a> or on our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/YoungPrPros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a>, or on our <a href="https://plus.google.com/109338807768021925543/posts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google+ page</a>, or in our <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Young-PR-Pros-4456145" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LinkedIn group</a>, or on <a href="http://pinterest.com/youngprpros/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, or send us an email at <a href="mailto:youngprpros@gmail.com">youngprpros@gmail.com</a>, or send us a message on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/youngprpros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@youngprpros</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Kristinesimpson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kristinesimpson</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kentjulia</a>.

Young PR Prros: Episode #46 - Financial planning for the young PR pro

This week, our hosts Kristine Simpson and Julia Kent are joined by William Johnson. We profiled Will in our Who to Follow series last month. Will is a communications, event management and student affairs professional at Carleton University in Ottawa. When he is not in the office, he is busy blogging and tweeting. We invited Will to choose his topic for the show and we are glad we did. This week, we profile non-PR books that have provides PR lessons. It is interesting to see the lessons that came out of each book, but it is also interesting to see the variety of books that were mentioned in the episode. We started with Julia who shared lessons of media, government and consumer relations from The Hunger Games. Then, Will shared his lesson of communicating clear and concise messages from Nelson Mandela: Portrait of an Extraordinary Man by Richard Stengel. And finally, Kristine shares he lesson of hard work from Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. You can tell by the laughter that we truly enjoyed having Will on the show and are excited for his next visit! We want to hear from you. What non-PR books have provided you with PR lessons? Share your opinion or ideas by leaving a comment on our blog or on our Facebook Page, or on our Google+ page, or in our LinkedIn group, or on Pinterest, or send us an email at youngprpros@gmail.com, or send us a message on Twitter @youngprpros, @kristinesimpson or @kentjulia.

This week, our hosts <a href="http://twitter.com/kristinesimpson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kristine Simpson</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Julia Kent</a> are joined by <a href="https://twitter.com/socialeccentric" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">William Johnson</a>. We profiled Will in our <a href="http://kristinesimpson.com/2013/01/24/young-pr-pros-episode-41-what-has-kristine-learned-from-young-pr-pros-and-we-follow-socialeccentric/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Who to Follow series</a> last month. Will is a communications, event management and student affairs professional at Carleton University in Ottawa. When he is not in the office, he is busy <a href="http://www.williamjohnson.ca/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">blogging </a>and tweeting. We invited Will to choose his topic for the show and we are glad we did. This week, we profile non-PR books that have provides PR lessons. It is interesting to see the lessons that came out of each book, but it is also interesting to see the variety of books that were mentioned in the episode. We started with Julia who shared lessons of media, government and consumer relations from <a href="http://www.thehungergames.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Hunger Games</a>. Then, Will shared his lesson of communicating clear and concise messages from <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Nelson-Mandela-Portrait-Extraordinary-Man/dp/0753519348" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Nelson Mandela: Portrait of an Extraordinary Man by Richard Stengel</a>. And finally, Kristine shares he lesson of hard work from <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Steve-Jobs-Walter-Isaacson/dp/1451648537" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson</a>. You can tell by the laughter that we truly enjoyed having Will on the show and are excited for his next visit! We want to hear from you. What non-PR books have provided you with PR lessons? Share your opinion or ideas by leaving a comment on <a href="http://youngprpros.ca" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">our blog</a> or on our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/YoungPrPros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a>, or on our <a href="https://plus.google.com/109338807768021925543/posts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google+ page</a>, or in our <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Young-PR-Pros-4456145" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LinkedIn group</a>, or on <a href="http://pinterest.com/youngprpros/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, or send us an email at <a href="mailto:youngprpros@gmail.com">youngprpros@gmail.com</a>, or send us a message on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/youngprpros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@youngprpros</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Kristinesimpson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kristinesimpson</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kentjulia</a>.

Young PR Pros: Episode #45 - Three books that taught us PR lessons

This week, our hosts Kristine D'Arbelles and Julia Kent talk about some good PR and how blogger relations made it happen. Although not a completely new concept in PR and communications, blogger relations has grown into an excellent way to get your message out through a non-traditional gatekeeper. Back in the day, your only gatekeeper was journalists. If you wanted to be featured on the 6 o'clock news, you had to build relationships with the right journalists, editors, producers, etc. Today bloggers can be equally as powerful gatekeepers. In fact, some bloggers have a stronger and more dedicated followings through website hits and social media followers than the local newspaper. As a young professional entering their new career, don't discount the possibilities of a good blogger relations strategy. To demonstrate the possibilities, Kristine and Julia share their experience as bloggers. Julia shares her experience as a book club blogger and how it landed her an interview on TV as a subject matter expert. Kristine shares her Cardel Homes story. Cardel, a local home builder, invited bloggers and their spouses to truly experience what a Cardel home has to offer - and what better way then to host a small get together complete with wine and delicious food. Bloggers got to experience first hand the versatility of the home. The Cardel example shows PR professionals and communicators that using blogger relations can go beyond the basic "pitch" and the online world. The other lesson learned here is that young professionals are encouraged to take advantage of the blogger relations trend in PR and communications to make a name for themselves as they build a career. Improve your writing skills and get experience in social media strategies by building your own strategy to gain new followers and readers. What about you? Have you started a blog to help build your personal brand? Do you have a good blogger relations story to share? Share your opinions by writing a comment below, or on our Facebook Page, or on our Google+ page, or send us an email at youngprpros@gmail.com, or send us a message on Twitter @youngprpros, @kristinedarbell, or @kentjulia.

