I am after this position in my Squadron. Anyone have any tips to help me?
Why?
Answering that question is the most important part of getting the job because it will
tell whoever has to make the decision whether you understand the responsibility and skills required.
Also presumably you're talking about the Cadet Public Affairs Officer.
What is your understanding of the job?
Who will you work with?
Why do you want it?
How will it complement your other CAP responsibilities without conflicting with them?
I am a people person, I love to talk to people. I am also good with social media, our last CDT PAO Took plenty of pictures, but never did anything with them. I am going to change that. I will make sure every single picture I take of the squadron will be used on the squadron site, facebook, and twitter. Also, our squadron site is HEAVILY outdated, I am good with computers and coding. Reworking the site as the PAO will benefit the squadron greatly. I have also helped the squadron by arranging several events that have helped.
You didn't answer the most important question.
You told us what you >want< to do. That might not be the job,
in fact a number or the things on your list aren't necessarily the purview of the C/PAO.
Well, of course the whole point of PAO is to let the public know that you are here. I have no other responsibilities in CAP, and as far as i know, no other people are involved in public affairs in the Cadet staff. The Squadron only has about 12 active cadets and senior members! As a potential PAO I need to get this number up.
^ Your first and foremost responsibility is to learn and grow as a cadet.
Increasing the number of members is the responsibility of the Recruiting and Retention Officer.
C/SSGT Rivera
Rather than asking complete strangers for advice, speak to your Chain of Command about your desire to be the Cadet PAO.
Quote from: MSG Mac on November 06, 2014, 12:57:55 AM
C/SSGT Rivera
Rather than asking complete strangers for advice, speak to your Chain of Command about your desire to be the Cadet PAO.
I have been talking to the deputy commander about it, and he has said that he thinks the position is perfect for me. I was just wondering about
better ways to show that the position is good for me.
Write up some sample news items, make a list of local newspapers, radio and TV stations. Get familiar with the CAP Pamphlet outlining the duties of a PAO.
Quote from: CDT/SSgt Rivera on November 06, 2014, 03:32:07 AM
Quote from: MSG Mac on November 06, 2014, 12:57:55 AM
C/SSGT Rivera
Rather than asking complete strangers for advice, speak to your Chain of Command about your desire to be the Cadet PAO.
I have been talking to the deputy commander about it, and he has said that he thinks the position is perfect for me. I was just wondering about
better ways to show that the position is good for me.
You will do well. Have fun 8)
Having been a squadron PAO, a group PAO and am now a Wing PAO I welcome you to the wonderful world of CAP Public Affairs. From reading your other posts I can tell you that you have the #1 qualification for the position - enthusiasm. You can best prepare yourself for the duties by reviewing CAP Regulation 190-1, the CAP Public Affairs Program. I also suggest you review CAP Pamphlet (CAPP) 201 which is the Public Affairs specialty track. While written for seniors it will none the less give you a good guide to the many things PAOs do. All of the things you will do as your squadron's cadet PAO are great. Getting your social media venues in order is a big step as is your squadron website. Taking tons of photos is an essential way to enhance news releases you will write. Be sure to contact your Group PAO (If there is one) Wing PAO if not. Introduce yourself and ask how you can help him/her in the annual Wing PAO program. The Squadron PAO also works hand in glove with the squadron's Recruiting and Retention Officer as public awareness of the unit and its activities are a big draw for recruiting. As to news articles, pretty much anything your unit does can be newsworthy if given the proper slant. Also promotions, achievements and successes of the individual members is newsworthy. This can include not only CAP things but things like straight A's in school, participation in school activities, church activities, activities in other youth groups. Always clear anything and everything you do with your squadron's PAO ahead of time so he/she is not caught off guard. If you would like further assistance you can contact me. I wish you every success!
Quote from: CDT/SSgt Rivera on November 05, 2014, 10:45:13 PM
I will make sure every single picture I take of the squadron will be used on the squadron site, facebook, and twitter.
Oh please don't. If there's one thing I learned as an editor for my high school paper, it's that 90% of the pictures taken are complete garbage. Of the 10% that are worthy of being seen by the public, less than half will actually tell the story you want told. Take lots of pictures, and I mean lots, and then pick out the few rare gems to put on websites and social media. The rest can be stored on an image hosting site such as flickr, just in case someone wants to look at the Capt with the jacked up uniform or the C/CMSgt with the unauthorized smokey bear hat.
Quote from: jeders on November 06, 2014, 03:57:37 PM
Quote from: CDT/SSgt Rivera on November 05, 2014, 10:45:13 PM
I will make sure every single picture I take of the squadron will be used on the squadron site, facebook, and twitter.
Oh please don't. If there's one thing I learned as an editor for my high school paper, it's that 90% of the pictures taken are complete garbage. Of the 10% that are worthy of being seen by the public, less than half will actually tell the story you want told. Take lots of pictures, and I mean lots, and then pick out the few rare gems to put on websites and social media. The rest can be stored on an image hosting site such as flickr, just in case someone wants to look at the Capt with the jacked up uniform or the C/CMSgt with the unauthorized smokey bear hat.
I'll echo this from the professional standpoint. I do public relations for a profession. Our professional photographer might take 300 shots on a staged shoot, and maybe 500+ to cover an event. He culls through them and sends me maybe 75-150 of the best shots after throwing out duplicates or near-duplicates, photos with technical issues like focus, lighting, grain, lens flare, etc., and shots where subjects have blinked, look awkward, etc. Then I'll take those 75-150 selected photos I'm given and I may use 1. Or 5. Or maybe to make a gallery for an event, 10-15 tops. We're using about 2% of the photos taken.
One other rule about photographs I learned from a good editor once: you've never cropped it enough. Crop your photos. Nearly all of them. Then crop them again. Crop them a third time until it hurts. Then when you think you're done, crop it once more. Now you probably have a good photograph.
I have said it several times. The difference between an amateur photog and a professional photog?
The amateur shows you all photos he takes but does not bill you. The professional shows you the best while charging you for all.
Quote from: Pylon on November 06, 2014, 07:26:11 PM
We're using about 2% of the photos taken.
2%? that is good. I usually keep around 0.5% to 1% of the photos I take as a photographer. The others are discarded. My wife hates vacations with me as most of our family photos are deleted :)
Quote from: jeders on November 06, 2014, 03:57:37 PM
Quote from: CDT/SSgt Rivera on November 05, 2014, 10:45:13 PM
I will make sure every single picture I take of the squadron will be used on the squadron site, facebook, and twitter.
Oh please don't. If there's one thing I learned as an editor for my high school paper, it's that 90% of the pictures taken are complete garbage. Of the 10% that are worthy of being seen by the public, less than half will actually tell the story you want told. Take lots of pictures, and I mean lots, and then pick out the few rare gems to put on websites and social media. The rest can be stored on an image hosting site such as flickr, just in case someone wants to look at the Capt with the jacked up uniform or the C/CMSgt with the unauthorized smokey bear hat.
Exactly. There's more impact from a few carefully chosen photographs. Not publishing all photos is hardly a problem.