1. Jaron Olson
13029 North Shoreland Drive
Marion, IL 62959
618-889-2606
jlolson11@gmail.com
Profile:
Scholastic background in public relations and communication based skills, a long standing
history in the customer service industry with a very personable nature, as well as strong writing,
oral and listening skills. I actively worked with, The Ethics and Leadership and Event Planning
committees, in public relations teams to provide the absolute best experience for our clients and
their target audience. We did everything from planning gala fundraisers to street teaming, from
local radio advertisements to special event planning and always in the most effective and
efficient manner possible. Along with these experiences, I have gained some unexpected but
welcomed experience in crisis management and damage control.
Employment History:
Summer 2010 – Automobile Service Porter for Marion Ford/Hyundai/Mercury Dealership.
Marion, IL
Summer 2011 – Customer Service Associate at Home Depot Seasonal/Lawn and Garden.
Marion, IL
2011-2012 – Server at Olive Garden, Champaign, IL
2013- 2016 – Customer Service Associate for Lowe’s Paint, Flooring and Lumber. Carbondale,
IL
Education:
Bachelor’s Degree in Communications Studies, Specialized in Public Relations with a minor in
Political Science from Southern Illinois University of Carbondale, Carbondale, IL. May of
2015.
Communication/ Public Relations:
Service Industry:
 The first job I held required me to greet, accommodate and chauffer customers who
dropped off their vehicles but had to reach another destination before the vehicles were
returned. I quickly realized that in many cases I became the chief ambassador for the
dealership for these customers who spent way more time with me than our mechanics
fixing their car. My professional etiquette and demeanor could make or break each
customer’s relations with the dealership. I saw firsthand just how important good
communication skills and networking can be at any level of a business. The more I

2. engaged with my customers the more I learned how to comfortably interact with
customers and actively listen to their feedback to provide them with optimal service,
product knowledge and personal experiences.
 These jobs have taught me how to think on my feet and be proactive in knowing my
industry so that I may respond accurately and timely when asked for relevant information
involving a product or service. I have also been chosen by Lowes Management to
undergo management training and have attended leadership seminars on how to initiate
and maintain positive behavior from your associate’s. As well as, how to read consumer
behavior trends, via company quantitative data sheets and how to market product
according to these trends.
 From this management program I’ve also been expected to perform managerial duties
such as; handling elevated customer complaints, completing product and corporate
paperwork, constructing daily agendas for other associates and even associate shift
scheduling. These duties have helped me hone in on a few other skillsets, from phone
communication skills to basic and advanced data entering. I have also employed my
knowledge to be technically bi-lingual. I can go back and forth between Mac and PC
applications and programs without confusion, such as Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook,
Publisher, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. My memorization and retention is also a
keen facet of my professional life as I constantly have to remember item numbers, vender
numbers, P.O. numbers, customer names, orders, etc.
 From different mishaps I learned how to think quickly, and to adapt and overcome when
faced with a displeased customer, manager or other crisis situation. One quality that
received noticed at Lowes by management was my patience and conversational retention.
I didn’t just speak to customers, I listened. My current manager on occasions will tell a
displeased customer that I am the manager to assist them. He does this because he has
seen me defuse multiple situations in which the customer has threatened to bring a
corporate complaint into the picture. I take the time to listen to the customers issue so I
may both identify the main problem and procure the best solution for our brand and the
customer alike.
 Currently at Lowes I have been recognized on several occasions by upper management
within the store, as well as the corporate level, for my positive impact with customer
experiences and being an ambassador for the company in which they can be proud of.
Scholastic Application:
 I have been an account associate for both the Ethics and Leadership committee and Event
planning for PRSSA. In these committees we developed and implemented workshops to
improve our leadership skills, to include how to verbally navigate the complexities of
ethical grey areas. We also organized and facilitated events with guest speakers and skill
based workshops with professionals in the P.R. world and beyond. Using the important
skills learned during these workshops, we successfully planned and implemented a gala
for the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Southern Illinois.
 I was also served as an account associate for PYRAMID, a student run P.R. organization
at SIUC. I specifically worked for a difficult client for both years in the organization. The
client was very absent during a majority of our campaigns and would take very little of
our expertise for real life application. He was also often very brash which made him
intimidating for our other liaisons. Their business model and ideals were not very

3. difficult. However, operating within a very limited channel of communication was, as
well as was the client’s lack of interest to adapt to new clientele in order to reach primary
goals. I learned how to become more organized for myself and my client. I also feel I
retained a solid grasp on how to deal with a challenging client. I learned how
communication is often challenged but maintaining a healthy relationship can still be
possible. From this experience I also learned the effectiveness of “street teaming” and
engaging your client’s audience on a more personal basis. This strategy forces you to
show ones comfort in an interactive environment, general knowledge about their client
and the product.
 In my P.R. Cases and Campaign course, my team and I worked with the Union County
Chamber of Commerce based out of Anna-Jonesboro, IL. During this collaborative
experience our group was tasked with increasing membership counts and participation in
the chamber. We also helped formulate new fundraising efforts involving the local
community and businesses. Ex: local music festival on the strip in Anna-Jonesboro.
 In my Copywriting course my team and I worked for a client on the strip in Carbondale
called, Dayshift Boutique. Dayshift was a struggling business that was looking for a full
marketing strategy to boost its overall foot traffic and sales, as well as establish itself as a
community driven business in Carbondale. We wrote press releases, designed and pitched
TV and Radio advertisements and created a profile of Dayshifts personality for the owner
to use as a guideline for future marketing endeavors. We thought we could help really get
the community interested in their business by increasing brand awareness and location
awareness.
Community Service:
 I participated in the cleanup of Carbondale with PRSSA and our Adopt-A-Spot near the
main strip, cleaning up trash.
 I volunteered at the local humane society providing care for the animals and basic habitat
maintenance in Marion, IL.
 I volunteered serving and cooking food at a local soup kitchen with my church in Marion,
IL.
 I volunteered for three years at the BBQ, Blues, & Bikes festival in Elizabethtown, KY,
which benefits the greater Elizabethtown, KY communities, as well as local and national
veteran’s organizations.

4. Jaron Olson
13029 North Shoreland Drive
Marion, IL, 62959
jlolson11@gmail.com
References
Susan Gifford
Director of Marketing & Quality Initiatives
Swope Family of Dealerships
7511 Warrenton Hill Ct.
Louisville, KY, 40291
Phone: 270-723-0091
Family Friend
Scott Whitlow
Senior Sales Representative
Velox Express
7511 Warrenton Hill Ct.
Louisville, KY, 40291
Phone: 502-639-9683
Family Friend
Fritzie Janes
Business Owner
Mack’s Lake of Egypt Marina & No Wake Lounge
12024 Laguna Drive
Marion, Il, 62959
Phone: 618-579-8500
Former Employer