Developing Your Social Media Skills

It is no secret that social media have become important tools and a sought-after skill in the communications industry. Public relations practitioners alone use social media platforms to reach and engage with publics, track interest, disseminate information and develop brands.

Whether you are a prospective master’s student, or already half-way through your degree now, there are several things you can do to work on and improve both your social media skills and presence while you are at Newhouse.

1. COM 600: New this year, is Professor Grygiel’s class COM 600: Social Media Theory and Practice. I took this course during the fall and benefited immensely from it. I would recommend this course to students of all majors, but especially those in public relations.
2. LinkedIn Live: With LinkedIn being a road to employment, it is important that students learns to utilize this platform efficiently. Interning at Syracuse University’s Career Services, I know that the last few years they have been holding LinkedIn Live events. During these events, students are able to hear presentations from alumni and faculty that have worked at LinkedIn, have his or her profile reviewed and receive a free professional headshot.
3. Blog: Believe it or not, blogging is a sought after skill in the job market. Whether it is for class or on your own time, I encourage all budding communications professionals to gain experience blogging. After all, blogging demonstrates that you are not only able to develop content, but also write efficiently and deliver work on a deadline.
4. Become a Newhouse Blogger: If you are a student here, you can also become a Newhouse Blogger. And what better way to gain experience than by blogging for the best communications school in the country?

These opportunities are all available directly through Newhouse and Syracuse University, but there are still countless other things you can do to improve your social media skills. Read professional journals, keep your profiles updated and practice, practice, practice.

You won’t become an expert overnight, but by taking initial steps now you will be much more prepared when it is time to begin your job search.

Emilee Smith

Emilee is an artist, writer and musician who possesses a love of animals and a "Harry Potter" obsession. She is an avid reader, baker and aspires to publish novels. Emilee is currently earning a master's degree in public relations at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communication.
@emileejaysmith
https://www.linkedin.com/in/emileesmith