This week, our hosts <a href="http://twitter.com/kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kristine D'Arbelles</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Julia Kent</a> talk about some good PR and how blogger relations made it happen. Although not a completely new concept in PR and communications, <a href="https://thornleyfallis.ca/ford-blogger-relations/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">blogger relations</a> has grown into an excellent way to get your message out through a non-traditional gatekeeper. Back in the day, your only gatekeeper was journalists. If you wanted to be featured on the 6 o'clock news, you had to build relationships with the right journalists, editors, producers, etc. Today bloggers can be equally as powerful gatekeepers. In fact, some bloggers have a stronger and more dedicated followings through website hits and social media followers than the local newspaper. As a young professional entering their new career, don't discount the possibilities of a good blogger relations strategy. To demonstrate the possibilities, Kristine and Julia share their experience as bloggers. Julia shares her experience as a book club blogger and how it landed her an interview on TV as a subject matter expert. Kristine shares her <a href="http://www.cardelhomes.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cardel Homes</a> story. Cardel, a local home builder, invited bloggers and their spouses to truly experience what a Cardel home has to offer - and what better way then to host a small get together complete with wine and delicious food. Bloggers got to experience first hand the versatility of the home. The Cardel example shows PR professionals and communicators that using blogger relations can go beyond the basic "pitch" and the online world. The other lesson learned here is that young professionals are encouraged to take advantage of the blogger relations trend in PR and communications to make a name for themselves as they build a career. Improve your writing skills and get experience in social media strategies by building your own strategy to gain new followers and readers. What about you? Have you started a blog to help build your personal brand? Do you have a good blogger relations story to share? Share your opinions by writing a comment below, or on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/YoungPrPros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">our Facebook Page</a>, or on <a href="https://plus.google.com/109338807768021925543/posts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">our Google+ page</a>, or send us an email at <a href="mailto:youngprpros@gmail.com">youngprpros@gmail.com</a>, or send us a message on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/youngprpros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@youngprpros</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kristinedarbell</a>, or <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kentjulia</a>.

Young PR Pros: Episode #93 - Good PR and Blogger Relations

Young PR Pros: Episode #85 - How to Navigate Your PR Career with CPRS

This week, Kristine D'Arbelles and Julia Kent are actually sitting face to face for the recording. You can just hear the excitement in their voices. A more human connecting recording deserves a chat about being human. How to be a social human organization to be exact. A couple of days ago, Gini Dietrich posted an article about how Home Depot tried to mitigate a social media crisis. Although it may seem that they followed the step-by-step process of how to get out of a social media crisis, the company left one tiny factor out: they forgot to be human. This conversation leads Kristine and Julia to remind young professionals of the importance of being a human behind your social media accounts. We also debate what is considered a fireable offence. Home Depot ends up terminating the social media agency and the employee who sent the Tweet. We all make mistakes, did Home Depot go to far? Julia shares with us some social media bloopers of her own. We want to hear from you? Share your social media bloopers with us? Do you think Home Depot was right? Share with us how you try and stay human on social media. You can post your comments below or on our Facebook Page, or on our Google+ page, or in our LinkedIn group, or on Pinterest, or send us an email at youngprpros@gmail.com, or send us a message on Twitter @youngprpros, @kristinedarbell or @kentjulia.

This week, <a href="http://twitter.com/kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kristine D'Arbelles </a>and <a href="http://twitter.com/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Julia Kent</a> are actually sitting face to face for the recording. You can just hear the excitement in their voices. A more human connecting recording deserves a chat about being human. How to be a social human organization to be exact. A couple of days ago, <a href="http://spinsucks.com/communication/home-depot-crisis-social-media-requires-being-human/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gini Dietrich posted an article about how Home Depot tried to mitigate a social media crisis</a>. Although it may seem that they followed the step-by-step process of how to get out of a social media crisis, the company left one tiny factor out: they forgot to be human. This conversation leads Kristine and Julia to remind young professionals of the importance of being a human behind your social media accounts. We also debate what is considered a fireable offence. Home Depot ends up terminating the social media agency and the employee who sent the Tweet. We all make mistakes, did Home Depot go to far? Julia shares with us some social media bloopers of her own. We want to hear from you? Share your social media bloopers with us? Do you think Home Depot was right? Share with us how you try and stay human on social media. You can post your comments below or on our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/YoungPrPros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a>, or on our <a href="https://plus.google.com/109338807768021925543/posts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google+ page</a>, or in our <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Young-PR-Pros-4456145" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LinkedIn group</a>, or on <a href="http://pinterest.com/youngprpros/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, or send us an email at <a href="mailto:youngprpros@gmail.com">youngprpros@gmail.com</a>, or send us a message on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/youngprpros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@youngprpros</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kristinedarbell</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kentjulia</a>.

Young PR Pros: Episode #69 - Home Depot's Social Media Crisis

This week Kristine D’Arbelles and Julia Kent talk about crisis communications. We concentrate on a recent crisis that happened in Edmonton, Alberta in Canada. You can read the story of the pipe bomb here. However, we are not here to judge whether or not the passenger should have been allowed to board the plane, we talk about how the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) reacted to the crisis. But, we don’t always want to dwell on the bad news. Young PR Pros is asking our listeners to share their stories of good examples of crisis communications. We will put together an episode in the coming weeks that highlights the positive lessons learned from organizations or individuals that handled a crisis properly. Don’t forget to share your ideas! In this episode, we also talk about journalism integrity. The media might seem like it is always out to get your company, but in reality, there are journalists out there that follow good ethics. Yes, there might be some bad apples, but so doesn’t communications. Young PR Pros wants to give a shout out to our colleagues on the other side of communications and thank them for helping us spread the good message about our organizations, for telling the fun stories that help our organizations grow. We hope that we can return the favour by always being honest and, as much as possible, available for comment. Share your ideas of good crisis communications, or share a story of how you worked well with our journalism colleagues. You can share your comments below, or on our Facebook Page, or on our Google+ page, or in our LinkedIn group, or on Pinterest, or send us an email at youngprpros@gmail.com, or send us a message on Twitter @youngprpros, @kristinedarbell or @kentjulia.

