A couple weeks ago I went on an informational interview for one of my classes. I have had this professor a couple times and she always assigns an informational interview during the semester because it encourages students to network. Luckily, my aunt is a member of a prestigious women’s organization called the Belizean Grove and was able to put me in contact with Julie Koch-Beinke, the president and partner of a NY based advertising agency.

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Julie Koch-Beinke

President/Partner of Alternatives

Julie started her career in her hometown of Cincinnati. In college, she studied design and art. After interning in New York, she had the opportunity to work on big advertising design projects as a freelancer. With her husband, an architectural designer, she moved to NYC and together they started an ad agency from the ground up. This was in the 1980’s and her agency, Alternatives, is still going strong. The agency tackles a broad range of capabilities including advertising, branding, packaging, print, digital, media and product development. Also, they agency has worked with a number of clients; Kiss My Face (since the 80’s), AMEX, L’Oreal, Swatch, Victoria’s Secret, Revlon, Coach, Calvin Klein, et al.

Julie is a contact I obtained through my Aunt, Rebecca Boenigk, who is a well-known CEO/executive in the women’s empowerment and small business community. Julie is a member of an elite and exclusive women’s organization called, The Belizean Grove. Additionally she is involved in numerous women’s organization and charities. One organization she works with helps struggling artists market themselves more effectively and make smarter business decisions.

What I learned…

            Currently, I am a senior at FIT and vigorously searching for a full-time position post graduation. However, because I obtained this contact through a relative, I decided to utilize it as an informational interview for this assignment. We discussed the evolution of the advertising industry, jobs market, economy, her career path, her agency, my career goals and objectives and general advice for my job hunt. Also, we discussed how I have been utilizing my network to set up informational interviews and get my resume in front of as many people as possible. I have revised my resume a dozen times and have great work experience in a number of industries including; fashion marketing, branding/advertising, media and television production. So, why am I having so much trouble locking down something permanent?

Julie told me that the most important lesson I should learn from this informational interview is to not get discouraged by the jobs market. Even though I am qualified and focused, I can’t take rejection personally. The advertising industry is improving and agencies are starting to hire again, but at a slow rate. However, this doesn’t mean that all agencies have available positions. For example, her agency is looking to grow in the digital market, but all the growth will be internal.

Another topic we discussed was working at a corporate agency versus a start-up agency, both options having advantages and disadvantages. Corporate agencies tend to hire entry-level positions more because they have training and growth programs. Job perks like health insurance, paid vacations and extra time off make corporate agencies look very appealing. However, they have the lowest salaries for entry-level hires. On the other hand, smaller agencies tend to pay more, but don’t want to hire someone without experience. She suggested I focus on finding a position with a bigger agency like Grey Group or Ogilvy. She believes that the training programs provided by these agencies are crucial to really developing my skill set. Also, these agencies evaluate often, so there is more opportunity for bonuses and raises depending on performance.

At the end of the interview she gave me advice on how I can improve my job search. First, continue to reach out through my various networks and always follow up when people don’t respond. Secondly, I should view everything as a possible career opportunity. This means to start the conversation at parties and talk to everyone. Also, she said to practice interviewing at home and prepare answers to every question possible. Last, to portray a confident attitude, even when in the face of rejection because you never know when new opportunities may present themselves.