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Skype interview – Another case of ‘The Future is Now’

My
Rowan University students have been asking me about skype interview prep. Here
are some tips compiled from a variety of sources that should help. To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com.

First: a summary

1) Do
wear the same attire you would wear for an on-campus interview. Business dress
is recommended.

2) Do
situate your camera or laptop in a quiet room where you will not be interrupted
by other people coming or leaving during your interview.

3) Do
make sure your camera/laptop is charged or plugged in so you do not have to
interrupt your interview to plug it in.

4) Be
aware of how you appear on camera. Test your camera before the interview to
ensure that the lighting is not too bright or too dim and that your distance
from the camera is appropriate – we do want to see more of you than your face,
but we do not need to see the entire room behind you.

Happy
Skyping!

——————————

10 must-dos for Skype interviews

Master video
skills, etiquette ahead of time

 

Oct. 1, 2011 from The Philadelphia Inquirer – Career Builder

 

If you are a job seeker and never used
Skype – the software program that lets you video chat on the Internet – then
you might want to get familiar with it. Skype interviews are becoming
increasingly common during the hiring process. They’re more personal than phone
interviews since they allow recruiters to meet candidates face-to-face. They’re
also great for job seekers conducting long-distance searches, especially these
days when budget-conscious companies might be unwilling to cover travel costs
for interviewees.

If Skype interviews still are uncharted
territory in your job search, here are 10 must-do tips for this up-and-coming
hiring practice.

1. Do a tech check. A successful Skype interview will require a high-speed
Internet connection and a webcam, so make sure you’ll have both of these
available and in working order before scheduling your interview.

2. Practice. If you’re new to Skype, set up a time to chat with a family
member or friend to work out any technical kinks. You also can use this
practice call to play around with Skype’s file-sharing capability, in case your
interviewer requests to see samples of your work, a résumé, reference letters,
etc.

3. Dress appropriately. A Skype interview should be taken just as seriously
as an in-person interview. If you’d wear a suit for an in-office interview,
wear one for the video interview, too.

“Even though you are not interviewing for the position in person,
appearance still matters,” said Cheryl Palmer, owner of Call to Career, a
career coaching firm in Ohio. Dressing your best will help you feel confident,
qualified and professional.

4. Watch your back(ground). Set up your computer where you plan to conduct
the interview and turn on your camera. What do you see? Chances are, you’ll be
doing the interview from home, but your surroundings should be free of mess,
clutter and overly personal touches. In other words, your pile of dirty dishes
and your toddler’s high chair should not be visible in the background. A neat
home office, well-organized bookshelf or blank wall will make the best backdrop.

5. Pay attention to lighting. Like in any other setting, lighting will help
set the mood for the call. You’ll want to make sure your face is well lit and
free of shadows.

“Since you are clearly trying to put your best foot forward, you don’t
want shadows over your face,” Palmer said. “It is advisable to put a
light behind the computer so that there is enough light to illuminate your
face. You should also keep in mind that the lighting can make your face shiny,
so make sure that you powder your face lightly (even if you’re a man).”

6. Minimize the chance of interruptions. “Lock dogs, cats and other
pets in another room, preferably out of earshot, and turn off the ringer on
your land and cell phones to avoid an awkward interruption,” said Laurie
Berenson, a certified professional résumé writer and owner of New Jersey-based
Sterling Career Concepts. “Or, if there’s any chance that someone might
ring your doorbell or knock on your door, place a sign on the door that says
‘Interview in process. Do not disturb.'”

To avoid distracting background noise, turn off radios, televisions and
loud appliances.

7. Look at the camera. “Practice looking at the camera,” said
Steve Langerud, director of professional opportunities at DePauw University.
“Most candidates look at the screen but that means they are not looking at
the interviewer. It feels odd but looks a lot better on the other side.”

Looking at the camera will give the interviewer the impression that you’re
making eye contact.

8. Sit still. Hand-talkers, take note: “Don’t gesture too much.
Depending on the connection on the other end you will present a jerky and
distracting picture,” Langerud said.

9. Jot down notes. Have points you want to make or ideas you don’t want to
forget? Write notes down on an easel pad or type them up in a large font and
print them out. Then, mount your notes behind your camera. That way, you can
glance up at it if you need to jog your memory.

