This week, UMD AMA held its second annual Marketing Employer Networking Night! We are extremely proud to announce that UMD AMA was named one of AMA's 2023 Spring Career Forum Grant Recipients for taking a unique approach to this event. Rather than hosting a typical conference, we planned a networking night that consisted of rapid-fire networking sessions, free food, and raffles! Marketing students from local universities first participated in a series of 15-minute networking sessions with employers, including Amazon and Marriott International, followed by an hour of casual networking. Let’s recap each employer that students met!
Amazon Advertising
We all know Amazon, from their retail website, to video streaming platform, to their web services that host millions on their cloud. We were so grateful to have Amazon Advertising employees Jessi Bartholomew, Michael Erickson, and Brian Kammer speak at our networking event!
Jessi and Michael started off by explaining that their jobs fall under the larger umbrella of advertising. Underneath that, Jessi and Michael work as Account Executives, aiming to help drive product and brand sales via Amazon ads. Through Amazon’s database that is packed rich with proprietary first-party data, Amazon is able to send targeted ads to consumers based on their specific needs and wants. When consumers activate cookies on Amazon’s website, pieces of data from the person's recent searches is stored within a web browser that the website can retrieve at a later time. This is the reason why you see ads for your past product searches pop up even after closing your browser!
To increase sales even more, Jessi and Michael have to ensure that they are advertising for specific deals that Amazon is currently running. For example, promotions on candy during Halloween season can be targeted specifically to U.S. customers, people who have bought candy in the past, or customers who have been identified as parents of children. Strategic use of Amazon’s algorithm around all major holidays is key for the company and the brands it sells.
If this mix of marketing and data sounds interesting to you, be sure to keep your eyes out for upcoming open positions in the fall. Amazon offers a mentor and mentee program for all new hires along with a positive company environment so be sure to apply for their student programs in the future!
Amtrak
Amber Brooks, a Commercial/Finance Management Associate and a former AMA member herself, joined our networking night this week! At Amtrak, Amber puts her creative and analytical skills to work. Through their rotational program, which Amber is currently a part of, trainees spend 18-24 months rotating among various teams and roles in order to gain a holistic understanding of Amtrak’s management operations. Trainees in the rotational program have exciting first-hand interactions with Amtrak’s top executives, while gaining an understanding of all departments within Amtrak. Perhaps the most compelling aspect of this program, however, is that it shapes its members into Amtrak's future leaders using the highest quality training possible.
Within this rotational program, Amber raved about the marketing development department. Amtrak has ramped up its marketing efforts to heighten the brand awareness and spread the benefits of train travel. Through strategies like Guest Rewards Programs, customers can accumulate and redeem points, thus building loyalty with the brand.
Amtrak also offers several internships open to undergraduate students looking to immerse themselves in the marketing and advertising field. If this is something you are interested in, Amber has some advice: Be knowledgeable early on and don’t stress yourself out. Check out their internships and co-ops page to learn more and apply!
Marriott International
From Marriott International, UMD AMA was joined by Karen Belt and Alyssa Krysick! Karen has an extensive history with the company and currently works as Marriott’s University Programs Coordinator while Alyssa is the Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition Strategies & Solutions. Both are seasoned professionals who are passionate about the hospitality industry and the recruiting process. Marriott is one of the world’s largest global lodging companies which manages thousands of properties all over the world. Their headquarters are local here in Bethesda, Maryland.
Karen and Alyssa started their session by showing a video from Marriott about the company culture, and their new brand promise, which is “BE” as in "Begin. Belong. Become.” This new brand aims to encapsulate the supportive and diverse company culture at Marriott, which Alyssa spoke very highly of.
For undergraduate students interested in hospitality, Marriott offers 10-12 week hotel internships, where students work at a hotel and learn all of the ins and outs of the industry first hand. For our graduating seniors, Marriott’s Voyage Global Leadership Development Program is a 12-18 months rotational program where employees receive hands-on training in various disciplines such as Accounting & Finance, Culinary, Engineering, Event Management, Food & Beverage, Human Resources, Revenue Management, and Rooms Operations. This program will prepare employees to work anywhere within Marriott and is a great entryway into the industry. Learn more about Marriott’s student programs and apply today!
