Jonathan Jackson, an Oakland University alumnus who majored in communication and minored in both broadcasting and journalism, brought some words of advice to students in a journalism class on Tuesday, Sept. 23.

As a reporter for WNEM-TV5, his words were of great value to many students in the room who aspired to do something similar to Jackson. However, his advice on how to get discovered by major companies and do well at your first job out of college could help many other students who do not fall under the umbrella of a path in communications.

One of the stories that Jackson shared was centered around his breakthrough moment in his career. After graduating in 2015, he put a demo reel of his work in broadcasting online, and it was discovered by a news director, which prompted an interview.

“Putting out that demo reel that my old news director saw online … that’s one of the ways you get noticed,” Jackson said. “Usually, a lot of people tell you it’s about forming connections, which is very important. You want to grow your connections, talk to people, network, all of that, but also putting your stuff out there online. For me, it was that.”

However, other ways to get noticed by an employer have to do with what’s on your resume. Furthermore, what you do with your skills when you do land the job can be vital to your career.

“A lot of my internships and training I did [at OU] helped me so much when I got to TV5,” Jackson said. “I was only training for a week before they threw me in there, and that’s because I picked it up so quickly.”

Internships can be desirable, but many are unpaid. This may make it difficult for struggling students to utilize the program.

“An unpaid internship can be difficult because, ‘I’m learning so much and this is going to help me in my career, but at the same time, I’m not making money,’” Jackson said.

That’s why Jackson stressed the importance of putting your own skills out to the public. He said setting yourself apart from the crowd could be the thing that helps you breakthrough into your career, too.

Jackson also discussed how utilizing the skills given to you at OU can be one of the most important opportunities to take.

“I’m not saying when you first get your new job, you’re going to be the fastest or the best, because you’re not,” Jackson said. “But if you already have a base here, you’re ahead of the curve.”