College Experiences That Helped a Bank of America Digital Marketing Manager Succeed
To set oneself up for career success in digital marketing, focusing on developing soft skills such as "executive presence, presentation skills," and networking proves more valuable than solely focusing on mastering hard skills like SQL or Tableau because those skills allow one to "market that dashboard" and "tell a story." Cody believes that while technical skills are important, soft skills ultimately drive career advancement and the creation of meaningful relationships.
Soft Skills, Networking, Communication, Presentation Skills, Career Development
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Cody Bannon
Digital Marketing Manager
Bank of America
American Public University
Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey, MBA
Business Management & Admin
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)
Communication and Marketing
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Prioritize soft skills like networking, executive presence, and presentation skills over hard skills, as they are crucial for career advancement.
2. Focus on developing communication skills and storytelling abilities to effectively market your work and engage executives.
3. Building relationships and understanding how to communicate are more valuable than mastering technical skills alone.
Transcript
What did you do in college to set you up for success in your career?
It might sound counterintuitive, but focusing on academics and hard skills isn't always the most effective approach. While things like SQL boot camps can be valuable, the real emphasis should be on soft skills.
I chose to prioritize soft skills, and it paid off. Things like networking, developing executive presence, and presentation skills will take you much farther than hard skills alone.
Hard skills are valuable initially, and you might get recognition for creating a great Tableau dashboard. However, without learning how to market that dashboard, tailor it for executives, or tell an engaging story in PowerPoint, your progress will be limited.
During my MBA, I focused on soft skills, networking, building relationships, and understanding communication. This sometimes led to lower grades, but I don't regret it. It has certainly paid off more than mastering Excel, Tableau, or SQL.
This isn't to say you shouldn't learn technical skills. However, soft skills are what truly drive your career.