Next week I’m going to be giving a presentation to a group of PR students.

Besides telling them about Canada’s favorite newswire, I thought I’d also give them a bit of advice.

As I mentioned earlier, Julie Ruscioelli Rusciolelli* recomends that they include some of their interests on their resume, so I’ll probably tell them about that.

I also plan on telling them that they should get involved in social media - its a great way to start learning about PR and a great way to start interacting with the people that will eventually be their peers (and potential employers).

Can you think of anything else I should tell them?

*UPDATE: Also make sure you check your spelling.

This afternoon I’ll be joining social media vet Michael O’Connor-Clarke and Natalie Johnson, manager of Social Media of General Motors Global Technology Group onstage at the Albany Club in Toronto to discuss Using Advanced Technologies Effectively in front of members of the Canadian Investor Relations Institute.

From the event description:

Advanced technologies are revolutionizing communications in every field. Investor Relations is no exception. New technologies such as blogging, Web 2.0, RSS feeds, search engine optimization (SEO) and new channels such as Facebook, Google and Yahoo Finance are changing the way IR professionals execute their strategies. Join us as our expert speakers explain how best to employ these technologies to improve the effectiveness of your capital markets communications.

I think it should be a great talk, and I’m looking forward to a healthy discussion period with some of Toronto’s IR professionals.

-Parker Mason

A few days ago, a friend of mine asked me for advice about work. She said she enjoyed part of her job, but not all of it.

I told her to focus on the things she enjoyed doing, and make those her jobs.

Gary Vaynerchuk takes my advice one step further.

“Ask yourself: What do I want to do everyday for the rest of my life? Do That. I promise, you can monetize that shit,” he says.

“Stop crying, and just keep hustling.”

(thanks to Todd Defren for pointing out the video)

-Parker

I am by no means an expert at public speaking, but over the past few years I’ve found myself in front of an audience more and more often. Some times I’ve excelled, sometimes I’ve bombed, but I’ve managed to learn a few things along the way.

Eat before your presentation Especially if it is a presentation centered around a meal, like a “lunch and learn” or if you are the speaker at a dinner. Normally, you’ll be scheduled to speak at around the same time others are eating. Even if is a casual setting and you’ll be dining with your audience, you don’t want to look like a glutton. Your audience is there to hear what you have to tell them, not watch you eat.

Eating beforehand also ensures that you don’t spill anything on your shirt.

More water, less coffee Coffee gives me the jitters, and I tend to speak too quickly and excitedly. Water keeps me hydrated and my mouth moist so that I can keep on talking.

Know Your Material Your audience will be able to smell bullshit more easily than fear. If you don’t know your material very well, then you shouldn’t be speaking about it. If you understand your material well enough, no amount of distraction, nerves or difficult questions will throw you off.

Engage your audience Look them in the eye, ask them questions, make them feel like they are part of a conversation rather than being lectured at. Look around at different people in the crowd (rather than at the back wall, as I used to do) gives you a better idea about who is paying attention and who isn’t so that you can measure the level of information getting across. If all you see are glazed eyes and people praying into their Blackberries, you need to be doing something different to get their attention.

Make sure your fly isn’t open and that your shirt isn’t tucked into your underpants Seriously. It takes two seconds to check. (Hilarious anecdote related to this tip available upon request.)

Any other advice?

-Parker