Blue Corona
Phil Zippo and Jake Kelly from Blue Corona also participated in our networking night! Blue Corona is a full service digital marketing company that serves home service companies in Maryland. They work with local plumbing, electrical, HVAC, remodeling, landscaping, and many other home service companies to improve their digital presence and help grow their business.
The company culture at Blue Corona is something that Phil and Jake really value, especially since the company is fully virtual. At the end of every Blue Corona asks all the employees a question such as “What is your favorite quote?” or “What is your mantra?” and they get a book made with all of the employee’s answers and send it out to the whole staff. Phil especially enjoys this and thinks it's a great way for the company to connect in a meaningful way.
Being that Blue Corona is a smaller company that is rapidly growing, new employees are constantly coming in. In Jake’s position as Director of Paid Advertising, he meets with new employees at least once a week to ensure they are adapting to their new position well. These new hires start working for smaller accounts and work their way up, thus getting hands-on experience right from the start. Blue Corona is currently hiring interns for summer 2023 in the areas of digital marketing and digital design, as well as full-time roles as a PPC Specialist, SEO Specialist, Account Coordinator, and Digital Designer. Visit the Blue Corona career page to learn more and apply!
Enterprise Holdings
Marketing students were also excited to meet Miranda Mitchell from Enterprise Truck Rental! Enterprise Truck Rental is a company that provides truck rentals to its customers and is owned and operated by Enterprise Holdings.
The structure of Enterprise Truck Rental is based on employees working their way up. Starting out at the very bottom as an intern, your daily tasks include being involved in sales and peak hours, which are back-to-back hours of helping and guiding customers in the sales department. Interns must ask themselves what they can do to make the customer happy. How can I sell to this specific customer?
At Enterprise Truck Rental, there is no tenure so promotions are solely performance based. For example, let’s say you start off in fleet management where your position is to buy, sell, and resell cars. You can work for two years to become a branch manager or business consumer who works to sell to body shops and expand the brand of local shops. If you’re interested in a more creative role, Enterprise’s social media and HR department may be a good fit for you. You can start by running the company’s social media and content assets and then move up to higher positions within your desired department.
Enterprise Truck Rental looks for specific skills in their employees. A big part of the job is having interpersonal communication abilities to be able to interact with customers and coworkers. Along with communication skills, Enterprise requires that its employees are flexible, able to sell, and possess adequate leadership and listening skills.
Enterprise is involved in a wealth of charitable and volunteer organizations! A main focus of the company is giving back to the Earth as motor vehicles are not the most environmentally friendly. They also have a customer-facing partnership with DC Pride and other LGBTQ+ organizations. Finally, Enterprise engages in Stuff The Bus fundraisers, coat drives, school supplies drives, and works with the Capital Area food bank. Join the team now through their Management Trainee Program!
Techtronic Industries
The sessions with Techtronic Industries were hosted by Bill Donovan and Francesca LeDone. TTI is a large company that owns many popular power tool brands such as Milwaukee, Ryobi, Hoover and more.
TTI only hires from within the company, which means every employee starts in the Field Sales and Marketing representative role, whether they are an intern or joining the company post-grad. This is an active role where employees work at a Home Depot store and manage TTI’s various brands and their respective products. Francesca, who is currently in this role, described it as a lot of walking around the store, ensuring your products and the displays are in order, talking to customers, and working with the Home Depot staff.
Bill started at TTI as an intern and has worked his way up to a Territory Manager for the DC-Metro area. Bill showed UMD AMA members a TTI chart showing how an employee can move up in the company and across the different departments. The company structure at TTI gives employees lots of room for growth so they are able to learn the fundamentals of the company and find the right position for them.
TTI is a fast growing company and is looking for interns and employees for their Field Sales and Marketing positions. Visit their careers page to learn more!
The Nonprofit Alliance
Marketing students also met Shelby Truxon, The Director of Internship Experience at The Nonprofit Alliance! Founded in 2018, The Nonprofit Alliance is a trade organization that aims to promote, protect, and strengthen the nonprofit sector. In her role, Shelby is responsible for designing, developing, and scaling a new internship program to support college students through their careers within the nonprofit sector, especially those coming from diverse and non-traditional backgrounds.
