If you have any questions about career insights, AJ can address them if you post them in comments.

By Adrian J. Hopkins

Do you ever have moments in class when you completely space out? Of course you do. As part of your college experience, those moments are completely normal. As part of the job interview experience, however, they are not.

Two years ago, I was in the same spot where many graduating seniors are currently finding themselves. Coming into senior year, I knew that I wanted to work in business, dealing in some way with either of my biggest passions – media or design, and that I wanted to work in a major city. When it came to identifying specifics, however, I was at a loss, and therefore an easy victim to the UCS vacuum. This is the vacuum that lures unsuspecting undergraduates into thinking, “Maybe I could do banking or consulting…there sure are lots of information sessions coming up…and the pay is nice I hear.” If you close your eyes and stand completely still, you may hear a loud sucking sound coming from Whitney Avenue.

Of the five consulting firms to which I had submitted initial applications, I was called in to interview by only one. As anyone who has been fortunate enough to experience a consulting interview knows, you are evaluated on your approach to a “case study” posing a problem faced by a hypothetical company in a random industry. I was excited to get called back by this particular firm as their literature had touted the organization’s innovative problem-solving approach and expertise, specifically in its work with media companies. Before I sat down across the table from the interviewer, I tossed up a quick prayer hoping for a media case, only to be warmly greeted by Company X’s dilemma in determining a location for its next power plant.

*Yawn*

I really tried to engage with the interviewer’s reading of the case for the first few minutes. Honest, I did. When the time came to spit back my solution, I only had a sheet of paper with my signature repeated about a dozen times to analyze. I looked up at the interviewer, and stuttered out some B.S. statement. That was all I had. We exchanged one glance, and it was painfully clear that I would not be getting a call back. My pride was hurt for the rest of the day. I called my parents for comfort and they assured me that “everything happens for a reason.” It was “their loss.”

Over the holiday break, I received an email from my personal coach from Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT), a leadership development and career training program that I had completed in my junior year. The email included information about the MTV Networks Summer Associate Program (SAP), a ten-week training program for recent college graduates interested in pursuing careers in media and entertainment. Score!

I sent in my application by the mid-January deadline with high hopes. I did not have any television-specific experience, nor did I watch much on the tube during the school year (save for Chappelle’s Show – R.I.P.), but I hoped that my entrepreneurial experience in starting Sphere and my prior Business Development internship with BusinessWeek.com would at least grant me a callback. I got the call, did well in the two on-site interviews in New York, and was finally named one of fifteen Summer Associates by April.

That summer I was placed in the Business Development group of the VH1 and Country Music Television networks, reporting directly to the Senior Vice President of Strategy & Business Operations. SAP is designed to be an intense immersion into the world of a high-powered media company, and it succeeds as advertised. I had a sense of how large MTV and VH1 were, and I knew that they were under the same corporate umbrella, MTV Networks (MTVN), but I had no idea that 137 channels and nearly 300 interactive properties also called the company home. SAP provided the opportunity to meet executives from various channels and departments to learn about their daily duties and their career trajectories. In small groups, we also worked with an MTVN brand to help develop and execute a “pro-social” initiative. My group worked with MTV International and the Staying Alive Foundation to help create materials to market the grants that the foundation awards each year to young people around the world who are helping to spread AIDS awareness. The projects and the stakes are real – not just for practice. All of this comes in addition to your day-to-day work to demonstrate your worth to the department where you have been placed. No pressure.

Business Development is one of the handful of job areas that have recently emerged in media in response to the technology boom, thus its definition varies by company. Think of it as the group whose responsibility it is to research, analyze, and execute strategies to help grow an area of business within a company. The process of starting a new company relies very heavily on those same activities, so I was able to adapt quickly to the responsibilities. During the summer my boss allowed me to work across a range of projects to help me understand the basics of the TV business. I spent that summer getting a handle on how program ratings affect the bottom line and analyzing potential opportunities for selling DVDs of our programs and syndication rights internationally. Oh, and I wrote PowerPoint presentations – lots of them.

Before the end of the ten weeks, my boss offered me a full-time position in our department (which had only consisted of him and his executive assistant). I knew that the opportunity to work so closely with a senior executive was rare, so I gladly accepted it. SAP is designed to orient recent grads towards careers at MTVN (though not guarantee them) – I was the first in the history of the program to be hired directly into the role of Manager.

I am often asked “how I did it” regarding the leap from minor player to Manager. I readily admit that I did not plan it, nor was I immediately sure that a TV network was the place for me. Yet, I learned ‘on the fly’ some keys to success: (1) over-delivering, (2) staying in your lane, and (3) always asking questions.

Warning! Over-delivering does not mean showing off. Rather, it requires that you understand what your boss/group needs beyond what is strictly written in your job description. Do what is asked of you with superior quality, and if the assistant is off handling an urgent matter and needs you to cover an incoming call, you had better not feel “too skilled” to answer the phone. Staying in your lane should be simple, but for us overachieving Ivy Leaguers the mandate must be reiterated. Never go above your boss’ head and know that anything that you say or do reflects on him or her – for better or for worse. Finally, you should always feel free to ask questions. The verdict may still be out on whether dumb questions actually exist, but trust me, when you just ‘act like you know’ when you actually have no idea, the truth will eventually blow your cover.

So my three “keys” should satisfy those of you searching desperately for “top tips,” “how to’s,” “keys for’s.” I only wish that adjusting to the real world were that easy. Your knowledge of yourself, your instinct, and your flexibility to change will truly determine your success not only in a job, but also in your life’s path. Those things can’t be learned from a guide or advice column, but they will help you in unexpected situations like the following:

• the company’s founder and CEO gets fired on your first day as a full-time employee
• you witness what “downsizing” does to company morale
• you walk up to company headquarters unsure if you will encounter a protest or be a target of angry jeers

These are all experiences that are real and very possible at any company in any major industry – and there is actually very little that you can do to prepare yourself for them.

Yet, I still unquestionably love that this is my first job out of college. As a self-admitted media junkie, it is a Wonka-esque treat to witness and engage with the inner workings of the media industry. In my current position, I have helped draft presentations that end up at the nexus of major strategies and transactions. As I am a member of some of our brands’ core demographics, I have lent my insight to the key decision makers. I have even led visiting MBA students as they worked to crack a case study focusing on our industry’s biggest challenges. I enjoy being able to add a behind-the-screen dimension to debates with my friends on media and pop culture. And as icing on the cake, I got to meet this guy.

I couldn’t have done that in a consulting firm.

Whether you are a graduating senior, underclassman, or even a graduate, my last piece of advice is this: pursue your passion while you still can. You have your whole life ahead of you to be “safe” and “reasonable” – you owe it to yourself to begin shaping the life and experiences that you truly want as soon as possible.

Students in the Class of 2010 can learn about MLT and apply by February 28, 2008 here: http://www.ml4t.org/cp/index.aspx

Click here to check out Lindsey Pollak’s Getting from College to Career for very useful advice and learn more about pursuing your passion!

del.icio.us! | Share on Facebook

See Also:

This entry was posted on Monday, January 28th, 2008 at 5:16 am and is filed under Entertainment, Careers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.