Career Path of a Marketing Specialist at Fortune 500 Technology Company
Stella's career path began with an economics major that unexpectedly led to a communication major at UCSB, fueled by a passion for "the psychology aspect of marketing and business". This passion, coupled with event planning experience in Delta Sigma Pi, culminated in experiential marketing roles at AT&T and, ultimately, a two-year tenure as a marketing specialist at Cisco, where the work continues to evolve within a dynamic tech environment.
Experiential Marketing, Event Planning, Career Pivoting, Leadership Development, Corporate Marketing
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Stella Landers
Marketing Specialist
Fortune 500 Technology Company
UC Santa Barbara
Communications
Technology
Communication and Marketing
Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. She combined her economics major with a communication major, finding a passion for the psychology of marketing and consumer behavior.
2. She actively participated in a business fraternity, holding leadership roles and discovering her love for event planning and marketing.
3. She gained valuable experience through internships at AT&T and Cisco, starting with experiential marketing and eventually expanding her skills in various marketing areas within a large technology company
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Please include any internships or jobs you had before your current role.
Yes, absolutely. When I started college at UCSB, we did not have a business school. I went into college thinking I wanted to do business, which I feel is a common vision for many students.
However, we didn't have a business school. I initially majored in economics, but shortly after starting, I realized it wasn't for me. I wanted to enjoy what I was studying and, importantly, find value in what I was paying to learn, especially since I supported myself through college.
I discovered the communication major and really fell in love with the psychology aspect of marketing and business. Understanding consumer behavior, persuasion, and advertising resonated with me. I found something that came easily and that I was passionate about, and decided to pursue it.
Around the same time, I was part of a business fraternity at UCSB called Delta Sigma Pi. I held numerous leadership roles there, and one aspect I particularly loved was event planning, specifically marketing for events. We organized recruitment events and fundraisers, and I thoroughly enjoyed the planning process.
These experiences pointed me toward pursuing a path in marketing and event planning. I learned about different types of marketing and discovered experiential marketing, which uses events to promote products. I thought this was a perfect fit for me.
I landed a role at AT&T my junior year of college on their experiential and retail marketing team. This was a three-month internship where I worked on several projects and campaigns at their flagship retail stores. I loved my first experience in a large company and a corporate environment.
Following that, I fast-forwarded to the year before graduation, looking for an entry-level position right out of undergrad. I heard about an early career marketing program at Cisco and applied, eventually landing a role on the global events team. That brings me to where I am today.
I've been at Cisco for two years as a marketing specialist. My role has evolved significantly due to company changes, which is common, especially in the tech industry. I'm still involved in events and experiential marketing, which I enjoy, but I've also expanded into other areas and developed new skills. That's my journey and how I arrived at Cisco.