Alumni Career Spotlight: Colbie Cassidy, '18

Elon Graduation year??

2018

What is your current neighborhood/location in New York?

Tribeca

?

What did you do immediately post-grad?

Right after graduation, I knew I wanted to move to NYC and was focusing my search on jobs based here. I was living at home in MA at the time, so I was not getting many bites on my applications. I ended up doing a summer internship at a startup in Boston and accepted a full-time position as a Media Planner at Mediahub Global in the Boston office.?

What motivated your move to New York City and how was your transition both socially and professionally?

Since I was in middle school, I knew I wanted to move to New York and work in the fashion industry - I had no idea how I was going to actually accomplish this, but it’s always been my goal. I ended up transferring to the NYC office with my job at Mediahub, and moved into a tiny apartment in the Lower East Side with one of my best friends from Elon, professionally and socially my transition was pretty seamless.?

Where are you now professionally and what are you doing??

I currently work for Rebecca Minkoff and work across all PR + Influencer initiatives along with Brand Social Media and Partnerships.?

What advice do you have for someone looking to land a career in your field?

Don’t be afraid to reach out to people and ask for a conversation. I believe anyone can learn how to do pretty much any job, your passion for the industry is something that could set you apart and that is difficult to convey on a resume or cover letter.?

How would you characterize New York City’s professional culture and how has it impacted you?

People are willing to take risks - I have been a part of planning and executing numerous non-traditional campaigns and events over the past few years. With that, the sentiment is not always what we expected going into it. But that willingness to take the less obvious approach and see what happens I think is what makes the professional culture in NYC so similar to the overall vibe;? it’s chaotic, exciting and you never really know what you’re going to get.

Are you up to anything unique/different the Elon NYC alumni community should be aware of or support??

Two years ago I started a podcast, Match Made in Manhattan, alongside one of my best friends from Elon.?

Are you hiring in NYC?

Not at this time

What is the best way for Alumni to engage with you? - I.E. LinkedIn Handle, IG, podcast, etc (whatever you are comfortable with)

IG - @colbie_cassidy

Linkedin - Colbie-Cassidy

Podcast - Match Made in Manhattan

Bonus Question:

Generally, what advice do you have for younger alumni looking to excel professionally??

Prioritize networking with people in the field you want to end up in. Being a self-starter and having the confidence to speak up around people who are further along in their career are two skills that you will need to develop to succeed. Those initial conversations can help you start to show initiative and work on finding your voice in a professional environment.