SPS Students Continue to Network with Industry in a Virtual Setting
September 18, 2020
SPS Students Continue to Network with Industry in a Virtual Setting
By Edwin Raagas, Associate Director, NYUSPS Wasserman Center for Career Development
Networking and industry engagement have always been hallmarks of the NYUSPS academic experience through events like panel discussions, industry mixers, and the annual Networking Night hosted by the NYUSPS Wasserman Center for Career Development. With the transition to a mostly virtual environment, the NYUSPS Wasserman Center launched the Adapt & Achieve Networking Series in Fall 2020.
The Adapt & Achieve Networking Series gives students the opportunity to virtually build their network with peers and professionals from a variety of industries and concentrations in hour-long sessions. In small breakout rooms on Zoom, students meet with industry guests for informal conversations about the current state of their industry or focus area, ways to strategically land a job or internship, and other ways to “adapt and achieve” during these uncertain times in the wake of COVID-19.
Topics and themes covered throughout the series include: Big Data Careers; Black-Owned Businesses; Non-Medical Careers in Healthcare; Translation & Project Management; Startups; Beauty, Wellness, eCommerce; Consulting; Innovations in Hospitality; Change Management; and Media & Entertainment.
Interested in an upcoming session? SPS students are granted priority RSVP access on Handshake two weeks prior to each session. Non-SPS students may RSVP on Handshake one week prior to each session.
Scroll below to see select insights from each session, and return for updates.
Big Data Careers
Guests: Alexandra Cazangiu (Senior Director, Institutional Research, Information, and Technology at NYU School of Professional Studies); Anna Liang (Data Scientist at Kenshoo, SPS ‘18 - MS in Management and Systems); Richard Sheng (Global Director, Data Science & Analytics at Z-Tech, STERN ‘12)
What are some areas within your industry experiencing current/emerging growth and hiring activity that job seekers should be aware of?
E-commerce is definitely the most growing area in the ad tech industry, especially at this pandemic time. People are purchasing more online, so helping brands/companies to track ad performance, allocate campaign budget, and provide data insights is much more important these days
Beyond technical knowledge/hard skills needed for a specific function, what qualities or skills make someone successful in your field?
Building relationships with people from different teams is a key skill
Identify partners, understand and set the larger context, using data and information responsibly
Name some of your favorite resources to get information and updates in your field (ie. websites, blogs, associations, influencers, etc.)
Subscribe to technology newsletter from established sources - they highlight news, trends, interesting applications that I can further research on my own (e.g., Bloomberg Technology newsletter, Tableau Viz of the Day), any professional associations or user groups that match your interest (Association of Institutional Research, Salesforce for Higher Ed, various Tableau user groups)
Black-Owned Businesses
Guests: Tiffany Ashitey (Co-Founder & Creative Director, Executive Producer at Benchmark Creative Group, SPS ‘14 - Integrated Marketing); Oneita Parker (Founder/CEO & Designer at The Proper Bunny); Cory Young (Founder at BCC Interactive)
What are some areas within your industry experiencing current/emerging growth and hiring activity that job seekers should be aware of?
Podcast Production / Audio Engineering / Audio Design
Online marketing and customer service
Beyond technical knowledge/hard skills needed for a specific function, what qualities or skills make someone successful in your field?
Creativity and curiosity in storytelling
Being kind yet firm and remembering that the customer is right.
Name some of your favorite resources to get information and updates in your field (ie. websites, blogs, associations, influencers, etc.)
AIR (Association for Independents in Radio)
Podcasts In Color
PRX
Bello Collective
Hot Pod
Marketplace on NPR
Non-Medical Careers in Healthcare
Guests: Francesca Barricelli (Recruiter at Weill Cornell Medicine); Kamil Makhnejia (COO and VP of Clinical Development at Jackson Medical); Stephen Randolph (Assistant Manager of Hospital Operations at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)
What are some areas within your industry experiencing current/emerging growth and hiring activity that job seekers should be aware of?
Thankfully, the medical device industry is relatively stable, especially with the current economic climate. The industry is always looking for Quality Engineers and those who have marketing acumen in identifying unmet clinical needs.