10. Hang up. Once the call is over, make sure you actually hang up.
Accidentally leaving the connection open provides endless potential for
embarrassment.

Kaitlin Madden is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job
blog, www.TheWorkBuzz.com.

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Standing out from among the best

I was recently asked what a student must do to stand out from among the best. Some of my comments will appear in PRomo, the Rowan University PRSSA publication (Public Relations Student Society of America). To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com.

They must be the total package:

  • When meeting a professional, a student must give an outstanding first impression. That would include a businesslike appearance, firm handshake while looking the person in the eye, being an articulate and eloquent oral communicator and a strategic planner with outstanding writing skills.
  • In addition to crafting an effective resume, students should develop a compelling personal elevator speech, which summarizes who they are, what professors and other professionals think about them, their ambitions and why they should get the internship or the job.

It is important that the Rowan student conclude the elevator speech with another firm handshake as he/she hands the person being addressed a business card containing their name and contact information.

A student’s goal is not only making an outstanding first impression, but also a lasting impression – one that a prospective employer won’t soon forget – particularly if the “right fit” position opens.

SEE BELOW from Prof. Litwin’s book The ABCs of Strategic Communication:

An elevator speech is a strategic message delivered quickly and simply

(no more than 30 seconds – about the duration of an elevator ride) that

communicates a brand promise, mission or other main element about

you or your organization. The elevator speech or “pitch” must be clear

and concise and communicate the core aspects of your business – touch

briefly on the products or services you sell, what market you serve, and

your competitive advantage. It must be brief and clear. Employees and

stakeholders should know their organization’s elevator speech.

 

If the elevator speech is about you, identify your personal attributes and

quickly explain their benefits – benefits that might just get you a job or promotion.

According to author and business coach, Rhonda Abrams, it takes quite

a bit of thinking and practicing to decide what to mention in an elevator

speech. Because it must be short, you have to decide what must be left out.

“Often,” she says, “these can be the things you are most excited about.”

 

You’ll find you use your elevator speech more than just in elevators. Says

Abrams, “You will turn that 30-second speech into e-mails to prospective

customers and investors, to introduce yourself at organizational meetings

or when running into an old friend at a ballgame. Who knows? You may

even use it if you meet a potential customer in an elevator.

 

“So,” she advises, “go out and find a three-story building with an elevator,

ride up and down and practice your pitch. That way, you’ll be prepared

the next time someone asks you, ‘What do you do?’”

                                                            Sample Elevator Speech

Rowan University is a dynamic Top Tier regional university serving

high-achieving students through a combination of teaching,

research and project-based learning. The school’s reputation for

academic distinction is aided by its small class size, focus on interdisciplinary work and technologically advanced facilities.

To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com.

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Tips to protect home, yourselves during storm

From the National Flood Insurance Program come these important tips as we move into fall and eventually winter. Flooding has been at its all-time worst.

To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com

Flooding safety tips:

Safeguard your possessions. Create a personal flood file holding information about all your possessions and keep it in a secure place, such as a safe deposit box or waterproof container. The file should have:

A copy of your insurance policies with your agent’s contact data.

Conduct a household inventory: For insurance purposes, be sure to keep a written and visual (i.e., videotaped or photographed) record of all major household items and valuables. Create files that include serial numbers and store receipts for major appliances and electronics. Have jewelry and artwork appraised. For more information visit www.knowyour stuff.org.

Copies of all other critical documents, including finance records or receipts of major purchases.

Prepare your house.

Make sure your sump pump is working and install a battery-operated backup, in case of a power failure. Installing a water alarm will also let you know if water is accumulating in your basement.

Clear debris from gutters and downspouts.

Anchor any fuel tanks.

Raise your electrical components (switches, sockets, circuit breakers, and wiring) at least 12 inches above your home’s projected flood elevation.

Place the furnace, water heater, washer, and dryer on cement blocks at least 12 inches above the projected flood elevation.

Move furniture, valuables, and important documents to a safe place.

Develop a family emergency plan.

Create a safety kit with drinking water, canned food, first aid, blankets, a radio and a flashlight.

Post emergency telephone numbers by the phone and teach your children how to dial 911.

Plan and practice a flood evacuation route with your family. Know safe routes from home, work, and school that are on higher ground.

Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to be your emergency family contact.

Have a plan to protect your pets.

To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com

 

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Resumes and interviews

[To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]

The link below takes you to important handouts on www.larrylitwin.com. You are encouraged to download them as you move toward internships and jobs. Lots of good luck. http://larrylitwin.com/handouts.html

Handouts No. 29, 30, 62, 64 and 65. (As time permits, peruse other handouts.)

Also, check out previous week’s blogs about these important topics. If you have questions, do NOT hesitate to write: larry@larrylitwin.com.

Be sure to look through The Public Relations Practitioner’s Playbook and The ABCs of Strategic Communication. Both have successful/proven techniques that could help you nail down that internship and/or job. Good luck!

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9/11 Remembered

(Portions appear in “Courier-Post” – Sept. 11, 2011) [To comment: larry@larrylitwn.com]

While the timeline may be a bit off, the accounts of that Tuesday morning are as vivid as if it were yesterday:

I was recently asked to recall where I was and what I was doing on Sept. 11, 2001. I did a brain dump, refined it and here it is:

While the timeline may be a bit off, the accounts of that Tuesday morning are as vivid as if it were yesterday:

I left my Cherry Hill home just before 8:30 to arrive at Rowan University about 9 a.m. As usual, I took Evesham Avenue toward Delsea Drive. As was my norm back then, I was listening to (Don) Imus in the Morning on WFAN. In those days, the program was seldom serious.

While the time on the clock may be hazy, I know exactly where I was – the intersection of Delsea Drive and Lambs Road (Trim Rite Meats) in the Hurffville section of Washington Township – when Imus interrupted his own program to put vacationing sportscaster Warner Wolf on the air live. Wolf lived on an upper floor of a high rise in Lower Manhattan a short distance from the World Trade Center (WTC).

Wolf told Imus listeners his wife had heard a plane flying low over their building. He said she then saw what she thought was a small plane hit one of the towers. He was describing that first tragic event when his voice rose: “Another plane is heading toward the towers.” It hit precisely at 9:03 a.m. As I was parking my car, I called home and excitedly told my wife to turn the TV on. Seconds later, I walked into the building housing the college of communication. About a dozen students were watching the in-house TV in the lounge area.

It was tuned and locked into a closed circuit station. I instructed students to find the person with the pass code to change the station and informed anyone and everyone who would listen about the awful, unbelievable events of the previous 20 minutes. Within minutes we had one of the networks on the TV.  As the crowd grew, students and staff stood in stunned — almost silent — disbelief .

Later that day, several colleagues informed me that their first impression of me as I walked into the building and took control of the situation was that the story I was telling was so incredulous and unbelievable they thought I was suffering a nervous breakdown. They said that while I was composed (my former radio reporter [KYW Newsradio] instincts had taken over), no one could fathom what I was saying especially when I insisted – in a loud tone – that the TV channel be changed.

Some side notes as I reflect on that day:

  •  I remained in what was then Bozorth 31 with the TV on. I “held” my classes and invited any students to join us to watch and discuss and counsel each other. It was cathartic in a way. I felt it better to be in a group than have students back in their dorm rooms alone.

One student, I knew well, was nearly hysterical. She said her cousin, who was like a brother to her, worked at the WTC and was unaccounted for. We did our best to console her and soon a number of her classmates, from our student group the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), took over as best they could. In the end, the young man perished and to make matters worse, her grandmother died upon learning of her grandson’s death. I send the former student Jillian Tota Watson, now of Cherry Hill, a note every September 11. (To this day, I wear an American flag on my umpire shirt with Jillian’s cousin’s name Jack D’Ambrosi Jr. and that of Jeremy Glick. As a high school umpire, it is my way of showing that I will never forget.)

  •   When I heard about the plane flying into the pentagon, I called my son who was working at the Federal Reserve in DC. There was no answer at his office and all cells were busy. I started fielding calls from family and friends asking if I had heard from Adam. It wasn’t until mid afternoon that he called to say he was safe and had walked home across a bridge from DC to his Virginia neighborhood and someone was kind enough to pick him up and give him a “lift.”
  •   As my class day drew to a close, several colleagues walked into that same lobby, now relatively empty. They had with them four large boxes containing huge TVs. They had decided that never again would we experience a major story and not have immediate access to the four TV networks. Naturally, it was my hope that never again would we experience a story of such magnitude.

