Jour 4460: Hey reporters! How 'bout you pick up the phone?

As a student majoring in public relations, I am being taught how the world of public relations works, what it looks like, how to get involved, and all kinds of techniques as to be a marketable public relations representative. With my fingers crossed, I hope to goodness that I am offered a job through one of my many internships or through some stroke of luck. I have an extremely marketable major from a well-known journalism school, but how in the world will I know that I am going to be a successful employee in the public relations department someday? I can see myself sitting down at my desk the first day on the job and saying, "okay, now what?" How do I get my business in the media, and how do I make them a big deal?

I googled "reporter help", and came across the Web site, helpareporter.com. This Web site advertises "Fortune 500 PR for Free!" Now, how easy could that really be? As with most websites, you are required to sign your life away and create a username and password that they internet world can identify you by. I just don't know if I can trust these things or not. Could this really work, or is it some sort of scam that I'm supposed to buy into? There are currently 29,478 reporters logged into helpareporter.com, and daily pitches are e-mailed to your e-mail inquiring if your company has the source they could be looking for.

The one problem I have with communication via the internet is the lack of personal contact. These reporters could be mythical or a scam. With so many "hook-up" venues for journalists and public relations representatives, just how far is too far? Don't reporters get overwhelmed and forget certain areas on the internet where they can find their information? The lack of face-to-face, or voice-to-ear, conversation leaves me unsettled. I was interested in becoming a public relations professional with the hopes that my love for people and conversation would someday open these very doors that are being propped up by websites that do all of the work for you. It might just be my personal opinion, but oftentimes I wish my personal public relations skills were put to the test more often. It's why I even considered this major in the first place.