Risk Management, Telemedicine
Beyond technical knowledge/hard skills needed for a specific function, what qualities or skills make someone successful in your field?
People skills - working with healthcare providers and internal teams
Adaptability, Strong Communication Skills, Desire to Learn, Empathy
Name some of your favorite resources to get information and updates in your field (ie. websites, blogs, associations, influencers, etc.)
AdvaMed Smart Brief, MassDevice, Joe Mullings
Crain's, Greater New York Hospital Association
Translation and Project Management
Guests: Amber Crow (Talent Management Specialist at Transperfect); Larry Fedorko (Senior Director of Operations in Translation Services at Morningside Translations); Madeline Gerlach (Recruiter at Morningside Translations); Carolina Sánchez-Hervás (Founder and CEO at CSH Translation, STEINHARDT ‘14)
What are some areas within your industry experiencing current/emerging growth and hiring activity that job seekers should be aware of?
Currently, a lot of translations are related to the coronavirus pandemic in some way. Staying up to date with the terminology related to the pandemic in your language pair is helpful.
Our Legal Solutions team is currently hiring in Project Management, and we are regularly hiring translators as independent contractors
Expansion and explosion of content has created higher demand and need for multilingual content across the globe.
There’s a great demand for multilingual content. We frequently recruit for linguists and project managers. The higher the demand, the more support we need in these areas.
Beyond technical knowledge/hard skills needed for a specific function, what qualities or skills make someone successful in your field?
Timeliness, Professionalism, Ability to follow instructions, Attention to detail
The ability to see the big picture and understand the lifecycle of content throughout development and translation lifecycles as well as make decisions and assess and understand the risk impacts that those decisions entail.
Being a part of a global company requires you to be an effective communicator, problem-solver, and team player.
Name some of your favorite resources to get information and updates in your field (ie. websites, blogs, associations, influencers, etc.)
Proz.com, Reddit, Flipboard
The Queer Career Blog, Madison Butler on LinkedIn, TransPerfect's Vendor Blog
Slator, Multilingual, ATA
SHRM (for all things HR related) and Slator
Startups
Guests: Maya Grossman (Strategic Advisor, Marketing & Product Marketing; #1 Bestselling Author of Invaluable); Molly O’Shea (Senior Associate of Investments at NYL Ventures, STEINHARDT ‘17); Natalie Robinson (Co-Founder and Head of Supplier Relationships at HellaBlack)
What are some areas within your industry experiencing current/emerging growth and hiring activity that job seekers should be aware of?
Besides the requirement for solid programming engineers, an all around focused activities group is basic to progress. Recently, customer needs have changed . The eCommerce market has a solid spotlight on client achievement, client/merchant experience and backing. Given the value-based nature of internet business, we should use information in new and innovative ways. The most emerging growth activity areas are Data Analytics, Analysis and Reporting, Data Engineering and UX Design.
Beyond technical knowledge/hard skills needed for a specific function, what qualities or skills make someone successful in your field?
Mindset
Digital Marketing, Social Media, Audience Research, E-Commerce Functionality, SEO, User Experience, Networking/Relationship-building, Creative problem solving
Name some of your favorite resources to get information and updates in your field (ie. websites, blogs, associations, influencers, etc.)
Guests: Sarang Bhawalkar (Associate Brand Manager - Degree at Unilever, STERN ‘19); Michelle Corbett (Assistant Vice President, Human Resources at L’Oreal); Valarie Taveras (President and Chief Libation Engineer at The LIQ New York)
What are some areas within your industry experiencing current/emerging growth and hiring activity that job seekers should be aware of?
Pampering and self care
Data Science
Beyond technical knowledge/hard skills needed for a specific function, what qualities or skills make someone successful in your field?
Grit, Humor, Flexibility and Dedication
An unending curiosity and desire to go deeper and explore things in new and different ways
Name some of your favorite resources to get information and updates in your field (ie. websites, blogs, associations, influencers, etc.)