This week <a href="http://twitter.com/kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kristine D’Arbelles</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Julia Kent</a> talk about crisis communications. We concentrate on a recent crisis that happened in Edmonton, Alberta in Canada. You can read the story of the <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/pipe-bomb-handed-back-to-passenger-skylar-murphy-by-airport-guard-1.2497650" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">pipe bomb here</a>. However, we are not here to judge whether or not the passenger should have been allowed to board the plane, we talk about how the <a href="http://www.catsa.gc.ca/language-select" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA)</a> reacted to the crisis. But, we don’t always want to dwell on the bad news. Young PR Pros is asking our listeners to share their stories of good examples of crisis communications. We will put together an episode in the coming weeks that highlights the positive lessons learned from organizations or individuals that handled a crisis properly. <a href="http://twitter.com/youngprpros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Don’t forget to share your ideas!</a> In this episode, we also talk about journalism integrity. The media might seem like it is always out to get your company, but in reality, there are journalists out there that follow good ethics. Yes, there might be some bad apples, but so doesn’t communications. Young PR Pros wants to give a shout out to our colleagues on the other side of communications and thank them for helping us spread the good message about our organizations, for telling the fun stories that help our organizations grow. We hope that we can return the favour by always being honest and, as much as possible, available for comment. Share your ideas of good crisis communications, or share a story of how you worked well with our journalism colleagues. You can share your comments below, or on our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/YoungPrPros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a>, or on our <a href="https://plus.google.com/109338807768021925543/posts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google+ page</a>, or in our <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Young-PR-Pros-4456145" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LinkedIn group</a>, or on <a href="http://pinterest.com/youngprpros/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, or send us an email at <a href="mailto:youngprpros@gmail.com">youngprpros@gmail.com</a>, or send us a message on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/youngprpros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@youngprpros</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kristinedarbell</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kentjulia</a>.

Young PR Pros: Episode #75 – CATSA’s crisis and the Journalism Relationship 

This week, Kristine D'Arbelles and Julia Kent talk about corporate social responsibility or CSR. For those who are new to this term, CSR is the voluntary activities undertaken by a company to operate in an economic, social and environmentally sustainable manner. CSR not only does good for mother earth and our communities, it can be a great opportunity to emotionally connect with your audience - with the ultimate goal of increasing your bottom line. Julia kicks it off by sharing what her company does in the realm of corporate social responsibility. MHPM's CSR is not just a communications tactic, but contributes to their service offerings and corporate brand. We find out that the work they put in to CSR directly contributes to increasing their bottom line. Kristine then shares some examples of other organizations across the world that have embraced corporate social responsibility and have been recognized for their efforts through the 2014 CSR Awards at the National Press Club in Washington. The awards recognized CSR A-List and the latest inductees to the CSR Hall of Fame. Together, these organizations represent top quality work in the domain of CSR communications. If you are ever required to do some brainstorming for your boss around CSR - this is an article you want to read! We would love to hear from you. What CSR projects have you participated in? Share your comments below, or on our Facebook Page, or on our Google+ page, or in our LinkedIn group, or on Pinterest, or send us an email at youngprpros@gmail.com, or send us a message on Twitter @youngprpros, @kristinedarbell or @kentjulia.

This week, <a href="http://twitter.com/kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kristine D'Arbelles</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Julia Kent</a> talk about corporate social responsibility or CSR. For those who are new to this term, CSR is the voluntary activities undertaken by a company to operate in an economic, social and environmentally sustainable manner. CSR not only does good for mother earth and our communities, it can be a great opportunity to emotionally connect with your audience - with the ultimate goal of increasing your bottom line. Julia kicks it off by sharing what her company does in the realm of corporate social responsibility. <a href="http://www.mhpm.com/en/home/services/sustainabilityservices/default.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MHPM's CSR</a> is not just a communications tactic, but contributes to their service offerings and corporate brand. We find out that the work they put in to CSR directly contributes to increasing their bottom line. Kristine then shares some examples of other organizations across the world that have embraced corporate social responsibility and have been recognized for their efforts through the <a href="http://www.prnewsonline.com/water-cooler/2014/04/07/pr-news-announces-winners-of-2014-csr-awards-and-hall-of-fame-inductees/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2014 CSR Awards at the National Press Club in Washington</a>. The awards recognized CSR A-List and the latest inductees to the CSR Hall of Fame. Together, these organizations represent top quality work in the domain of CSR communications. If you are ever required to do some brainstorming for your boss around CSR - this is an article you want to read! We would love to hear from you. What CSR projects have you participated in? Share your comments below, or on our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/YoungPrPros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a>, or on our <a href="https://plus.google.com/109338807768021925543/posts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google+ page</a>, or in our <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Young-PR-Pros-4456145" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LinkedIn group</a>, or on <a href="http://pinterest.com/youngprpros/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, or send us an email at <a href="mailto:youngprpros@gmail.com">youngprpros@gmail.com</a>, or send us a message on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/youngprpros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@youngprpros</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kristinedarbell</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kentjulia</a>.

Young PR Pros: Episode #87 - CSR and its importance in the Communications Industry

Kristine D'Arbelles and Julia Kent come back for a second episode this week. We talk about continuing formal education after graduation. It doesn't always have to be university or college courses, there are plenty of other ways to continue learning in a formal setting. Kristine and Julia share what they have done to keep up with trends in communications since their graduation. Julia, as the book club president, encourages young professionals to read. Kristine talks about professional development events and conferences. Speaking of conferences, Young PR Pros will be sponsoring the University of Ottawa Public Relations Association (uOPRA) conference Let’s Grow Together 2014 Conference. The event encourages students to learn about different industries within Public Relations and Communications, similar to the Take uOPRA to Work Day series. Our key speakers and their respective industries include:  Ryan Kennery, Jim Watson’s Press Secretary discussing government relations Elizabeth Gray-Smith, Social Columnist at iPolitics discussing corporate PR Mark Monahan, Executive and Artistic Director of Ottawa Bluesfest and Ottawa Folkfest representing the music industry Emily Scarlett, Communications and Press Manager of HM Canada Carrie Croft, National Communications Manager FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015 discussing sports in PR  To learn more or buy tickets visit the conference website. Kristine will be a roving reporter for the podcast, interviewing speakers and attendees. If you are attending the conference, make sure to say hi to Kristine. We would love to hear from you. Share your comments below, or on our Facebook Page, or on our Google+ page, or in our LinkedIn group, or on Pinterest, or send us an email at youngprpros@gmail.com, or send us a message on Twitter @youngprpros, @kristinedarbell or @kentjulia.

