Breaking Into Advertising: Insider Secrets From 25 Years in the Industry

Ever wonder what it actually takes to land your first job in advertising or media? Karen talks with Beth Egan — a 25-year advertising industry veteran (Coca-Cola, AT&T, Kraft, L'Oréal) and associate professor at Syracuse University's Newhouse School — who's spent over a decade watching what separates the students who get hired from the ones who don't.

Beth breaks down why the agency path is still the best training ground even as Google, Amazon, and TikTok reshape the industry, and why "don't quit a job you haven't been offered yet" should be your mantra during the search. She explains the timing quirks specific to advertising hiring (spoiler: it's not like finance), the real reason certifications like Excel and Google Ads matter, and why your resume should absolutely include that weird hobby you think doesn't belong there.

But the real gold is in the networking advice — the "rule of three," why the person you don't want to work for might be your most valuable connection, and Beth's favorite Barbara Walters story about learning to sit with silence instead of spiraling. She's also blunt about what actually gets people promoted: showing up, staying curious, and being the person who raises their hand for the tough project.

If you're chasing a career in advertising, media, or communications — or just want real talk on networking that works — this episode is packed with tactical, no-fluff advice you can use today.

Show Notes:

• Go HERE to find the Advertising Agency LUMAscape, a visual overview of the ad agency ecosystem. Check out LUMAscapes from the entire digital world!
• Good Read: The Confidence Code: A Scientific Guide to Finding Trust in Your Decision-Making (Authors Claire Shipman and Katty Kay)
• Certifications and LinkedIn Badges to build your skills:
  • Google AI Essentials
  • Google Skillshop - Google Ads or Google Analytics
  • Excel
  • Amazon Ads
  • Meta Certification
  • The Trade Desk Academy - Trade Desk Marketing Essentials

LAUNCH Career Strategies was founded by Karen Elders and Elyse Spalding. We help young professionals launch a successful career path with expert coaching services. Reach out today for an initial FREE coaching session.
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Stop Applying Blind: How to Actually Use AI in Your Job Search

If your job search strategy is "update resume, spray applications, pray," this episode is your wake-up call. Karen sits down with resume writer, career coach, and author Carrie Christiano (Empower Your Job Search with AI) to break down why the resume is never the right place to start — and how AI can become the research partner that gets you there faster.

Carrie unpacks her seven-step EMPOWER framework and explains the difference between asking AI transactional questions (surface-level, generic) versus interpretive ones (the kind that actually uncover your strengths, your fit, and what a company really needs). You'll learn her favorite prompts — like asking AI why a job posting even exists — plus how to use AI to mine your own experience for accomplishment stories you didn't know you had.

They also dig into the mindset shift every young professional needs: AI rewards curious thinkers and exposes lazy ones. Carrie explains why courage and iteration matter (don't accept the first answer!), how modern ATS systems actually evaluate candidates now that AI is involved, and why cultural fit — not skill — is the real reason most people don't get hired or get let go.

Whether you're a college junior with no internship experience or a grad student staring down a brutal market, this conversation will change how you think about AI — not as a shortcut, but as a thinking partner that makes you sharper, more prepared, and way more memorable.

• Click here for Carrie's Free prompt guide: empowercareerstudio.com
• Empower Your Job Search With AI (order Carrie's book on Amazon)

LAUNCH Career Strategies was founded by Karen Elders and Elyse Spalding. We help young professionals launch a successful career path with expert coaching services. Reach out today for an initial FREE coaching session.
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Landing the job is only the beginning — so why does it feel like the finish line? In this episode, host Karen Elders sits down with Dr. Deepak Bhootra, a Sandler and ICF-certified coach, bestselling author, and founder of Rise Up Career Studio and RISEUP@Work to unpack what it really takes to grow once you're in the door.

Deepak shares his signature framework — Performance, Visibility, Value, and Positioning — as a practical roadmap for turning a job into a career. He explains why the first three to five years matter so much, how "low-level advice" from well-meaning friends can lead you to quit for the wrong reasons, and why chasing a promotion without earning trust rarely works.

The conversation also dives into personal branding (and the gap between how you see yourself and how others do), why AI-generated resumes can backfire in AI-powered interviews, and how small, consistent habits compound into real career momentum. Deepak gets candid about his own career setbacks, the emotional toll of corporate life, and why community — not just content — is at the heart of Rise Up.

If you're a young professional wondering how to move from "just doing your job" to building real momentum, this episode is packed with tactical, human advice you can start using today.

LAUNCH Career Strategies was founded by Karen Elders and Elyse Spalding. We help young professionals launch a successful career path with expert coaching services. Reach out today for an initial FREE coaching session.
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