IG Business
Warc.com
@lindabustos
Consulting
Guests: Juan Bermudez (Founder at Wit Sports Consulting, SPS ‘17) and Narendra Moryani (Senior Consultant at Oliver Wyman, SPS ‘19)
What are some areas within your industry experiencing current/emerging growth and hiring activity that job seekers should be aware of?
Analytics, especially for an international student in US - top firms have been hesitant in providing sponsorship for the traditional management consultant role. Some STEM advantage is an absolute must.
Hiring in management consulting is very structured (just like the job itself), the summer internship deadlines are usually early fall with offers going out between late Oct - early Dec -- Apply Early!
Most companies visit NYU campus for presentations, attend those and make connections from the beginning. Networking with managers/partners is key.
Practice case interviews from day 1 of grad school.
Not to only focus on companies providing sponsorship. If you make an impression, most companies offer positions in other countries where they have a presence (talent is valued and rewarded)
Beyond technical knowledge/hard skills needed for a specific function, what qualities or skills make someone successful in your field?
People skills, values, work ethic, being proactive, problem-solving skills, readiness to step up and add value, ability to accept and adjust to changes
Structuring the problems, concise and impactful communication, quick mental math, understanding client's business strategy, listening avidly etc.
Name some of your favorite resources to get information and updates in your field (ie. websites, blogs, associations, influencers, etc.)
With any social media channel you are into, join networking groups on specific subjects to keep up to date on what others in those fields are doing.
https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/
https://www.nytimes.com/newsletters (On Tech, Sports, Soccer, Breaking News)
https://www.entrepreneur.com/ (And newsletters)
https://www.wired.com/
NextUp network (from Leagueapps)
SSIA network (Sport and Social Industry Association)
Victor Cheng - #1 coach to break into management consulting with a book, website, newsletter etc (one shop for all needs)
Case In Point - Marc Cosentino (book)
Websites for live case prep with top candidates worldwide - preplounge, case interview, crafting cases etc.
Student groups @ Stern - MCA (Mgmt Consulting Association), MCG (Mgmt Consulting Group)
Casebooks of top B-Schools in US - HBS, Chicago Booth, Kellogg, Wharton, NYU Stern, MIT Sloan, Columbia, etc.
Innovations in Hospitality
Guests: Devon Mosley (Founder at AGENCY IMD); Valerie Landry (General Manager at The Sanford House Inn & Spa); Renah Kang-Casas (Director, Global Luxury Sales - North East Market at Hilton); [James Lemon (Founder & CEO at The Growth Works)]
What are some areas within your industry experiencing current/emerging growth and hiring activity that job seekers should be aware of?
A select number of tech players & start-ups are using crisis as a chance to rebuild and grow, and have select positions. Well funded disruptor brands are also looking at growth, as well as some franchises, or owners with planned new openings.
Revenue, Sales & Marketing, Wellness, Diversity and People
Social Media; customer relations
Ecotourism
Be open to all functions - like front desk, housekeeping, finance, food service, events, operations etc. An ability to wear multiple hats not only increases your employability but also gives you an edge when you want to pivot.
Making your career resilient means making your resume resilient too. Versatility is key for success in today's complex market. Carve versions of your success stories that would help employers in navigating challenges they face.
Innovation does not have to be something big always, it can be something very simple, all you need is attention to details and understanding the pulse of your customers.
Beyond technical knowledge/hard skills needed for a specific function, what qualities or skills make someone successful in your field?
Comfort with data analytics and user-centric design are increasingly critical in every role, in addition to usual hospitality soft-skills. The ability and drive to have an impact fast through innovation, keep perspective and stay optimistic is essential.
Relationship-building & Networking
Social skills, being a team player, effectively reading your peers (both internal and external), thinking outside of yourself and your job description
The ability to think quickly; flexibility; able to compartmentalize
Name some of your favorite resources to get information and updates in your field (ie. websites, blogs, associations, influencers, etc.)
Skift
Phocuswright
HypeBeast; Adweek; Eater.com
International Travel - Afar Media, Conde Nast Traveler, Virtuoso Communities
John DiJulius; the Arlington, TX CVB
Keep in mind, in hospitality, people usually follow people not companies.