<a href="http://twitter.com/kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kristine D'Arbelles</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Julia Kent</a> come back for a second episode this week. We talk about continuing formal education after graduation. It doesn't always have to be university or college courses, there are plenty of other ways to continue learning in a formal setting. Kristine and Julia share what they have done to keep up with trends in communications since their graduation. Julia, as the book club president, encourages young professionals to read. Kristine talks about professional development events and conferences. Speaking of conferences, Young PR Pros will be sponsoring the University of Ottawa Public Relations Association (uOPRA) conference Let’s Grow Together 2014 Conference. The event encourages students to learn about different industries within Public Relations and Communications, similar to the <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/youngprpros/take-uopra-to-work-day/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Take uOPRA to Work Day series</a>. Our key speakers and their respective industries include: <ul> <li><a href="https://twitter.com/rkennery" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ryan Kennery</a>, Jim Watson’s Press Secretary discussing government relations</li> <li><a href="http://www.ipolitics.ca/author/egraysmith/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Elizabeth Gray-Smith</a>, Social Columnist at iPolitics discussing corporate PR</li> <li><a href="http://www.ottawaathome.ca/Living/2011-06-21/article-2600791/Mark-Monahan%3A-Music-is-my-business/1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mark Monahan</a>, Executive and Artistic Director of Ottawa Bluesfest and Ottawa Folkfest representing the music industry</li> <li><a href="https://twitter.com/Emily_Scarlett_" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Emily Scarlett</a>, Communications and Press Manager of HM Canada</li> <li><a href="https://twitter.com/Croftca" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Carrie Croft</a>, National Communications Manager FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015 discussing sports in PR</li> </ul> To learn more or buy tickets visit the <a href="http://uopra.wordpress.com/conference/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">conference website</a>. Kristine will be a roving reporter for the podcast, interviewing speakers and attendees. If you are attending the conference, make sure to say hi to Kristine. We would love to hear from you. Share your comments below, or on our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/YoungPrPros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a>, or on our <a href="https://plus.google.com/109338807768021925543/posts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google+ page</a>, or in our <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Young-PR-Pros-4456145" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LinkedIn group</a>, or on <a href="http://pinterest.com/youngprpros/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, or send us an email at <a href="mailto:youngprpros@gmail.com">youngprpros@gmail.com</a>, or send us a message on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/youngprpros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@youngprpros</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kristinedarbell</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kentjulia</a>.

Young PR Pros: Episode #76: Continuing Your Formal Education 

As young PR and communications professionals, we are often expected to know everything about social media. That is why, this week on Young PR Pros our hosts Kristine D'Arbelles and Julia Kent talk about the most popular social networks, who uses them, and what companies might benefit from each platform. We get our inspiration from AdWeek - Who's Really Using Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram in 2015. As a side note, because it might sound confusing in the episode, the numbers we are quoting are projected new subscribers for 2015 - not current totals. You can find a full breakdown of number of users by social platform here. Julia mentions that there are six types of social networking sites. We briefly go through each one. The main lesson we want listeners to take away from this episode is that it doesn't matter if 1.5 billion or 300 million people are using a social network - doesn't mean your company NEEDS to be there. As a young professional entering a new job, make sure you ask your executives and your bosses what their business goals are. And remember, if you are using social networks to build your professional brand you have your own business goals.How do you choose which networks to use?Share your opinions by writing a comment below, or on our Facebook Page, or on our Google+ page, or send us an email at youngprpros@gmail.com, or send us a message on Twitter @youngprpros, @kristinedarbell, or @kentjulia.

As young PR and communications professionals, we are often expected to know everything about social media. That is why, this week on Young PR Pros our hosts <a href="http://twitter.com/kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kristine D'Arbelles</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Julia Kent</a> talk about the most popular social networks, who uses them, and what companies might benefit from each platform. We get our inspiration from AdWeek - <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/new-social-stratosphere-who-using-facebook-twitter-pinterest-tumblr-and-instagram-2015-and-beyond-1622" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Who's Really Using Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram in 2015</a>. As a side note, because it might sound confusing in the episode, the numbers we are quoting are projected new subscribers for 2015 - not current totals. You can find a full breakdown of number of users by social platform <a href="http://www.statista.com/statistics/272014/global-social-networks-ranked-by-number-of-users/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. Julia mentions that there are <a href="http://outthinkgroup.com/tips/the-6-types-of-social-media" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">six types of social networking sites</a>. We briefly go through each one. The main lesson we want listeners to take away from this episode is that it doesn't matter if 1.5 billion or 300 million people are using a social network - doesn't mean your company NEEDS to be there. As a young professional entering a new job, make sure you ask your executives and your bosses what their business goals are. And remember, if you are using social networks to build your professional brand you have your own business goals.How do you choose which networks to use? Share your opinions by writing a comment below, or on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/YoungPrPros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">our Facebook Page</a>, or on <a href="https://plus.google.com/109338807768021925543/posts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">our Google+ page</a>, or send us an email at <a href="mailto:youngprpros@gmail.com">youngprpros@gmail.com</a>, or send us a message on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/youngprpros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@youngprpros</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kristinedarbell</a>, or <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kentjulia</a>.

Young PR Pros: Episode #98 - Who uses what type of social media

It will happen to the best of us, eventually we will all make mistakes in our career, be it a typo, a misinterpreted quote, etc. But we can all rise up from our mistakes by learning from them. Host, Julia Kent regales Kristine D'Arbelles with a story of how a typo caused a bit of a crisis in her office. She shares her experience and lessons learned on how she overcame her mistakes. The important lesson to take away from Julia's story, is that our superiors are very understanding if we own up to our mistakes and promise to fix them. We want to hear from you, did you ever make a big mistake in your career? What about a typo in a homework assignment? Did you fail? What are your lessons learned? Share your comments below, or on our Facebook Page, or on our Google+ page, or in our LinkedIn group, or on Pinterest, or send us an email at youngprpros@gmail.com, or send us a message on Twitter @youngprpros, @kristinedarbell or @kentjulia.

