“Who in this room thinks getting a job is about who you know?” asked Vernon Cheek, the assistant director of public relations for the Indianapolis Colts.

Naturally everyone in the room raised their hands, nodding in agreement. “You’re wrong,” Cheek said. Everyone looked around confused… “It’s about who knows you.”

Cheek, along with four other panelists, gave advice and answered questions for a room full of students at the Learning Resource Center’s “Careers in Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations” discussion. The event was held the evening of March 5 in Atherton Union room 326.

Students snacked on chips, salsa and desserts while they talked to the panel of career professionals who make their living in advertising, marketing and public relations.

Kathy Matthies, student development specialist and academic adviser for the Learning Resource Center, said a lot of students came to her wanting to learn more about the three professions.

“I work with a lot of students who are not quite sure what they want to do after they graduate,” Matthies said. “A lot of them say that they’re really interested in either advertising, public relations or marketing, but they don’t necessarily know what they are, or understand the difference between them.”

To help these students, Matthies said she decided to put together the panel by contacting Butler alumni through “BLUE,” (Butler’s mentor site), and others through connections she had when she worked for a non-profit company. Cheek, however, was someone Matthies said she was happy to find by luck.

Cheek brought a Colts hat for everyone in the room -- but he also brought a hefty pile of rejection letters. Cheek said he uses the thick stack as a reminder of the struggle he went through to get the job he wanted.

“You have to be confident,” he said. “We look for people who can handle themselves well in any situation. If your not confident, you’re not going to survive.”

Likewise, Karen Alter, senior vice president for the public relations and marketing firm Borshoff, encouraged everyone to persist in their job search.

“You’re going to hit a lot of roadblocks,” Alter said, “and there are no right or wrong answers… you must have patience and perseverance.”

Alter said at Borshoff, the basic skill they look for is writing. “Include writing samples in your portfolios,” she suggested.

Alter said that if she could go back, one thing she would’ve done is take more business courses.

Carolyn Hadlock, creative director for the advertising firm Young & Laramore, said she supported Alter’s suggestion, as many “business” terms are used daily around the office. While Hadlock said she has also had her fair share of struggles, (she applied at Young & Laramore three different times before she was offered a job), she always stuck with it.

“When you’re young, you have to pay your dues,” she said. “Just be very curious… as long as your curious, you’ll find a job.”

Someone who’s happily “paying her dues” is Justine Gazzola, an accountant coordinator for Just Marketing International. Gazzola, who graduated from Butler in 2006, said she just returned from a business trip in Las Vegas.

“Traveling can be a tough adjustment, but it’s really a matter of whether you love your job enough to make that sacrifice,” she said.

Gazzola said she enjoys the creative atmosphere at her job, and likes working with all of her colleagues. “My agency doesn’t even care what major you are,” she said, “it’s about experience more than anything.”

Susan Nelson, a public relations and communications consultant for her own firm, (which is yet to be named), said she agrees that experience is one of the most important factors.

“The experience you have is what separates you from the crowd,” she said. “Learning what wasn’t my forte has been just as valuable as learning what is.”

Nelson opened her own firm last May, and has been so busy since that she hasn’t even had time to label herself as a business. However, Nelson said she definitely remembers what it was like starting out.

“I know looking for that first job can be frustrating, because you don’t have experience until someone gives you a chance. You really have to take advantage of as many opportunities as you can while you’re here,” she encouraged.

Nelson also stressed the importance of interviews and first impressions.

“Practice those tough interview questions… like, ‘what are your three greatest weaknesses,’ and hone those answers,” she said.

For now, Matthies said the Learning Resource Center is planning another program in April for “careers that save the Earth.”

“We’re going to bring in people from all different types of sectors -- non-profit, science, government -- and talk about environmental careers for students who are interested,” she said.

Matthies said students who want assistance with career exploration in any way can always come to her for help. “We have assessments and many other resources to offer students,” she said.

Matthies can be reached at .