For those looking to work in nonprofit, The Nonprofit Alliance’s Leading EDGE internship program is a great start. This program aims to make underrepresented college-aged job candidates more visible in the field to help them secure initial job placements. Students will get a chance to participate in webinar events, networking sessions, mentorship programs, and many other learning opportunities to help grow their careers. Apply now for the summer 2023 internship program!
Smith Office of Career Services
UMD AMA was proud to be joined by Ashlee Chicoine from UMD Smith’s very own Office of Career Services! OCS strives to immerse students into critical thinking, creativity, and entrepreneurship skills as well as support students in their job search. OCS has helped thousands of students find a career that matches their skills and ambitions and connects them with hundreds of top employers.
Not only does OCS guide students in exploring their career goals, they also offer a handful of opportunities for students to be involved and even employed in their office. This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to gain real world business experience that is exclusive to UMD Smith students. Available roles include: Marketing Intern, Career Advising Intern, Consulting Careers Intern, Wall Street Careers Intern, Employer Relations Intern, Employer Events Coordinator, BMGT 367 Teaching Assistant, and Front Desk Assistant. Interested students should submit their resume and cover letter via HireSmith for their specific functional area of interest by April 23, 2023!
To anyone looking to get involved, Ashlee has some beneficial advice: Engage early and often. Do not be afraid to discover new pieces of the career that you want to explore as an underclassman. It is important to have an open mind about what you want to pursue in your professional life, because after all, you might surprise yourself. Be sure to take advantage of the Smith Office of Career Services by paying a visit to room 2570 in Van Munching Hall!
Business Master of Science and Plus 1 Programs: Robert H. Smith School of Business
Looking to continue your educational journey after undergrad? Lian Kish from the Business Masters and Plus One program spoke to marketing students about educational advancement opportunities right here at Smith.
For marketers with an interest in data, the Master of Science in Marketing Analytics might be the right fit for you. Through this 30-credit program, students explore how to use data to make informed marketing decisions about pricing, brand positioning, and target markets. Students also become experts in industry-specific tools such as Google Analytics, SAS, SQL, Tableau, Python, and R. If you’re interested in securing a job as a Brand Analyst, Consumer Insights Analyst, Marketing Strategy Consultant, or Web Analytics Manager, this program will help you achieve your goals as 67% of MSMA students secure employment within six months of graduating, with a median salary of $101k.
If pursuing a higher degree is on your radar, consider the Plus 1 program to earn an accelerated business master’s degree in as little as one additional year post-grad. Plus 1 allows students to take graduate-level business courses at the undergraduate tuition rate while still pursuing their bachelor’s degree, thus saving time and money. Who doesn’t want to finish their degree early, expand their career opportunities, while having test scores and fees waived? The Plus 1 program is offered in the following areas: Accounting, Business Analytics, Finance, Information Systems, Management Studies, Marketing Analytics, Quantitative Finance, and Supply Chain Management. Visit the Plus 1 website to learn more and start the application process!
We ended the night with an hour of networking, coupled with free dinner and an exciting raffle, including a JBL speaker! Here’s what students had to say about the event: “I loved how much I learned from each company”; “I now know more about certain companies that I had the wrong idea about”; and “I enjoyed all the different employers that came and there was a great amount of socializing and entertainment.” The event proved to be valuable for employers too with feedback from them being: “I enjoyed having individual rooms and a focus on marketing majors. It made it easier to connect with everyone”; “The event was very organized and seamless, students were well prepared with impactful questions and employers did not have to fight for attention”; and “I was able to connect with really motivated students.” UMD AMA is thrilled to hear that we were able to bring value to both our students and employers through this event.
Thank you to AMA Nationals for selecting UMD AMA for the 2023 Spring Career Forum Grant and a special shoutout to Riley Fickett, the Assistant Manager of Collegiate Communities at AMA, for assisting us throughout the entire planning process. Huge props to Chase Blum, our VP of Events, for putting together this amazing event! It would not have been possible without all of his hard work and dedication. Thank you to all the UMD and JHU marketing students that came out and we hope to see everyone back next year!
- Web Dev Team (Rumi Petrova, Maeve Smarick, Megan Carey & Layla Shulman)