GU graduate shares career advice with marketing class
Published: January 09, 2023
Elsie Heckel, a 2017 marketing graduate, speaks with a student after talking to the class.
Five years after she graduated from Greenville University, Elsie Heckel recently returned to campus to give marketing students a peek into what it’s like work at an advertising agency.
“I love being a part of a team,” said Heckel, a 2017 GU marketing graduate of the Briner School of Business. “We get to work with all kinds of businesses and organizations to tell their story. It’s fun, fast-paced, and challenging– but very satisfying when we accomplish what the client wanted us to do.”
Heckel landed her first job out of school as a direct result of a connection she made with a guest speaker in Professor Jane Bell’s Marketing 201 class. She worked a year as a production intern for that St. Louis agency, and then followed her supervisor to BAM Marketing, also of St. Louis, where she’s worked for the past four years as project manager and creative coordinator.
As she spoke to the class, she showed students elements from several campaigns her agency has created for its clients.
“When we do those campaigns, we work closely with our clients to determine what their needs and goals are,” Heckel said. “Then we create materials that make the client’s message unique, memorable, and directed to the right market. To me, the most challenging part of that process is making sure we understand the client’s goals well enough that the materials we create accomplish exactly what they wanted. Listening is so important.”
She said that several projects she did as a student at GU prepared her for the work she’s now doing at the agency. Specifically, the Experience First program taught her how to work in a group and network with people in the industry. She also said that the writing assignments for business classes made her a better communicator in her job.
“I didn’t have many things that caught me by surprise when I started at the agency,” she said. “I learned the basic skills from my classes and internships, and then my co-workers at BAM have done a great job teaching me what I need to know in their organization.”
Heckel told students about her career path.
She offered several tips for students to help them succeed in the workplace:
Take an inventory of your skills (both soft and hard) so you’re aware of what you do well and what you need to work on. Being aware of those skills and your personality type will help you find jobs you’ll enjoy.
Interview often. Learn how to present yourself well by practicing when opportunities come up.
Pursue summer jobs or internships in your intended field. It’s a good way to try different things and decide what kind of work you enjoy most.
Create a LinkedIn profile and a portfolio to show off your skills when interview opportunities arise. Note any experiences or interests that give you a unique background in certain areas.
Build your network. Keep up with people in the industry that you’ve met, and go to events where you’re likely to meet new contacts.
Take advantage of international travel and cultural immersion opportunities to broaden your worldview. (Heckel went on a GU interterm trip to Brazil in 2016.)
Always be learning. Continue to grow and learn by going to seminars, earning certifications for new skills, or taking classes.
Work to achieve work/life balance. Doing that while you’re in school will help you maintain a healthy balance when you enter the workplace.
“In the workplace, it’s so important to be a team player,” Heckel concluded. “That involves being willing to help your co-workers when things are busy. But it also means going the extra mile for your clients, so they remain satisfied customers. By doing both of those things well, you’ll be a valuable part of the team.”
