Career Path of a Senior Writer and Creative Director at Starbucks
Sara's career path, beginning with an English major and "a lot of clubs" in college, including a student-run theater group and film club, led to film development internships and a pivot to virtual reality after realizing a traditional film path wasn't desired. This VR experience, including freelance work with a partner, eventually transitioned into themed entertainment, culminating in Sara's current role at Starbucks—a connection facilitated by a college friend from their student theater club.
Networking, Career Exploration, Creative Storytelling, Experiential Learning, Adaptability
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Sara Beil
Sr. Writer/Creative Director
Starbucks Corporation
UCLA
English, Writing & Education, English
Arts, Entertainment & Media
Creative
Honors Student
Video Highlights
1. Sara's career path highlights the value of extracurricular activities and networking. Her involvement in college clubs provided hands-on experience and crucial connections that led to future opportunities.
2. Sara's experience showcases the importance of exploring different career paths. Her initial interest in film and theater evolved into virtual reality and eventually themed entertainment, demonstrating adaptability and a willingness to explore new avenues.
3. Building a strong network is emphasized by Sara's securing her current position through a connection made during her college years in student theater. This highlights the lasting impact of relationships built through shared passions and collaborative projects.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Any internships or jobs you had before your current role?
Starting in college, I majored in English with double minors in theater and film/television. Most important to my college experience, though, was my involvement in clubs and extracurriculars. These gave me hands-on experience to put on my resume and helped me connect with people moving in the same direction.
Two clubs were particularly helpful: a student-run theater club called Hooligan, and a film club where I made several short films. My goal was to be a writer for theater and film, and these activities allowed me to hone those skills. I made short films through the film club, and I produced original pieces with my theater company, where I also served as marketing director.
I also completed film development internships in college. Through these experiences, I learned I didn't want to pursue that specific route. After college, realizing the traditional assistant path in film wasn't for me, I pivoted to virtual reality.
I got a job as a business development associate at a small startup VR company, which was a branch of a marketing agency. I worked there for a while. Then, my partner and I did some freelance VR work, creating interactive virtual reality films that we showcased at VR festivals.
It was actually through that career path, not a club, that I got into themed entertainment. It was a slow transition from traditional entertainment like theater and film to VR, which opened my eyes to different ways of telling stories. This led me to themed entertainment, which is a more experiential way of storytelling, bringing me back to my college experience in a new way.
The way I got my current position was through a friend I made in my student theater club. He knew I wanted to be a writer, and his company was looking for writers at the time. That connection is how I was introduced to my current company.
Advizer Personal Links
https://www.linkedin.com/in/saraashleybeil/, Instagram: @saraashleyb, www.sarabeil.com