Name: Lauren
Career: Sales Assistant
Company Field: Advertising
Located In: San Francisco, California
Grew Up In: Phoenix, Arizona
Graduated From: Arizona State University
Majored In: Marketing
Graduated In: 2012

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After College Lifestyles

 

Sales San Francisco Bay Area Arizona State University

Lauren is a Sales Assistant at an Advertising Firm in San Francisco, California. Her job entails assisting the company representatives in purchasing ad space while learning as much as she can about the industry. Lauren shows a natural drive for her career willing to work hard and move to a new city to learn.

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Life of a College Grad Sales Assistant

I am a sales assistant to a publishing rep firm, meaning I assist representatives who sell advertising space in magazines and online. I handle administrative and secretarial duties while learning as much as possible about the industry.

How To Get Into The Field

I was a marketing major in college (at Arizona State University), so advertising was a natural progression for me from my major. However, it was only by chance that I ended up in this field. I applied for every type of job possible, and I was just lucky that this one bit.

What Do You Really Do?

Besides handling basic errands and paperwork, I get to assist with writing proposals to clients (convincing them to buy from our magazines), building inventory packages, and ensuring that all the client's needs are being met. The longer I am here, the more responsibility I'm given.

Pros/Cons of Your Job

I am the only assistant for 4 reps, working for 8 magazines, so a lot of information and work gets passed through me. This is really great because it allows me to see how different types of clients work with different magazines. I'm also learning a lot about positioning and ensuring that appropriate advertising gets passed to the right magazines. My least favorite part about my job is the pay. I'm at the bottom of the barrel, so my pay is very low. Living in San Francisco makes it even harder. I could easily get a restaurant/retail job that pays more.

The Life of a College Grad In The San Francisco Bay Area

What's it Like to Live Here?

San Francisco is unlike any city I've ever seen. Everyone is young, most people have money, and there's always events and parties going on any day of the week. It's EXTREMELY expensive to live here, and finding housing is a nightmare, but if you can manage, it's definitely worth it. There are very few kids that live in the city, and with the tech industry snatching up college grads, the 21-30 age bracket is growing every day. The weather stays between 60 and 80 all year around. There's really no stereotypical person who lives here or who fits in here. Everyone is welcome.

How Did I End Up Here?

San Francisco is unlike any city I've ever seen. Everyone is young, most people have money, and there's always events and parties going on any day of the week. It's EXTREMELY expensive to live here, and finding housing is a nightmare, but if you can manage, it's definitely worth it. There are very few kids that live in the city, and with the tech industry snatching up college grads, the 21-30 age bracket is growing every day. The weather stays between 60 and 80 all year around. There's really no stereotypical person who lives here or who fits in here. Everyone is welcome.

My Set-Up

I live in an old commercial space that was converted into a house. It's two stories (main room and basement) and a loft. I have one roommate who lives in the basement that I met through a friend. I was lucky to have a spot in this house open up right after I moved here, and after my previous roommate moved out, I held onto the lease. (NEVER let a lease go in this city!)

Closing Advice

Don't be afraid to take chances. You will never be as fresh and as desired (in terms of the job market) as you are right now, so go to a new city, try a new career path, and take risks while you can. All of those things will be extremely tough to do once you settle into a career, so do it now.

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