Making it in Marketing
by Vicki Salemi
A Slow Start
Allison Slater interned at a marketing sweepstakes company when she was an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. It may not have tons to do with her current position as director of retail marketing for cosmetic giant Sephora, but it did help her figure out what she didn't want to do. In between writing copy for a sweepstakes and working on a proposal to a major fast-food company, she realized she was anxious to explore other facets of the marketing industry.
Despite an uninspiring start, Slater notes that the best way to get a foot in the door is to get an internship. Not only will it help you figure out what you do and don't want to do, the New York City resident explains, "it also helps you get a feel for the working world before your first big job."
Marketing Makeover.
Slater's interest in marketing grew over time and flourished into her current title as the director of retail marketing for Sephora, the famous make-up, skincare, fragrance, bath, body, and hair product retailer. There, she oversees marketing for catalog, public relations, advertising, store events, and new store openings in the United States.
"Although most people don't end up in the industry of their major, I actually did major in marketing," she says.
Before college, Slater admits she had no idea what she wanted to do. "I thought about being an artist. I was always intrigued by advertising, but also loved business. Advertising is one element of marketing, so marketing seemed like the more comprehensive choice."
Beyond her major, Slater also studied finance, accounting, statistics, and much more. "The most important skills that I acquired as an undergrad was analyzing numbers, and being able to look at things from different perspectives -- not everything should be so black and white," she says.
Slater says her internship helped round out her studies by teaching her some workplace fundamentals, including how to act in an office environment and draft high-level proposals and reports.
Job Perk
"I love the beauty products and the people! The best part of my job is when I tell people what I do, they say: 'You work at Sephora; I love that place!'"
Career Spotlight
Skyler Harper, a 2004 graduate of LeTourneau University (Longview, TX), says he's always been a people-oriented person, a perfect trait for a future marketing professional. "I learned that marketing is about relationships and people," he says. My interest is in dealing with people and allowing them to have what they want, when they want it."
And, like Slater, Skyler considers his internship at the Make-a-Wish Foundation a key part of establishing his career goals. In fact, it paid off and solidified a full-time job offer in corporate fund development after graduation. In addition, he is pursuing his MBA with a concentration in non-profit management.
"The best thing about my internship was that my supervisors allowed me to actually do things that were key to the mission of the organization, rather than just answering the phones and filing papers," Skylar says. "I was in the middle of fund development and attended several meetings with key corporations and possible donors."
His main role was assisting in the management of the Second Annual Cadillac Finley & Friends Celebrity Golf Tournament. He wrote all of the press materials for the tournament, and was responsible for all media representatives who attended. Skylar says this was his most memorable experience. "I learned skills in writing and communication that I would not have otherwise acquired. I was actively involved in the planning of the event. I maintained the budget and expenses of the tournament, the registrations, and helped keep the event on track."
Allison Slater interned at a marketing sweepstakes company when she was an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. It may not have tons to do with her current position as director of retail marketing for cosmetic giant Sephora, but it did help her figure out what she didn't want to do. In between writing copy for a sweepstakes and working on a proposal to a major fast-food company, she realized she was anxious to explore other facets of the marketing industry.
Despite an uninspiring start, Slater notes that the best way to get a foot in the door is to get an internship. Not only will it help you figure out what you do and don't want to do, the New York City resident explains, "it also helps you get a feel for the working world before your first big job."
Marketing Makeover.
Slater's interest in marketing grew over time and flourished into her current title as the director of retail marketing for Sephora, the famous make-up, skincare, fragrance, bath, body, and hair product retailer. There, she oversees marketing for catalog, public relations, advertising, store events, and new store openings in the United States.
"Although most people don't end up in the industry of their major, I actually did major in marketing," she says.
Before college, Slater admits she had no idea what she wanted to do. "I thought about being an artist. I was always intrigued by advertising, but also loved business. Advertising is one element of marketing, so marketing seemed like the more comprehensive choice."
Beyond her major, Slater also studied finance, accounting, statistics, and much more. "The most important skills that I acquired as an undergrad was analyzing numbers, and being able to look at things from different perspectives -- not everything should be so black and white," she says.
Slater says her internship helped round out her studies by teaching her some workplace fundamentals, including how to act in an office environment and draft high-level proposals and reports.
Job Perk
"I love the beauty products and the people! The best part of my job is when I tell people what I do, they say: 'You work at Sephora; I love that place!'"
Career Spotlight
Skyler Harper, a 2004 graduate of LeTourneau University (Longview, TX), says he's always been a people-oriented person, a perfect trait for a future marketing professional. "I learned that marketing is about relationships and people," he says. My interest is in dealing with people and allowing them to have what they want, when they want it."
And, like Slater, Skyler considers his internship at the Make-a-Wish Foundation a key part of establishing his career goals. In fact, it paid off and solidified a full-time job offer in corporate fund development after graduation. In addition, he is pursuing his MBA with a concentration in non-profit management.
"The best thing about my internship was that my supervisors allowed me to actually do things that were key to the mission of the organization, rather than just answering the phones and filing papers," Skylar says. "I was in the middle of fund development and attended several meetings with key corporations and possible donors."
His main role was assisting in the management of the Second Annual Cadillac Finley & Friends Celebrity Golf Tournament. He wrote all of the press materials for the tournament, and was responsible for all media representatives who attended. Skylar says this was his most memorable experience. "I learned skills in writing and communication that I would not have otherwise acquired. I was actively involved in the planning of the event. I maintained the budget and expenses of the tournament, the registrations, and helped keep the event on track."
Facebook
StumbleUpon
Delicious
Tweet This!Sound Off! Post Your Comments
You are not currently logged on. Please login to add a comment.
Request Free Information
on Colleges Near You
Find