MSU StratCom student, Brandon Crawford had always dreamed of living in New York City, and recently accepted a position at an NYC-based agency, which means he has become one major step closer to making that dream a reality.
“I knew there were some specific steps I needed to take to make my dream a reality, and a major one was having a master’s degree like strategic communications on my resume in order to set me apart from the rest.”
Crawford started the StratCom program directly after graduating from his undergrad at MSU.
He had experienced online classes due to COVID, and so our 100% online program was something that seemed comfortable and convenient to him – especially at a time when everything else in the world was uncomfortable.
“The asynchronous aspect of the StratCom program was really appealing to me too. Being able to do everything on my own schedule was helpful at the time, while being in the midst of job searching.”
Crawford accepted an agency role in Detroit shortly after starting our program, as another big step to gain industry experience and get him closer to his dream.
He explains that a crucial part of his plan was being honest from the start with his Detroit agency, voicing to them about where he eventually wanted to end up, and utilizing the vast network and connections that they provided because of their makeup under an umbrella of other companies around the world.
Step 3: Utilize your network
In May he went to NYC for vacation, and ironically while waiting in the airport security line, sad to be leaving his favorite city and browsing through LinkedIn, a McCann New York position popped up that met all of his wanted requirements. Brandon quickly applied and messaged the recruiter, and by the time he had landed back in Detroit he had an interview scheduled.
“That city makes things happen. It’s almost like I had to physically be there in order for what I wanted to fall into my lap.”
Brandon officially accepted the NYC position and is currently working remotely for them, while he plans his big move.
He mentions how his CAS 829 Evaluation Techniques for Working Professional’s class directly overlapped with one of his work projects already, specifically on understanding Gen Z. The experience with surveys, focus groups and understanding qualitative and quantitative data gave him a boost of confidence within the first couple weeks in his new role.
If you know what you want, go after it
Crawford is the perfect example of knowing what you want, taking the steps to further your skillset, and then being transparent along the way to use your network of people as the key to achieving your dreams.
“There’s something about NYC that just feels like home. I can’t really describe it, but I know I want to live there – and now my dream is officially in process.”