(Final side note:) As a co-chair of the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association annual dinner, we chose to honor all of the 9/11 responders as our “Team of the Year” and with our prestigious “Most Courageous” award. It marked only the second time in the Association’s 100-year history that a nonathlete was named “Most Courageous,” the other time being the World War II servicemen and women.

[To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]

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Heat can harm medications

Excessive Heat Can Harm Medications, Expert Says

Don’t travel with meds in your car trunk or leave them in a parked car, she advises

Much has been in the news during the past couple of weeks. This syndicated piece comes from HealthDay and Butler University. To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com

SATURDAY, Aug. 20 (HealthDay News) — Medications can be harmed by high temperatures, say pharmacists.

Although just a handful of drugs have been tested at temperatures above 86F, all medications could be altered by extreme heat, they warn.

According to Dr. Amy Peak, clinical pharmacist and director of Drug Information Services at Butler University, several medications have been tested at high temperatures. She outlined some of the changes the researchers found:

  • Albuterol inhalers: The container could burst at temperatures above 120F. Moreover, when stored at high temperatures, there may be a decrease in the amount of medication inhaled.
  • Concentrated epinephrine: Cyclical heating could reduce 64 percent of the medication’s potency.
  • Diazepam: Concentration of this drug dropped 25 percent when stored at 98.6F.
  • Formoterol (capsules that are placed in inhalers): Following four hours of exposure to 158F heat, the amount released from the capsules was less than half the normal amount.
  • Lorazepam: When stored at 98F, concentration decreased 75 percent.
  • Mometasone (formoterol inhalers): Temperatures above 120F may cause the container to burst.

Peak says several more medications may be susceptible to excessive heat, including:

  • Insulin: Excessive heat could make the insulin less effective. It could also cause the insulin vials to explode.
  • Thyroid hormones: Thyroid hormones could be altered by excessively high temperatures, resulting in inconsistent doses.
  • Any medications in aerosolized canisters could burst when exposed to temperatures above 120F.

Although the United States Pharmacopeia Convention Inc. recommends that medications be protected from excessive heat, only a few drugs are actually tested at temperatures above 86F, Peak pointed out.

Nevertheless, she noted there are a number of steps people can take to ensure the quality of their medications during heat waves, including:

  • Be aware that temperatures inside cars can top 160 F. When driving, be sure to keep medications out of the trunk and in the climate-controlled passenger compartment.
  • Never leave medications in a parked car.
  • During heat waves, have medications shipped overnight in special cooled containers.
  • Request a one-time replacement from your insurance company or drug manufacturer for any medication that may have been affected by excessive heat.

More information

The National Institutes of Health provides more information on storing medicine safely.

— Mary Elizabeth Dallas

SOURCE: Butler University, news release, August 2011

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‘PR News’ talks to Pepsi exec about social media

From PR News comes this Q&A on public relations and social media. To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com

PR News Q&A With Bonin Bough: Will PR
Miss Out on Social Media?

Bonin Bough
 

Successful social media
engagement is all about relationship-building and smart, focused communications
tactics—traditionally the domain of public relations professionals. In this
Q&A, Bonin Bough, global head of digital for PepsiCo, shares his insights
into why PR professionals must integrate social media into their broader
communications. He will expand on this theme in his keynote address,
“Digital Fitness: A Matter of Survival for PR Professionals,” at PR News’ Facebook Conference on August 9 in San Francisco.

 

PR News: Does the rise of the social Web represent an opportunity for PR
professionals to reposition themselves within corporate and nonprofit
organizations?

Bonin Bough: Yes, I 100% believe that. I grew up in digital marketing
shops running digital media and have performed every role. My first agency was
a digital production practice within a PR firm, and the majority of our clients
were strictly digital, while others were shared with the PR team. These agency
of record engagements were big clients such as Kellogg’s, Novartis and Citi.
The second group I ran was a bit more integrated with the broader
communications team. So I have seen it from the inside, and I can tell you that
the core skills of communicators—storytelling, authentic communications and the
art of persuasion—are critically important.

At the same time, I often feel communications agencies and teams confine
themselves to a specific segment within social. They don’t necessarily take the
opportunity to lead. PR agencies are not adapting quickly enough, they are not
thinking broadly enough, they do not understand the stakes. Social media
success depends on relationship building and genuine, sustained authentic
engagement—the core competencies that PR is built on. But it also requires a
deep understanding of consumers and media. It is not too late for PR to capture
the massive opportunities in social media, but the industry needs to kick into
high gear right now.

As communications
experts, [we] have a right to lead strategy in digital and build the
relationships while delivering messaging, but oftentimes we fall short because
we don’t know the tools and have the measurement capabilities. Too often we view
“social media” as a discrete practice or discipline when in fact digital media
has changed every facet of marketing communications.

PR News: What is at stake if communicators don’t seize this moment?

 

Bough: Social media used to be lumped in with larger communications
programs, but more and more of that budget is being taken by specialty
agencies. Clients are starting to recognize—before the agencies, in many
cases—that social media requires particular expertise and know-how. If
conventional PR outfits don’t offer that, they will get it from new,
specialized players. Already this is happening with the huge growth of social
media agencies. That was their lunch. Digital did it to ad shops, so history is
a good predictor of the future. Again, it isn’t too late to win that confidence
(and business) back, but if communicators don’t seize the moment, the fastest
growing piece of communications’ budgets is going to slip out of reach.

PR News: How can communicators best prove the need for investment in social
media activity to top executives?

Bough: If you are faced with a situation in which a client wants you to
justify social media as part of a communications program, you really might as
well walk out the door. Having worked on the agency side for many years, I know
that isn’t realistic, but the point is that by now the importance of these
platforms should be self-evident. If an executive doesn’t believe that, tell
her to ask her neighbors where they go to see pictures of their kids, or who
broke the news of the death of Osama bin Laden or [about] the technology that
fostered the organizations behind the Egyptian revolution.

PR News: What do you hope attendees will take away from your keynote
presentation on August 9?

Bough: In a word? Fear…just kidding. Perhaps attendees will feel, at
least, urgency. I want people in this industry to be scared enough to change.

Attend PR News’ Facebook Conference on August 9 in San Francisco and learn more from
digital leaders like Bonin Bough

 

 

 

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Near Record-Low Confidence in U.S. Public Schools

To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com

 

As reported last week, according to the most recent Gallup Poll on the topic, Americans continue to express near record-low confidence in U.S.
public schools — holding in the range seen throughout the past few years of tumult for the U.S. economy and state budgets. The 34 percent who say they have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in public schools is unchanged from last year and statistically similar to what Gallup
has found since 2005.

For the full  report, http://www.gallup.com/poll/148724/Near-Record-Low-Confidence-Public-Schools.aspx?utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=syndication&utm_content=morelink&utm_term=Americas

Check out the protocol. It makes use of cell phone technology in its audience selection. Let me know your thoughts…  larry@larrylitwin.com.

 

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Internship Follow Up

“Ragan’s PR Daily” has pubished Jeremy Porter’s “9 things to do at the end of your internship.” This is a MUST read for all of MY students and others serving (present and past) internships. To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com. [See next week’s blog on the latest Gallup Poll on public school confidence. The results are not good.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did you do an internship this summer? If
so, congrats, you’re a smart cookie.

Internships are 100 percent the No. 1 thing you’ll need on your resume to get
that first job after college. The No. 2 thing you’ll need is proof you can
write. Guess where you get that writing experience? Yep—internships.

To round out the list—and some will disagree with me on this—the No. 3 thing
you need to land a job after college is connections. Again, if you play your
cards right, you get some through internships.

If you did just put your internship to bed, or you’re about to, there are a few
things I’d like you to do on your way out the door:

1. Say thank you.

Personally thank everyone you’ve worked with this summer. A handwritten note is
my preference, but a sincere, verbal “thanks for the experience” is the minimum
requirement. Provide specifics and leave the door open for future contact. For
example: “I really wanted to thank you for the time you spent with me this
summer. I know my knowledge on X, or what you taught me about Y will be useful
in my career. I look forward to staying in touch as I continue my education or
begin my search for my first job.”

