Alumni Spotlight: Haley Lucido

Name: Haley M. Lucido

Hometown: Montgomery, AL

Degree/Minor from Auburn: B.S. Marketing, Political Science Minor

Current Occupation: Advertising/Sales Account Executive 

Current Location: Birmingham, AL

Company: Clear Channel Media + Entertainment (102.5 The Bull, 103.7 The Q, Magic 96.5, News Radio 105.5 WERC, 103.1 The Vulcan, 104.1 The Beat, Hallelujah 105.1 & iHeartRadio)

  

        What was your favorite marketing course offered at Auburn and why? Looking back, Sales Management (Abernethy) and Consumer Behavior(Bourdeau) are my favorites, not because of the curriculum necessarily but because they were the most memorable and therefore applicable to real life.

         Are you currently involved with Auburn? (Organizations, positions, etc.) Yes, I am a Lifetime Member of the Alumni Association & a member of the Greater Birmingham Auburn Club

        Do you still keep in touch with any of your graduating classmates? Yes, thanks to Facebook and through some other Young Professional group.

        As a college student, did Auburn prepare you for the “real world”? When I was in school, the economy was golden and everyone was rich (seriously, I made more money working part time in college than I did working full-time right after I graduated). As I graduated the economy crashed and crumbled (December 2007), and there was nothing that could prepare a new college grad for that. My Auburn experience was fantastic, and I would do it again in a heartbeat, but the only thing that can prepare you for the real world is experiencing outside of Auburn first hand.

        When you were a student and applying for jobs, what did you do to set yourself apart? I made valuable connections and Networked face to face with people that could give me references and get my foot in the door down the road.

        Where did you first start off after graduation? Many places. For the first 6 months after graduation I (as well as many other of my Marketing Major friends) had to move back home with Mom and Dad because I couldn't find a "real" job. I did everything from substitute teaching to being a bank teller, until finally through an older Auburn Alumni friend, I landed a job with the Alabama Republican Party where I worked as a Field Rep, helping support Political Grassroots Campaigns. After that, I worked in Political & Non-profit fundraising, where I became familiar with media buying and selling.

        Can you give us a day-to-day description of your job? Every day is extremely different, but I spend the majority of my days recruiting, selling and consulting my advertising clients for our 7 large radio stations in Birmingham. I create multiple advertising campaigns and give presentations to clients on ways they should advertise using the mediums I represent. I also spend a lot of time educating my local business clients on the most effective ways to market their businesses. I negotiate with the Media Buyers from Advertising Agencies to achieve the best cost per point for their advertising budgets and how to integrate it effectively with other forms of media that they buy (TV, Cable, Internet, Print, etc). I also spend time overseeing the creative & production of commercials, creating proposals, and putting out fires when things go wrong!

        Do you have any advice for current Auburn students on finding employment? Yes, I have lots of advice! 

1. Figure out specifically what you want to do NOW and do NOT wait until the last minute to look for a job. Look for a job that's a realistic entry-level job. 

2. Get an internship or part-time job while you are still in school that is directly related to what you want to do after. I'm telling you that now because I wish someone had told me! I had an administrative assistant job working in an outreach office in the College of Business, but I didn't know that really wasn't enough, unless you want to have a career as an administrative assistant! You will need relevant experience before you graduate because no one in the "real world" will want to waste time or money teaching you how to do a job when there are a million other people out there that already have the experience needed.  

3. Start applying for jobs at least 3-6 months before you graduate because the hiring process usually takes that long. 

4. And when you do graduate, don't expect to get some glamorous job with a fancy title. You will start out as a scrub anywhere you land, and you will have to bust your ass to compete and move up. 

5. Last, take risks and find a way to make yourself invaluable to your employer in many areas because employers now are looking's for ways to hire less people that will do multiple positions so their overhead costs are cheaper... I have been laid off before because of company cut-backs/consolidation…and it is not fun!  

What does your company offer as far as internships and/or positions after graduation? We offer Marketing/Promotions internships as well as Sales Internships, which are all unpaid, but would count as class credit. I would not recommend a position like mine for someone fresh out of college since in a larger city they require multiple years of experience because it is so competitive, but Clear Channel is the largest media company in the US so there may be part-time or entry-level positions in other markets.