Clare Duffy |
Most college students know a thing or two about the importance of being able to adapt. For those students considering a job in the social media field, this skill is a necessary one.
This was one of the pieces of advice shared at the Social Media Careers Panel on Monday night, which featured three recent University of Portland graduates who shared their experiences working in social media. The Office of Career Services, the Alumni Association and the Communications Honors Society, Lambda Pi Eta, organized and sponsored the event.
The recurring theme of the night was the importance of internships.
“Internships are not overrated,” panelist and Global Community Specialist for Nike Kamauri Yeh said. Her colleagues agreed.
Fellow panelist Mike Bodine does strategic communications for Central Catholic High School, while Laura Atwell, another panelist, works as the Social Media Team Lead for Adpearance, a Portland digital marketing firm. Despite the variety of their work, each stressed the importance of internships and networking in today’s ever increasingly connected world, especially using LinkedIn.
“Meet with as many people as you can,” Bodine said. “When you meet with someone, ask them, ‘Who are some people I should meet with?’”
In addition to offering advice as to how a student might score a job or internship in social media, the panelists discussed some of the pros and cons of working in the industry.
Yet, Bodine and Atwell all agreed that one of the greatest benefits of working in social media is the opportunity for daily learning.
“We are constantly growing and learning,” Yeh said. “I feel like I’m in school every day.”
Atwell agreed that the industry is constantly transforming.
“It is so dynamic and it changes every day,” Atwell said. “It’s like solving a puzzle.”
In keeping with the topic of the discussion, Twitter was used as a way of facilitating conversation. Students in attendance used the hashtag “#socmediaUP” to contribute their ideas or questions. To see their commentary, visit our Tagboard.
