College Experiences That Helped a Producer at Major Media Company Succeed
Danielle, a Producer at a major media company, credits internships and strong writing skills honed during their history major as key to career success. The ability to "take various pieces of information and form a persuasive historical argument," translated into effectively synthesizing feedback and communicating action plans to executives in their current role.
Communication, Organization, Writing Skills, Information Synthesis, Internship Experience
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Danielle Witz
Producer
Major Media Company
Occidental College
History, Art History
Arts, Entertainment & Media
Operations and Project Management
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Internships provide valuable professional experience.
2. Strong writing and communication skills are essential for career success.
3. Organizational and analytical skills, honed through academic writing, are highly beneficial in a professional setting.
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
I did a lot of internships in my undergrad that I think got me a little bit of professional experience that helped set me up for success in my career. But I also think, weirdly, the ability to write a good email is so important in my job.
The ability to succinctly communicate an action plan, thoughts, or feedback is really important. I was a history major, so I did a lot of writing. Also, the ability to type fast and take notes is very helpful in my job.
As a history major, so much of what you learn is how to take various pieces of information and form a persuasive historical argument. I have found that organizational ability, which I spent so much time honing in college, helps me so much in my day-to-day job.
I can take lots of different pieces of feedback and communicate that really clearly to execs. I can say, "Here's what we need to do based on all these meetings, this is what needs to happen." That factual, organizational ability really came from the million papers we had to write in college. So, I do think that is a big part of my job.