College Experiences That Helped a Marketing Specialist at a Fortune 500 Technology Company Succeed
To achieve career success, Stella highlights the importance of active participation in extracurricular activities, such as "being a part of my business fraternity," to develop leadership and networking skills. Equally crucial is proactive internship seeking, utilizing campus resources, and managing a part-time job to hone time management skills essential for a balanced work life.
Networking, Leadership, Internships, Time Management, Career Services
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. Join a business fraternity or other student organizations to develop leadership and networking skills.
2. Actively seek out internships and other work experiences to build your resume and gain practical skills.
3. Develop strong time management skills by balancing school, work, and extracurricular activities. Utilize campus career services for resume and interview preparation.
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
First, being a part of my business fraternity and holding leadership positions was huge. Whether you're in Greek life, a club, or a sport, it's important to dedicate time to participate. This could be in a leadership role or simply as a member of the organization.
No matter what, you're going to learn how to network and build connections. If you hold a leadership position, you'll learn how to lead peers your own age. You'll learn how to communicate effectively to get things done, and how to be a good leader while remaining pleasant.
Take advantage of being in groups, whether it's Greek life or clubs. That was really beneficial for me. Next, I really searched far and wide for internships and any experience I could add to my resume.
I took advantage of any career fairs or networking opportunities offered by my communication department or the broader college. Putting yourself out there and talking to people about who you are and what you want is crucial for internships or part-time jobs.
If your school has a career help desk, take advantage of those free resources. They can review your resume and help you prepare for interviews, which is incredibly helpful when applying for internships and jobs.
Lastly, I worked part-time in college, which helped me become good at time management. I learned to balance my time for school, work, and social life. This is similar to full-time work, where you balance work, hobbies, and your social life.
Being able to balance all three in college was difficult, but it's the same thing you do outside of college. So, anything you can do to learn to balance your time and gain experience through part-time work is great.