Recent Graduate, Katherine De Jesus, Talks About Her Experience At Sony Music Entertainment
This Tuesday, March 2nd, BOLD was joined by FIU alumna, Katherine De Jesus, to talk to members about her role as an Audience Development Coordinator for Sony Music Entertainment as well as her advice for upcoming graduates. As a recent graduate, Katherine gave students insight into what it’s like to enter the workforce and how to succeed and grow in their careers.
During her time at FIU, Katherine was actively involved in various student organizations such as FIU External Relations, PantherNow, and the FIU Healthy Living Program. Her experiences at these organizations inspired her to apply to several internships and pursue roles that incorporate her love for content creation. Starting out as an Audience Development Intern for Sony Music, Katherine had the unique opportunity to meet various artists such as Anuel and Prince Royce. Her dedication to learning and willingness to help others got her promoted to a full-time position out of all of the other interns in the program. As an Audience Development Coordinator for Sony Music Entertainment, Katherine serves as a jack of all trades. She helps out of all the teams in completing their functions which include social media, digital content, influencer marketing, data and insights, and fan relationship management.
In the second portion of her presentation, Katherine shared some advice with students to facilitate their transition from college to the workforce. She reassured them that they do not need to be experts right out of college, in order to secure a job. “When you’re looking to just put your foot in the door, the main thing managers are looking for is that enthusiasm and willingness to learn,” said Katherine. That same enthusiasm is what set Katherine apart from the rest of the interns and landed her a full-time position with Sony Music. She also shared some skills and qualities that students should have when applying for internships or jobs. They include communication skills, willingness to learn, creativity, strategic and goal-driven thinking, and prioritization and time management skills. Katherine placed special emphasis on strategic thinking due to the competitive nature of her job and the company’s need to measure success. “Every time we launch a campaign, we also have to report back on the results because data and analytics are so important,” said Katherine.
“Rejection led me here. Before I got my internship with Sony two summers ago I actually applied to seven other internships and they all rejected me,”. Despite not having a background in music, Katherine kept an open mind and applied to Sony Music Entertainment and got the position two days after. She urged students to not limit themselves and stay open to different opportunities because the job market is unpredictable. As the meeting came to an end, Katherine encouraged BOLD members to give it their all in any position because it might lead to other opportunities. She concluded by noting that “If you show that willingness to learn and that you want to keep progressing, that is what is going to convince your managers to entice you to stay longer.”
Click here to connect with Katherine!
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Written by: Alejandra Chahine, Director of Public Relations