Positioning Assignment

Graduating with a degree in public relations means that I have many opportunities ahead of me. I chose to major in PR because I felt like it was a good stepping stone in furthering my education. According to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, employment of advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations, and sales managers is expected to increase by 12 % through 2016. This is about as fast as the average for all occupations. These jobs are all highly coveted and sought after which will result in very high competition.

In order to set myself apart from the rest, I feel it will be in my advantage to get as much education as possible. I plan to further my education by getting a graduate degree in Public Administration. An MPA will help me to learn techniques used in planning, organizing, and staffing (University of San Francisco). I am choosing an MPA over an MBA because I feel that it will enhance my managerial skills and help me learn techniques to develop good relationships with clients, coworkers, and employees. Having excellent managerial skills will set my apart from my competition and give me a competitive advantage in the job market.

I want to attend school in California and there are only two schools that offer MPAs: San Diego State University and the University of San Francisco. Both require a minimum GPA of 3.0, good scores on the GRE, and at least two letters of recommendation. USF also requires a 3-5 page essay that contains a statement of purpose and career goals. Each school not only looks at grades and test scores, but heavily weighs research interests, employment history, and goals.

After graduate school, I would like to work for an advertising agency as a project leader. Having an MPA will enhance my abilities to be a successful leader.



OUTPUT/IMPACT GOALS
1. I will develop good relationships with my professors.

I would like my professors to know me on a personal basis so that I can have the opportunity to show them how hard I work. I want to be able to include honest letters of recommendation in my graduate school applications that will stand out above the competition. I can continue to use these contacts as professional references when I begin my job search.

2. I will seek out projects specifically designed to build my portfolio.

Having a strong portfolio will give me an advantage in the application process as well as when I begin to search for a job after graduating with my masters degree. I will focus on marketing, creative projects, and public awareness campaigns. Being able to show examples of my work will be much more convincing than just saying that I am capable of doing good work. My portfolio will highlight my strengths and make my weaknesses seem insignificant.

3. I will build a list of 10 agencies I would like to work for.

By researching these agencies, I will be able to see what qualities they look for during the interviewing process. I can shape my research and studies around these specifications so that I might have an advantage over my competition.