Finding a mentor - Free program for PRSA Boston members

For the second in our ongoing series of free programs for PRSA Boston members, Jack Jackson, veteran PRSA Boston member and Ethics officer, will host a session on Wednesday, June 27 on Finding a Mentor (or as he puts it: How to hunt and capture someone in an impossibly fast-paced and ever-changing workplace who cares as much about your PR career as you do)

Jack shared the following description with me:

Everyone assumes a trusted mentor can spell the difference between career success and an absurdly average work life. But how often does a colleague approach you and offer to serve as a guide? This interactive professional development event is geared to help entry- and mid-level PR practitioners identify prospective mentors and then how to capitalize on their expertise.

Topics covered in the discussion include:

• Potential sources of mentors
• Approaching a prospect
• Sealing the deal
• The care and feeding of a mentor

The details:

Wednesday, June 27

7:00 pm — 8:30 pm

Needham Public Library

Space is limited. Please respond to Jack@On-Message.com by June 25 to reserve a seat

PRSA can take you to some unexpected places

I will be out most of next week at the PRSA Counselors Academy Spring Conference in Cabo, Mexico. Definitely a nice place for a conference (although I wish they did Cabo in December and not June).

For those of you that don't know, the Counselors Academy is a special section in PRSA open only to agency heads, senior counselors and VPs at agencies with 10 plus years of experience. You can find more information out about it here.

The local group of members has been getting together for semi-monthly breakfast meetings.

This just goes to show you that PRSA can take you to some unexpected places and provide the resources you need to develop you skills and do your job better.

I hope to see you all at the June 14 event (please sign up this week...it makes catering so much easier). Hopefully I will have a nice tan, since many of the sessions are supposed to be poolside.

Two great networking events

In June there are at leeast two great networking events I wanted to draw your attention to (full disclosure, I have affiliation with both).

1) PRSA Thirsty Thursday at the Newton Marriott, June 7. Meet PR pros, talk and socialize.

2) Red Herring East (June 27-28) - Hyatt Harborside, Boston. It's a good spot to make new venture contacts and spot emerging market trends and opportunities. Some interesting speakers and I like a lot of the categories.

Are there other networking events I am missing? If so, post a comment...

Eat, Drink and be Merry

For this week we shall network! (Yes, I butchered that quote).

I invite all PR, marketing and communications professionals --- both PRSA members and non-members alike --- to come and meet new people, reconnect with old friends, hang out, network, share war stories, recruit and expand horizons at PRSA Boston's Thirsty Thursday. There is no fee (you just have to pay for your own food and drink)!

It will be held on June 7, 2007 at the Newton Marriott Bar, 2345 Comm. Ave (Route 30), Newton, MA. Come anytime after 6:00 p.m. and see who is there and have fun!

When: Thursday, June 7, 2007
6:00-??PM

Where: Newton Marriott Bar
(http://marriott.com/hotels/travel/bosnt-boston-marriott-newton/)
2345 Commonwealth Ave.
Newton, MA 02466