Rachel Newman
Cal Poly - B.A. English, 2010
Other degrees/certificates:
Masters of Business Administration - SDSU, Expected May 2016
Current city/state:
San Diego, CA
Employer:
BBB serving San Diego, Orange & Imperial Counties
Professional Website:
www.BBB.org/SDOC
Job Title:
Director of Marketing & Communications
How Long in Current Position:
4 years (since 1/2011)
Brief description of position duties/responsibilities:
I manage the marketing, advertising and public relations of the organization. I am the media liaison for the company, both pitching and interviewing with news stations. I also manage all of the membership benefits (i.e. brand portfolio) for the organization.
What specific qualities/abilities, skills are necessary for this position:
Strong oral and written communication are the two most important skills for my job. I do a lot of public speaking both on television and in front of groups. The ability to build relationships with reporters is also crucial - at its most base level, you have to be able to get people to like you and believe you. Another important aspect of my job is critical thinking and the ability to plan and strategize.
While at Cal Poly, what resources did you take advantage of that have helped you in your current position:
Classes in the English department were crucial in helping me develop my ability to think critically about any and all issues. Those same classes also gave me the confidence to speak comfortably in front of people. In a more technical sense, I worked on the Mustang Daily and took a few journalism classes that helped guide me into advertising and public relations.
What advice would you give to someone interested in your profession?
Start your internships now! It's very difficult to get into marketing with no experience. Also, get comfortable with the idea that your first job will more than likely pay less than you want and will be at a lower level than you'd like. Marketing is a field in which you start slow, but have high advancement and earning potential.
Is there anything you'd like to personally add about how you found your way to your current career since graduating from Cal Poly as an English major? Any memorable epiphanies that marked major turning points on which path you chose?
I can't say I had a major epiphany. I knew I wanted to spend my days writing in a social environment that allowed me to meet new people and be creative. The epiphany I did have is how valuable Cal Poly's 'learn by doing' method is. Don't underestimate the oral and written communication skills that you are honing right now. An English degree may seem like a good punch line to some, but it is invariably one of the most invaluable degrees you can get. The Cal Poly English degree did not necessarily teach me a technical skill, but it did teach me how to think - which I've since discovered is worth much more.
Contact:
rnewman@sandiego.bbb.org