What graduates need: a skill set to sustain your career

by Emilie Boenig

A panelist of media professionals will speak to students Monday about the skills employers look for in graduates.

It is one of the first events of Texas State Mass Comm Week, which runs from Oct. 25 – 28.

The panelists include Jill Byrd, director of public relations for KGBTexas, Patti Kelly, spokesperson for State Farm Insurance, and Autumn Phillips, managing editor for The New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung.

Phillips said in the journalism world, effective research goes a long way.

“While today’s journalist needs to know how to do it all — video, photos, web updates — it’s more important than ever to get back to basics. The one thing journalist can provide that no one else can is in-depth reporting,” Phillips said.

“Spend your years in school learning how to research. Learn how to find documents from pulling a marriage license to tracking down campaign donations. I’ll hire that person over the best word-smith or the multimedia wizard any day.”

Byrd said she plans to discuss the importance of internships and developing a broad set of skills.

“I will be discussing the importance of becoming a subject matter expert in one area, but being open and fluid with all other aspects of the communication field such as social media and interactive media,” Byrd said. “It is such a changing dynamic is today’s world.”

The panel meets Monday at 11 a.m. in Old Main room 232.