Posted by: Alyssa Cashman on: August 2, 2010
If you’re in marketing or advertising – or just love great television/fashion – you probably love AMC’s “Mad Men.” The show harks back to the 60s, often called the Golden Age of Advertising. And beyond the fabulously handsome Don Draper, the scandalous affairs and super chic clothing, Mad Men offers some lessons still applicable to the industry today.
Don’t take clients for granted – As Don Draper once wisely said, “The day you book a client is the day you start losing them.” Just because you’re riding high with clients by the boatload doesn’t mean you’ll have them tomorrow. Anybody in marketing knows that things change in the blink of the eye. At The Meyocks Group, where I currently intern, they work hard to constantly provide new and brave ideas that our clients can’t find anywhere else.
Be open to new ideas – In the 60s, TV was today’s social media. And although hesitant at first, the powers that be at Sterling Cooper (the advertising agency portrayed in Mad Men) eventually create a TV department as TV advertising grew rapidly in importance. And the agency would’ve never realized the tremendous talent of copywriter Peggy – since she was a silly woman and all – if Don hadn’t taken a chance on her.
Looks are everything – Ok, they’re not EVERYTHING, but they are important. Do you think Joan would have ever earned the respect of all the men in the agency if she didn’t wear stunning clothes that fit her just so? And once Peggy started dressing well, her confidence and career standing jumped up a few notches. Looking professional and well-dressed is vital in the PR and marketing world. A great appearance makes a fantastic first impression and exudes confidence and professionalism. And both of those characteristic are absolutely vital in this industry.
Mix work and pleasure with caution – While I love making new friends at work, knocking back a few beers and sometimes engaging in a little office gossip, the inter-office affairs that make Mad Men such great TV, don’t make for such a great work place today. Keep the boozing to a minimum when with co-workers and understand the boundaries of appropriate work behavior in your work place – every agency is different.
Posted by: Alyssa Cashman on: June 2, 2010
It’s been a month since I’ve updated this thing – social media diehards have probably already shunned me about 3 weeks ago… And yet, I can’t believe it’s been that long. While I usually dedicate this blog to journalism news, I thought I’d take a timeout to fill you all in on my new life!
Ok, so a NEW life may be an overstatement. But I did graduate from the University of Iowa with my degree in Journalism a couple weeks ago. And I did move to Des Moines to begin my summer PR internship at The Meyocks Group. I’m slowly moving toward the real world… now all I have to do is land a permanent job and I’m officially part of the adult club!
I’m excited to be in Des Moines this summer, although I haven’t had a chance to fully immerse myself yet. But as I get settled I’m trying to venture out and try different things. It’s a little disconcerting coming home at 5 and having no need to be productive. I read for hours on end, or go on long walks, or go out with friends – guilt free! I still have the sensation I will be returning to Iowa City at the end of the summer; I guess my reality hasn’t fully sunk in.
My internship is going well so far, although I’m only a week-and-a-half in. I love the atmosphere and people at work and I’m slowly figuring out the public relations thing. It’s weird being on the other side of the phone. Media calls remind me that there are still grumpy old men out there sticking to the newspaper reporting – a testament to journalism’s perseverance.
Be sure to follow @MiniMeyocks on Twitter to keep up to date our internship client projects!! And look for my signature (-AC)
Posted by: Alyssa Cashman on: May 6, 2010
Internships are a big business these days. Most college students graduate with at least one internship, if not more. Students can pay thousands to groups like the University of Dreams to land their ideal job – unpaid of course – at some prestigious locations. A friend of mine worked at a prestigious fashion magazine in New York. And as the famous Devil Wears Prada saying goes, it’s the job “a million girls would kill for.” Fortunately, they don’t have to kill – just shell out a few thousand!
Just a few days ago, Huffington Post auctioned off an internship for a whopping $9,000 (proceeds went to charity). Last year the same position went for $13K. If you want the big city internships, you not only need the connections, but the financial backing to live in NYC for 3 months with no pay. That’s an easy $4,000 on one summer. To work.
I do understand that the University of Dreams has its benefits. It gives students access they might not otherwise have to hard-to-get jobs with fantastic companies.
