Via videocast, our own Ryan Lack and Lindsey Smith share their insights and experiences with PR internships and what it’s like to be a young professional in the industry today.

We are currently interviewing intern candidates, so if you’re interested in joining the Voce Nation, please visit our website or email us with your resume and cover letter.

– Voce Nation

Voce, and our friends with The Society of New Communications Research, Girls for a Change and BlogHer will co-host a special event celebrating non-profit organizations pioneering the use of new communication tools on the eve of next month’s New Communications Forum.

When: Wednesday, March 1, 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Where: Sheraton Palo Alto

RSVP: February 24 to ecaldwell@sncr.org

Cost: $85/person ($50 is tax deductible)

Includes: Dinner, drinks and entertainment by Off the Record

Please join us for good food, good drinks and good music for a good cause! — Voce Nation

Technorati Tags: GFC, SNCR, Voce

The article from InformationWeek “Credibility of Analysts,” which I blogged about earlier this week has gotten quite a bit of play in the AR community. Some have said that the article is rather bland and rehashes old issues. Regardless, what I find interesting is the response to the article by Gartner. The research firm has in a rare instance responded with a post on their Ombudsman blog. (A very straight forward and open response I might add.)

“One was the insinuation that Gartner writes reports that are funded directly by tech vendors. Knowing how unethical that can be, Gartner simply doesn’t do white papers. Period.”

“InformationWeek also questioned the transparency of Gartner’s research methodologies. In fact, Gartner has documented and published its research methodologies for all to see and has a team dedicated to maintaining and improving these every day.”

– John Welton

For those of us who wear an AR hat on a regular basis, a very interesting piece appeared in InformationWeek that digests the credibility of industry analyst research. It attempts to shed some new light on the old question of pay-for-play and real independent research.

A few interesting excerpts:

“Research firms and their tech-vendor clients are less than forthcoming about the nature and extent of their relationships. Some IT researchers don’t disclose how much of their business comes from tech vendors or which tech vendors are clients. In turn, tech vendors avoid straight answers about how much they spend on IT research. Microsoft, for one, declined to be interviewed for this story.”

“Predicting tech trends is notoriously difficult, and no research firm is perfect in its advice. But their motives must be beyond reproach. Gartner VP Larry Perlstein tackled the pay-for-play question on the company’s blog. “Aside from the occasional comment on a blog or backroom chatter, we have not had any vendors complain to the office of the ombudsman directly since the office opened in September 2004,” Perlstein wrote. “So my message is, if anyone believes that they know of a legitimate issue, please step forward regardless of your client status.”

There is no “mea culpa” but good to know that research firms are being challenged…

By the way, ever wondered what your options are as a vendor with Gartner’s Magic Quadrant research? Gartner gives you the answer on the Ombudsman blog. Basically, Gartner says: “vendors can’t opt out of a magic quadrant or pay to get in.” Brings a new meaning to “stealth.”

– John Welton

Technorati Tags: Media, PR, Research

Voce’s own Mike Manuel was recently profiled as one of four “new leaders in new media” by PRWeek. Mike spearheads our social media programs, working with our clients and account teams on all sorts of new media initiatives — well, technically speaking, he does all this when he’s not blogging about tech PR, new media and marketing on his professional blog, Media Guerrilla.

You can also find Mike cited again in this week’s PRW feature on wikis (”Smart agencies are waking up to the wiki’s advantages“). Wikis are something that we’ve been working with for a while now, but Mike’s been showing us the way (read: “Putting Wikis to Work for Your PR Program“). Congrats, Guerrilla.

– Voce Nation

[photo credit: PRWeek/Ron Lewis]

Technorati Tags: mguerrilla, PR, PRWeek, Wiki, Social Media, Voce

Did you have a mentor that helped guide you into the PR/business world after college? Well it’s time to pay them back.

Marisa Staker, the new president of Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) at San Jose State, has launched a mentor program to match students with professionals, facilitating career development and better preparing students to enter the workforce.

As the President of the Silicon Valley Chapter of PRSA, I strongly encourage all PR and marketing communications practioners to help out.

Marisa Staker can be reached at 408-499-7046, reese18 (at) rocketmail (dot) com or by mail at:

PRSSA

One Washington Square

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA 95192-0055 (please use extended zip)

Thanks! — Dave Black