How Tamaya Nelson '19 Earned a Full-Time Job at a Global Media Agency By Kevin McCallIt was her final semester at Marist College and, like many of her peers in the same situation, Tamaya Nelson ’19 was feeling overwhelmed thinking about her next steps. But after receiving assistance from the Marist College Center for Career Services and networking to learn about companies and roles in her desired career cluster, Nelson was able to secure a full-time position at a global media agency right after graduation. Nelson had gained work experience during one summer writing on a few NBC programs such as The Meredith Vieira Show and Access Hollywood. While these opportunities were related to her communications major and advertising concentration at Marist, Nelson had never completed a formal internship. At the beginning of the Fall 2019 semester Nelson connected with Desmond Murray, Associate Director for the Employer Experience in the Marist College Center for Career Services, and learned about opportunities to explore careers in communications. “When I first met Desmond I realized that I probably hadn’t been planning for my career like I should have,” Nelson said. “But attending diversity events like the Publicis Media forum and going on Road to the Workplace were real wake up calls to seeing what the working world would be like after Marist.” Murray encouraged Nelson to apply for the Publicis Media Multicultural Talent Pipeline Forum, an annual educational immersion into the media, marketing, and advertising businesses designed for traditionally underrepresented groups. Nelson was one of nine Marist students selected to attend the event in Atlanta, Georgia, which featured panels, networking sessions, and a career fair with Publicis Media organizations. “Each day focused on the talent gap from the perspective of people of color that work in various parts of the media industry,” Nelson said. “I can’t even begin to explain the amount of talent and like-minded individuals that I connected with at the event. Flying into Atlanta and meeting such a diverse group of people hungry for knowledge along with so many brilliant men and women of color that gave such genuine advice about the media industry was so inspiring.” Following the Publicis Media forum Nelson kept in touch with her connections and set up LinkedIn alerts for the company so she was notified whenever a new opportunity from a subsidiary became available. “I wanted an employer who had a genuinely inclusive work environment,” Nelson said. “As a woman of color in the LGBT community these traits are very important because I need to feel my narrative and perspective is not only welcomed but is also understood.” Nelson said attending the Publicis Media Multicultural Talent Pipeline Forum helped her determine attributes she was looking for in a workplace culture. “I wanted an employer who had a genuinely inclusive work environment,” she said. “As a woman of color in the LGBT community these traits are very important because I need to feel my narrative and perspective is not only welcomed but is also understood.” About halfway through the semester Nelson began attending Road to the Workplace trips to learn about employers that she was interested in working for. She visited Viacom, Madison Square Garden, and CNN on these trips. Sponsored by the Marist College Center for Career Services, Road to the Workplace trips are networking sessions at work sites where Marist students receive an introduction to an organization’s culture and environment and also learn about professional development roles with the company. Nelson said going on Road to the Workplace trips gave her insight into companies that she would not have otherwise received.
“As students we’re always attracted to big companies and it’s one thing to read about them,” Nelson said. “But being at the actual work site is a great experience because we see how employees are treated and how each day goes. Initially I was impressed by the company name and lacked actual knowledge about working for them, but Road to the Workplace helped with that.” Viacom was Nelson’s favorite worksite that she visited in the fall. “What I liked about the company was its flexibility,” Nelson said. “It was always changing and it seemed like new roles were always being added.” Nelson graduated from Marist College in December 2019 with her bachelor’s degree in Communications-Advertising and began a full-time role as an Associate Media Strategist at Spark Foundry on January 6, 2020. Spark Foundry is a global media agency owned by Publicis Media. “Everything came full circle,” Nelson said.
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By Will LinkAs you begin a new job in 2020 or an internship for the spring semester, you will probably feel both excited and a bit nervous. You have a chance to be immersed in your desired industry and are entering a new environment where your contributions will have a tangible effect on your organization. If you follow this advice during your first few days in the workforce, you can turn your new opportunity into a learning experience that will act as a springboard for your own professional development. Stay Updated on Trends Within Your Employer and Industry One way to manage any initial nerves you might have about your new position is to refresh yourself on what your organization wants to accomplish and how your role fits into their goals. To find this out, set up a Google Alert for the company’s name. Google Alerts will regularly email you the latest collection of pertinent news items and press releases that mention the organization. You can adjust the alerts to your preferences by tweaking settings such as how you would like to receive them, how often you would like to be updated, and what types of sources that you would like to draw from. In addition to following certain organizations you can also track keywords and trends. This way you can be prepared for any changes that might occur to your tasks or role. Refresh Yourself on Industry Specific Jargon To make your transition into your job or internship more seamless, become familiar with common phrases and acronyms that you are likely to encounter. Jargondatabse.com lists thousands of different terms, sorted by industry, that you might need to become familiar with in your workplace. Doing so will give you more confidence in your ability to understand the tasks that you will be presented with. Always ask your supervisors or co-workers for clarification if they refer to a phrase or acronym that you are not familiar with. Introduce Yourself & Network with Colleagues and Managers Even though you are in a work environment you should make every attempt to be as sociable as you can. Even if your position is only temporary treat it as an invitation to interact with all employees. Treat everyone with respect regardless of their role and don’t be shy to ask someone in your desired role out for coffee or lunch. Any person that you meet could become an invaluable part of your network. This Harvard Business Review article has some great advice on networking and particularly focuses on how to introduce yourself. A study of a particular group of seasoned businesspeople attending a networking event found although over 90 percent of the attendees expressed an interest in meeting new people at the event, most of them spent the majority of the time speaking to people they were already familiar with. Individuals at the event who said they met new people were introduced by a mutual acquaintance. Furthermore, the study discovered most people have the same phobias about introducing themselves to new people such as worrying about interrupting or being a bother, fear of rejection, or fear of making a mistake and looking bad. This article gives some great advice about how to get over those fears, make a positive impression, and begin to forge a genuine connection. Focus on Remembering Names Neuroscientists have found that our brains process names differently than they process other aspects of a human being such as their appearance or history. There are some creative ways that you can improve your ability to remember someone’s name. One way is to repeat the name initially as part of the introduction so that it sticks in your memory. Another thing that you should do is write the person’s name down along with any other pertinent information as soon as you can following your conversation, which brings us to our next point. Write Down Information to Retain it Better Writing information down has been proven to significantly help your memory. Although you might be more accustomed to using your laptop or phone to take quick notes, it is often better for your memory to physically write down information on paper. Keep a small notepad or legal pad with you to take notes during meetings and keep track of necessary to-do items. This will keep you more organized. If you ever feel nervous or intimidated by your new position, remember that you are there for a reason. You likely competed against dozens if not hundreds of other applicants and were chosen because you are the best candidate to fill a need. Your job or internship is a mutual opportunity to help your organization and yourself.
