Meeting Re-Cap: Catching Up With Dolores

by Riley Mason

Dolores Trobradovic, account executive at Grey Group

Dolores Trobradovic graduated from Grady in May 2023 with a degree in public relations. Her senior year, she was the president of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and an account executive for Talking Dog. She felt her involvement in both PRSSA and Talking Dog prepared her for agency life. After graduation, she worked as an account manager for BBDO and was eventually promoted to account executive. More recently, she transitioned to an account executive role at Grey Group, an advertising agency in New York.

Looking back, what were your favorite classes at Grady?

Trobradovic gave a list of her top three Grady classes as follows:

“Campaigns”: She took this during her last semester in Grady and found that working on a cross-functional team in the class gave her a look into an agency.

“Crisis Communication”: This class honed her public speaking skills through presentations based on case studies. Getting in front of peers can feel daunting, but once you can do that, getting in front of professionals is easier.

“Intro to PR” with Tom Cullen: This class can seem scary, but it is really good. You have to meet high expectations, but those standards are well set.

How did you get your internship post-grad and how did it turn into a full-time job?

Trobradovic explained that she got the internship from speaking with a BBDO Atlanta representative at a career fair. She advises that her involvement in Grady and University of Georgia campus organizations helped her get the offer because it shows dedication and effort. In addition to PRSSA, Talking Dog is an amazing experience because many other college students don’t have the opportunity to participate in a student-run agency. It can set you up for success. Trobradovic emphasizes that half of the battle is getting the internship and the other half is putting in the effort to be offered that full-time job.

What is the biggest challenge you faced when transitioning into a full-time role?

Trobradovic felt that it was difficult to go from a relatively free college schedule to a strict 9-to-5. While both companies she has worked for have a hybrid workweek, and that has made it easier, the limited time can be difficult to transition to. Trobradovic recommends finding things that you like to fit into your routine, specifically if they take your mind off work. Overall, having time to do things that validate yourself outside of work is super important when transitioning to a full-time role.

What is a favorite campaign or project you have worked on?

Since transitioning to Grey Group, Trobradovic has been able to work with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, which is simply Las Vegas tourism. Las Vegas hosts a Formula One race, and that client has been fun and fulfilling to work on for Trobradovic. However, she notes that it is important to understand that not every client you work for is going to be interesting to you. You should still try your best and put forth your best work for every client, but you won’t be working on something like a Formula One race every time.

What is one thing you wish you could tell your freshman-year self?

Beyond doing your best at everything, do not be afraid. It can be really easy to feel like an imposter in your role or place in the world. But at the end of the day, you are there for a reason. No one is expecting you to know all of the answers or ask all the right questions; instead, show that you care.

Also, try not to make the same mistake twice. Admit it and take on the responsibility of fixing it or coming up with solutions. You will inevitably trip up and fall, but getting back up and not letting it happen again is important.