Not many recent graduates can say that after applying for an entry-level position they were offered a management position instead. Michael Moccio is the exception to that rule.
Michael Moccio ’16
While many of his peers were making plans to move out to NY or LA, Mike decided to follow his passion down in Baltimore. After graduating this May with a degree in Writing Literature and Publishing, he accepted a position as the Advertising/Partnerships Marketing Manager for Diamond Comic Distributors. For those of you like me who aren’t as familiar with the comic book industry, Diamond Comic Distributors is the major distributor for the comic industry serving companies such as DC and Marvel. In this position, Mike oversees four main duties: general PR to get Diamond Comic Distributors and their events Free Comic Book Day and Halloween ComicFest in the news; Marketing for those events, overseeing strategy and execution to drive people to stores; in and out of industry ad sales; and event management for Free Comic Book Day (check out the event video below!) and Halloween ComicFest, working with more than forty publishers to get more than 8 million free comics a year in fans’ hands.
So how does a WLP major land a management position in Marketing and Advertising? Mike used what he learned in school to grow a skill set that would lend itself to a career path he was truly passionate about. From his second week on campus at Emerson, Mike visited Career Services to see how he could set himself up for success. From then on, he used school projects, extracurricular activities and internships to prepare himself to enter the real world. Through his work with Emtertainment Monthly and an internship with Archie Comics, Mike discovered a passion for comic books and public relations. This provided the foundation for a long list of internships at companies such as Cartoon Network/Time Warner, Comedy Central/Viacom, and Perseus Books Group.
And the biggest piece of advice Mike has for upcoming seniors is: it’s never too early to network. As an orientation leader, Mike would tell his students, stopping at Career Services is a must, they’ll help you understand the best way to use LinkedIn, and other resources to get connected with someone in your industry. After all, connecting with an Emerson Alum at Diamond Comic Distributors is what helped Mike to move from applying for an entry-level associate position to starting off in management.
