Parsons + NYECD Fashion Campus NYC

top: Express
skirt: Forever 21
shoes: Payless
sunglasses: Walmart
earrings: American Eagle
necklace: Juicy Couture

It's been a great weekend in the city. This weekend was the Fashion Campus NYC hosted by Parsons and it gave interns from all around the city to have the opportunity to network and build some great connections with each other. We also got to listen to speakers from the business side of the fashion industry about their insights into their world.

Today, we started the day with career sessions. I attended a PR/Marketing session (of course!) and absorbed some great tips from Tom Handley (@PRProfessor) about interviewing, resumes and cover letters, and working in the industry as well.

Afterwards, it was time for a networking brunch where I met so many great interns from Oscar de la Renta, Nylon Magazine, Barney's, FashionGPS, Teen Vogue, and many other aspiring PR girls and designers. I also got the privilege to speak to the Director of Career Services of Parsons, Director of Communications at Parsons, and the College Recruiter for Under Armour, which it is very likely I will be applying for their summer internship for next year in Baltimore.

Afterwards, we got to listen to Derek Lam speak about his career and answer some Q&A about challenges he has overcome and advice he had for all of us striving to make it in the fashion industry. He said a quote that stood out to me and will stick with me throughout my career: "Be willing and ready to respond to what is happening around you." It says so much about life as a PR girl and it's important for anybody in business to be aware of and keep in mind.

Hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend! xo beyouties!

Review: If You Have To Cry, Go Outside by Kelly Cutrone

I couldn't tell you the last time I actually read a book. But, with Kelly Cutrone and the People's Revolution on The City and The Hills being the reason I got into PR, I just had to get If You Have To Cry, Go Outside And Other Things Your Mother Never Told You and read it. The book was said to be a must read for any PR girl, especially those aspiring to make it in New York City. What would be a better time to read it other than when I first moved here?

I won't spoil the entire book for you, but this might give away some stuff!

Online Chatter Bites Back

As a PR pro in the making, I know the importance of being professional online - especially with Facebook statuses and Tweets. Sharing the wrong information or simply saying inappropriate comments can really affect the way those checking up on you view you.


Stumbling on Facebook today, I came across a post of an undergraduate at St. Augustine that was denied from walking at commencement because of comments he posted on Facebook about the school.


The student claims that he wrote this on Facebook: "St. Augs is holding classes tomorrow and students in Falcrest still don't have power. Like, wtf. Really? #dumb"
St. Augustine is saying he said: "Here it go!!!!!! Students come correct, be prepared, and have supporting documents to back up your arguments because SAC will come hard!!!! That is all."


Whatever the student said, I think it's ridiculous that St. Augustine didn't let him walk simply because of a Facebook comment. I understand that SAC is concerned about holding a good reputation, but let's be honest: people are entitled to their own opinion and should be able to voice their opinions - especially to their own college or university! I don't even want to know what Ferris would do to the students who have said negative things about the school. I think SAC only has a claim for it if they can show it had a real chance of diminishing the number of applicants and/or had a statement in the Student Code of Conduct about social media usage affiliated with the school.


After posting on Koofers' Facebook status that it all goes to show you that you need to watch what you say online, I get a response (with 3 likes!) saying that I'm an idiot and that the student will sue the pants off of SAC. Now, I'm not the kind to argue with somebody on Facebook, so I wasn't about to make my claim to somebody ignorant to real life facts.


I ignored it all and just accepted the fact he was entitled to say what he felt, but I want to know what any PR pros and my followers think about this issue. Do you think the student deserved it, or that SAC went too far?

Building Your Personal Brand

Think about this: there are hundreds of millions of business people in the world. Out of those people, there is a HUGE amount that is aiming and learning towards the same goals as you. You as a professional and individual were born to stand out - so how do you do that? You need to build your personal brand. I'm sure you've heard this before, but what does that mean?

Think about a brand such as Pepsi. You know it's a soda company, it's red, white, and blue, it started the Pepsi Refresh Project, etc. A conversation can go many places as people talk about Pepsi. "What are the new commercials like? Remember when Britney Spears did her Pepsi days? Wow, the Pepsi Refresh Project just funded this awesome project for this place a couple of cities away!" 

Now, when people say Your Name, what will they be thinking of? What do you want them to say about you and think of you as? Here are ways to help build your personal brand.

