Future Planning

As I look ahead and begin planning my future, it can be overwhelming.  The experience I gained while working with our journalistic team from Harding University when we went to Italy will be indispensable.  That trip taught me so much about responsibility and independence while also enlightening me on the different culture of a beautiful foreign country.  I learned about working on a deadline, reporting about events as they happened and I also learned about feature story reporting - which could be done at any time.  Selecting one person and hearing their story to write about what makes them unique is always interesting.

I adjusted to hectic schedules and was flexible as things were constantly changing throughout each day.  I worked with various team members and learned to get the most done using each of our particular talents and best skills. I experienced the world of backpack journalism as I went to all kinds of events and places and found stories wherever I was.  I had my flip cam on me at all times ready to pull it out and capture some timeless scene or record the unique sounds or video some entertaining clips as they happened.  I blogged daily about anything that had affected me during the trip and shared my story while discussing others' stories.
Another course offered at HU that has prepared me immensely is Mass Media Writing (for which I started this blog).  I have had to experiment with the different aspects of journalism with video, audio, still shot photography and all kinds of writing skills.  Regardless of where I find myself, these abilities will be necessary.  Other courses that have helped prepare me tremendously include Public Relations Campaigns where I develop a campaign for a company/organization and complete all the steps for it and Print News Writing.

After graduation next May, I will be getting married and most likely moving to Washington, D.C. for some time for my husband's work.  As a public relations major, this is a dream come true!  D.C. is one of my favorite places and is full of great opportunities.  The important necessity to remember, however, is true work experience!  This is something every organization/business usually demands.  At an entry level, I will have quite a ways to go in order to reach the top or at least upper positions where I would like to be.

After doing some REALISTIC job searching, I found some promising jobs currently available as ideas for the near future:

• An Administration Assistant in Government Relations for MWW Group, recently named one of the Best Agencies to work for by PR Week.  This firm deals with Public Relations, Public Affairs and Marketing.
• A Program Assistant, Labor Management & Employee Relations (LMER) for District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). 
• A Manager of Communications for North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) serving as the single point of contact for media.

All of these positions require knowledge in computer programs such as Microsoft Outlook, Excel and Powerpoint.  They also demand skills in creative programs such as In Design, Photoshop and Flash; web programming language is definitely a plus.  Being able to blog and track down information while constantly developing communication connections is extremely important.  It is crucial to be self-motivated, be flexible (and able to excel in ever-changing environments), be able to manage several different projects simultaneously, produce excellent work on a deadline and be creative and up-beat.  Other important qualities involve efficiently working in teams and having great problem-solving abilities.

Sounds slightly intimidating, and that barely skims the surface.  However, I am confident in what I have to offer any organization, and I know what I do not know now, I will certainly find out and be ready.  For now, I will take it a day at time and pray for my future as I continue to gain knowledge and experience in this exciting field of constant changes.