It will happen to the best of us, eventually we will all make mistakes in our career, be it a typo, a misinterpreted quote, etc. But we can all rise up from our mistakes by learning from them. Host, <a href="http://twitter.com/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Julia Kent</a> regales <a href="http://twitter.com/kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kristine D'Arbelles</a> with a story of how a typo caused a bit of a crisis in her office. She shares her experience and lessons learned on how she overcame her mistakes. The important lesson to take away from Julia's story, is that our superiors are very understanding if we own up to our mistakes and promise to fix them. We want to hear from you, did you ever make a big mistake in your career? What about a typo in a homework assignment? Did you fail? What are your lessons learned? Share your comments below, or on our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/YoungPrPros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a>, or on our <a href="https://plus.google.com/109338807768021925543/posts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google+ page</a>, or in our <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Young-PR-Pros-4456145" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LinkedIn group</a>, or on <a href="http://pinterest.com/youngprpros/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, or send us an email at <a href="mailto:youngprpros@gmail.com">youngprpros@gmail.com</a>, or send us a message on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/youngprpros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@youngprpros</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kristinedarbell</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kentjulia</a>.

Young PR Pros: Episode #78 - Julia's Lessons Learned from Making a Big Mistake

This week, hosts Kristine D'Arbelles and Julia Kent expand on a recent Spin Sucks article titled Kelly Blazek Proves Communicators Have One Chance to Get it Right by Gini Dietrich. The articles talks about how a senior communicator sent a very nasty reply to a young communicator looking to build a relationship. The email shocked Kristine and Julia, because Young PR Pros has been preaching the importance of building a strong network with all levels of communicators. The young professional happened to be moving to a new city and heard that the senior communicator, who also happens to an IABC communicator of the year, would make a great connection as she searched for a new job in a new city. The email response she got was not what any young professional would expect. The senior communicator called her invitation to connect inappropriate and tacky. Young PR Pros completely disagrees with the senior communicator. In this episode we share our reasons why this story should not deter young professionals from building a network with all levels of communicators. As long as it is done respectfully. Remember, none of us got to where we are alone, including senior communicators. We want to hear from you. What are your experiences connecting with senior communicators? Share your comments below, or on our Facebook Page, or on our Google+ page, or in our LinkedIn group, or on Pinterest, or send us an email at youngprpros@gmail.com, or send us a message on Twitter @youngprpros, @kristinedarbell or @kentjulia.

This week, hosts <a href="http://twitter.com/kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kristine D'Arbelles</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Julia Kent</a> expand on a recent Spin Sucks article titled <a href="http://spinsucks.com/communication/kelly-blazek-proves-communicators-have-one-chance-to-get-it-right/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kelly Blazek Proves Communicators Have One Chance to Get it Right</a> by <a href="http://twitter.com/ginidietrich" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gini Dietrich</a>. The articles talks about how a senior communicator sent a very nasty reply to a young communicator looking to build a relationship. The email shocked Kristine and Julia, because Young PR Pros has been preaching the importance of building a strong network with all levels of communicators. The young professional happened to be moving to a new city and heard that the senior communicator, who also happens to an <a href="http://www.iabccleveland.com/communicator-of-the-year-2013/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">IABC communicator of the year</a>, would make a great connection as she searched for a new job in a new city. The email response she got was not what any young professional would expect. The senior communicator called her invitation to connect inappropriate and tacky. Young PR Pros completely disagrees with the senior communicator. In this episode we share our reasons why this story should not deter young professionals from building a network with all levels of communicators. As long as it is done respectfully. Remember, none of us got to where we are alone, including senior communicators. We want to hear from you. What are your experiences connecting with senior communicators? Share your comments below, or on our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/YoungPrPros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a>, or on our <a href="https://plus.google.com/109338807768021925543/posts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google+ page</a>, or in our <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Young-PR-Pros-4456145" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LinkedIn group</a>, or on <a href="http://pinterest.com/youngprpros/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, or send us an email at <a href="mailto:youngprpros@gmail.com">youngprpros@gmail.com</a>, or send us a message on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/youngprpros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@youngprpros</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kristinedarbell</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kentjulia</a>.

Young PR Pros: Episode #79 - Talking to Director Level Communicators, Good or Bad?

This week, Kristine D'Arbelles and Julia Kent talk about the post-PC world - the world of mobile. Our topic idea was fuelled by a Globe and Mail article called We’re post-PC and mobile-everything, but where’s the love? written by Navneet Alang. Kristine and Julia compare the companies they work for. The Canadian Automobile Association integrates mobile in a lot of their strategies, while MHPM doesn't. However, that doesn't mean one is better than the other. We discuss how different organizations have very different audiences, which warrant different communications strategies. Although mobile may not be mandatory for all audiences out there, as we are becoming an increasingly mobile world, it should always be in the back of our minds. We want to hear from you? Have you been in a recent communications strategy brainstorm at work? Has mobile come up? What about the student listeners? Are you learning about mobile strategies? You can post your comment below or on our Facebook Page, or on our Google+ page, or in our LinkedIn group, or on Pinterest, or send us an email at youngprpros@gmail.com, or send us a message on Twitter @youngprpros, @kristinedarbell or @kentjulia.

This week, Kristine D'Arbelles and Julia Kent talk about the post-PC world - the world of mobile. Our topic idea was fuelled by a Globe and Mail article called <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/digital-culture/were-post-pc-and-mobile-everything-but-wheres-the-love/article15377480/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">We’re post-PC and mobile-everything, but where’s the love?</a> written by Navneet Alang. Kristine and Julia compare the companies they work for. The Canadian Automobile Association integrates mobile in a lot of their strategies, while MHPM doesn't. However, that doesn't mean one is better than the other. We discuss how different organizations have very different audiences, which warrant different communications strategies. Although mobile may not be mandatory for all audiences out there, as we are becoming an increasingly mobile world, it should always be in the back of our minds. We want to hear from you? Have you been in a recent communications strategy brainstorm at work? Has mobile come up? What about the student listeners? Are you learning about mobile strategies? You can post your comment below or on our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/YoungPrPros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a>, or on our <a href="https://plus.google.com/109338807768021925543/posts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google+ page</a>, or in our <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Young-PR-Pros-4456145" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LinkedIn group</a>, or on <a href="http://pinterest.com/youngprpros/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, or send us an email at <a href="mailto:youngprpros@gmail.com">youngprpros@gmail.com</a>, or send us a message on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/youngprpros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@youngprpros</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kristinedarbell</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kentjulia</a>.

