Not many people can say they landed their dream job straight out of college. Bobby Caruso ’16 is one of the few—and he has already moved on to his next gig.
After graduating with a BA in Communications and a concentration in journalism, Caruso packed his bags and moved to California, where he took a position as a social media editor with E! News. For nearly two years, Caruso worked amongst the small team that manages social media content for the company, reaching over 30 million people daily through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Caruso had the unforgettable experience of getting his career started with a fast-paced news platform that encompassed some of the things he loved most: broadcast journalism and entertainment. From brainstorming content for award shows to staying up for the royal wedding, his time with the celebrity news platform was anything but dull.
Caruso’s life changed even more when he decided to accept a new position with BuzzFeed as a Social Media Strategist, which meant departing from his self-proclaimed “dream job” and moving on to bigger and better things.
“It seemed like the right career decision to switch to BuzzFeed, where they are trying anything and everything to expand their platform. That was an exciting concept for me: no idea is too big or too small,” he explained.
“I had a very clear plan before I graduated, telling everyone I wanted to work at E! News. I want to keep my opportunities open, get back into editorial space, and take knowledge I learned at E! social in terms of being a reporter and being a curator.”
According to Caruso, working at BuzzFeed has done just that, introducing him to not only the startup culture associated with the company—which has quickly grown to over 150 million unique website visitors each month—but the strategy behind posting social media content.
A dynamic lifestyle filled with travel and strict deadlines isn’t new to Caruso, who took on seven different internships during his time at Western New England, even while studying abroad for a semester. He never thought of his workload as “too much,” but instead referred to his undergraduate years as an educational experience he “made the most out of.”
“The journalism program, as well as improv courses, helped shape my time at Western New England in ways I didn’t expect,” Caruso said. “I learned how to present myself well and develop teamwork skills. I also became a lot more confident speaking off the cuff, which helped in scenarios where public speaking is involved. Two very different experiences made me who I am, and taught me about having great communication skills.”
These experiences, as Caruso cites, have translated into his professional life. He helps run two of BuzzFeed’s larger Facebook accounts, balancing all content for the audiences on these accounts. More importantly, he analyzes the content they publish, strategizing what kind of information or visuals the audience may want to be exposed to. The social publishing team has one goal: be ahead of the trend.
“A lot of my job comes down to being open to try new things in order to be ahead of the curve,” he said. “We never want to be late to a trend. BuzzFeed cares about not only meeting the audience where they are, but introducing them to things they may not even know they want to hear about.”
With BuzzFeed standing apart as one of the most frequently visited websites—posting approximately 400 stories a day in order to keep up with demand—Caruso is looking forward to continuing his work with the “collective of great young minds” that make up the media platform.
As an organization, BuzzFeed ultimately looks to make the world a better place, a value that Caruso also personally connects with. This principle, fostered during his time on campus working among other talented student leaders, is one that aligns with BuzzFeed’s own company culture. He may have already worked with what he considered to be his “dream” company, but his career is just getting started.
