College Experiences Helping a Marketing Manager at Precision Construction Succeed
Even though Michalene's undergraduate English major wasn't directly related to their eventual marketing career, proactive pursuit of internships, including a pivotal opportunity at the *LA Times* secured by simply "calling first," demonstrates the importance of initiative and self-belief in career advancement. This experience, a testament to "just going for it," launched a successful career path.
Internships, Networking, Confidence, Proactive, Overcoming Challenges
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Michalene Busico
Marketing Manager
Precision Construction Services
Pomona College, Claremont, CA and University of California, Irvine
N/A
English, Writing & Education, English
Advertising, Communications & Marketing
Communication and Marketing
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Proactive Internship Seeking: Don't wait for opportunities to find you; actively seek internships, even if your major isn't directly related to your desired career path. Michalene's example of securing an internship at the LA Times despite lacking a journalism background highlights the importance of initiative and persistence.
2. The Power of Networking and First Impressions: Networking and making connections can significantly impact career prospects. Michalene's experience emphasizes the value of building relationships and showing initiative, such as making the first contact after a presentation to secure her first internship.
3. Confidence and Self-Belief: Believe in your abilities and don't let perceived inadequacies hold you back. Michalene's success story underscores the importance of self-confidence and a proactive approach to achieving career goals, even when facing challenges or lacking traditional qualifications.
Transcript
Here's the cleaned transcript:
**Q12: College ideas for success**
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
I would say that I just went for it. I was an English major, which was not ideal for what I eventually wanted to do. It was too late to change my studies at that point.
So my solution was internships. Even though I didn't have the typical qualifications, connections, or recommendations that other students had, I knew I could do it and wanted to learn. I was going to make it happen. Don't hesitate. Once you know what you want to do, just go for it.
A critical moment in my career was when I was working at the UC Irvine newspaper. We had an editor from the LA Times come give a lecture, as there was no journalism program. At the end, he suggested they do internships with UCI and gave us his number.
The next morning, I went into the newspaper office. A friend there asked if I was going to call. I was feeling inadequate, as it was the LA Times. She insisted I call, and I did.
I got an interview, and it went well. The editor said they'd heard from a few interested students and that they'd all be great. However, I called first, and that had to mean something, so they offered me the internship.
That was how I got my first internship. It opened the door to future internships. Even though I wasn't a journalism major, it showed I could do the work. So, don't hesitate. Go for it. Believe in yourself, and you will make it happen.