Soccer, Philosophy and PR

“Everybody’s inner philosopher, it seems, is released by soccer.”
-Roger Cohen, New York Times Columnist

Last week the Frause team attended the Sounders vs. Manchester United game, and my inner philosopher was indeed released.

Despite losing to Man U 7-0, I had a blast because I was with the Frause team. While in the stands, I was reminded of the common misconception that your “work life” is somehow separate from your “real life.” If you’re passionate about your job, then it’s easy to unite work and your real life to enjoy both. I have noticed this passion here in the office, on the weekends, and yes, even at the Sounders games. When someone at Frause has a great idea, they pitch it to the media. When they go shopping, they buy books about grammar. And when they volunteer, they commit themselves to help young professionals develop their skills.

-Emily Nauseda

The Professional Networker

The other day I was talking with a recent college graduate and the subject of our careers came up. Eager to find out where my classmate had landed after graduation, I asked him what he was doing. Although I laughed at first, his answer has given me a lot of mental fodder. He told me he was still looking for a job, and as a result he was attending a lot of networking events. He then dubbed himself with the strategically invented title of a professional networker.

Many people would ridicule the suggestion that anyone could be a “professional” job-seeker, but networking is so much more than that. I believe my friend’s answer was very smart. As college students and young professionals, we should all aspire to be professional networkers, not only for the purpose of seeking future employment, but for having a constant beat on the public relations industry, where your success depends on the connections you make between your clients and their audiences, or publics. So why not make these connections on a smaller, individual scale by attending networking events? With my friend’s clever new job title bestowed upon me, I was reminded of the importance of networking- not only to find a job, but to build and maintain my professional relationships.

I can still recall my first encounter with Frause. I was talking to an employee when they handed me their business card. In my opinion, Frause’s business cards are the gem of networking. The back of every card not only has the employee’s photo, but it also lists a few interesting facts about them. What better way to start a conversation than with the subject of sharks?

But alas, networking professionals are not born, they evolve over time. The paradox is that there isn’t much of an emphasis on networking in college, yet it is the time that networking will benefit you the most. Where does one begin? How about by getting some advice from the best networkers I know. Straight from the astute networking professionals here at Frause, I give you 10 tips to elevate your status as a professional networker:

1. Go out of your comfort zone and talk with people you don’t know.


2. Bring a buddy if you’re too shy to approach people alone.


3. Have business cards handy, even if you’re just a student.


4. It’s OK to jump into conversations. There’s no value in it if you don’t put yourself out there, even if you don’t know anyone.


5. Have an arsenal of questions handy. And no, “what do you do?” is not a good question.


6. Be your own brand. Come prepared with an elevator speech of who you are and why you’re there.


7. People do business with people they like, so talk about common interests. Don’t be a business robot.


8. Networking is not speed dating. The goal isn’t to meet as many people as possible, it is to meet a few people and have meaningful conversations with them.


9. Follow up with people you spoke with. The key is to maintain the connections you create.


10. Build your personal network early. It will help you later when you network for your business.

-Emily Nauseda

What Do You Love About Your Job?

For college students, summer is a time for exploration and new adventure (or maybe simply a time for more of these activities depending on the student). While my friends elected to visit Spain and Ireland this summer, I choose a very different adventure: working full-time. I often hear friends say college is their full-time job, but I would argue that if your earliest class is 10:00 and a ten page (double spaced) paper is the biggest stress in your life, your “job” ain’t bad.

In my opinion, one of the biggest reasons college students have a difficult time swallowing the job pill is that they usually have little experience in the workforce prior to graduation. My internship at Frause not only is preparing me for a future career in public relations, it affords a glimpse into the full-time work world most students only come to know once they graduate. So far my adventure’s been great.

Although public relations has been ranked the second most stressful job in the U.S. by CareerCast, Frause is no nine-to-five grind. True, the work can be challenging, but Frause’s office is filled with brilliant people equipped to tackle challenges through teamwork and effective strategy. And with jobs in the public relations field expected to grow 24 percent between now and 2018, U.S. News has also bestowed this field with the honor of being one of the 50 best careers to have.

This week, I solicited the help of Frause’s seasoned veterans to tell me why they love Public Relations and working at Frause. As you can see below, their answers echo the “work hard, play hard” mentality Frause is known for.

- Emily Nauseda