Yesterday, I was asked to speak to students at CW Post on career opportunities in public relations and marketing. I was asked twice before to talk with students on a panel — once at SUNY Stony Brook and once at Hofstra University. But this time was different. This time, I spoke one on one about my experiences and how I decided to launch HJMT COMMUNICATIONS, LLC.
At first, I thought that I was giving them too much information. I felt like I was sharing my whole biography. But then, I noticed that students who looked uninterested, asked questions and I saw they were engaged and interested in what I was saying.
I never realized how much fun it would be to speak in front of students. The best part about it was a note I received that evening:
Dear Ms. Topper,
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience in the “PR world” with my class today. I enjoyed hearing you speak about the many jobs you’ve held in the past as well as creating your own company. It was a great relief to hear that your own values played a role in choosing certain jobs over others. Hearing you speak has reassured me to stay focussed on the path that I’d like to take, which is to work with non-profits and event planning. Thank you again for taking time out of your schedule to share your knowledge and tips/advice with myself and the rest of my class.
Thankfully,
Kathleen Wood
Notes like these make everything all worth while…
