Career Path Of A Freelance Digital Marketing Specialist
Matt's career path began with a student assistant role with the state of California and active involvement in the American Marketing Association at Sacramento State, which provided valuable networking opportunities. Interestingly, a marketing career didn't start until after graduation with a role at a marketing research agency, which eventually led to a more creative role at a tech startup, followed by financial services, and finally a move into a freelance position as a Digital Marketing Specialist at Freelance Marketing.
American Marketing Association, Internship Experience, Career Transition, Startup Environment, Freelance Marketing
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Matt Lucas
Digital Marketing Specialist
Freelance Marketing
California State University Sacramento
N/A
Business Management & Admin
Advertising, Communications & Marketing
Communication and Marketing
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Joining the American Marketing Association (AMA) in college provided valuable networking opportunities with industry leaders and peers, leading to job opportunities.
2. Volunteering with the AMA's professional chapter after graduation facilitated the transition into the marketing industry and led to the first marketing job.
3. Experience in a tech startup allowed for more creative freedom and opportunities to work on diverse marketing activities like social media campaigns, which were not available during college.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Please include any internships or jobs you've had before your current role.
Absolutely. When I was at Sacramento State, I initially worked with the state of California as a student assistant. It was mainly an internship role.
Around my sophomore year, I joined the American Marketing Association at Sac State. It was great for networking with leaders in the Sacramento area for job opportunities and with other marketers in the industry.
I worked with the state of California until I graduated. This gave me many opportunities to learn what I wanted and didn't want to do. I didn't have a marketing job during college, unlike many professionals who get internships.
After graduation, I left the state of California and volunteered with the AMA's professional chapter in Sacramento. I networked with AMA leadership and started my first marketing job right after that. So I didn't enter the marketing industry until after college.
The American Marketing Association was my way to transition into marketing. I started at a local marketing research agency, doing things like surveys and focus groups. After about two years, I moved into the startup space with a tech startup.
This allowed me to be more creative and do many things in marketing I didn't have the chance to do in school, like running social media campaigns. I spent about three years there.
Then I moved into a role doing marketing for financial services. I ran their social media campaigns and advertising, among other things. After a while, I was able to move into a freelance position, which is where I am now.