Media and Design encompass both the old guard of television and advertising as well as the new giants of social media, big data and design-as-business core. This mini-symposium explores the synergies and contractions inherent in 21st Century careers in Media and Design, including: To be or not to be (irreverent); How to be street smart and business savvy; Who decides what gets created; and What’s Ethical: The Valorized Designer/Director.

1. DEMYSTIFYING MEDIA
& DESIGN CAREERS
March 7, 2013
PRESENTED BY
Alex Schmelkin

2. ABOUT ME
First job
Hofstra UCCE (1995)
First website
Hofstra.edu (1996)
Yesterday
MCNY (1997)
Founded Davanita (1998)
Acquired by Avatar (2000)
Today
Ai (2002+)

4. • Founded 2002
WE PLAN • Manhattan
AND BUILD • 50 Employees
DIGITAL • Transactional Expertise
BUSINESSES • End-to-end Ecommerce
• IMA Top 10 Agency

5. Careers
in Digital

6. IN OR OUT?
SPECIALIZE.
NETWORK.

7. IN OR OUT?
SPECIALIZE.
NETWORK.

8. IN OR OUT?

9. IN OR OUT?
BRAND
vs.
AGENCY

10. BRAND vs. AGENCY
• Steady • Variety of projects
• Build a career and • Dynamic and creative
advance environments
• Great exposure to • Learn from great
commercial concepts people, quickly
• Ownership and control • Can get “stuck” on
• Can get “stuck” on accounts
projects • Agency hopping

11. IN OR OUT?
SPECIALIZE.
NETWORK.

12. THE INDUSTRY EXPECTS
YOU TO BE A SPECIALIST.

13. COMMON CAREER PATH
IN DIGITAL INDUSTRY.
SPECIALIZED
Years 2 – 5
YEARS IN CAREER

14. COMMON CAREER PATH
IN DIGITAL INDUSTRY.
MANAGEMENT
SPECIALIZED
BUSINESS
Years 2 – 5
YEARS IN CAREER

15. Example Ai Project Team
Management Project Manager Engagement Manager Chief Experience Officer
Strategy UX Design Technology
Digital Strategist UX Lead Design Lead Tech Lead
Business Analyst Info Architect Art Director Developer(s)
Data Analyst Content Strategist Visual Designer(s) Fender(s)
UX Researcher Copywriter QA Engineers(s)
Digital Strategist Sys Admin

16. IN OR OUT?
SPECIALIZE.
NETWORK.

17. NETWORK
Get yourself out there. It pays off.
Participate in local meet-ups.
Consider an internship.
Publish some thoughts.
Attend an industry conference.
Start early with LinkedIn.
Find a good recruiter.

18. INTERN (2005)

19. SENIOR PM (2013)

20. YOU
• Write thoughtful cover
letters
BUILD YOUR • Build a portfolio site
PERSONAL • Connect on LinkedIn
Demonstrate personality
BRAND •
during interviews
• Share 2-year goals

21. Thank you.
Alex Schmelkin
as@alexanderinteractive.com