Where can you go with a liberal arts degree? What options are out there for Lawrence graduates? The Career Corner tells the stories of some almni who have found answers to these questions and proves that, yes, there is a job out there for you.At Lawrence, Jessica Seaberg, class of 2000, majored in English, but it was a summer internship that decided her future career path. She worked for Kydd Group, an event marketing and promotions agency, the summer between her junior and senior years. Before Seaberg graduated, Kydd Group asked her to come work for them, and she started that July. There was no interview and no resume required.
“I had a fairly easy time…I was pretty lucky that I just…’fell into’ the job,” Seaberg said.
She remained at Kydd Group for over a year, but when she sensed instability in the company, she moved on. For about two months, she did strictly retail and freelance work through a network of industry contacts. Seaberg then signed on to Southwest Metro Transit, a small government agency, where she was in charge of “all their marketing and public relations.”
Seaberg left Southwest Metro two months early when another opportunity opened up. The position of Senior Marketing Coordinator of Books, Apparel, Toys and Trend at Best Buy/Musicland was accepting resumes. Unlike her previous job at Kydd Group, this job required what Seaberg described as a “rigorous interviewing process.” She was one of 200 applicants, many from within the company itself. She was interviewed five times.
At Musicland, Seaberg plans store events, such as author appearances and book signings, as well as in-store promotions and advertising, among many other tasks. Already demanding, this career has also presented Jessica with a unique set of challenges.
“When I started I required more training than most people,” she said. This challenge was largely due to her lack of a marketing or retail degree. However, her Lawrence education has also had a positive impact on her career.
“Going to a small school really helps you build relationships with people. I know how to work with people very effectively in order to ensure that both parties are successful… [LU] gave me outstanding communication and leadership skills… that definitely carries over to my work,” Seaberg said.
With a career path she describes as “unconventional,” Seaberg advises students interested in marketing to begin with agency work and go on from there.
“If you stay in an agency, you eventually move up, but it’s very cut-throat,” Seaberg said.