Going digital?

Today I have visited one of my Stern professors at his office in Park Avenue. An amazing place on the 20th floor. I really loved this professor’s course, which mainly covered strategic issues in the media industry. It has been by far one of the best courses I have taken so far.

The professor offered his advice to all of us and I decided to convene a meeting. I did not mean to apply for a job at his company but rather to look for some guidance. It’s been a short meeting but there are two main takeaways from it:

(1) It may be the right time to go digital for those of us who want to work in media. Big conglomerates are not only in flux but are also likely to face sharp declines in the mid-term. They are not just going through a transition from their business model. The internet is very likely to re-shape the media industry for good. In other words, I should seriously consider looking for a job at an internet-based media company.

(2) I should trust myself a little more. I trust myself in the sense that I know that I will be able to do a good job anywhere. It’s been like this so far and I see no reason for a change. However, I am not confident enough about why an American media company should hire a foreign guy with very limited experience in the media arena, with less knowledge of the American market than his US peers and with definitely poorer English skills. I guess that my concerns are reasonable. The professor has advised me to write a one-pager about what I would accomplish after a year at any given position that I would like to pursue. First, I have to believe in it. If I don’t, then I will have a problem.

Now it’s time to go to class, although is 30F outside!