It's something we learn to do as early as elementary school and something that can be used throughout our entire lives. Writing is not only an effective method of communication but it can also serve as a form of self-expression and can even be, at times, an artistic creation. From book writing to advertising to journalism, there are many methods and types of writing in the professional world. It takes a lot of time and work to master grammar and language but when these skills are used effectively, writing can be a powerful medium. Although face-to-face communication is powerful, the freedom in writing to edit and test thoughts before they become permanent gives the message a greater chance of being conveyed the way it was intended to be.
Specifically in advertising/public relations, writing is a vital component to having a successful career. Without a good grasp on the written word, it is nearly impossible to be effective. A press release with sloppy grammar and misused words will most likely be insufficient in convincing a journalist to cover a story. In the same way, boring or poorly worded copy will probably not persuade a consumer to buy into a product. Writing is such an important skill that can be used in many different careers. Although it does take effort and attention to detail, it is extremely beneficial to refine and master and can prove helpful in various aspects of a person's life.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Professional Biography: Joel Batts, Senior Director of Clinical Affairs
Joel Batts was named senior director of clinical affairs for Wright Medical Technology in 2005. He is responsible for strategic planning for new product development, oversees the clinical research department budget, hosts routine face-to-face and written correspondence with the FDA, and handles recruitment and development of clinician teams. In addition, Batts is responsible for the oversight of every aspect of pre-market and post-market clinical trials for the global business.
Since he joined the Wright Medical Technology team in June 2005, he has built an inter-departmental compliance team that develops processes for clinical trial agreements and led a multi-disciplinary study team to construct and complete a critical reimbursement study, which resulted in the reversal of negative coverage decisions for a previously developed wound product. Batts conceived and implemented the EVEREST® joint replacement and lower extremity registries which provide real-time input to key corporate function.
Prior to joining Wright Medical Technology, Batts held the positions of director of regulatory affairs for Corin Group and clinical research manager for ExacTech. While at Corin, he assisted in the development and approval process of a hip-resurfacing device that was the second of its kind and was responsible for the development of the entire clinical portion of Corin’s quality system from the ground up, including monitoring, data collection, device tracking and other critical programs. At Exactech, Batts established a clinical research program for post-marketing surveillance and created surgeon research teams to develop protocols.
Throughout his career, Batts has had 11 publications in medical journals and has given presentations at the Q1 Medical Device Clinical Research Conference in Chicago and Phoenix. He is also a member of both the Advamed Task Force on Wound Policy and the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities as well as a chairman of the OSMA Task Force on FDA IDE Standards.
Batts graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Florida in 1996 and is currently working to obtain a Master’s Degree in Bioethics and Health Policy from Loyola University with graduation expected in 2013. He has been married to his wife Jennifer for 14 years and is the father of three children ages seven, nine and eleven. When he’s not working, Batts enjoys playing guitar, golfing, and studying philosophy and theology.
Since he joined the Wright Medical Technology team in June 2005, he has built an inter-departmental compliance team that develops processes for clinical trial agreements and led a multi-disciplinary study team to construct and complete a critical reimbursement study, which resulted in the reversal of negative coverage decisions for a previously developed wound product. Batts conceived and implemented the EVEREST® joint replacement and lower extremity registries which provide real-time input to key corporate function.
Prior to joining Wright Medical Technology, Batts held the positions of director of regulatory affairs for Corin Group and clinical research manager for ExacTech. While at Corin, he assisted in the development and approval process of a hip-resurfacing device that was the second of its kind and was responsible for the development of the entire clinical portion of Corin’s quality system from the ground up, including monitoring, data collection, device tracking and other critical programs. At Exactech, Batts established a clinical research program for post-marketing surveillance and created surgeon research teams to develop protocols.
Throughout his career, Batts has had 11 publications in medical journals and has given presentations at the Q1 Medical Device Clinical Research Conference in Chicago and Phoenix. He is also a member of both the Advamed Task Force on Wound Policy and the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities as well as a chairman of the OSMA Task Force on FDA IDE Standards.
Batts graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Florida in 1996 and is currently working to obtain a Master’s Degree in Bioethics and Health Policy from Loyola University with graduation expected in 2013. He has been married to his wife Jennifer for 14 years and is the father of three children ages seven, nine and eleven. When he’s not working, Batts enjoys playing guitar, golfing, and studying philosophy and theology.
Let's Get Connected: Using Twitter to Find a Job
It’s no secret that social media sites are changing the face of communication as we know it. Gone are the days of snail mail, corded phones, and pagers. We are in the midst of a digital age where relaying a message takes only seconds. One of the most prominent sites used today is Twitter, home of the 140 character “tweet,” that can make or break your online reputation. Twitter has become such a powerful medium, as it is a way to connect with millions of people that you might not otherwise have access to, so why not use it to score your dream position? There are two essential things to remember when trying to land a job using this tool.
The first thing to keep in mind when using Twitter professionally is to do just that. As a college student, it is easy to share details about the party you went to last night, or the fact that your professor gave you a C on your test because he totally hates you and is “oMg sO mEaN” but these tidbits of information are not the type of thing you would want a potential employer to associate with your name. Instead, make yourself appear professional, relevant and credible by posting information regarding current events and topics related to your field. Make sure you are branding yourself as an expert in the Ad/PR field as well as an interesting and creative person. Be an active Twitter user. Employers do not want to hire someone who is boring and you can show them you’re not by actively contributing to the Twitter community.
Another key factor in finding a job online is making sure you have the right connections. With millions of users on Twitter and a good bunch of those being companies and employers, it is perfectly acceptable to search and follow businesses that you might be interested in working for. This gives you a great way to research what they are about and keep up to date with what is happening so you can tweet relevant information and possibly be noticed. In Erica Swallow’s Mashable.com article “6 Ways to Score a Job Through Twitter,” she states that it is very beneficial to make connections not only with employers but also current employees of businesses you might hope to work for. Some of these employees could be recruiters who search the web for potential hires so staying connected to them through Twitter and tweeting information relevant to the field and the company specifically could make you a top pick for any positions that might open up.
Twitter has the potential to connect you with jobs like no other platform has been able to do before. Not only is it simple to use, but it is also a direct connection to possible employers and other experts in the field. If you use it in a professional manner and take the initiative to make the right connections, you will definitely find a position that interests you and eventually be able to secure that position. Be relevant, be interesting and be yourself. You hold the power in your tweets.
The first thing to keep in mind when using Twitter professionally is to do just that. As a college student, it is easy to share details about the party you went to last night, or the fact that your professor gave you a C on your test because he totally hates you and is “oMg sO mEaN” but these tidbits of information are not the type of thing you would want a potential employer to associate with your name. Instead, make yourself appear professional, relevant and credible by posting information regarding current events and topics related to your field. Make sure you are branding yourself as an expert in the Ad/PR field as well as an interesting and creative person. Be an active Twitter user. Employers do not want to hire someone who is boring and you can show them you’re not by actively contributing to the Twitter community.
Another key factor in finding a job online is making sure you have the right connections. With millions of users on Twitter and a good bunch of those being companies and employers, it is perfectly acceptable to search and follow businesses that you might be interested in working for. This gives you a great way to research what they are about and keep up to date with what is happening so you can tweet relevant information and possibly be noticed. In Erica Swallow’s Mashable.com article “6 Ways to Score a Job Through Twitter,” she states that it is very beneficial to make connections not only with employers but also current employees of businesses you might hope to work for. Some of these employees could be recruiters who search the web for potential hires so staying connected to them through Twitter and tweeting information relevant to the field and the company specifically could make you a top pick for any positions that might open up.
Twitter has the potential to connect you with jobs like no other platform has been able to do before. Not only is it simple to use, but it is also a direct connection to possible employers and other experts in the field. If you use it in a professional manner and take the initiative to make the right connections, you will definitely find a position that interests you and eventually be able to secure that position. Be relevant, be interesting and be yourself. You hold the power in your tweets.
Dear Kenneth Cole, Think Before You Tweet
This past weekend, fashion designer Kenneth Cole took 20 seconds out of his day to promote his new spring line via Twitter. Unfortunately for him, that small decision will cause him grief for much longer than 20 seconds.
In an effort to be relevant to his public, the designer referred to recent unrest in Egypt in a lighthearted manner stating that the uproar in Cairo is due to the fact that his new spring line is now available. While I’m sure Cole meant no harm by his statement, it seems to me that someone with such a large following and knowledge of how fast word spreads on the Internet should think through a decision like the one he made. Even if he didn’t think it would be deemed offensive on such a large scale, did he really think it was worth it to use such a controversial and serious issue as a marketing tool? The potential that he could be judged negatively based on the statement definitely outweighs any benefits of people finding it funny.
Although Cole did apologize on his Twitter several hours later, it was too late and Internet users everywhere were outraged. Reputable news outlets such as CNN and The Times have already covered the story and shown that overall the tweet was an unwise decision on his part. He is undoubtedly sincere in his apology and in the last several days has made definite efforts to clear up his image, however, this will not be going away anytime soon due to several people who have taken advantage of this event as a reason to make a mockery of the designer. Just the day after the infamous tweet, a large decal of the statement was placed on the front window of his SOMA location for all passersby to see, evidence that he will be reaping the consequences of this for a while.
Overall, he went too far and it was too close to the timing of the actual events do so. A quick decision, a simple action, and a lot of regret. Cole technically removed the post from his Twitter but let this be a lesson to us all that once you tweet, you can’t go back.
In an effort to be relevant to his public, the designer referred to recent unrest in Egypt in a lighthearted manner stating that the uproar in Cairo is due to the fact that his new spring line is now available. While I’m sure Cole meant no harm by his statement, it seems to me that someone with such a large following and knowledge of how fast word spreads on the Internet should think through a decision like the one he made. Even if he didn’t think it would be deemed offensive on such a large scale, did he really think it was worth it to use such a controversial and serious issue as a marketing tool? The potential that he could be judged negatively based on the statement definitely outweighs any benefits of people finding it funny.
Although Cole did apologize on his Twitter several hours later, it was too late and Internet users everywhere were outraged. Reputable news outlets such as CNN and The Times have already covered the story and shown that overall the tweet was an unwise decision on his part. He is undoubtedly sincere in his apology and in the last several days has made definite efforts to clear up his image, however, this will not be going away anytime soon due to several people who have taken advantage of this event as a reason to make a mockery of the designer. Just the day after the infamous tweet, a large decal of the statement was placed on the front window of his SOMA location for all passersby to see, evidence that he will be reaping the consequences of this for a while.
Overall, he went too far and it was too close to the timing of the actual events do so. A quick decision, a simple action, and a lot of regret. Cole technically removed the post from his Twitter but let this be a lesson to us all that once you tweet, you can’t go back.
This I Believe
I believe in the power of kindness and generosity. When I was two years old, my mother went back to work and I began staying with my grandmother each day from around eight until dinnertime. I didn’t realize it then but even when I was so young, my grandma was instilling in me a love and a value for other people.
She was the kind of person who would sacrifice her own wants and comforts if it meant that she could make someone happy. Married three times to men who never fully appreciated her, she eventually took care of me as a single woman with one son still living at home. My uncle, a man who at this time was in his mid-forties, had been born with slight mental retardation and was mostly dependent on my grandmother. She spent all her time teaching me how to read, cleaning up after me, cooking for my uncle and I, driving him to his part-time job, doing laundry, caring for sick friends, volunteering in our community and much much more.
In the midst of all this, she spent the last 30 years of her life in constant pain due to a stomach illness that doctors could not determine the cause of. I never, however, saw her turn bitter or angry toward anyone she came in contact with. She endured the physical pain and emotional hardships she faced with strength and joy, always tending to the needs of others before her own and going out of her way to make others feel loved.
As I get older, I see myself more and more reverting back to the behavior I noticed in my grandmother. It seemed that no matter how much she was dealing with, she could always find happiness and joy in treating others kindly. Although it is definitely a struggle to put others before myself all the time, it is one of my deepest desires and I know that my grandmother set that example for me early on. Although she passed away last fall, she will be remembered as a woman who always put God first, others second, and herself third. She was a true picture of love and kindness and I believe those qualities, when practiced genuinely can change lives.
She was the kind of person who would sacrifice her own wants and comforts if it meant that she could make someone happy. Married three times to men who never fully appreciated her, she eventually took care of me as a single woman with one son still living at home. My uncle, a man who at this time was in his mid-forties, had been born with slight mental retardation and was mostly dependent on my grandmother. She spent all her time teaching me how to read, cleaning up after me, cooking for my uncle and I, driving him to his part-time job, doing laundry, caring for sick friends, volunteering in our community and much much more.
In the midst of all this, she spent the last 30 years of her life in constant pain due to a stomach illness that doctors could not determine the cause of. I never, however, saw her turn bitter or angry toward anyone she came in contact with. She endured the physical pain and emotional hardships she faced with strength and joy, always tending to the needs of others before her own and going out of her way to make others feel loved.
As I get older, I see myself more and more reverting back to the behavior I noticed in my grandmother. It seemed that no matter how much she was dealing with, she could always find happiness and joy in treating others kindly. Although it is definitely a struggle to put others before myself all the time, it is one of my deepest desires and I know that my grandmother set that example for me early on. Although she passed away last fall, she will be remembered as a woman who always put God first, others second, and herself third. She was a true picture of love and kindness and I believe those qualities, when practiced genuinely can change lives.
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