On Thursday Feb. 13, PRSSA was honored to have Sac State alumnus Raymond Perez, speak to our members about his journey in the field of Public Relations. He backed the information with years of experience characterized by various internships, a stint as a die-hard sports podcaster, and more recently a lucrative media strategist at Augustine. Perez gave valuable insight into how college students like us can better navigate the vast field of PR.
Perez caught member’s attention by telling them about his experience as a sports podcaster. He first built a platform around a persona known as “Dr. Death”, who along with other Raiders fan, protested to keep the Oakland Raiders, in Oakland. This platform allowed him to enter the field of PR as a podcast host, even landing a feature in one edition of Sports Illustrated! From this experience he eventually transitioned into a more traditional PR setting. He emphasized the importance of writing as he told us about his struggles to move from sports podcasting to writing-intensive jobs in PR. For this reason, he suggests we must “write, write, write...and then write some more!” to refine our skills. Here are Perez’s 6 tips when entering PR!
- Leverage your passions
- Take a journalism class and learn how to tell a story
- Master press releases, media alerts, pitches, etc.
- Write A LOT (Platforms like blogs helps with writing samples)
- Intern and/or build a portfolio
- NETWORK
Furthermore, Perez shared the significance of the online job search and how to build a strong resume and LinkedIn, tailored to the needs of future employers across various fields. He suggests we immerse ourselves in PR by watching the news, following trends, and picking up new skills when possible.
To conclude, Perez gave some advice to anyone hoping to be successful in PR, explaining that one must always strive to be the best at what they do. He urges us to express our personality to every interviewer, and overall any situation we may find ourselves in. Be the best storyteller, and above all, challenge yourself! PRSSA gives many thanks to Perez for a phenomenal presentation and his guidance to those hoping to enter Public Relations.
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