Leslie Kadel
Direct Mail Production Manager
Capital One
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
Changed my major to Graphic Communications in college.
Worked in printing company as Customer Service Rep.
Learned about direct mail while working for a magazine company managing print production.
Hired in my current company and advanced to manager by self-identifying process improvements.
Education
High School
Career
Direct Mail Production Manager
I manage a team who coordinate direct mail printing.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Business
Design
Working with Others
Day to Day
My team meets in the morning and discuss everyone's work for the day. If anyone is overloaded, we offer to help by taking on some of their tasks. I meet with internal customers to discuss their plans for sending out mail to our existing or prospective customers. We collaborate on design and messaging in the direct mail package, & my team provides print production recommendations. Our team reviews pdf proofs, creates print and mail specifications for our suppliers & ensure mail goes out on time.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for high school students
Print production knowledge benefits from an interest in both design and technical knowledge, so I would recommend art classes and even a printing class, if it is offered at your high school. Explore computer design software like InDesign or Photoshop.
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Peers:
"I left my first fulltime job after 2-1/2 years working at that company, because it was a bad work culture. One woman who worked there said, 'Why are you leaving? It is like this everywhere.'"