But whatever happened to plain and simple hard work reaping rewards? Why do I need thousands at my disposal to get my foot in the door? I never even applied for unpaid internships, because I didn’t want to take out loans or ask my parents to pay for it. I’ve had great internship experiences, but would I have loved to live in New York for a summer, making a name for myself at a major magazine? YES. Unfortunately, as Joe Grimm points out in his “Ask the Recruiter” blog, those jobs are reserved for the wealthy. I have no doubt that many of these people are completely qualified for their jobs (my aforementioned friend belongs at a fashion magazine), but let’s level the playing field so that the non-elite can have a fair shot as well.
Posted by: Alyssa Cashman on: April 27, 2010
I’ve been trying to do a little reading on SEO (search engine optimization) for my own benefit - talk about confusing! I’m sure if I really sat down and focused on it, I would be able to understand all the jargon, but when I’m skimming sources and books, it sure does seem like an awful lot of work for a few clicks to my website!
Robert Niles makes a few good points in his post on the need for SEO education in journalism. As tough as it may be to swallow, attracting people to your website is the name of the game today. In fact, during one of my recent classes with a panel of journalists, I was amazed at how many times they referenced what stories and headlines “got clicks” as a motivating and important component of reporting today. For students hoping for a career in magazine or newspaper journalism, its important to understand how to drive traffic to what you’re writing. Having a basic understanding of SEO is going to make you more attractive to potential employers as they continue to navigate different profit models online.
Still, I found myself going a little old school while reading these 10 SEO tips for journalists. When I’m writing something, I don’t want to be thinking, “hmmm, I better use this word because more people will be Googling it.” I want to write with creative freedom and I want to turn out a product that is closer to prose – not an article rife with important search terms repeated over and over to increase the likelihood someone will click through to my story.
As journalism schools and the media industry transition, I think it will be hard to place the needed emphasis on good writing. I know I write a lot here about the importance of social media and strategic communications and all the other areas journalism is branching out into, but one thing I’ve heard over and over from interviewers is that good writing will get you further than anything.
Posted by: Alyssa Cashman on: April 15, 2010
With ProPublica’s recent Pulitzer win in Investigative Reporting - after only two years of operation – nonprofit journalism organizations are getting more attention than ever. I think nonprofit journalism holds great promise, although there are certainly kinks to work out.
More of these nonprofit groups are popping up across the country. In fact, my own professor, Stephen Berry, is striving to startup The Iowa Center for Public Affairs Journalism (aka IowaWatch.org), a non-profit investigative news organization. According to Berry, the idea of the site is to encourage watchdog journalism; those pieces appearing on the website will also be available for newspapers to publish.
As newspaper staffs are whittled down, investigative journalism has seen a decline. Organizations like ProPublica and IowaWatch.org provide a channel and funding for this necessary segment of journalism. These organizations help to conserve democracy in this country.
Another argument forwarded by media thinkers like Robert McChesney and John Nichols in The Death and Life of American Journalism, is that the government should step in to subsidize newspapers and various news organizations. They take a page from Europe, where many news groups are funded by their respective governments. And although we scoff at such an idea here, where freedom of the press is paramount, in Europe they have no problem with such a system. While in Greece, I took a media class, and was surprised to find that many of my native classmates had no qualms with the media system in Greece, and in fact thought the US system was more flawed.
And although government subsidies helped to establish American media in the 18th and 19th centuries, there is no way the American people would ever let the government pour money into journalistic institutions. Bailout the banks – no problem; but bailout journalism, the foundation of this country’s democracy – not an option.
Posted by: Alyssa Cashman on: April 13, 2010
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average print reporter makes about $33,000 per year. A year in the graduate program Northwestern’s Medill, arguably one of the best programs in the nation, costs a whopping $80,000 (including living expenses). So, can someone tell me how a masters in journalism would be beneficial to me? Do they make more money? Are journalists with a masters more in demand?
During my time earning a Bachelor’s degree in journalism, I’ve learned that experience is the best teacher. Sure, I learned something from my professors, but nothing can match the real-world experience of being a reporter or interning in the communications field.
I mentioned dual degrees in an earlier post, and I can see the usefulness in those. And, I suppose I could go to a non-private school to gain my masters in journalism. But if I’m going to invest the time and money in a masters degree, I want to go to the best possible school I can get into.
Yes, I want to go to graduate school eventually. Yes, it’s an appealing option as my job hunt moves at a snail’s pace. But is it really worthy my time and money? Thoughts?
For more reading check out this story. It’s a little dated, but interesting.