Best resources for motivation and professional development By Will LinkPeople often say that motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing, that’s why we recommend it daily. - Zig Ziglar Sometimes we need resources to keep us internally motivated to keep working or to turn to for advice on professional development. There are many media formats out there that can educate you on the best ways to grow and develop your career path. This article will recommend three books and three podcasts to do just that. Students and young professionals in any field will find these resources useful. Book - Grinding it Out By Ray Kroc Ray Kroc was the franchisor and later owner and CEO of McDonald’s from 1954 to 1974. He was responsible for the rapid growth of McDonald’s and opened more than 7,000 franchises across the United States. Kroc’s autobiography, Grinding it Out, reveals how he acquired and grew McDonald’s to the prominent business that it is today. Throughout the book Kroc describes many of his own personal habits, practices, and beliefs that led him to becoming a successful businessman. He also includes his personal beliefs on what makes a great business. While this book is not entirely focused on career and professional development, many students will find Kroc’s insight and advice to be very helpful on the power of persistence, working hard, salesmanship, and personal and professional management. Book - How to Win Friends & Influence People By Dale Carnegie Dale Carnegie’s 1936 book How to Win Friends & Influence People is widely considered one of the best books for professional development. The book is divided into four parts that teach business and interpersonal communication skills. Carnegie shares his belief that you can change other people’s behavior by changing your behavior towards them. He also discusses how it is human nature to not want to admit to fault. Key tenants of his book include that you should always be honest with people, be willing to admit when you are wrong, and arguing and complaining usually don’t lead to anything. This self-help book will help people learn to network and communicate with all different types of people in the workforce and feel more confident when doing so. How to Win Friends & Influence People was updated in 1981 to be more relevant to the modern business practices and techniques. Book - Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking By Susan Cain Susan Cain estimates that one third of people we know consider themselves an introvert. Many people with this personality type can have trouble with their professional development. Published in 2013, Susan Cain’s book gives advice for how introverts can still make an impact in the world and feel valued. Cain uses historical examples of introverts that have had a lasting impact on society such as Rosa Parks, Dr. Seuss, and Steve Wozniak. Throughout the book, Cain also explore the differences between extroverts and introverts and the advantages of disadvantages of both personality types. Cain looks at the concept through the lenses of many different disciplines including biology, psychology and neuroscience. She comes to the conclusion that today’s society and culture underutilize introverted people and that they are great resources to have in the workforce. Podcast - Career Cloud
Downloaded over 2,500 times a day, Career Cloud is a monthly podcast that features guests that are resume writers, career coaches, job seekers, and more. These podcasts discuss a variety of different topics related to career development including resume building, interviewing, and how to use your social media to improve your job prospects. Career Cloud also has a blog that provides notes on each podcast episode. Podcast - The James Altucher Show Releasing a new podcast every few days, former hedge fund manager and bestselling author James Altucher interviews the greats in the world of business and entertainment. Some of his past guests are Mark Cuban, Arianna Huffington, William Shatner and Tony Hawk. During his interviews Altucher asks blunt and insightful questions that challenge conventional wisdom and inspires his listeners to think outside of the box. Using both his website and podcasts, Altucher gives insightful advice on how young professionals can succeed in the world of business and life in general. Podcast - Leadership Podcast with Craig Groeschel Episodes of Craig Groeschel’s leadership podcasts discuss three different learning styles: business, visual audio, and read-write. Groeschel’s podcast also comes with a useful PDF files that summarize the main points of the episode. As Groeschel states in Building the Middle, when the leadership gets better, everyone wins. Groeschel gives great leadership advice that can very easily be translated to professional development and the workplace. In addition to the books and podcasts previously mentioned there are many resources on professional development that you can loan. If you prefer to use an eReader there are many apps that allow you to rent thousands of books for free. Some of these apps, which are available on iOS, and Google Play, are Libby, Overdrive, and Hoopla. These three mobile apps are connected to thousands of public libraries across the country. As long as you have a library card from one of the participating libraries and have an account through these apps you can rent and download any one of the thousands of eBooks and audiobooks available for free. The podcasts and books listed above are great suggestions for any young professional or student to keep themselves motivated and educated on career and professional development trends. If you can find the time each day to listen to your favorite podcasts or read a little bit of a book, you will be able to continue to improve your professional development one day at a time and be well on your way to achieving your career goals. |
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