Career Archives - joanne tombrakos

The Cost Of Overpromising And Underdelivering

One of the negotiating tips I received in my neophyte days of selling was to always underpromise and overdeliver. I was told it was a much easier way to keep a client happy. Overpromising was a surefire way to get yourself in trouble – especially when it came to advertising sales where the actual delivery […]

Thinking – the Underrated Skill AI Is Trying To Make Obsolete

I often tell my students that if they want to stand out from the crowd they need to take a moment to pause and think because most people don’t. And now we stand on the precipice of a new world order in which LLMs (Large Language Models) like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity want to do the thinking for us.

Where Too Many Pitches Fail

I’ve lost track of the number of pitches I have sat through in the last few weeks. It’s that time of year. Finals. And when you teach marketing and real-world classes every final is a pitch. I’ve heard new business ideas pitched. I’ve heard new product lines for existing businesses pitched. I’ve heard campaign pitches for brands. […]

How to Get a Job in an Age of Uncertainty

I get questions every day from current and former students about finding a job. Lately, I’ve seen an increased frustration whether they’ve just graduated or are about to graduate. They are not alone. These are uncertain times. While I’ve lived long enough to know that there is little certainty in life, there’s no doubt I […]

Homework. It Doesn’t Stop When You Graduate. Here’s Why.

As someone who has spent her career in media and marketing and now as an educator, the homework has never stopped. Whether it’s researching a new client or doing a deep dive into the next trend on TikTok, homework is and has always been part of the day job. This is why it never ceases […]

The Only Real Constant Is Change

When I was interviewed for my first job in media my soon-to-be new boss asked me how I felt about change. My response was easy. I loved it. That was why I was sitting in his office. I was looking for change. I wanted a new direction. I hadn’t been in the workforce for very […]