Looking to work in the media field? Then your “follow-up game” has to be strong. This was repeated over and over again at the Millennials in Media panel discussion hosted last Tuesday, March 20 in DAC 416.
Panelists included employees from BET, Tidal, Hot 97, the New York Times, Google, Time Inc. and Revolt. The DAC Ballroom was filled with students looking to network and hear how to get their foot in the industry door.
Moderator Melissa Quinones from Hot 97 and Fox 5 got the ball rolling with questions about networking, accountability, overcoming hurdles and the importance of a strong resume after the panelists introduced themselves.
“Don’t sleep on LinkedIn,” Nicole Phillip, a Live Interactive Video Editor from the New York Times, said. “You have to be persistent without being a pest. When you slide in the DMs [direct messages], have actionable items, don’t just ask me how I’m doing and things like that.”
“When it comes to applying for jobs and internships, prove why you deserve it. Know your worth and don’t be afraid to negotiate your value,” Jonathan Priester, an account strategist at Google said. “You can’t prepare for an opportunity, but you always have the opportunity to prepare.”
Priester also talked about the importance of Career Services and how students should take advantage of their expertise.
“They are there to help you,” Priester said. “Make a list of what you want to do and I’m sure there is a program or organization somewhere that is willing to help you achieve it. Continue to find ways to sharpen your knowledge.”
One major topic of discussion at the event was networking do’s and don’ts.
“Do show up to events like this. This is a great way to networking with people in the field you want to get in to,” Adelle Platon, the culture and content editor at TIDAL said. “But also remember that you are your own business card.”
“Build a relationship with people and realize the opportunity you have,” Deena Morrison, a producer at Revolt Media and TV said. “Think about it like this: do you have your hand out or open?”
At the end of the event, students were able to ask panelists for more advice and to share their personal stories.
“The event was definitely beneficial in opening my eyes to the struggle and journey that others endured to succeed in the entertainment world,” junior Julia Remache said. “I always hear this field is cut throat and competitive, so hearing other experiences of ups and downs reminds me that my career may not be as simple and quick as other industries, but that I will succeed in what I am truly passionate for.”
“I think it was refreshing to finally have a CPS event that wasn’t centered around hard news,” senior Gina Conteh said. “We as journalism students are kind of limited at St. John’s when it comes to networking events because rarely do the panels have people who are in entertainment, let alone people of color who are in entertainment.”
“After graduation, I plan to continue my studies and acquire my masters in International Relations in the hopes of broadening my understanding of the world outside of the United States and use those skills to become an international reporter,” Conteh added.
