Amy Paul Presents:

One of the hardest parts about nearing graduation is thinking about what you're going to do after school is done. The real world is so much different than college; there's no extra credit, there's not always someone to tell you what to do, and all the rules for for what is expected of you change. Making the transition gracefully is not always easy. However, when Amy Paul spoke about her entrance into the professional world, she made it seem like it was something that anyone could do.

Amy graduated from UW-Whitewater in 2011. Originally a music major, she switched to Public Relations halfway through her time at the school, and worked extra time to make up for what she missed. She joined PRSSA, applied for and received multiple internships, and she began networking almost immediately. As she continued on with the program, she added more and more responsibility, accepting different offices within PRSSA and attending national conferences for PR students. She landed a job almost immediately after graduation, and began her journey within the realm of professional copywriting and PR.

Now, Amy works primarily as Interactive Account Coordinator for Ascedia, while maintaining a website for purchasing photos that she set up for an internship she held during her time at UWW for the Milwaukee Admirals. She talked us through her past internships and work experience, and had excellent tips for making yourself marketable in a field full of knowledgeable people. Some of her tips were:

1. Always dress the part. Professional is always best, but if the office is casual you may be to. But make sure you're never the most laid-back one there.
2. Search out responsibility. If you finish a task, ask for another. If you have time, seek out projects. The harder you work, the more invested you'll be seen as. 
3. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Most people would rather you ask and complete the task correctly the first time than skip the question and have to redo the project because of it.

One thing that I found very impressive about Amy was that she didn't wait for opportunity. She seized it, and if it seemed to be lacking, she created her own. I hope to take that approach myself, no matter where life takes me personally and professionally. 

To learn more about Amy Paul you can visit her Twitter, her LinkedIn or her Webs account.