1. First and foremost, start a Twitter. Yeah, Facebook is great and all, but that's more on a personal level. Twitter is a way connect with professionals in your own field and to see what others are talking about and blurb about what you're interested in. Post links to articles you're interested in or that relate to you as a professional, use hashtags (#) and participate in Twitter chats, and take advantage of the contacts you make on Twitter. I've made so many contacts via Twitter -- I even had an internship where all I did was tweet. It's a way for businesses and companies to reach out to people they're interested in.
2. Start a blog. This is extremely important in building a brand. On Twitter, you can talk about things in 140 characters or less where on your own blog, you can go on and on and on! Start a blog and talk about things that you are interested in. Want to have a career in the Fashion industry? Start a blog and post about fashion related things. Make it about what you think. This is all about you and your opinions! Have photos or designs that you've created? Make a blog or an online portfolio of your work! It's such a great way to collect all of your work into one place that is easy for others and employers to see. Think that your blog is going to be a hassle to maintain? If you're blogging about things you actually are interested in, you won't get bored with it. I promise.
3. Make your resume reflect your brand. Post links to your website, Twitter, blog, etc. on your resume or in the signature of your e-mails. The visitor count on my website has SKYROCKETED ever since I put a link in my e-mail signature. Also, make sure your resume isn't too bland. My resume isn't perfect, but it has color in it, which a PR professional has told me that, that is a big plus. Appeal to your possible employer in a way that will impress them. You may want to check into your Career Services to see how you can make your resume top notch.
4. Last but not least, tell people about what you do! Tell your friends on Facebook and Twitter that you have a blog or website. It took me a long time to tell people about my passion with makeup and the fashion industry because I was a little shy. Little did I know, a lot of people would be really interested in it. A lot of people actually enjoy reading the things I post, and even if they didn't, who really cares? This is you and your personal brand! Not everyone likes Pepsi, and not everyone is a fan of soda anyways, but look how successful Pepsi and it's brand has become. Don't forget that a huge way your stuff will spread is through word of mouth. If an employer sees your blog and likes a post on it, he/she may bring it up to someone they know, then they'll talk about it to their friends and so on.

As always, be sure to keep it professional. Don't turn your Twitter into nothing but randomness, and do not use inappropriate language. Be sure you aren't turning your blog into a diary, although talking a little bit about yourself and your life is a good thing! And of course, flaunt who you are. Your personal brand should reflect who you really are and what you stand for. Don't put on a front about who you aren't and talk about things you don't care about. In doing so, you'll stand out from your employers and professionals and be more memorable, possibly even before they want to schedule that interview.

Career Chat: Versa Manos, President of GORGEOUS PR

Yesterday evening, the Intern Queen hosted a conference call with Versa Manos, President of GORGEOUS PR in Los Angeles. Only 5 potential interns in the U.S. (first come, first serve basis) were able to talk to her and get some questions answered about herself and interning in general. I really learned a lot from this, and I wanted to share it with you guys.

About Gorgeous PR's Internships/Jobs: She said: It takes effort to teach someone. We like them to get started on basic things like checking blogs and getting more info for our databases. After a couple of weeks, we'll give you tasks like writing press releases and making phone calls to whomever. We want you to be committed.  We're going to teach you really well. We're interested in you if you're good and your credentials are good and you have experience with a PR company. But even if you're brand new and you're really willing to work and learn.

How to make your resume and cover letter stick out: She said: If you're going to be in PR, find a story. Don't send a standard resume and cover letter. Make a difference by speaking to the person you're writing to like you would in a normal conversation. Don't talk to them like they're nobody. Talk to them specifically. Also, express your interests. Do you like film? Music? Fashion? Tell them you have a love for something and maybe the last thing that intrigued you about that, like a fashion show or a film festival or a play you just seen. I hired a girl immediately because she said "I just want to get my foot in the door. I don't care if I have to make coffee all day. I know I have to start from the ground up." Give the person you want to work for some idea of who you are. They don't want the same cover letter that has been sent to everybody. Make an effort. PR is all about finding a story in something and making an effort.

 If you're about to graduate: She said: Before you do anything: Be sure you're making really good decisions and choices in the decision you're going. Start small then go big. Do 2 or 3 different internships and be sure to tell people what you've learned along the way. Talk about your strengths. You can say "I want to do fashion, I'm a fashion intern and I'm looking to progress into a job" and they'll say "Well why are you a good part of our team?" and make sure you have a great answer for that!! Show people why you want to commit to that company.

Her last words: She said, if you show you're interested, then be interested. Do the work in your internship and ask sensible questions; not something you can find in a Google search. Asking questions is a big plus. Also, when an intern talks about what a company can do for them, it is a big negative. Show what you're willing to do for the company. Everybody says they are a great candidate. People who get the job do the who, what, when, where, why, and how. Who are you? What do you do? When do you want to do it? Where are you from? Why are you interested? How are you going to to this? What inspires you?! She also said that a million things go into exposure, which is what his personal clients want, and you need to know what you are talking about. It is a good way to connect to anybody on every level.

Versa really helped me out a lot with my big search for internships this summer. Hopefully this information will not only just help PR majors, but anybody seeking internships. Good luck on your search!