EMAC is one of the newest programs at UT Dallas, but we’ve already got a few EMAC’ers walking among the rest. We caught up with former EMAC student William Lanier to see what life is like after EMAC working as the Communications Manager at a special events firm in New York. Check out the interview below:

How did you get your job?

I networked my @ss off! I emailed everyone I knew in NYC, asked for contacts, made 20 different drafts of my cover letter, sent resumes out.  I came to NYC 3 times and alerted everyone I had sent resumes to that I’d be in town and would love to meet.  Went to a few interviews.  Had some phone interviews.  Landed one.

So… What do you do?

I handle all communications for my company so it entails a lot of different things.  I wear many hats.  I write press releases, handle all social media, update the corporate blog, attend media events to schmooze and network, I handle any requests for quotes from the principles at the company…ummm…

How do you feel like the EMAC program prepared you (or didn’t prepare you) for the job?

EMAC definitely prepared me for the job. Content creation is A #1 – it’s draining as hell but all the courses and all the blogs and papers really prepared me to mentally get where I need to get to hammer out releases, notices, posts, etc.

What have you learned on-the-job that you didn’t expect?

Sitting at an office is not fun. Creative juices don’t flow as easily in an office setting. I shouldn’t have been surprised. Also, working for a company, you lose some creative license when you’re writing. You have to take on the voice of the brand and it can really take away from your personal voice.  Such is life.

Where to from here? What direction so you plan to take in the future?

Freelance. Haha. Or something bigger – a larger brand with a bigger outreach. I’ve always wanted to own my own CrossFit gym, which really has nothing to do with EMAC but everything to do with William, so we’ll see.  If I do get that far, it’ll be kick @ss because I’ll be able to PR the hell out of it!

If you had any advice for our EMAC undergrads (or grads, for that matter), what would it be?

Be happy in the direction you chose – and if you aren’t – only you have the ability to change it.

More about William: