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GIJ students advised on social media usage

Students of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) have been advised to be mindful of their engagements on social media as they prepare to get into the corporate world.

According to a group of industry players, managing one’s personal social media account was different from managing that of a corporate organisation and students ought to prove their worth to earn such a position.

They gave the advice during the maiden mentorship dinner organised by level 300 students of the institution’s Faculty of Public Relations, Advertising and Marketing (FOPAM), last Friday.

Organised on the theme “Developing a career path in public relations and event marketing,” the purpose of the event was to create a platform for experts in the field of public relations and event marketing to share their experiences with the students.

Speaking at the event, the Head of Communication and Partnership at the UNDP, Mrs Praise Nutakor, noted that most organisations monitored the social media and online platforms of prospective employees before offering them jobs.

She asked students to develop their skills set as the communication industry kept evolving.

The Senior Manager, Corporate Communication of MTN, MrsGeorgina AsareFiagbenu, asserted that building and maintaining a beneficial relationship was a priceless asset in the field.

That, Mrs Fiagbenu said, would help one overcome the challenges in the corporate world and therefore urged the students not to discount the relationships they build.    

The Head of Corporate Affairs, Multichoice Ghana, Mr NiiArmahDagadu,indicated it was vital to be vulnerable positively in order to learn on the profession regardless of a persons’ position.

For this reason, he urged the students to be humble in order to learn on the job and be able to say “no” where necessary to protect their space.

The Executive Producer of the EMY Awards, Mr Kojo Soboh said “event marketing is one of the most difficult but rewarding jobs you can find”.

However, he explained that organising a successful event required commitment and proper planning which began with the ticketing process.

Additionally, he explained that events were brand’s which needed to be well-positioned and encouraged students to have an understanding of it, aim high and not settle for less.

The Director of Corporate Affairs, Ghana Tourism Authority (GRA), Mr Jones Aruna Nelson, explained that being a public relations practitioner at a public sector was very challenging and required a lot of commitment and hard work.

He added that “if you want to build an image, it behoves on you to package yourself in terms of your interactions and communication.”

The PRO of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Mr Isaac NurrisAinooson explained that lack of coordination between individuals in corporate organisations affected effective communication.  

He noted that speaking the truth in public organisation was a challenge, saying “we are told to speak the truth at all times, but it is not every truth that is worth saying”.

The Communications Specialist and PR Manager, ActionAid Ghana, Mrs Ohenewaa Brown, stressed on the need for students to protect their personal reputation and that of their mentors.

A journalist and a politician, Mrs ObuobiaDarkoOpoku, encouraged the students to be versatile and learn new things to build their capabilities.

BY BENJAMIN ARCTON-TETTEY

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