Entry-Level Positions for Aspiring Principals and Owners
Tracy, a Principal/Owner at CEA Strategies, emphasizes the importance of internships for undergraduates to "learn by doing" and discover their passions. The most beneficial entry-level opportunities are found in public relations or marketing agencies to gain diverse experience quickly, or in mission-driven nonprofits, which offer varied roles and impactful work despite limited financial resources.
Internships, Public Relations Agencies, Marketing Agencies, Nonprofit Organizations, Mission-Driven Careers
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Tracy Campbell
Principal / Owner
CEA Strategies
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA
Leadership Certification, UCLA Anderson School of Management
Creative Writing, Journalism
Consulting & Related Professional Services, Advertising, Communications & Marketing
Entrepreneurship and Business Owner
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Gain practical experience through internships during college or immediately after graduation.
2. Work in public relations or marketing agencies to gain diverse experience and work on various projects with different teams.
3. Seek opportunities in the mission-driven sector (nonprofits) to gain broad experience and contribute to impactful work, despite often lower pay than in for-profit environments.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate college student might consider pursuing?
First, I would say, learn by doing. Cal Poly taught me that; their motto is "Learn by Doing."
This means getting as many internships as possible while in college. This helps you gain skills and experience, and also figure out if a field is truly your passion. Not everyone knows exactly what they want to do right out of college.
Internships, either during college or immediately after, are of the utmost importance. Second, I would recommend gaining a lot of experience through agencies, like public relations or marketing agencies. They have multiple clients, so you'll have many different assignments and opportunities to work in different teams.
You gain experience very quickly in an agency, perhaps more so than in a corporate setting. Corporations often hire people with more experience, which you can get by going through an agency first.
Another recommended avenue is the mission-driven sector of our society, such as nonprofits. While they may not have large budgets for talent, they are passionate about their causes and helping their communities.
There are many opportunities to move around within a mission-driven organization and take on various roles. How far you take it is up to you. I find these three opportunities will likely give everyone the best start early in their careers.