How do I make a great impression during a job interview? Once I meet a professional contact, how should I keep in touch? What’s the best way to leverage my experiences from NYU’s Master’s in Publishing: Digital and Print Media? How do I find my dream job?
These questions are always on the minds of our MS in Publishing: Digital and Print Media students. To get the inside scoop, the NYU Publishing Students Association hosted an alumni panel discussion, “How I Got My Job,” featuring five recent M.S. in Publishing: Digital and Print Media graduates. The alumni shared career stories, provided professional advice, and fielded questions to give current students a real look at what it takes to enter—and succeed—in the publishing industry.
Finding a job was at the forefront of the discussion. Andres Rubiano, Web Editor for People en Español and a 2014 program graduate, advised students to be patient with the job-hunting process, which takes time, and to treat the search with the diligence and commitment of a full-time job. “Don’t be afraid to get a job in a small company where you can get your hands on a little bit of everything,” he suggested.
Several panelists spoke about the importance of finding the right job. Wilbert Cooper, Senior Web Editor for VICE Media and 2012 program graduate, told students to follow their hearts in the job search and find companies they really believe in. Katharina Gadow, Special Sales Assistant at DK Publishing and a 2015 program graduate, also encouraged students to find work environments that suit their personalities, saying, “If you don’t like the people in the office, you’re not going to wake up every morning excited to go in and work hard.”
Kelsey Lawrence, Marketing Manager for Crown Archetype at Penguin Random House and a 2014 program graduate, stressed good interview habits like arriving on time and demonstrating interest in and knowledge of the company. She also emphasized the importance of making good impressions on everyone you meet and nurturing professional relationships. “Networking isn’t just passing out business cards to strangers,” she said.
Continuing the networking conversation, two panelists referred back to the connections they’d made during the Master’s program. Mallory Conder, Sales Coordinator for Penguin Random House and a 2015 program graduate, underscored the value of networking with professors and classmates; in fact, it was a professor who helped her get connected to her first publishing industry job. Katharina echoed that sentiment, sharing how she found each of her prior publishing roles through NYU publishing program connections.
For several of the panelists, the benefit of the Master’s program extended beyond networking. Andres spoke enthusiastically about his Capstone project, explaining that showing his project to a potential employer helped land his job. Wilbert concurred that the work he did in the program helped him not only get a job, but rise in his company because of his industry knowledge: “The more you put into [the program], the more you’ll get out of it,” he said.
The next NYU Publishing Student Association event will be Craft it Forward, an opportunity for MS in Publishing: Digital and Print Media students to craft literacy development toys for NYC children in foster care. Stay tuned for more information and how you can help.
by Allison Rowe