BIG News to Share!

I have some very exciting news to share, but I think I will leave you wondering what it is until the end of my post (DON'T just scroll down to the end! I suppose I can't stop you, but it will be more fun if you wait until you get there).

First I will talk about some recent events that were very beneficial to me, and should be hugely beneficial to anyone and everyone looking for a job. As I mentioned in my last post, I recently attended an event at Cabrini College called "Careers in Advertising and Communications: Where the Jobs Are!" which was hosted by the Philly Ad Club. The event featured panelists who work in the advertising field, ranging from ad. agencies to media companies to event planning agencies. This was an awesome event, and I left with great advice and a pretty substantial to-do list! Some of the main topics that were discussed were the importance of using LinkedIn, NETWORKING (as I've probably mentioned a million times in this blog), and writing thank-you notes. Although the panelists definitely had different opinions on some of these topics, one thing they all agreed on was the importance of following up after interviews, networking receptions, etc. People in advertising are busy, they might just forget that they met you at a networking event a few weeks ago...that is why it is YOUR job to contact them and remind them who you are. This shows initiative and that you mean what you say when you express interest in their organization.

Another piece of advice that was stressed during this event, and I feel like I have heard multiple times recently, is that adults in the advertising world (and this likely goes for the business world in general) genuinely want to help college students like us. They were in our shoes once! They know how it feels to try and find that first job out of graduation. It is obviously too difficult to say that EVERYONE wants to help you, but I believe it is true to say that most people are willing to give you a hand when possible. Whether it be getting you in contact with a friend/relative/etc. that works at a company you are interested in, or agreeing to meet with you to discuss their career path and advice about getting into the _____ industry, people are usually receptive and will do what they can to help out. It should go without saying of course, that it is how you approach these people that determines how willing they are to go out of their way to help you. As we have all heard plenty of times (I hope!) there are certain things you should do when building a network, and things you should not do. For example, you should NOT email a contact you received through networking and ask them to find you a job; likewise, you should NOT email a Villanova alum you found on the Alumni Database and ask them for a job at their company. The more I hear professionals in the advertising industry say things like "we genuinely want to help you, otherwise we wouldn't be here" the more I believe it! That is why students like us should, and quite frankly NEED, to attend events and networking receptions that will help us build contacts for the future.

Which brings me to my exciting news...I HAVE OFFICIALLY ACCEPTED A JOB AFTER GRADUATION!!! A few posts ago I mentioned the Marketing Professionals Showcase that took place at Villanova, which featured a networking reception with area professionals. I spoke with two employees at a Philadelphia marketing agency, and after keeping in touch with them, I was given the opportunity to come in for an interview. The first interview went really well, and I was eventually asked to come back into the office for a second interview. After that, I was offered a position!!! It is an amazing opportunity that I gladly accepted. The workplace atmosphere and the dynamic between employees seems like a place I can fit right into! As I have mentioned before, everyone at this company seems to truly love their jobs and enjoy what they do, and I could not ask for more :-)

The next steps are to finish up my last semester of college strong, and also find somewhere to live now that I am officially sticking around the Philly area!