Change Management
Guests: Dean Karrel (Career & Executive Coach at The Skyridge Group); Carol Russo (Senior Director of Training & Development at New Jersey Transit); Steve Schloss (Chief People Officer at United States Golf Association)
What are some areas within your industry experiencing current/emerging growth and hiring activity that job seekers should be aware of?
Online training, remote presenters, sales, communication , technology.
Working from anywhere, AI, robotics, and the importance of data analytics.
COVID has led to the best season ever for golf participation, which is up 30-40% over previous years. The sudden growth is after decades of remaining static, and the largest growth area is tween girls! A couple reasons for the increase are the ability to social distance while golfing and that many golf courses are local and don't require travel to reach.
Beyond technical knowledge/hard skills needed for a specific function, what qualities or skills make someone successful in your field?
I believe that studying Emotional Intelligence (EQ) should be essential training no matter what field you pursue. Soft skills and people skills are so critically important, too. The time you spend enhancing these can pay you back with great dividends. This topic is something I talk about to clients often. The need to devote time to build the foundation of business success by mastering the basics can not be stressed enough especially in a competitive hiring environment.
Well rounded experience in a variety of industries and financial acumen.
Name some of your favorite resources to get information and updates in your field (ie. websites, blogs, associations, influencers, etc.)
LinkedIn is essential. Follow people, participate, network and you will grow immensely. LinkedIn Learning offers so many courses that are quick and easy to watch and taught by experts.
ATD Association for Talent Development
Muse.com
ThriveGlobal.com
Online magazines such as Fast Company, Wired and Inc.
Harvard Business Review, LinkedIn News, Morning Brew, The Skimm, The Economist, Society of HR Management (SHRM).
Influencers include RBG, Indra Nooyi, Michelle & Barack Obama, Margaret Hoover, Melissa Gates, Richard Branson, Andrew Yang, and Elon Musk
Media and Entertainment
Guests: Arlene Ulibas (Director of Search & Analytics at Situation); Afroze Ali (Vice President, Strategy at Altudo); Shaina Morrison (Global Marketing Manager at Netflix)
What are some areas within your industry experiencing current/emerging growth and hiring activity that job seekers should be aware of?
All companies and brands are relying on digital content, and potentially even more so, freelancers who can be flexible with time and budgets. If you have skill sets in the areas of content creation, design, management or amplification/advertising, highlight those skills, along with samples of your work, on your LinkedIn, your resume, other social media channels, your personal website and any other freelancing sites you might be on.
There's an interest in innovation and in virtual events given the current state of my industry. At the moment, there may be a demand for certain digital marketing roles, such as data analysts, content strategists, search specialists, and UX designers.
Beyond technical knowledge/hard skills needed for a specific function, what qualities or skills make someone successful in your field?
Creating a brand for yourself and becoming recognized for good quality work and excellent service ethic will help you and your expertise stand out in this industry. Also, the ability to understand what the current tone of the world is and what will resonate with your audiences will create the right environment for success. Identify a minimal number of problems you can solve and try each one out in the market to see which one gains traction.
Those who are successful in my field are always eager to learn (and often self-taught) in a landscape that is always changing. They are self-motivated, flexible and open, curious, organized, confident and clear communicators with all types of people in a range of positions.
Name some of your favorite resources to get information and updates in your field (ie. websites, blogs, associations, influencers, etc.)
I follow a lot of content creators within the women's empowerment space, especially targeting South Asian women because that's the genre that I create for. I also like to follow Fast Company, Inc.com, Ad Age, the Hubspot blog, Entrepreneur.com and LinkedIn's blogs, to name a few. I also love using easy-to-use publishing tools like Canva and Hootsuite. I like to lean on Linkedin Learning for learning how to use more complicated design and marketing tools. The media and entertainment world nowadays is equal parts production and design as it is branding and marketing, in my opinion.
Search Engine Watch, Marketing Land, Search Engine Land, Search Engine Journal, Think with Google, Broadway Briefing, Playbill, Neil Patel, ClickZ, Google Ads Blog