Alumni Spotlight: Milan Dekich

Name:   Milan Dekich                   

Hometown: Hartselle, Al

Degree/Minor from Auburn: Communications/Marketing

Current Occupation: War Eagle Traveler’s  Student Travel Ambassador

Current Location:   Auburn, Al                    

Current Company: Auburn Alumni Association

What was your favorite marketing course offered at Auburn/other University

you attended and why? 

It had to be Sales Management by Dr. Abernathy.  Not because this was fun or even my favorite, but it was one of the most challenging courses I’ve ever taken. I came into it with absolutely no idea how I was going to pass. It took me gathering  all my resources, becoming more efficient in studying, and allocating my time effectively to end up earning a high ‘B’. I was more proud of that ‘B’ than any ‘A’ ever.

Are you currently involved with Auburn? (Organizations, positions, etc.)

Yes, I’m finishing up an internship with the Auburn Alumni Association.

Do you still keep in touch with any of your graduating classmates?

It’s hard but you realize that if you want to keep people in your life it’s going to take effort. They are not just down the street anymore.

As a college student, did Auburn prepare you for the “real world”?

Yes and no. Yes, college gives you the theory and forces you to be a more effective person and learner.  However, if you believe that getting a degree in today’s world entitles you a job you are dead wrong. There are millions of people just like you fighting for the same thing. You have to become irreplaceable and keep developing yourself. Start building equity for yourself now and don’t wait until your senior year to start thinking career wise. Part of the “real world’s” diet consists of naive graduates.

When you were a student and applying for jobs, what did you do to set yourself apart?

I interviewed for everything I could. Not because I wanted the job, but just to practice interviewing. Eventually, if I could just get a physical interview, I knew I could win them over just because it was easy now. Also, don’t be afraid to skip the HR department and go directly to the boss. I’ve gotten several interviews by researching the head honcho’s number and emailing them directly asking for an interview. Your boldness will pay off.

Where did you first start off after graduation?

I knew that I would be with the Alumni Association after graduation (December 2012) so I went back home for the winter break. I took this time to develop other skills and worked on some entrepreneurial pursuits.

Can you give us a day-to-day description of your job?

I’m nearing the end of my internship now but for the most part I was promoting the 2013 Auburn European Graduation Trip. It was so fun to be spending my days meeting people, doing informational sessions, and building a client list. I was pretty much my own boss which allowed me to be more creative and enjoy it more.

Do you have any advice for current Auburn students on finding employment?

“Always be closing.” I say this because I consistently had 2-3 job leads at a time (I still do).  With my options open it helped to relax and straighten my long term strategy. Also, don’t think you have to follow the status quo in order to find employment. Like I said above, going directly to someone and just asking for an internship will work more than you think. We also live in an age now where it’s never been easier to create your own employment. I live by the model if opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.

What does your company offer as far as internships and/or positions after graduation?  

The War Eagle Travelers provide a fantastic internship as the Student Travel Ambassador. It’s offered every year as a three month internship. It provides amazing experience and looks great on a resume. This year’s STA was just granted to Grace Perry. 

Alumni Spotlight: Paul Olver

Name: Paul Olver                       

Hometown: Atlanta

Degree/Minor from Auburn: Marketing

Current Occupation: Business Owner, Medical Software

Current Location: Alpharetta, GA                       

Current Company: Bridge-Tech Medical Inc

        What was your favorite marketing course offered at Auburn and why?   Probably my Sales Management course, it helped me to gain a good perspective in my field of interest.    

Are you currently involved with Auburn? (Organizations, positions, etc.) No

        Do you still keep in touch with any of your graduating classmates? Yes

        As a college student, did Auburn prepare you for the “real world”? Yes

        When you were a student and applying for jobs, what did you do to set yourself apart? At the time, my goal was to just go in confident, know as much about at company as possible, have prepared questions to ask, and most importantly, execute the details.

        Where did you first start off after graduation? Fipps Medical in Atlanta, GA.  Fipps was a medical distribution company servicing the Southeast U.S. 

        Can you give us a day-to-day description of your job? I began in sales and worked my way up into several management positions.  I had a sales territory of existing clients and I was responsible for growing the territory with new clients as well.  I sold for 3 years, and then moved into sales management where I was responsible for 14 sales professionals.  After 2 years, I became the General Manager over all operations, and a year later became the Executive Vice President.  Once I became the VP, I was responsible for overseeing all operational and Sales and Marketing aspects of the company.

        Do you have any advice for current Auburn students on finding employment? It’s a tough job market right now, so you have to be creative and prepared to ensure you get the attention of a prospective employer.  Make sure you are very detailed in your execution of introduction letters, resume’ and follow-up.  Be sure to be yourself, practice interviews with family and friends. Seek advice from as many business professionals as you can.

