Erica Moss is the community manager for the online Master of Science in Nursing program at Georgetown University, with one of the nation’s leading online nurse practitioner programs. Outside of work, Erica is passionate about Instagram, Taylor Swift and her English bulldog, Mona. Follow her on Twitter @ericajmoss.

I was born and raised in Michigan, affectionately known as America’s High-Five. I went to school, moved into my first apartment, got married and started a life there. So when my husband got the itch to pursue his MBA at a top business school, I was pretty sure life was about to radically change. And when he decided on New York City, I was sure of it.

Could I find a good-paying job in my industry? Would I fit in with my co-workers who were already comfortable with the fast-paced nature of the city? Would I become Andrea Sachs in “The Devil Wears Prada,” tormented, exhausted and ready to give up after it all became too much? These were a few of many concerns I had.

And while I’m by no means an expert, if you’re thinking of making a similar move from the Midwest to the big city, there are a few things you can do to prepare and ensure you prosper in one of the greatest cities in the world. Read more…

Guest post by Michael Shmarak, Principal of Sidney Maxwell Public Relations

If I were to meet most of the people reading Mikinzie’s blog, I would bet that most are working for a PR firm are within a particular practice or segment of an agency.

• Your team might have one of the following labels—Consumer, Corporate, Technology or even Digital/Social Media.
• You’re learning a lot about the client through the lens of your work and (in the process) you are building industry knowledge.
• What’s more, as you get older, you are trying to make yourself more marketable for whatever your next job might be.

Now, let’s look at your clients.  They have labels of their own—and not just marketing and PR/communications ones.

• Some of the more common labels are Finance, Human Resources, Operations, Supply Chain, Manufacturing and Legal.
• These are the systems that keep companies in business.
• These people are constantly working to make their companies matter to the influencers who matter most to them—not to mention the people who run the company.

Anyone notice a difference here?  Your clients are in the business of business. Your agencies are in the business of PR, communications and social media. As many of you embark on what can become a long and prosperous career, you all have a golden opportunity to bridge a divide that has been way too big for way too long. Read more…