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Passion is Critical in the Job Search, Says Business Marketing Grad

By James Anderson

Serean Bechara loves to create, which explains her passion for fashion and digital marketing. While she felt she had a flair for fashion, she realized she did not know how to sell herself. Her mantra had been: look at my work; not at me. But while helping a friend apply to the Business Marketing program, she realized it might help her bridge the gap between her passion and the everyday business of business.

Now a Content Marketing Coordinator for WheelsUpNetwork – a B2B resource for industry professionals – Serean has applied almost everything she learned in the program: WordPress, Google Analytics, Hootsuite, Buffer, Constant Contact, Adobe Creative Suite, and that business workhorse: Excel!

Take the Initiative

She now creates content for e-blasts and newsletters as well as structuring the social media content calendar: about 15 posts, daily. She also created a mascot (“Jimmy”) for the Wake Up with Wheels Up campaign and has designed t-shirts, hats, and contests which feeds her creative side. “Take the initiative and be prepared before someone tells you,” she advises. Not long after starting at WheelsUp, she offered to fix the website and was invited by the VP to “take a crack at it”. She took ownership and watched as website traction increased. She also revamped statistical reports for clients to be more visual; revamps that the company now uses regularly.

Line Up Your Passions

Passion, she says, is critical in the job search. “Line up your passions with your career goal,” she advises. “Figure out your niches – not just a ‘career in marketing’”. Consider companies that are in line with you values.

Serean has some hands-on advice for networking: reach out to people before going on LinkedIn. Introduce yourself; reference specific conversations; share something interesting that is not business-related and always send thank you notes.

Build a Strategy

She suggests a job-search plan:

  1. Build an excel Sheet – companies, job titles, date of posting
  2. Create memorable cover letters - touch on interests, values and passions
  3. During interviews or conversations – ask questions and listen to the answers
  4. Wait for an offer - then negotiate, not before

Serean advises students to get creative, find your niche, take the initiative and work towards your landing your dream job.

Serean Bechara