Today show correspondent Sara Haines (right) with NYWICI Foundation President Joan Cear (Photo Courtesy Maryanne Russell Photography)
Today show correspondent Sara Haines instantly charmed the over 250 attendees of the New York Women in Communications Foundation Student Career Conference on November 7, 2009 with a humorous and insightful keynote address that focused on her unconventional rise to the Today show.
“You always wanted that one story where you wanted [a certain career] since you were four years old, but the reality of that is it doesn’t often happen that way,” Haines said. “So don’t hold on to something so tightly that you stop looking around you and growing because as you grow, your dreams will grow, and the vision should change if you are listening.”
Haines was a Class of 2000 Smith College graduate, where she studied government and was a self-proclaimed “safe route person” who always had several back-up plans. But she found her next steps weren’t so clear after graduation. She had promised herself she would move to New York to pursue her love of comedy improv, but once here she realized she wanted to be a part of NBC’s prestigious Page program.. She got in through persistence and networking, even without the experience that matched her peers. A few years later she reluctantly took a job in operations at NBC, even though she wanted to be on camera. But she took advantage of the job to learn new skills and seized opportunities when she could. This included pitching a digital video series called “Backstage Pass” that eventually got her on the Today show.
Her biggest advice for getting ahead was to keep working hard. “When your work speaks for you, don’t interrupt,” she said–and enjoy the journey while looking to that next step.
Some more tips from the rising broadcast star:
- “Bottle up those life moments,” she said, for when work gets tough or dull. During her time as a page, Haines would remember the feeling of getting the acceptance letter from NBC or her first time in Conan O’Brien’s studio to boost her spirit. She also keeps a “feel good” email folder of saved praise-filled emails that make her feel good.
- “Don’t get caught up looking at your peers or looking laterally … look forward and look backward [to learn lessons],” Haines said. You can’t get distracted comparing your journey to your peers.
- “Never be afraid of [hearing] ‘No,’” Haines said. She never would have gotten the Backstage Pass opportunity if she was too afraid to ask. And “don’t assume people know what you want,” she said.
- “Find your passion outside work. It will balance you in a way that gives you a piece of mind,” Haines concluded.
~Kelli Plasket, The College of New Jersey ‘10
Sangeetha also attended the advertising panel at the Student Conference. (Photo Courtesy of Maryanne Russell Photography)
The conference room at the Grand Hyatt hotel in New York City bustled with more than 250 eager students on Saturday, November 7, 2009, all of them gearing up for the start of the New York Women in Communications Foundation Student Career Conference. As a new member, I was excited to see what the conference had to offer a young, ambitious communications student. I quickly found out! The agenda for the day was impressive, featuring an accomplished set of professionals heading panels on various tracks in communications, such as marketing and public relations. The day kicked off with a brunch featuring a welcome address by Joan Cear, managing director at G.S. Schwartz & CO and president of the NYWICI Foundation Board of Directors, followed by a key-note speech by Sara Haines, contributing correspondent of NBC’s Today show. She spoke about how she got her current job–mainly, through hard word and persistance. The rest of the day was broken into four panel sessions about different communications careers, and the day ended with a discussion about how to go about job searches.
I particularly enjoyed the Digital, Social and Mobile Media panel moderated by Jennifer Preston, social media editor at the New York Times. With social media being every brand’s buzzword today, it was insightful to hear about a typical day in such a role from Preston, as well as fellow panelist Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, Director of Digital Media at Polo Ralph Lauren. In this session I learned that it was OK to be a “Jack or Jill” of all trades since it opens up a lot of options in the media industry. Ron Stitt, VP Digital Media at Fox Televisions pointed out the importance of networking and building contacts. The other panelists included Gail Griffin, General Manager, Barrons.com and Jeannette Arrowood, Digital Strategist, MobileBehavior, who shared their valuable experiences in the industry.
This was my first professional conference, and honestly I could not have attended a better one. I am sure that what I learned at the conference is going to make a significant difference in my career. I am constantly amazed at the accomplished women at NYWICI who are more than willing to help students define their career path. I am looking forward to being an active member of NYWICI Foundation to be inspired by and to inspire other women.
~Sangeetha Ilango, Graduate Student, Rutger’s University Master’s in Communication and Information Science program
The 2009 NYWICI Foundation Student Career Conference on November 7 was a great success, as it brought together more than 50 communications experts and an eager crowd of young professionals at the NYC Grand Hyatt for a day filled with lively sessions and many opportunities to network. Every student attendee came away with something different from the conference. nextBLOG writer Katherine Oyegun interviewed several attendees on what they learned at the conference. Here are their conference highlights:
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- “I have been to the advertising and marketing panels. It’s been helpful to hear the panelists discuss how they got to where they are and what they are doing now.” -Alexandria Yampolsky, University of Northern Colorado
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- “I enjoyed the keynote speaker Sara Haines. She seemed so friendly and gave good advice.” -Amanda Tallini, Marist College
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- “Sara Haines’ speech was excellent. She was my favorite part of the day. She is awesome.” -Anna Szutowska, Montclair State University
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- “Everything today has been so down to earth and the environment has been comfortable for the students and professionals to interact. It is amazing because these professionals are being offered to us as mentors.” -Daisy Waldman, Montclair State University
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- “I got a lot of tips for any job. Not limited to communications, but for any career choices that I make.” -Hailey Hulk, University of Northern Colorado
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- “Sara Haines is my new idol. We all have ups and downs and it was great to hear how she dealt with her experiences. Also I appreciated all the advice from the professionals.” -Jen Strasle, Montclair State University
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- “I will take away with me what Sara Haines said during her speech. She said, ‘don’t look at your friends and their accomplishments. Focus on yourself.’” -Kayla Arias, Stony Brook University
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- “I enjoyed how each panel was directed at how to gain access into specific industries.” -Lauren Stere, Fordham University
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- “The broadcast and cable journalism panel was my favorite. I really liked the personal experience stories. It helped build a connection between the panelists and the students.” -Rachel Dahler, Montclair State University
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- “I got out a lot from each panel. Primarily, I learned about networking and how to fix my resume.” -Rafia Yakuba, Bloomfield College
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- “I learned a lot of life tips, interviewing tips, and tips for my resume. Those tips have been really valuable for me because I am a senior.” -Ruth Kimada, University of Northern Colorado
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- “I found the sessions on marketing and advertising really useful and informative on how to break into the industry and find entry-level positions.” -Samantha Mills, University of Northern Colorado
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- “This event has given me so much. These opportunities are empowering for women. It’s a total girl power event.” -Valerie Barons, Montclair State University