Young PR Pros: Episode #71 - The Post-PC World

In this week's episode hosts Kristine D'Arbelles and Julia Kent talk about how a listener of the show went from podcast listener to career star. We tell you Sharon Cheung's story. Some of you might recognize Sharon's name. This is not the first time she is mentioned on Young PR Pros. Sharon was the mastermind behind our popular Take uOPRA to Work series in 2013. The series followed four professionals in different PR and communication roles and industries to help new and returning students to the University of Ottawa understand the opportunities available to them after graduation. The series even won a local IABC Ottawa Excel Award in 2014. Now Sharon works with Kristine at the Canadian Automobile Association. Kristine sits down with Sharon and asks her questions about the interview process. What did she do to put together a compelling resume and cover letter? What did she do to prepare for the interview? What did she include in her portfolio? This episode is about a real success story. Sharon offers excellent advice on how she went from Young PR Pros listener to career starter. We want to hear from you! Do you have a success story to tell? Don't be shy, your experience and advice could help other listeners! Share your opinions by writing a comment below, or on our Facebook Page, or on our Google+ page, or send us an email at youngprpros@gmail.com, or send us a message on Twitter @youngprpros, @kristinedarbell, or @kentjulia.

In this week's episode hosts <a href="http://twitter.com/kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kristine D'Arbelles</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Julia Kent</a> talk about how a listener of the show went from podcast listener to career star. We tell you <a href="http://twitter.com/SharonKCheung" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sharon Cheung</a>'s story. Some of you might recognize Sharon's name. This is not the first time she is mentioned on Young PR Pros. Sharon was the mastermind behind our popular Take uOPRA to Work series in 2013. The series followed four professionals in different PR and communication roles and industries to help new and returning students to the University of Ottawa understand the opportunities available to them after graduation. The series even won a <a href="http://kristinesimpson.com/2014/05/23/young-pr-pros-takes-home-iabc-ottawa-excel-award/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">local IABC Ottawa Excel Award in 2014</a>. Now Sharon works with Kristine at the Canadian Automobile Association. Kristine sits down with Sharon and asks her questions about the interview process. What did she do to put together a compelling resume and cover letter? What did she do to prepare for the interview? What did she include in her portfolio? This episode is about a real success story. Sharon offers excellent advice on how she went from Young PR Pros listener to career starter. We want to hear from you! Do you have a success story to tell? Don't be shy, your experience and advice could help other listeners! Share your opinions by writing a comment below, or on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/YoungPrPros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">our Facebook Page</a>, or on <a href="https://plus.google.com/109338807768021925543/posts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">our Google+ page</a>, or send us an email at <a href="mailto:youngprpros@gmail.com">youngprpros@gmail.com</a>, or send us a message on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/youngprpros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@youngprpros</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kristinedarbell</a>, or <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kentjulia</a>.

Young PR Pros: Episode #92 - A Young PR Pros' Success

This time of year is the best time to reflex, review and learn from your experiences in the past year. But in this episode, Kristine and Julia thought we would take a more holistic glance at not just the past year, but the entire podcast. Young PR Pros has listeners from across Canada, the United states, the U.K. and India. Here is a heat map of the globe to show you where your fellow YPP listeners reside: The top five most popular cities that listen to YPP are:  Ottawa, Canada Toronto, Canada Phoenix, U.S. New York, U.S. London, U.K.  We also reviewed what our listeners like to hear. Here are the top 10 most listened to episodes:  Take uOPRA to Work Day: Episode 2 - Lifestyle and Entertainment with Ottawa Fashion Week Take uOPRA to Work Day: Episode 1 - Technology with MediaMiser Take uOPRA to Work Day: Episode 3 - Communication Agencies with MediaStyle Episode #65 - Tips for Public Speaking Take uOPRA to Work Day: Episode 4 - Government Relations with Fleishman-Hillard Episode #68 - Peer Pressure Episode #66 - PR Compensation Not Keeping up with New Skills Episode #25 - Who to follow with @TheCoolestCool Episode #12 - Resumes designed to succeed Episode #21 - Who to follow with @recruiterjax  As a communicator it is very important to follow local, national and international current affairs. Here are stories you should not forget in 2013:  South Africa's first black president and anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela dies at the age of 95 The birth of Prince George The never ending story of Rob Ford The Canadian Senate expense scandal  But sometimes, the news we think is important is not as meaningful to others. Here is Google's Zeitgeist of the top searches in 2013. Thanks to all our listeners for an amazing 2013. We look forward to hearing your ideas for new episodes in 2014. Happy New Year!! As always, you can post a comment below or on our Facebook Page, or on our Google+ page, or in our LinkedIn group, or on Pinterest, or send us an email at youngprpros@gmail.com, or send us a message on Twitter @youngprpros, @kristinedarbell or @kentjulia.

