Saxum|PR

The Value of Interns and Internships

April 19th, 2010 by Lindsay Laird. Posted in Industry Expertise, Tips and Tricks

As a self-proclaimed intern junkie, I know the value of a high-quality internship. Prior to graduation, I had held three internship positions, including one at Saxum. I worked in health care, corporate and finally, agency. Had it not been for these three diverse experiences, I may not have known exactly what area of public relations was right for me.

I have managed Saxum’s internship program for the past three years and take great pride in seeing it grow and succeed. Since its inception in 2005, we have had nearly 40 interns go through our program. Of our current staff of 22, four were once interns. We treat our internship like an extended job interview. Interns have three to four months to show us exactly why they should be hired. At the end of their internship, if we are looking for an entry-level candidate, nine times out of 10 we will look to our intern candidate pool for applicants. It’s a win-win for the intern and for us.

So what does all this mean?

For the intern, I offer this advice:

1. From day one, make yourself indispensable. Show your employer the value you bring to the table so when the time comes, they have no choice but to make you a full-time employment offer.

   Read the full story »

Social Media in Times of Crisis

February 2nd, 2010 by Lindsay Laird. Posted in Industry Expertise

The earthquake in Haiti may go down as the first international disaster to truly display the power of social media.

In the wake of a massive disaster, people usually want to know two things: 1) What happened? and 2) How can I help? Social media provides a platform to answer both of these questions quickly and easily.

No longer do we have to wait for updates from traditional news outlets, rather, through social media sites, citizens are journalists. Those directly impacted by the earthquake in Haiti were able to search for information and help through social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Skype, Flickr and YouTube. Thousands of photos taken directly from the devastation in Haiti were broadcast on social media sites 24 hours a day for several days. According to a Jan. 20 study by Pew Research, 13 percent of Americans – including 24 percent of those younger than 30 – say they have received or shared information about the Haiti earthquake through Twitter, Facebook or another social networking site.

As the lines between traditional and new media are beginning to merge, we see mainstream news organizations utilizing social networking for news and information. Nick Wrenn of CNN International Digital Services said, “We immediately moved someone supervising social media and our iReports to the Haiti desk.”

Read the full story »