How to Stand Out and Secure Opportunities as a New Graduate

Plus advice for entrepreneurs, ways to lean into the media to leverage your expertise, and cell phones for kids

Hello everyone! I have been working tirelessly on creating my “offer” my “rates” and my “services” for (ON CAM) Ready that I have NOT made time to ensure this newsletter hits your inbox the same time each week. I doubt you were waiting for it, but I believe in being consistent, so I will work ahead more.

On that note, with this week being filled with commencements this post focuses on life lessons, career advice, and the social media trend driving my generation to turn in their 9-5 jobs for “freedom.”

1. Commencement Advice

This is me.

Call letters and large media companies define my career on paper, but it is the lessons I’ve learned that define who I am. In this post I am going to offer tips from each role to help you or your child with life after college.

Since I’ve begun posting regularly on LinkedIn and Instagram I have had people reach out asking for coaching or advice for their children.

Securing a television job at one of the major networks is not easy. Before I began interning in college I had applied to the CNN internship and wasn’t accepted. I also applied to the ABC intern program and was denied. However, I did not let those “NOs” stop me. Instead I got creative.

My mom would always tell me, “Jamie, you can not always go through the front-door like everyone else. You need to find a way in through the backdoor.” This concept has shaped life’s motto: Never give-up and always look for alternative paths to achieve. Currently my goal is to build a passive income, help professionals leverage their expertise online, work with firms on helping clients navigate the media industry, and freelance.

Last year I wrote about manifesting for M.T. Deco In this piece I combined a hustler’s mindset with manifesting. I highly recommend this read, as it also features advice from entrepreneurs and media leaders, which could help your new graduates.

When I reflect on my career across CNN, FOX, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, and NBC (affiliates), I am reminded of lessons learned.

So, to help you create a life you want, I am sharing my tips from each role!

ABC’s One Life to Live

• Be strategic with your approach. If you are struggling to secure a job where you want to work, think outside the box. For example, I was not accepted into the ABC News internship program, but I refused to give-up because I wanted to work for Good Morning America . While traveling around the world, I wrote a letter to ABC from India. Let’s just say this letter covered in stamps was what secured me a paid internship with my favorite Soap Opera. I ran scripts, helped with auditions, AUDITIONED myself, and worked with the crew. It was an incredible experience. One I would not have had if I didn’t research the head of casting and send a unique letter. By the way, I left school and moved home so I could take this job in NYC. To keep up with my degree, I took classes at a county college, vs transferring to another university in New Jersey. So, I also learned to take chances.

NECN

• Be willing to work long days and difficult shifts. I would take the train from school then walk miles to NECN from the train station. The anchor I was assigned offered to start picking me up, so I would stick to a schedule and hop in his car. This meant I was working until he was ready to leave. I highly recommend investing time at your first job or internship, so you better understand the culture and expectations. At NECN I went from desiring the anchor chair to dreaming of the news director’s role, all by introducing myself, volunteering, and hustling each and every day I was there.

WBZ

• Test the waters. At WBZ, I did not get the newsroom production assistant internship, but I was able to work myself into the promotions department. This is where I believe my love for media business and creating short-form content began. We created promos for the shows and anchors. I also learned organization, as I needed to track everything. Testing my interest here taught me that I could really enjoy this area of media if my journalistic ambitions didn’t pan out. Always say “yes” to opportunities that could align with your interests because “you never know until you try.”

MSNBC

• Speaking of trying, learn when to fold. MSNBC was my first official job out of college. During college I worked at NECN, WBZ, and ABC’s One Life to Live. I also worked in many restaurants. My job at MSNBC was one of those back door moments. I interviewed for an internship but since I graduated from Northeastern University early, I could not intern, despite that I showed up and nudged my way into a job interview. This job, however was overnight in the graphics department. At the time I was competing for Miss New Jersey, and I struggled to enjoy this routine. I loved being a production assistant to Natalie Morales, Alexis Witt, Lester Holt, and more greats, but the hours killed me. I also really wanted to be a reporter, so I left and worked at a newspaper for about a year. Know when to fold.

FOX

• Know when to take chances. At FOX I was extremely entrepreneurial. No matter what career you are building make sure to network, explore, and test the waters. I was given a tremendous amount of opportunity at Fox News Channel/ Fox Business.

CNN

• Find a life-work balance that suits you and your family. I always said “yes.” It is good to be the person who is flexible and willing to help colleagues but know when to say “no.” This took me a long-time to start doing, too long. I would suggest saying “yes,” often in the beginning but as you climb, start to say “no.” I was lucky to have a strong partner, but not everyone is willing to pick-up the slack when you are constantly working. So, keep that in mind and be fair to your family.

BET/Paramount

• Use LinkedIn to network. I was reaching out to folks on LinkedIn to ask, “What Do You Do Exactly?” This led to my first solo podcast, by the same name. It also helped me secure a Line Producer/Executive-in-Charge role at BET. So thankful for this and I can not stress networking enough. Be sure to ask people questions, reach out to strangers with interesting jobs, and be curious. My journalistic side helped me network effectively. So, think like a journalist and ask tons of questions.

Before college I suggest encouraging your high school student to try out the following, if interested in media:

• If the HS has a multi-media program, encourage your children to try it out. This will not only introduce them to the technology that every journalist needs, but it should introduce them to the technology every business, brand, and entrepreneur needs today too.
• Volunteer at a local newspaper or television station. This helped me determine whether my interests were more than a hobby or a fun idea.
• If your child loves TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat encourage them to create a faceless account or an account that requires them to share facts, a story, or record complex videos. If they learn how to tell compelling stories using these formats they will increase their chances of securing powerful internships in media, marketing, etc. It might also help them become stronger entrepreneurs.

Others in my network, wanted to share tips as well.

Dr. Patrick Dicks : “The game of life has just begun!” Be sure to “bet on yourself, it’s the best thing you will ever do!”

Roger Clark : “Don’t be afraid to take risks - especially when you’re young and you don’t have responsibilities likes kids and a mortgage etc. Break out of your comfort zone. I have found that people who take sensible, well thought out risks tend to be more successful than those who don’t. With very few exceptions, if you take a risk, move out of your comfort zone and it doesn’t work, you can always reverse course. I also believe that generally speaking, people regret what they don’t do and not what they do do. I certainly do not want to reach the end of my career sat in a chair thinking ‘what if I had done that or that or that.’ The motto of the SAS ( Britain’s most elite military regiment ) is ‘Who Dares, Wins.’ I totally agree.”

Thank you for contributing!

2. Leveraging your Expertise & Entrepreneurship

For the rest of the newsletter which includes advice on how to leverage your expertise visit (ON CAM) Ready on Substack

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