This time of year is the best time to reflex, review and learn from your experiences in the past year. But in this episode, <a href="http://twitter.com/kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kristine </a>and <a href="http://twitter.com/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Julia </a>thought we would take a more holistic glance at not just the past year, but the entire podcast. Young PR Pros has listeners from across Canada, the United states, the U.K. and India. Here is a heat map of the globe to show you where your fellow YPP listeners reside: The top five most popular cities that listen to YPP are: <ol> <li>Ottawa, Canada</li> <li>Toronto, Canada</li> <li>Phoenix, U.S.</li> <li>New York, U.S.</li> <li>London, U.K.</li> </ol> We also reviewed what our listeners like to hear. Here are the top 10 most listened to episodes: <ol> <li><a href="http://kristinesimpson.com/2013/09/11/take-uopra-to-work-day-episode-2-lifestyle-and-entertainment-with-ottawa-fashion-week/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Take uOPRA to Work Day: Episode 2 - Lifestyle and Entertainment with Ottawa Fashion Week</a></li> <li><a href="http://kristinesimpson.com/2013/09/05/take-uopra-to-work-day-episode-1-technology-with-mediamiser/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Take uOPRA to Work Day: Episode 1 - Technology with MediaMiser</a></li> <li><a href="http://kristinesimpson.com/2013/09/18/take-uopra-to-work-day-episode-3-communication-agencies-with-mediastyle/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Take uOPRA to Work Day: Episode 3 - Communication Agencies with MediaStyle</a></li> <li><a href="http://kristinesimpson.com/2013/08/28/young-pr-pros-episode-65-tips-for-public-speaking/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode #65 - Tips for Public Speaking</a></li> <li><a href="http://kristinesimpson.com/2013/10/02/take-uopra-to-work-day-episode-4-government-relations-with-fleishman-hillard/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Take uOPRA to Work Day: Episode 4 - Government Relations with Fleishman-Hillard</a></li> <li><a href="http://kristinesimpson.com/2013/11/05/young-pr-pros-episode-68-peer-pressure/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode #68 - Peer Pressure</a></li> <li><a href="http://kristinesimpson.com/2013/10/10/young-pr-pros-episode-66-pr-compensation-not-keeping-up-with-new-skills/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode #66 - PR Compensation Not Keeping up with New Skills</a></li> <li><a href="http://kristinesimpson.com/2012/09/19/young-pr-pros-episode-25-who-to-follow-with-thecoolestcool/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode #25 - Who to follow with @TheCoolestCool</a></li> <li><a href="http://kristinesimpson.com/2012/06/19/young-pr-pros-episode-12-resumes-designed-to-succeed/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode #12 - Resumes designed to succeed</a></li> <li><a href="http://kristinesimpson.com/2012/08/21/young-pr-pros-episode-21-who-to-follow-with-recruiterjax/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode #21 - Who to follow with @recruiterjax</a></li> </ol> As a communicator it is very important to follow local, national and international current affairs. Here are stories you should not forget in 2013: <ol> <li><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25249520" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">South Africa's first black president and anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela dies at the age of 95</a></li> <li><a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/08/02/kate-middleton-registers-prince-georges-birth-lists-occupation-as-princess-of-the-united-kingdom/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The birth of Prince George</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/robford/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The never ending story of Rob Ford</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/senate_scandal.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Canadian Senate expense scandal</a></li> </ol> But sometimes, the news we think is important is not as meaningful to others. <a href="http://www.google.ca/trends/topcharts?zg=full" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here is Google's Zeitgeist of the top searches in 2013.</a> Thanks to all our listeners for an amazing 2013. We look forward to hearing your ideas for new episodes in 2014. Happy New Year!! As always, you can post a comment below or on our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/YoungPrPros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a>, or on our <a href="https://plus.google.com/109338807768021925543/posts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google+ page</a>, or in our <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Young-PR-Pros-4456145" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LinkedIn group</a>, or on <a href="http://pinterest.com/youngprpros/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, or send us an email at <a href="mailto:youngprpros@gmail.com">youngprpros@gmail.com</a>, or send us a message on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/youngprpros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@youngprpros</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kristinedarbell</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kentjulia</a>.

Young PR Pros: Episode #73 - 2013, A Year and a Podcast in Review

Customer service shouldn't be a foreign word to public relations and commuications professionals. Although we might not always be face to face with our organization's customers, their happiness often decides the fate of your communications department and organization. This week, Kristine D'Arbelles and Julia Kent explore the old saying "the customer is always right" and how it applies to PR and communications. We got our inspiration from one of our favourite podcasters, Terry O'Reilly, host of CBC's Under The Influence. On Under the Influence, Terry explores the critical shift from a century of overt one-way messaging to a new-world order of two-way dialogue. Most recently, Terry did an episode called Tales of Customer Service. He talked about an amusement park that delivered such superior customer service that other corporations asked for lessons, a shoe company you can order a pizza from and a store that actually accepted a returned product they didn't even sell just to keep their customer happy. Not only are the stories in Terry's episode fascinating, but it reminds us that good customer service equals good communications, and vise versa. People remember people, not products, so what better way to solidify an emotional relationship with your audience than through good customer service. We would love to hear your thoughts? Do you have a good/bad customer service story? How do you incorporate customer service in to your strategic plans? Share your comments below, or on our Facebook Page, or on our Google+ page, or in our LinkedIn group, or on Pinterest, or send us an email at youngprpros@gmail.com, or send us a message on Twitter @youngprpros, @kristinedarbell or @kentjulia.

Customer service shouldn't be a foreign word to public relations and commuications professionals. Although we might not always be face to face with our organization's customers, their happiness often decides the fate of your communications department and organization. This week, <a href="http://twitter.com/kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kristine D'Arbelles</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Julia Kent</a> explore the old saying "the customer is always right" and how it applies to PR and communications. We got our inspiration from one of our favourite podcasters, Terry O'Reilly, host of <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/undertheinfluence" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CBC's Under The Influence</a>. On Under the Influence, Terry explores the critical shift from a century of overt one-way messaging to a new-world order of two-way dialogue. Most recently, Terry did an episode called <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/undertheinfluence/season-3/2014/03/28/tales-of-customer-service-2/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tales of Customer Service</a>. He talked about an amusement park that delivered such superior customer service that other corporations asked for lessons, a shoe company you can order a pizza from and a store that actually accepted a returned product they didn't even sell just to keep their customer happy. Not only are the stories in Terry's episode fascinating, but it reminds us that good customer service equals good communications, and vise versa. People remember people, not products, so what better way to solidify an emotional relationship with your audience than through good customer service. We would love to hear your thoughts? Do you have a good/bad customer service story? How do you incorporate customer service in to your strategic plans? Share your comments below, or on our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/YoungPrPros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a>, or on our <a href="https://plus.google.com/109338807768021925543/posts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google+ page</a>, or in our <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Young-PR-Pros-4456145" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LinkedIn group</a>, or on <a href="http://pinterest.com/youngprpros/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, or send us an email at <a href="mailto:youngprpros@gmail.com">youngprpros@gmail.com</a>, or send us a message on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/youngprpros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@youngprpros</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Kristinedarbell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kristinedarbell</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kentjulia</a>.

Young PR Pros: Episode #86 - What does customer service and PR have in common?

