On ThE JOB
What Employers Want
PRACTICAL ExPERIENCE
In arts, a/v Technology & communications, practical
Creative
experience can count as much as classwork. classwork
doesn’t always teach you the day-to-day requirements of
Communications
a profession, and employers aren’t always willing to pay
for on-the-job training.
“get as many internships as you can,” advises craig
bean, public service manager for the Texas association
of broadcasters. High school and college students can
find opportunities as unpaid interns, earning school
credit while learning the fundamentals of a career.
and internships can lead to permanent employment.
“when I was a hiring manager at an austin television
station, I hired about 50 percent of my interns,” bean
says. He could judge students’ skills and work ethic by
Combine IMAGINATION, hEART, ANd
working with them, side by side. “They were on site,
using the equipment they’d use if they were employed.”
BUsINEss sAVVY to build a successful career.
GOOd BUsINEss ATTITUdE
practical business skills and a dash of common sense
are a plus. “most young people don’t have a sense of
Y
ou never know where an interest Doing What You Love
in Arts, A/V Technology & Wendy Wheeler, an Austin-based
Communications can take you. communications manager for CSC, a major
which type of communication is most important—face-
Laura Grace House was “one of the kids information technology firm, crafted her
to-face, email, phone—or how to use it,” says judith
who, when I saw a squished frog on the career out of two other loves—language and
manriquez, a partner at the georgetown marketing
road, got a stick and turned it over. My computer technology. “When I was growing
communications firm gx creative communications.
mother’s a biology teacher, and I loved all up, I could always write quickly and clearly,”
“If you give young employees a problem, they send an
her biology books—I just thought they she says. “I loved to read, and I believe that
email. Then, two days later, you ask if they solved the
were wonderful.” reading teaches you how to write well.”
problem and they tell you, ‘I sent out an email, but no
House also had a talent for art, but it While working at a savings and loan
one answered.’ well, hello! use the telephone!”
wasn’t until she graduated from college that association, she became interested in
she realized she could combine both loves electronic banking systems. “I came to realize
sELf-CONfIdENCE
in a career as a medical illustrator. “I always that I really enjoyed doing communications
“I need someone to be able to pick up the phone and
wanted to do this, I just didn’t know it was a for high-tech subjects,” Wheeler says. “In
say, ‘I don’t know you, and you don’t know me, but
job!” House says. a typical day, I’m writing brochures, data
I’ve got something great,’” says patti Hill, chief
Based in Dallas, she now she uses her sheets, or flyers, and managing direct-mail
executive officer and founder of austin-based
skills to educate through pictures. and email campaigns.”
blabbermouth pr, a leading Texas public
“When surgeons develop new
relations firm. “so I make it very difficult for job
techniques, we’ll illustrate what Winning Combinations
candidates. I make them jump through a fair
they are doing,” says House. Careers that combine technology, science,
number of hoops. It’s a little rude, but I’m
“Or you’ll find people who are and the arts are not as uncommon as
trying to gauge how people will react to
interested in writing a textbook, or want to you might think. Anne Zanikos studied
different situations.”
sell a new medical product—it’s a variety biology and chemistry in school, but now
of possibilities.” she’s self-employed as an art conservator in
sELLING skILLs
San Antonio. It turns out that knowledge
Hill says her field involves a lot of selling
of biological and chemical processes is
skills. “If you come out of school with a
Texas college
required to clean and restore old paintings
communications degree, and you get
sTudenTs can
and sculpture without harming them.
sales experience, you’re a whole lot more
“My specialty is painting,” Zanikos says.
marketable,” Hill says. “There has to be
applY To InTern
“In my day, I may examine a painting to
some ability to sell yourself, because
wITH THe Texas fIlm
determine its problems, and determine
if you can’t do it well enough to win
commIssIon In ausTIn.
treatment options that will preserve it for
an account, you won’t be able to sell
years to come.”
yourself to the media either.”
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