"It's a great time to be an American, and it's a great time to be a PR Practitioner"

The above quote was how Jerry Wilson, Senior Vice President of the Coca-Cola Company opened his speech at today's GA PRSA Luncheon in Atlanta.  And while it's tough to believe that it truly is a good time to be in the industry I've chosen to pursue, I want to believe Mr. Wilson.  Sure, the market is tight and oftentimes public relations is the first thing a company cuts out of it's budget, but Mr. Wilson assured everyone today that we would be okay despite the recession.  

He went on to discuss the main ideas of his book, Managing Brand You, which gives a seven step system to how to think of yourself as a brand:

1. Audit: Who am I, and how did I get here?
2. Image: How am I perceived by others? 
3. Identity: What do I want to stand for?
4. Positioning: What do I want to become?
5. Goals: What do I want to achieve, holistically?
6. Strategies: How will I achieve this goal?
7. Implementation: Now, what will I do?

The concept of branding yourself is interesting and definitely something people in public relations should keep in mind.  I feel this is especially important for job seekers who are looking to set themselves apart (like I mentioned in my entrepreneurship post) to develop their personal brand and essentially be able to sell themselves to possible employers.

Overall, I had a great time at the PRSA Luncheon and am so grateful to Dr. Sallot and Denise Grant for making it possible for the Grady students to attend.  I met some great people, not to mention had an amazing lunch at Maggiano's!