Have no fear, free advice is here (and it’s NOT Virus Related!)

Three seniors from the first graduating class of the 2020 decade offer some seasoned, insider advice for current and future COMM students to succeed in the department.

Emily Gerlikovski:  Public Relations and Social Media

Emily Gerlikovski

• Learn what your biggest area of improvement is early on, and get ready to work on it.
  • Challenge yourself with continuous improvement. Make sure when selecting a group to work with for any project, they can also help you improve. It’s one thing to understand what your improvements are; it’s another to work on them.
• Get ready to dress up
  • Invest in some good, professional clothing. Or, take advantage of the campus’ Career Closet. Most presentations require professional dress, and even if they don’t, consider dressing up anyway. It DOES make a difference.
• Get ready to write
  • Presentations are only one part of a project assessment. Many times, you will be expected to write a pretty detailed paper after a presentation. These papers can range from a few pages to almost 200 pages. Get READY!
• Get involved
  • Get to know your professors and get involved in the department. It’s invaluable, especially when you need to start looking for internships – or jobs – in the future. If you want to be involved, don’t expect any opportunities to land in your lap. Take initiative and email professors for additional help, they are happy to help you and would like to work with you.

Ashley Perket: Public Relations and Social Media

Ashley Perket

• Embrace group work
  • The COMM department is all about collaboration, so get ready to work in groups. Learn how to work effectively with others while brushing up on your own skills in the process.
• Find your niche
  • There are many different emphases in COMM, and finding a favorite will help prepare you for your future. Like sports? Embrace Sports Comm. Like storytelling? Take journalism courses. Like social media? Take social media strategies.
• Internships!
  • Take advantage of an internship; gain on-the-job experiences to prepare you for the real world
  • Read all internship emails from Professor Danielle Bina.
    • There are many internship opportunities around the Green Bay area. If you get one, be ready to learn and embrace uncertainty. Internships are meant to give you experience; you aren’t expected to know everything.

Ari Dohr: Public Relations and Social Media:

Ariana Dohr

• For Cases:
  • Don’t stress about the clues that you don’t have yet. Stick to the task at hand and brainstorm with your team.
  • Make sure your Crisis Management Plan has a ton of possible negative outcomes; it’ll help a ton when Hell Week comes.
  • Make sure when picking your company that you think strategically; don’t pick a company with obvious potential crises. For example, a controversial company that has multiple lawsuits may not be the best pick for you to represent.
• For any COMM Presentation:
  • Be prepared a week early with your part so you have time to go over the whole presentation with your teammates to make sure everything flows well.
  • Get comfortable speaking in front of groups: Nerves are natural, but try not to use filler words like, um, ugh, or like!
  • Have an agenda slide: They look super professional and help orient your audience to the direction your presentation will go.
  • Really listen to feedback from professors and other classmates – especially in areas of improvement and make sure to revise your paper to fit those adjustments.
• When picking groups:
  • DON’T just pick ‘friends.’ You need people on your team whose skills are different – and complementary – to yours. Also, rely on your Personal Instruction Manual.
  • Make sure your goals match the goals of your potential group. For example, if you want an A in the class, don’t pick someone for your group who is going for a C. It will cause tension in your group
  • Make a list of group rules with your team and hold people accountable.
  • Figure out any scheduling problems right away. We are all busy and need to be able to meet regularly…schedules are a big part of that.

Story by Ariana Dohr, Emily Gerlikovski and Ashley Perket

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