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!

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?

I'm published, baby!

All of this hard work I've been doing is paying off so well. Not only have I been on Intern Queen as a Campus Ambassador, but I just got posted on Internships.com on how I got my NYC internship! You can read it here. :)

I'm also going to start blogging for AskEachOther.com, a social networking site of a monthly audience of over 2 million 18-30 year olds, with advice and opinions on Sports, Dating, Tech, and Pink - fashion and beauty! If it all starts expanding, they may even start paying me for it. What would be better than blogging about things you love and getting paid to do it? ... #cricketnoise Nothing!

By the way, I'm currently in the process of creating a whole new template and layout for easier navigation and a better appearance in general. Be on the look out for that, along with more reviews, OOTDs, prom makeup, etc. coming soon. I'm still busy with a ton of stuff, including starting up a Fashion RSO on campus! The blogger meet up we went to a couple months ago has really gotten us inspired.

I will talk to you all soon. Have a lovely week. xoxo

Dying for that dream internship?!

Hey guys! Good news - after being on Intern Queen and doing a blog post, I was not only asked by 1, but 2 other websites to be a guest blogger. The one below is the one submitted to Internships.com - another good source for finding internships. It's a post on what I did to find my internship, and I truly believe it worked. Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

Most of us want to go far in life and a big measure of how far we go is where we end up in our career. A big start in defining yourself in your career is of course by finding an internship. But many of us aren’t in the search for an internship; we’re looking for the internship – the internship that is going to lead us right into the direction we want it to.

But how do you come about getting that internship?

• ·         Get your resume ready. This is a little obvious, but you can’t stress it enough. Be sure your resume is in tip-top condition. This means no spelling or grammatical errors (spell check AND proof read), appealing to the eye (bold important terms and titles and use some color), and is in the correct format. Be sure to go to your Career Services department at your school for a professional to look it over and give you ways to improve it.

• ·       Don’t slack on your cover letters. Yes, we all know how easy it is to create one basic cover letter to send out to everyone. However, your employers will be able to tell if it’s generic and will file your entire application into their trash folder. Therefore, just don’t do it. Write a cover letter as if you are talking to the CEO of that company in person. Explain to them how you found out about the company/internship, tell them about yourself and what you are trying to pursue, discuss your strengths and how you can help benefit the company in the department you are applying for, then discuss any last words. I worked at a used car dealership then had an internship with the North American International Auto Show, but I was trying to pursue a Fashion internship. I said to my employers “I know by looking at my resume, you can see that I have experience in the auto industry, but I can assure you that I have a passion and eye for the Fashion and Beauty industries. I invite you to check out my fashion/beauty blog to see for yourself.” I also thanked them for their time and consideration, and told them I looked forward to hearing back from them. One more thing with your cover letters: be sure to put them in the body of your e-mail. Some employers may not be compatible with different kinds of software, so it would be better to make it available right on the spot. It also avoids a ton of navigation and possibly time if they have a slow computer.

• ·         Apply, apply, apply. During the search for my summer internship, I thought it would only take me a few applications to hear back from something – boy, was I sadly mistaken. I applied for 5, heard nothing. Applied for 10, heard nothing. Applied for 20, heard nothing. I was in doubt that I would never find an internship, especially in New York City, where the Fashion industry is main stream and would be the best place for me to find a Fashion PR internship. But after hearing from Alex who already had 2 interviews lined up for a summer internship to just keep applying, I did. After about 25 or 30 e-mails to different companies all over the country, I finally got an interview with one of them, which eventually landed to a PR/marketing/event planning internship in the heart of Manhattan, New York.

I believe by doing the things listed above, it is possible for you to land any internship you want. Just be sure to be yourself, and don’t get discouraged if you don’t hear back right away. Big companies receive applications from interns every day – you just have to show them why you stand out and why you are the best candidate for them!

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.

Re-Cap of #InternChat, 3/15

Tonight, the Intern Queen herself, Lauren Berger, hosted a Twitter chat of some common Intern questions. In case you missed, here is a re-cap.

1. How do you feel about students blogging in college?
Blogging is absolutely necessary for those in PR, marketing, communications, writing, etc. It's absolutely HUGE.


2. If you were to list one thing that would really impress you as an internship coordinator, what would it be?
A good cover letter. Be sure that it is personal and not just a generic one that you send to everyone. 

3. I want to start a blog. What do I blog about?
Blog about your passions, just don't turn it into a diary. If you blog about random things, you'll lose interest and things to talk about. If it's something you truly love and are driven for, you'll continue to grow with it. Also, be sure that it is professional. You never know who may view your blog! (I actually posted a blog a couple of weeks ago about Versa Manos, President of GORGEOUS PR. She read it and e-mailed me about it!)


4. Know of any great sites for business cards? Is it appropriate to have them as a recent grad?
 VistaPrint was a huge one mentioned. Business cards are becoming more and more frequent again for both students and recent grads. Be sure to ask your employer if they want one, don't just throw it at them.

5. Back to blogging. I have a blog - how do I get it out there and get people to read it?
Follow others and comment on others' posts with similar interests. Be sure it's a meaningful comment though. Don't spam people by promoting your site/blog - nobody likes that.

6. Other than @InternQueen, what are some quality internship sites? 
Be sure to check out your campus career center - that should be the first place you go! They help build relationships for you and direct you into good places.  Also be sure to check this article out for links to the top 5 communities for your internship search! Lauren also said "don't just talk about internships - LAND THEM. Make things happen!" YouTern.com was another one mentioned in the chat!

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!