Putting My Marketing Degree to Use

I received a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University. Upon graduating I moved to Chicago to work for a media agency. Though it seems intuitive that I would (and do) use much of the knowledge I gained in my marketing classes while performing my current job I also have greatly relied upon what I learned in other classes that were mandatory for my degree.

Below I have listed some of the classes I was required to take that I employ in my day to day work beginning with the core Marketing classes:

Consumer Behavior: This class explores the consumer’s connection to brands, the very thing that every communications agency is founded around. Understanding the individual’s relationship with brands is key to uncovering insights from which to develop strategies. Media is changing; it is no longer the advertiser pushing out information but rather a mutual sharing of information between consumer and brand. The message is not only tailored to the audience but also often open-ended (which is clearly the direction the industry is heading with the growth of social media platforms). I utilize everything from the basic terminology to fundamental principles that I learned in this class on a regular basis to perform my role as an associate in media.

Market Research: I was surprised to realize that an notion of and ability to communicate market research was required for my position. I had assumed that market research was only considerable for those who chose to actually go into a market research role but I was incorrect. Due to the high level of collaboration among all sorts of communications agencies, whether it be creative, media, public relations, events, or marketing research firms, it is incredibly important to be able to have a knowledgeable conversation (whether it be with your client or a third party) regarding a market research study. This may range from taking the execute of sharing with your client a published study that concerns their business or a study your agency is facilitating with a third party to choose how effective the advertising/marketing/public relations (or whatever it may be) is.

Information systems. Though I did not think it would portray to my career in Marketing I was surprised to find that it was one of the most beneficial classes I took. Upon starting at a media agency I was effect on a large technology client that sells all sorts of information systems and databases; having a basic understanding of the systems my client was selling served as a colossal value toward understanding their strategy and business needs. Further, as the industry continues to grow in the digital space, information systems have become a part of my regular tasks. Though they are used for various reasons, it is mainly pulling data and analytics.

Accounting: A knowledge of the fundamentals of financial accounting are, in my opinion, mandatory for all employees in the business world. Most positions, even those which are more creative, require billing and therefore an understanding of basic accounting principles. Further, this class taught me how business are run and what it means for a business to be healthy. This knowledge has benefited me in every aspect when it comes to my role in the business world.

Computer Engineering/Sciences: Though a career in the communications industry may seem glamorous, the truth is that more time is spent working on spreadsheets than presentations. It is imperative that employees are comfortable with basic computer systems and terminology. I use the tricks and shortcuts I learned in this class nearly every day in Microsoft Excel. Even more surprising is the fact that I use what I learned about html coding, too. To clarify, I do not do any coding myself, it simply allows me to better understand the digital side of marketing.

In sum, I use the skills I learned from required classes for my degree in Marketing on a daily basis within my current position as an entry level associate at a media agency. Some of the most useful classes were not what I had expected yet actually quite unexpected.