Hobart and William Smith Colleges

6 February 2009 Networking in the Publishing World

NYC Event Lets Students Meet Execs

Ever wonder what goes into printing your favorite magazine? Or maybe you want to be the one designing the look of the latest bestseller? Whatever your interest, the Colleges can help you on your way to a career through a Publishing Event held in New York City.

At this years event held over winter break, students were led on tours of the citys premier publishing houses, introduced to staff members and given the opportunity to ask questions face-to-face to those in the industry who currently hold the jobs of their dreams including:

• McGraw Hill Company BusinessWeeks President Phillip Ruppel P11, Vice President of Communications Carl Fischer 96 and Senior Vice President and Worldwide Publisher Jessica Sibley 91;
• Conde Nast Executive Director of HR Editorial Meg Gruppo P09;
• Random House Sales Assistant to National Accounts Rachel Stephansky 08 and Library Marketing Coordinator Erica McDonald 02.

Students were grateful for the sound advice that they gained during the event. They shared insight about the publishing industry and gave me interviewing tips specific to the types of jobs Im interested in, said Danielle Ryan 09. Ill be keeping in touch with them as resources for my honors project, which deals with publishing, and as I enter the publishing industry after graduation.

After witnessing the networking that took place during these encounters, Joe Ambrosetti, Employer Relations Associate Director in the Career Services Office, was overjoyed. It was wonderful for me to watch our students on their own go up to these executives to introduce themselves, ask questions and inquire about jobs as well as internship opportunities. Without knowing it, they were genuinely networking.