Week after week, Kristine Simpson and Julia Kent share their tips and advice to build and advance your career for the young and young at heart PR pros. This episode is especially for our young at heart listeners. We intertviewed Angela Prokopiak, Director, Communications and Parliamentary Relation at the International Development Research Centre. Angela shared with us her current endeavor to obtaining her Masters in Communications Management from the Newhouse Executive school at Syracuse University. This program is unique as it can be taken fully by correspondence. If you are near McMaster University, Syracuse currently has a partnership with McMaster that allows students to take courses at the Hamilton campus. In order to qualify for the program you need to have a minimum of five years work experience. However, this is just a reminder that it is important for our young professional listeners to realize it is never too early to plan ahead. We would love to hear from you. Do you have any questions or comments on today's show? Or do you have any ideas for an episode? Share your opinion or ideas by leaving a comment on our blog or on our Facebook Page, or on our Google+ page, or in our LinkedIn group, or on Pinterest, or send us an email at youngprpros@gmail.com, or send us a message on Twitter @youngprpros, @kristinesimpson or @kentjulia.

Week after week, Kristine Simpson and Julia Kent share their tips and advice to build and advance your career for the young and young at heart PR pros. This episode is especially for our young at heart listeners. We intertviewed Angela Prokopiak, Director, Communications and Parliamentary Relation at the International Development Research Centre. Angela shared with us her current endeavor to obtaining her <a href="http://newhouse.syr.edu/Academics/Communications_Management/overview.cfm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Masters in Communications Management from the Newhouse Executive school at Syracuse University</a>. This program is unique as it can be taken fully by correspondence. If you are near <a href="http://www.mcmaster.ca/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">McMaster University</a>, Syracuse currently has a partnership with McMaster that allows students to take courses at the Hamilton campus. In order to qualify for the program you need to have a minimum of five years work experience. However, this is just a reminder that it is important for our young professional listeners to realize it is never too early to plan ahead. We would love to hear from you. Do you have any questions or comments on today's show? Or do you have any ideas for an episode? Share your opinion or ideas by leaving a comment <a href="http://youngprpros.ca" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">on our blog</a> or on our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/YoungPrPros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a>, or on our <a href="https://plus.google.com/109338807768021925543/posts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google+ page</a>, or in our <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Young-PR-Pros-4456145" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LinkedIn group</a>, or on <a href="http://pinterest.com/youngprpros/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, or send us an email at <a href="mailto:youngprpros@gmail.com">youngprpros@gmail.com</a>, or send us a message on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/youngprpros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@youngprpros</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Kristinesimpson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kristinesimpson</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kentjulia</a>.

Young PR Pros: Episode #42 - A special show for the young at heart

This episode sponsored by the University of Ottawa Public Relations Association (uOPRA) features Ian Capstick of MediaStyle alongside uOPRA President Sharon Cheung and Young PR Pros host Kristine Simpson. Releasing our third episode of our 4-episode podcast, Take uOPRA to Work Day, we were thrilled to sit down and chat with Ian, who has published works in the Ottawa Citizen, the Globe and Mail and PostMedia newspapers across Canada, to name a few, and is a regular on CBC’s Power and Politics. Sharon asks Ian what MediaStyle looks for when recruiting new team members. Ian mentions government relations and we discuss unpaid internships. A unique feature of MediaStyle is that they offer workshops for clients and students to learn about various topics such as video production and social media. Join in on the episode to learn more and make sure to listen in to our last edition to the podcast series. [insert video] Take uOPRA to Work Day will send you all off featuring Nicolas Ruszowski of an international leading PR firm, Fleishman-Hillard discussing the PR industry that is government relations. Visit www.uopra.ca for more information on the uOttawa side of the PR program here in Ottawa. The blog includes Communication course reviews, company spotlights, and event reviews such as the CPRS 2013 National Conference, Conversations 2013. We want to hear from you. How are you enjoying the series? Do you have questions for our guest hosts? You can post your comment below or on our Facebook Page, or on our Google+ page, or in our LinkedIn group, or on Pinterest, or send us an email at youngprpros@gmail.com, or send us a message on Twitter @youngprpros, @kristinesimpson or @kentjulia.

This episode sponsored by the <a href="https://twitter.com/uOPRA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">University of Ottawa Public Relations Association</a> (uOPRA) features <a href="https://twitter.com/iancapstick" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ian Capstick</a> of <a href="https://twitter.com/mediastyle" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MediaStyle </a>alongside uOPRA President <a href="https://twitter.com/__sharebear" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sharon Cheung</a> and Young PR Pros host <a href="http://twitter.com/kristinesimpson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kristine Simpson</a>. Releasing our third episode of our 4-episode podcast, Take uOPRA to Work Day, we were thrilled to sit down and chat with Ian, who has published works in the Ottawa Citizen, the Globe and Mail and PostMedia newspapers across Canada, to name a few, and is a regular on CBC’s <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/TV+Shows/Power+&amp;+Politics+with+Evan+Solomon/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Power and Politics</a>. Sharon asks Ian what MediaStyle looks for when recruiting new team members. Ian mentions government relations and we discuss unpaid internships. A unique feature of MediaStyle is that they offer workshops for clients and students to learn about various topics such as video production and social media. Join in on the episode to learn more and make sure to listen in to our last edition to the podcast series. [insert video] Take uOPRA to Work Day will send you all off featuring Nicolas Ruszowski of an international leading PR firm, Fleishman-Hillard discussing the PR industry that is government relations. Visit <a href="http://www.uopra.ca/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.uopra.ca</a> for more information on the uOttawa side of the PR program here in Ottawa. The blog includes Communication course reviews, company spotlights, and event reviews such as the CPRS 2013 National Conference, Conversations 2013. We want to hear from you. How are you enjoying the series? Do you have questions for our guest hosts? You can post your comment below or on our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/YoungPrPros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a>, or on our <a href="https://plus.google.com/109338807768021925543/posts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google+ page</a>, or in our <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Young-PR-Pros-4456145" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LinkedIn group</a>, or on <a href="http://pinterest.com/youngprpros/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, or send us an email at <a href="mailto:youngprpros@gmail.com">youngprpros@gmail.com</a>, or send us a message on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/youngprpros" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@youngprpros</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Kristinesimpson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kristinesimpson</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/kentjulia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kentjulia</a>.

Take uOPRA to Work Day: Episode 3 - Communication Agencies with MediaStyle

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