My first BLOG~
Last night was my first post for Evolving Lens. Living out my excitement to start my first blog, my first composition happened in a spark of enthusiasm. However, future posts will consist of more efforts as I intend to use this blog as a venue to 'publish' my up and coming projects. The title, Evolving Lens, was a two minute brainstorm with sense of urgency to get the site up and running! But I am happy with its establishment, as our experiences in life are viewed through each our own unique lens which is constantly evolving with time.
Insight to what is 'in the works' ~
Personal narratives such as transition from college to the working 9-5 business world (title to be determined)
Local culture of Fairfield, Iowa series
Business and marketing compilations
News of interest
Travel reviews ~ Des Moines, Burlington, West Burlington, and other destination venues
Stay tuned!
:)
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Advice for College Graduates
Only two and a half months over a year ago I graduated from the University of Iowa with a BA in Journalism & Mass Communications and an International Studies minor. Completion of 18 semester hours of qualifying classes allowed me to receive the Entrepreneurial Certificate as well, a program that I recommend to all college students. I skipped town, or should I say the country, during the flood of summer 2008 to study abroad in Barcelona, Spain. Pushing myself outside my comfort zone and submersing my life into a different culture is an irreplaceable experience in which I learned so much about who I am.
Today, I am living in Fairfield, Iowa, working as a Media Assistant, or Media Buying Representative for Hawthorne Direct. We are a full-service direct response advertising agency. My responsibilities involve management and support for eight to ten media campaigns for over 100 broadcast and cable television networks. I also recruit for our company at Univeristy of Iowa and Iowa State career fairs, which is where I got my start.
At the beginning of my job search I was interested in advertising, marketing, and sales positions. I made an appointment at the UI Career Center to discuss my career options post graduation, and have my resume reviewed. Following through with advise given paid off. I signed up to volunteer at the the September career fair, and compiled a list of ten companies' booths I was interested in visiting. I took the list with me to the fair which also included bullet points of information under each. Preliminary research on company websites allowed me to be knowledgable throughout conversation with the representatives. I also had questions for each.
First, I approached the booths that seemed less intimidating due to the fact I was less interested in the positions available. This way my nerves were at ease by the time I spoke to the people I really wanted to network with. After each conversation, I re-composed myself in the student break room and prepared for the next. I also handed out personalized resumes to each potential employer.
The career fair landed me at least three interviews. In November, I received an email from the human resources manager at Hawthorne informing of the Media Assistant position available. I expressed my interest and set up an interview. The interview involved meeting with the HR manager, senior media assistant supervisor, and a phone interview with the director of the media department. Before I left Hawthorne that day, I was offered the position which I gladly accepted.
The job market is very competitive, so remember that anything you can do to set yourself apart is worth it~ experience gained, connections made, etc. Take initiative! Get involved and make the most of every opportunity! Most of all, dream big and live your dreams.
Today, I am living in Fairfield, Iowa, working as a Media Assistant, or Media Buying Representative for Hawthorne Direct. We are a full-service direct response advertising agency. My responsibilities involve management and support for eight to ten media campaigns for over 100 broadcast and cable television networks. I also recruit for our company at Univeristy of Iowa and Iowa State career fairs, which is where I got my start.
At the beginning of my job search I was interested in advertising, marketing, and sales positions. I made an appointment at the UI Career Center to discuss my career options post graduation, and have my resume reviewed. Following through with advise given paid off. I signed up to volunteer at the the September career fair, and compiled a list of ten companies' booths I was interested in visiting. I took the list with me to the fair which also included bullet points of information under each. Preliminary research on company websites allowed me to be knowledgable throughout conversation with the representatives. I also had questions for each.
First, I approached the booths that seemed less intimidating due to the fact I was less interested in the positions available. This way my nerves were at ease by the time I spoke to the people I really wanted to network with. After each conversation, I re-composed myself in the student break room and prepared for the next. I also handed out personalized resumes to each potential employer.
The career fair landed me at least three interviews. In November, I received an email from the human resources manager at Hawthorne informing of the Media Assistant position available. I expressed my interest and set up an interview. The interview involved meeting with the HR manager, senior media assistant supervisor, and a phone interview with the director of the media department. Before I left Hawthorne that day, I was offered the position which I gladly accepted.
The job market is very competitive, so remember that anything you can do to set yourself apart is worth it~ experience gained, connections made, etc. Take initiative! Get involved and make the most of every opportunity! Most of all, dream big and live your dreams.
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