CAMD alumnus Noah Sneath, who recently graduated from the Music Industry program, is now serving as a Digital Media Coordinator at Gupta Media – and the role has been a great opportunity to expand his skillset and gain exposure to new sides of the industry. Shortly after graduating last December, this job opportunity presented itself when one of Noah’s former classmates, who he worked with while on co-op at Superfly, reached out and shared the opening with him. Although he had not given much consideration to working in advertising before this point, he embraced the chance to step out of his comfort zone. Since Gupta Media places a strong emphasis on training and professional development, he felt confident making the move.

“What’s exciting about this position is that all of my clients are record labels, allowing me to apply my knowledge of the music industry to each campaign I manage,” explained Noah. “A typical week involves campaign planning / building for upcoming albums and singles and then launching them on Fridays when most new music is released. It’s my responsibility to plan campaigns, so that we are targeting the right people with the right messaging, and to make any adjustments along the way. My days are full of looking at data about our potential audiences as well as thinking creatively about what we are saying to those audiences on behalf of our clients.”

The position is fast-paced, strategic, and requires a lot of independent and proactive thinking. Thanks in part to his Music Industry classes and his past co-ops while a student at Northeastern, though, Noah was able to jump right into his new role and embrace its challenges. Since CAMD classes tend to be small and discussion-based, students learn to communicate effectively with both their professors and the other students around them.

“Regardless of the topic, the ability to digest new information, analyze it, and then communicate it has been extremely important for me in the professional world,” Noah said. “I’m now in an environment where I work closely with a team of eight people who depend on me to be hard-working and committed but also an effective communicator. It’s very important that I be open and honest with clients and the people I work with so that I can best support the common objectives.”

In addition to his coursework, Noah’s co-ops certainly helped prepare him for life after college. His first co-op experience was at Superfly, where he was exposed to the ins and outs of working in an office setting. He had the chance to learn more about the music industry while also developing skills that are applicable to almost every job, like writing strong e-mails, prioritizing daily to-dos, taking minutes during meetings, conducting client calls, and working effectively on a team. He was even able to go to Bonnaroo with an artist pass – talk about the perfect behind-the-scenes look at a top music festival! Noah also made a great network during his time at Superfly, and as mentioned earlier, one of his colleagues from this role helped opened up the doors to his current position – and it also set the stage for his second co-op at Republic Records.

“My first co-op gave me the experience I needed to be able to handle my second co-op at Republic Record, where I worked as an intern assigned directly to one of the executives as well as the radio promotion department he oversaw. I had a very intense six months where discretion was the top priority and an extreme amount of pressure was put on attention to detail. Every day could be unpredictable and chaotic, but at the same time it was a unique view at what it looks like to be at the head of the industry’s top label,” said Noah. “Despite some ups and downs throughout the co-op’s duration, I finished my time at Republic with a positive view of the experience, and I am now confident that I am capable of performing under pressure and addressing my concerns at work productively. So far at Gupta, I feel like I am much more suited for the role and the heavy workload because of both my co-op experiences.”

After a productive and memorable Music Industry student career at CAMD, Noah is excited about what his future as a Digital Media Coordinator at Gupta Media, and a Northeastern alumnus generally, will continue to bring. He gives a special shout-out to CAMD’s Director of Co-op Education, Craig Bettinson, for making sure he was given access to the best co-op opportunities, while also serving as a reliable resource for advice.

“I remember being told that not every co-op would lead you to your dream job but that each experience would at least be one that would help you take the next step in your career with more confidence,” Noah concluded. “I now realize what that means.”