What does your company offer as far as internships and/or positions after graduation?  Currently we do not offer internships, but we are always looking for good job candidates.  Positions could include, software engineers, electrical engineers, IT related positions, and sales professionals.

Faculty Spotlight: 
Daniel Butler

Position	Professor
Dept.	Department of Marketing
Phone	(334) 844-2464
E-mail	butledd@auburn.edu
Office	251 Lowder Business Building
Website	http://business.auburn.edu/~butledd/

 Education:

• PhD, South Carolina, 1990
• MBA, Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, Argentina, 1981
• MBA, Central Florida, 1980
• BSBA, Central Florida, 1977

1. How did you get into Marketing?

Picked tomatoes and strawberries in a field when I was 11 years old. Sold them from door to door. I used the money to buy a lawn mower and make more money. I then was able to travel with the circus.

2. What has been your favorite part of being a Marketing professor?

Being able to help students succeed in all aspects of their life not just academics and make a difference in whatever they do.

3. What is the best advice you can give to Marketing students that are fixing to go into the job market?

They need to stop thinking like a student and start thinking like a business person

4. What is the biggest mistake Marketing students make when they graduate?

It seems that students haven’t done their homework to really realize what they are getting into when they get this degree.

5. When and how did you realize you wanted to be a Marketing professor?

In 1979 I felt it was really a challenge to write a 20 year plan for my life. I wanted to know why there were high rates of inflation and high rates of unemployment at same time. In economics the Phillips curve said it was not possible. There was then a long string of events that led to me becoming a professor.

6.What's the best part of living in Auburn?

The students and faculty are absolutely the best in the county, great people in Auburn.

7. How long do you see yourself teaching?

You know that's a good question! I guess however many years my wife lets me . (laughs)

8. What's your favorite hobby? 

I love to fish off-shore, I actually use to do some product testing for a few fishing companies. 

9. What is your favorite part about the classes you teach? 

The favorite part of teaching in general is the satisfaction of knowing my students have learned something that they will use for the rest of their life! 

10. Is there anything in the Marketing Department you would like to see change? 

Absolutely not! I think it's the best department in the country!



Relevant Links:

University of South Carolina Marketing
University of Central Florida Marketing

Nicole Halpin - Marketing Student & Event Coordinating Intern at the Auburn University Office of Communications and Marketing

Nicole Halpin is a senior in Marketing with a minor in Business Engineering Technology. Nicole is originally from Vicksburg, M.S. and is currently an intern for the Office of Communications and Marketing as an Event Coordinating Intern. She has been partaken in numerous campus organizations such as: Camp War Eagle Counselor, Phi Mu Public Relations Chair, as well as a being part of the official “Who’s Who” among Auburn University students. She has also had in several internships of note such as: Marketing Intern for Auburn Athletics and Event Coordinating Intern at Follywood Productions. Nicole’s ultimate career goal is to be an event coordinator.

What Marketing classes are you currently taking? Which Marketing class has been your favorite?

Promotions Strategy, Retail Management and I am getting marketing credit for my current internship. I have really enjoyed Promotions Strategy with Dr. Rotfeld. It is a challenging class, but Dr. Rotfeld does a great job of explaining the material and gives lots of real life examples. Even though the class is challenging, I feel like I have been able to get the most out of this class than the most of my marketing. I feel like I catch myself referencing a lot of the day to day things we learn about.

What advice can you give current students on getting involved in extracurricular activities on campus?

I think I am lucky because I have been able to be exposed to many different aspects of Auburn when it comes to extracurricular activities. It is important that people get involved with extracurricular activities because personally I think that it’s the best way to really test the waters and help you figure out the best path to follow after graduation.

Could you tell what would you like to see change about the Marketing department or curriculum within the college?

I would recommend having more marketing electives dealing with sales and advertising. This is because there is such an incredible wide variety of sales careers in the marketing field.  Many people immediately think you should go into sales when you graduate with a marketing degree. A couple of classes that could really segment this field would be really beneficial.  

What has been your favorite and least favorite part of your experience as a Marketing student in the College of Business?

I have really enjoyed having classes with the same groups of people because I have been able to really maintain a lot of the same study groups and have the same people for many of my group projects. I feel like marketing is such a bubble inside the college of business and it’s great to have been able to form a good rapport with many of the same people in my classes. I really wish that there would be more organizations that would be more focused directly with my major. It has been tough to really find things that really encourage you to be involved within College that are marketing related.

So you’re looking for jobs, can you give us your tips for finding jobs and internships?

I would recommend really getting out of your comfort zone and trying out as many experiences and locations as you can. I really think getting pigeonholed is a big detriment. And I also would recommend not being scared of entry level sales roles because these really act as your foot in the door type of jobs for many of the upper level positions.

How about interviewing, any tips?

RESEARCH! Research the company, the position you are interviewing for, and local community you will potentially be living in. During an interview just be yourself and answer the questions to the best of your ability. Always be honest, because the interviewer can always tell when you are lying. Also, be sure to completely answer your question and don’t give one-word answers. It's best to keep the interview as conversational as possible. Lastly, write a thank you note after the interview. It shows that you are interested in the position and you are appreciative of their time.

Can you tell us what your plans are after graduation?

I have been cold calling companies because I am so passionate about getting in the event planning industry. I think having some sort of gimmick that makes you different really does indeed make a difference when looking for jobs and the success that comes with it. I really see myself doing event planning in many fields like corporate, P.R. or even wedding planning. I love Texas and Dallas so that is the main area that I have been focusing on and really see myself thriving in.

Alumni Spotlight: Haley Lucido

Name: Haley M. Lucido

Hometown: Montgomery, AL

Degree/Minor from Auburn: B.S. Marketing, Political Science Minor

Current Occupation: Advertising/Sales Account Executive 

Current Location: Birmingham, AL

Company: Clear Channel Media + Entertainment (102.5 The Bull, 103.7 The Q, Magic 96.5, News Radio 105.5 WERC, 103.1 The Vulcan, 104.1 The Beat, Hallelujah 105.1 & iHeartRadio)

  

        What was your favorite marketing course offered at Auburn and why? Looking back, Sales Management (Abernethy) and Consumer Behavior(Bourdeau) are my favorites, not because of the curriculum necessarily but because they were the most memorable and therefore applicable to real life.

         Are you currently involved with Auburn? (Organizations, positions, etc.) Yes, I am a Lifetime Member of the Alumni Association & a member of the Greater Birmingham Auburn Club

        Do you still keep in touch with any of your graduating classmates? Yes, thanks to Facebook and through some other Young Professional group.

        As a college student, did Auburn prepare you for the “real world”? When I was in school, the economy was golden and everyone was rich (seriously, I made more money working part time in college than I did working full-time right after I graduated). As I graduated the economy crashed and crumbled (December 2007), and there was nothing that could prepare a new college grad for that. My Auburn experience was fantastic, and I would do it again in a heartbeat, but the only thing that can prepare you for the real world is experiencing outside of Auburn first hand.

        When you were a student and applying for jobs, what did you do to set yourself apart? I made valuable connections and Networked face to face with people that could give me references and get my foot in the door down the road.

        Where did you first start off after graduation? Many places. For the first 6 months after graduation I (as well as many other of my Marketing Major friends) had to move back home with Mom and Dad because I couldn't find a "real" job. I did everything from substitute teaching to being a bank teller, until finally through an older Auburn Alumni friend, I landed a job with the Alabama Republican Party where I worked as a Field Rep, helping support Political Grassroots Campaigns. After that, I worked in Political & Non-profit fundraising, where I became familiar with media buying and selling.

        Can you give us a day-to-day description of your job? Every day is extremely different, but I spend the majority of my days recruiting, selling and consulting my advertising clients for our 7 large radio stations in Birmingham. I create multiple advertising campaigns and give presentations to clients on ways they should advertise using the mediums I represent. I also spend a lot of time educating my local business clients on the most effective ways to market their businesses. I negotiate with the Media Buyers from Advertising Agencies to achieve the best cost per point for their advertising budgets and how to integrate it effectively with other forms of media that they buy (TV, Cable, Internet, Print, etc). I also spend time overseeing the creative & production of commercials, creating proposals, and putting out fires when things go wrong!

        Do you have any advice for current Auburn students on finding employment? Yes, I have lots of advice! 

1. Figure out specifically what you want to do NOW and do NOT wait until the last minute to look for a job. Look for a job that's a realistic entry-level job. 

2. Get an internship or part-time job while you are still in school that is directly related to what you want to do after. I'm telling you that now because I wish someone had told me! I had an administrative assistant job working in an outreach office in the College of Business, but I didn't know that really wasn't enough, unless you want to have a career as an administrative assistant! You will need relevant experience before you graduate because no one in the "real world" will want to waste time or money teaching you how to do a job when there are a million other people out there that already have the experience needed.  

3. Start applying for jobs at least 3-6 months before you graduate because the hiring process usually takes that long. 

4. And when you do graduate, don't expect to get some glamorous job with a fancy title. You will start out as a scrub anywhere you land, and you will have to bust your ass to compete and move up. 

5. Last, take risks and find a way to make yourself invaluable to your employer in many areas because employers now are looking's for ways to hire less people that will do multiple positions so their overhead costs are cheaper... I have been laid off before because of company cut-backs/consolidation…and it is not fun!  

What does your company offer as far as internships and/or positions after graduation? We offer Marketing/Promotions internships as well as Sales Internships, which are all unpaid, but would count as class credit. I would not recommend a position like mine for someone fresh out of college since in a larger city they require multiple years of experience because it is so competitive, but Clear Channel is the largest media company in the US so there may be part-time or entry-level positions in other markets.