Over 60 students searching for insight into the mysteries of corporate job hunting found a valuable source of advice Tuesday at a marketing, advertising and public relations panel held in Carson Hall.
A trio of representatives from those industries outlined the entry process into their respective fields as well as some of their own experiences before taking questions from a captivated audience.
The discussion largely focused not on life in the given industries but on the qualities and characteristics that firms look for in potential employees.
"Research skills are very important," said Andy Plesser, founder of Plesser Holland Public Relations, a boutique public relations firm
Plesser said part of his job is to try to manipulate public opinion. He noted that the methods used to reach people are quickly changing as consumers begin getting information from more disparate forms of media.
While, in the past, the public typically followed current events through the evening news, Plesser mentioned that with today's media, he has more options as to how to do his job.
"It's a bit of an ego trip," he said.
Plesser claimed to keep manageable hours, but noted that his workload rises and falls significantly as deadlines for various accounts approach and pass.
Panelist Joseph McGee '85 from MRM Partners Worldwide said he believes a passion for marketing is most vital to success in the field. He also emphasized the jump from more relaxed summer jobs to the results-oriented corporate world.
"We hired three seniors from last year, and they're knee-deep in work," McGee said.
McGee said applicants' creativity and their ability to adapt to new situations play a significant role in hiring decisions.
Rounding out the panel was Michael D'Esopo, a senior partner at the marketing firm Lippincott Mercer.
D'Esopo said empathy was most important to success in his field.
D'Esopo, who specializes in brand strategy, said understanding where the client is coming from and exactly what they want to do is the most important step toward success.
The panel said that across their industries, the starting salary for recent graduates ranged roughly from $30,000 to $45,000.
The hiring process for these firms, however, can be very different from those in other industries. Because marketing work tends to spike irregularly, firms often do not know whether they will be hiring new employees until their budgets take shape late in the summer and early in the fall. Panelists pointed out that, while graduating without a job or even the prospect of one may seem frightening to undergraduates, it is not uncommon in the marketing industry.
