Courtesy of the Career CenterOver my winter break, I spent some time in New York City on one of Washington University’s Road Shows coordinated by the Career Center. The Career Center offers Road Shows each winter break for sophomores, juniors and seniors to various locations across the country.
This year, students had several options. There was an opportunity to travel to Los Angeles to learn about Arts & Entertainment or Pharmaceutical & Biomedical fields. They could also go to Atlanta to learn about companies there or to Washington, D.C. to learn about government, policy and advocacy.
I opted to go on the trip to New York City, which focused on careers in writing. In my case, the decision to go was pretty clear-cut. I have a strong interest in writing and I was hoping to visit my older sister who lives and works in the city.
As a sophomore, I’m not really looking for jobs yet, but the trip allowed me to explore different careers and learn about internship opportunities. We visited five different companies: Random House, Meredith Corporation, Penguin Publishing, Publicis USA and Ruder Finn, Inc. While visiting the companies, we were able to hear directly from Wash. U. alums about their experiences working for the various companies. It was interesting to learn about what people actually do in the “real world” after graduating from Wash. U.
We heard from graduates of the College of Arts & Sciences, the Art School and the Business School. While one might think that writing careers are reserved for students in the humanities, I learned that the companies are actually interested in hiring all sorts of majors. In fact, one alum mentioned that her boss was a biology major.
I assume most students are familiar with Random House and Penguin Publishing and have probably read some books published by these major companies. The publishing companies offer a variety of job opportunities, including editing, publicity, sales, marketing and more.
The editorial position sounded particularly intriguing and the job basically consists of reading manuscripts and giving feedback on them. As an editor, you could potentially be the first person to read the next Harry Potter.
Another perk of working for publishing companies is the free books. I don’t know about you, but at this point in the semester, I think that sounds like an absolutely wonderful thing.
The other companies that we visited may sound less familiar, but it’s likely that their products are all around you, and you just don’t realize it. Meredith Corp. publishes 14 magazines, including Ladies’ Home Journal, Better Homes and Gardens, Fitness, More and Parents Magazine. We heard from an alum from the Art School who had a particularly interesting and unique position at Meredith Corp. Her job was to come up with fun craft ideas for parents to do with their children. While this is not my cup of tea, it sounds like a great job for anyone who enjoys making crafts and has a creative spark.
Another company we visited, Publicis USA, is one of the top advertising agencies in the country. Their clients include Lanc“me, BMW, Heineken, and Coca-Cola. At Publicis, we heard from a Wash. U. alum who is now working as the art director. Her job involves coming up with the ideas for commercials. Although she was an art student at Wash. U., she said that students with other creative skills (such as creative writing) could also be great candidates for the career.
A perk about working for Publicis is that the environment is very casual and that jeans are perfectly acceptable attire.
Finally, Ruder Finn is one of the world’s leading public relations and marketing firms. However, I can’t offer as much information on this company because I had to leave the presentation early in order to go to an interview. Yes, another perk of the Road Show is that the Career Center sets up interviews for everyone.
The trip didn’t just teach me about the careers themselves; it was also a learning experience in other respects. For one, traveling around New York City is one surefire way to break out of the “Wash. U. Bubble.” The trip forced me to navigate the city by myself, traveling on subways and walking down jam-packed streets. (While this may sound stupid to New Yorkers, it’s pretty daunting for a small town Ohioan like me.)
In addition, the city certainly provides more diversity than our campus, with all imaginable varieties of people walking the streets.
The Road Show also forced me to meet some new people. I’ve heard it said before-and I agree-that Wash. U. students tend to find a good group of friends during freshman year and then forget to branch out and make new friends later on. I’m guilty of this as well, but when I was thrown into a group of sixteen students who I didn’t know in an unfamiliar city, I realized that it was time to make some new friends. The trip provided a great way to meet students and professionals alike who share my interests and goals. It also reminded me of how much fun it is to meet the interesting students at our school.
All in all, I’d recommend the Road Shows. Whether you’re looking for a job or simply exploring your options, it’s a great way to learn about careers and to network. It also provides the opportunity to break out of the Wash. U. bubble and to meet new people.
And if you’re worried about the cost, stipends are available, which help to cover airfare and hotel fees. Most of the meals on the trip are paid for as well. However, hotels in major cities (especially New York) can be very expensive, so I’d recommend going on a Road Show where you have a place to stay either with friends or family.
You can learn more about the Road Shows from your Career Center advisor or from the Career Center Web site, www.careers.wustl.edu.