2. Get connected.

Make sure you have people’s business cards. Make sure you’re following everyone
on Twitter (or are subscribed to their blog). And for Pete’s sake, make sure
you connect with them on LinkedIn. Turnover is high in PR and journalism;
LinkedIn goes with people from job to job. This is how you’ll build your
network over time. It’s important.

BONUS: If you did a great job in your internship (be honest, you know if
you did or not), ask the highest-ranking person you worked with to recommend
you on LinkedIn. Don’t be shy about this—endorsements on LinkedIn can save you
time later on when you need references. Make it easier for the reference writer
by giving them some starter points.

For example: “Would you please write a recommendation for me on LinkedIn based
on the work I did this summer? It would be great if you could comment on the
work I did on project X or your satisfaction with the writing I did on Y.”

Whatever it was that you did, having somebody comment on your work does a
couple of things. It draws attention to you in their network, and it
sticks with your profile for a long time.

3. Get your samples.

I hope you’ve been collecting copies of the work you did this summer. In most
cases, the work you’ve done at your internship is the legal property of the
agency or its clients. Make sure you ask your supervisor for permission to use
those work samples in your portfolio. You’ll want electronic or hard copies of
all the work you did this summer, because there’s no guarantee you can access
this stuff later. Websites get replaced. Blog posts get deleted.

You might not think some of the things you worked on are relevant, but believe
me, they will be. Save them all so you can customize your portfolio for each
interview you do when you start your search.

4. Get coached.

You might be awesome. You might not. Regardless of what you think about
yourself and your performance in this internship, ask your supervisor to
suggest three areas you can improve on, based on his or her observations this
summer. Tell them you want them to be brutally honest with you, because it’s
the only way you’re going to improve. People would tell me how great my writing
was in my internship, but when I look back a lot of it was sloppy and littered
with errors (you know, like a lot of my blog posts). I wish they would have
told me to keep working on my writing and editing, and that attention to detail
is important.

5. Keep working?

Is there something you’ve done so well this summer that everyone is talking
about it? Are people sad you’re leaving, because you don’t be able to do that
thing anymore? Suggest to your boss that you keep doing it as a freelancer
while you go to school. When I did my first internship in New York, I put
together monthly clipping reports for clients (copies of all the press mentions
for the month). They were a lot of work back then. I suggested I do the work
from my dorm room in upstate New York. The company bought me a computer, leased
a copier, and paid me a very good rate to do the reports each month.

This type of opportunity is not the norm, but if you do something exceptional,
you might be able to gain valuable work experience (and make some money) while
you finish your coursework.

6. Stay in touch.

If you don’t keep working with them, be sure to stay in touch. Keep the lines
of communication open. Let people know what interesting stuff you’re learning
in school. Attend local Public Relations Society of America or press club
events so you can socialize with former co-workers. Interview your co-workers
for class projects (or consider inviting them to speak to one of your classes).
Of course, if you’re following them on Twitter or Facebook, you can interact on
a regular basis through those channels as well.

7. Say only good stuff.

There’s a chance you didn’t have a good experience this summer. Don’t talk
about it publicly; it will get back to the agency. I’m not suggesting you lie
to anybody, just don’t go around bashing the company that gave you a shot. (It
will make people wonder what you say about them when they’re not around.) It’s
OK to warn future internships professionally about what to expect, but keep it
professional. Along the same lines, keep proprietary information confidential.
Don’t talk about the new products clients are working on or their secrets to
getting coverage in The New York Times. This will strengthen your own
reputation over the course of your career.

8. Don’t burn bridges.

As an extension of No. 7, I have one “don’t” for the end of your internship.
Don’t burn bridges. Even if you hated working with somebody with every ounce of
your soul, don’t tell that person off on your last day. Don’t decide you’re
never going to talk to that person again. It’s a mistake. If you follow the
suggestions early on in this post with everyone you worked with this summer,
you’ll establish a firm foundation for your network to grow in the future.

9. Share your experience.

You learned a lot this summer. Don’t keep it all to yourself. Blog about it.
Talk about it in class. Encourage other students to pursue the same
opportunities. Use that experience to fuel you. Learn more, keep practicing,
and you will succeed. Share your experience and others will succeed with
you—and that’s what it’s all about.

Jeremy Porter is the founder of the blog Journalistics,
where a version of this story appeared.