Bon Voyage, Ohio

Since I launched this blog in the Fall of 2007, I have never written post about my personal life or plans. After graduating in June of this year, my family, friends and old co-workers have begun to scatter across America. That being said, this is the best way to give you all an update on the next steps in my life and career!

After graduation, I moved to Columbus and began at Northlich less than 48 hours after my commencement ceremony. I originally planned to stay in Columbus, as it is close to my immediate family and network of friends and professionals.

Now that September is upon us, I have chosen to take the next step in my career by moving to Chicago. I recently accepted a post-graduate internship position with Weber Shandwick and am set to begin October 5th of this year. For those of you unfamiliar with Weber, it is one of the world's largest PR firms and was recently in the news after MySpace selected it it's AOR. I will make the move October 1 into an apartment in the north side of the city.

Needless to say, I am more than thrilled with the opportunity. I have loved my experience at Northlich and am extremely grateful for the mentorship, exposure to new projects, and wonderful friendships I have gained during my time there. I will miss Ohio and many close friends, but am very happy to offer a pull-out couch for visitors in the Windy City!

Of course, I fully intend to work my rear-end off to turn my internship position into a long-term job within a couple months. Regardless, I will stay in Chicago for at least 1-2 years and take that time to learn everything I can while being surrounded by some of the best in my industry. Thank you to everyone who has always shown support and make a continued effort to stay connected, no matter how many miles are between us.

As I prepare to move, I am nostalgic about the networking trip I planned for Ohio University's chapter of PRSSA to Chicago earlier this Spring. Thank you to Aaron Baer for the video below!



A convenient side effect of my transition is a three week "summer vacation" during the month of September. During that time, I will be attending both my cousin's and best friend's weddings, along with a few adventures in between. I would love to share all of my plans with you, but I prefer to keep at least some information private amongst family and friends. Feel free to e-mail me or follow me on Twitter!

pauljmatson (at) gmail (dot) com

PR pros and social media woes

Whether you are a social network aficionado or still think Twitter is a new bird species, it can be a daunting challenge to keep up with social media tools and trends. Of course, there are countless resources available online and in print that try to offer insight into the bottomless pit of social media marketing.

Despite the endless charts, case studies and hype that social media sites project, some of the most valuable lessons in using and optimizing online tools come from collaborating with colleagues and friends. One of the best ways to connect online with PR practitioners, students and professors around the world is through PROpenMic.org. Membership is free and enables you to view and share relevant PR and social media counsel from experts and tehup-and-coming alike. Think of it as Facebook for PR people.

Lastly, if you have ever felt frustrated or inundated with the rocket pace of social media, this song is for you:

Chicago social media adventure

This weekend, March 5-8, the PRSSA chapter from Ohio University will be traveling to Chicago to tour six major agencies and attend a networking dinner. Many students participating have only just begun venturing into social media networking on the professional level. You can track our progress by visiting here. If you wish to communicate with the group, please use the Twitter hashtag #ouchi09. We would love to hear any and all advice/comments/encouragement as we explore Chicago together.

The chapter has been split into two smaller groups so that each can visit three agencies. We have scheduled meetings with the following firms:

* Ketchum
* Fleishman-Hillard
* Ogilvy
* Edelman
* Ruder Finn
* Weber Shandwick

If you wish to meet with us at the Hard Rock Cafe on Friday evening, please send me a DM @PaulMatson or @ScrippsPRSSA. In addition, several members of the chapter will be taking footage of their experience which is being compiled into a YouTube video. If you are in the area, we would love to have you featured as well.

Thank you to everyone who has assisted in putting this trip together. In short, this explains my absence from posting the past few weeks. Upon our return, I will be able to resume my normal posting schedule. I will also be guest blogging on PRofessional Development next week with CMU's Rachel Esterline.

Cheers!

You are always welcome to leave a comment or send me an email at pauljmatson (at) gmail (dot) com.

The social networking animal

Things are getting hot in here... the Internet that is. With so many web sites to join, it can make you dizzy just thinking about which one is the right one for you. As an aspiring PR pro, I've realized that it is critical to stay at the battle front of the explosion of social networking, mobile marketing, blogging, twittering... you get the idea.

Web 2.0 - the name of the game

Those of you who know me - you're aware of my tendency to propagate Gmail and other google-related services. But there's much more to the madness. So finally, both reluctantly and proactively, I have compiled a list of EVERYTHING I stay active on with regard to the Internet. I've also included my personal link to each. Enjoy.

Here it is: (drum roll)

Google Mail
Gmail - pauljmatson@gmail.com
Seriously, people. Unless you use a work address full time, there's no excuse not to adapt to this service. Not only do you have virtually unlimited storage (I currently have 781 emails in my inbox using 3% of my alloted storage capacity), but you have the ability to chat online through instant messenger and it's accessible anywhere on the planet. Not to mention it's FREE?

Google services
Besides Gmail, I also utilize
1. Google Calendar (VERY similar to the functionality of Outlook and other related services)
2. Reader (RSS feeder)
3. Picasa Web Albums (automatically saves any photos I upload online)
4. Documents (using Google as a document host server)
5. Orkut (international professional networking) - Find me at Paul Matson
6. Analytics (which is how I track my blog exposure)
7. Talk (instant messenger through Google)

Blogspot
Currently what I am using to host my blog. The sign-up, set-up and maintenance is a piece of cake. If you have something ot say... get a blog!
my blogs:
paulmatson.blogspot.com
ouprssa.blogspot.com

Chase Online Banking
I can transfer funds, pay my credit card, and a number of other services. Most major banks provide this service for free. Make your life easier!

Mint Financial Tracking
A free online service that tracks your spending and savings and offers tips on how to save and earn more money without making major changes to your lifestyle. You have to see it to believe it.

Networking

LinkedIn - Business/professional networking
Think of it as a much classier Facebook. It also appears in Google searching, so you might to consider joining in you're in the job market or looking to hire! Find me

Technorati - Premiere blog searching
Whether you're looking to increase your blog's web traffic or search blogs efficiently, there's no better place to start. Find me

PRopenmic - Profile server for PR addicts
It's relatively new, but has the potential for some great idea bouncing and provides an excellent opportunity for some PR networking. Find me

Facebook
Need I say much more? Find me

Myspace
Also likely to appear on Google searches, you might want to consider signing up just to make sure you have some control over what the Internet reveals about you. Undoubtedly, this can be used to your advantage. Find me

Twitter - Microblogging
If you haven't already signed up, DO IT now! It's an unparalleled way to make quick news releases or just give your friends a quick update on your whereabouts. There's lots of cool stories about what Twitter has done for people both in the professional and personal realms. Sign up today! Find me

And just for fun...

Pandora - Online Radio
Forget iTunes radio. Pandora will literally tailor it's playlist to the music you like. Not by genre, but by algorithm. Stop wasting your money on iTunes and sign up (also free, of course).

There you have it.

Confused or have questions? Drop me an email at pauljmatson@gmail.com or leave a comment. Happy surfing!