My First Job: Social Media Success--Meghan Butler

This is part of a new series I'm doing, featuring real grads who are talking about their first jobs. Enjoy!

Name: Meghan Butler
Age: 23
Current Location: NYC
Year Graduated: Spring 2008
Major: Journalism
School: SUNY New Paltz, New Paltz, NY
First Job: Marketing Assistant/Marketing Coordinator
Current Job Title: New Media Coordinator
How Long at Your Current Job: 8 Months
www.megsmumbo.com



How did you land your first job after college?

Through networking. I happened to mention that I was looking for a job during a monthly book club meetup I was a part of and one of the members was an HR manager for a company who was hiring. It was very serendipitous but I definitely put myself "out there" but bringing it up in casual conversation. I think being a part of several different groups is very helpful...I've always loved networking and meeting new people.

Tell us about the process of getting your first job.
I think my process was quite different from others. Since I knew the HR manager, I was hired almost immediately, although I did send a resume and have an interview.

What was the most challenging aspect of securing your first job?
Knowing which questions to ask and how the process works--it can definitely be stress-inducing. Also, finding the balance between persistent and annoying is key. You want to let the employer know you're interested but you also don't want to look like an eager-beaver: it's like dating! Also, I've found that in the beginning, we take things very seriously and feel that if we don't get a job, it's a reflection of our worth. Like dating, sometimes we're not not right for a job and a job is just not right for us. There's no harm is asking for a critique of your interview or for the company to keep your resume on file.

What was the biggest challenge once you were on the job? How did you overcome that?

Learning to not take everything too seriously. Because it was my first job, I wanted to be perfect at everything so any little incorrect action would cause an anxiety attack. I found that once I grew a thicker skin, I became much more confidant and ultimately, better at my job.

Also, my co-workers tended to be very catty and cliquish. In hindsight I wish I had avoided that entirely and been more vocal about being treated improperly by management. At the end of the day, you're the only one who can really look out for your best interests and there's a difference between being a tattle-tale and tolerating inappropriate behavior.

What did you wish you did differently when it came to finding, securing and performing on the job?
I wish I had been a bit pickier. While I enjoyed my experience, it was a company that there was very little advancement opportunities or benefits. These are all things I now consider important. I also wish I had been better able to create boundaries between my personal and work life. A job is a job--dating someone you work with should not happen, being best friends with your co-workers is also a bad idea. You can be friendly without taking it outside of work hours.

What was the best thing about your first job?

I was given a lot of freedom and opportunity to explore my passions. Because of the small size of the company (I was the only person in the marketing department) there was a lot of flexibility-- I was able to fully explore social media and what it could do for the company and then translate that into action. This helped a great deal with finding my second job and ultimately, my career. However, I did need to ask for these opportunities. I think one of the hardest parts about a first job is knowing how and when to properly assert yourself.

How long did you think you'd be at that first job?

I knew that I loved the people I worked with and was being given a wonderful opportunity to learn but I also knew that there was little advancement opportunities for me so I held out as long as I could (a year) and then started to search for something that would set my professional soul on fire--and found it! I always knew I wanted to do big things and not settling for my first job out of college just because of a resume was key for me. I feel too many of my peers believe they need to stay at a company for 3+ years and are then miserable. It's so much more important to grow professionally then to have longevity on your resume--although this isn't an excuse for impulsive actions.

What is your ultimate career goal? What are your next steps in attaining that goal?

I'd love to eventually run my own company and/or freelance. As a journalism major, I'm a writer at heart so a robust career in writing would be wonderful but I also love the networking and people in PR so if I can find a way to combine the two, that would be key! In my spare time, I write a personal blog and freelance because writing is my passion. It's a lot of work but at the end of the day, I love what I do.