Entry-level Positions for Aspiring Information Technology Leaders and Marketing Leaders
Keenan, a CIO and VP of Marketing, suggests that a "sales engineer" role offers a valuable understanding of a company's components, bridging the gap between technical expertise and sales—a crucial aspect of management. The interviewee also emphasizes the importance of a willingness to learn and adapt, stating that "you're never gonna start off knowing all the skills you need," advocating for continuous growth and exploration within a company.
Sales, Marketing, Technology, Communication, Adaptability
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Keenan
Chief information Officer and Vice President of Marketing
Sports Thread Inc
University of Northern Colorado
University of Northern Colorado
Marketing
Sports & Fitness
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. A sales engineer role provides a comprehensive understanding of a company's operations, bridging the gap between technical and sales aspects.
2. Entry-level marketing positions offer valuable experience and the opportunity to learn new skills continuously.
3. A willingness to learn, adapt, and seek mentorship is crucial for career growth, regardless of the starting role.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate college student should pursue?
I took a very alternative route to get to where I am because I started with the company when there were only a couple of people. When it's just two of you, you grow into the company and your role, and you adapt. You just have to do that.
If you were going the traditional route, which is probably a clearer way to do things, I would say the most beneficial thing would be a sales engineer. I think it makes you understand all of the different components of your company.
I think one of the difficulties for extremely technical people is they might not grasp the difficulties of sales. There's always the "war" between sales and product. To reach a level where you're managing the whole company, you have to understand that both sides need to work together to achieve your goal.
As a sales engineer, you get to see both sides. It's hard to get that close to the product, and you'll see it's hard to build that product. You get that whole scope of knowledge, and I think that would be really valuable.
Or for marketing, honestly, any part of the marketing team is a great spot, as long as you're willing to learn. That's the biggest thing for all of it. You have to learn new skills. You're never going to start off knowing all the skills you need.
So you either have to go back and take more classes, or you need to meet people, pick their brains, learn from them, and talk to your mentors. I've been fortunate enough to have great ones.
I think there's a lot of importance on the roles, but it's very important, no matter what role you start with, to be willing to go into different parts of your company. Try to learn, try to get better, keep growing and developing. That's really how you'll get there.