On The Job | Alum heads to MTV, Red Bull

Raga Nadella Guest Writer

Some college graduates without a definite career path might sit at home watching MTV. But Vassar graduate Damon Johnson ’02, on the other hand, headed directly to the popular music network MTV itself to promote high-profile music events in its marketing department. After graduating with bachelor’s degrees in both sociology and political science, Johnson had not received any formal training in marketing, but as he explained to The Miscellany News, he was able to parley his determination and natural communication skills into lucrative jobs with MTV and the energy drink manufacturer Red Bull North America.
The Miscellany News: How did Vassar prepare you for the real world?
Damon Johnson: Coming to Vassar, I believe that I was already “book smart,” but running around doing all my extracurricular activities taught me to communicate well and deal with different types of people.
MN: What did your job at MTV entail? What do you do at Red Bull?
DJ: At MTV, I worked in the Music Marketing Department, now called Music and Programming Promotion. Anything that dealt with marketing off the air, such as promotional shows like the MTV Movie Awards and tours came to me. At Red Bull, I work in the marketing department that presides over the Berkeley, Oakland, and north/east San Francisco areas.
MN: What are the day-to-day tasks of your current job?
DJ: As film marketing manager, my responsibility is to manage Red Bull’s mobile energy theme. A major part of business is sampling, which basically involves putting Red Bull into the hands of the people who need energy at the right time. It is important to go out into the community to build relationships and to make partnerships.
MN: What attracted you to these jobs?
DJ: As a senior in college, I looked at what I enjoyed doing, which was music. At 22, working for MTV was a no-brainer. I had no degree in marketing, but I was skilled in communicating with people and making a product make sense to others. It was a cool job, and working with Radiohead for art on a poster was pretty awesome! It gave me the opportunity to be very creative with everything and take complete ownership of my work. I made a lot of mistakes, but in a first job, half of what you do is make mistakes.
MN: While you worked for MTV, did you work with famous celebrities?
DJ: Yes, tons, and in different capacities. I enjoyed working with Linkin Park the most. They are very professional and nice guys. The highlight of my career at MTV was getting to meet Michael Jackson and James Brown at the Video Music Awards.
MN: How did you market yourself to employers?
DJ: Seventy-five percent of it is presentation, which mostly involves interviewing well. You have to give the interviewer the perception that they need you. Put people at ease; if you are stumped by a question, look the interviewer in the eye and say you need a minute to think about the question. You’d be surprised how far a nice smile, a firm handshake, and a “hello” can go. Know your skill sets and be prepared and knowledgeable of your credentials. Convey to someone that they want to work with you without doing it overtly. Most importantly, be honest.
MN: Do you have any advice for Vassar students?
DJ: I feel that the networking aspect is often overlooked. Any Vassar grad would be happy to help another Vassar grad out.