NYC, Publishing, and Networking Part II

(first part of this post can be found here)

My very first job came about from this networking system! A woman who had spoken to us was the president of a small publishing house. Her publicity director was looking for a new assistant, my email was forwarded on, I scored an interview, and landed the job!! It was a beautiful amalgamation of work, diligence, and strong networking abilities.

When my NYU program ended, I heard a few people mention that they hadn't sent out thank you's to the people who had spoken to us 'yet'. Yet?! I was astonished that they had let these amazing opportunities slip on past when they were falling right into their laps.

It's important to realize that successful networking bears hefty sacrifice. I had never been to NYC before and I didn't go out clubbing, sightseeing, or shopping my first several months there. I was too busy ironing clothes, reading up on the person who was to speak the next day, and compiling questions.

But you have to ask yourself why you're there and what's most important to glean from this experience. There will always be a million and one things to see and do in NYC, and that won't change! Just know that every opportunity to meet, introduce, reconnect, or sell yourself that you let slip by, someone else will use to advance themselves. There are a lot of people fighting for minimal publishing jobs, so make sure you are in the forefront of their minds!

The tips and tools you employ for this process will go on to help you throughout the rest of your career. You will portray eagerness, confidence, and independence to any potential employer. And believe me, anyone in NY can be a potential employer! You just never know...