interview prep

tell me about yourself

-marketing student at u of a

-strong academic background; 4.0 and Chancellor's List for the past 6 consecutive semesters

-campus involvement includes being a member of Tau Sigma, FAB, and Chi O Early Alum

-full time student and part time employee where i recently stepped up as social media manager where i…

-dedicate time to earning industry relevant certifications from…

-spend free time i build independent mock brand campaigns and audits to sharpen my strategic marketing skills and to prepare my portfolio for post-grad roles

Tell me about a time you... give me an example of...

S: as a marketing student i wanted to create a personal brand audit for a brand i am a fan of.  wanted to go beyond a typical class assignment and show how i think creatively
T: the challenge was figuring out how to take a brand that already has a distinct brand personality and identify other ways it could represent itself. i didnt want to just say i liked the packaging and the colors used; i looked at the brand from a marketing students perspective to analyze how the brand connects with its audience, what makes the brand so recognizable, and identified any gaps to fill
A:  I looked closely at quirks visual identity, messaging, and overall personality as a brand.Thought about what made it different from competitors in its category, organized my findings into a brand audit and used canava to turn my ideas into something visual and easy to follow. i also thought about new creative concepts that still felt like the brand without seeming like it was recycling its current products... made the winter camapign... wanted the final project to show both of the sides of marketing i am interested in; the strategy behind understanding a brand and the creative side of being able tp bring ideas to life. Once i finished compiling everything, i turned all my work into a portfolio piece that could actually show and share with marketing professionals
R: I ended up with a project that felt much more representativer of the marketer i hope to become. it gave me something tangible to show people instead of just teling them i am creaive and am interested in branding. it also allowed me to be more cofnident in taking something i am interested in and turning it into a thoughtful, compelling, and strategic marketing project. 

why marketing

i chose to major in marketing and pursue it in my career because creativity and curiosity has always been a big part of who i am. growing up, i was always the person making things, creating do it yourself projects, or teaching myself new hobbies. My family has always told me im full of ideas and that i think differently than others. I put a creative spinon things and I have always been drawn to thinking outside the box
As i got older, i realized that marketing was a way to turn my natural creativity into something purposeful. I love the idea of taking an idea and having the power to bring it to life through visuals, storytelliung and brand identity. I also love that marketing goes beyond creative thinking; there is a strategy behind understanding people and figuring out how to make an idea resonate with them. This is exactly why i chose marketing, it lets me combine my naturally ability to create with something I can continue to learn and grow in professionally. 

How do you collaborate

think collaboration is something ive been learning my entire life. i am the youngest of seven and i have around 60 first cousins, so i have grown up around a lot of different personalities. I have learned how to speak up, listen, read the room, and understand that not everyone communicates or approaches things in the same way. 
I have also spent the past 6 years in customer service as a server and barista, which has taught me a lot about working with different types of people, especially in fast paced enviornments. I pride myself on being someone my team can always depend on while also paying attention to what others need and how i can help. I think i am a naturally very positive person and I have the ability to create an enviornemtn where those around me feel comfortable to share their thoughts and ideas. 
In marketing especially I think this is very important; the best ideas usually comr from brainstorming together in a group of people with different perspectives. I want to become a professional whose creativity contributes to the overall success of the company, follows through on responsibilities, and encourages those on my team as well. 

How do you prioritize tasks

I am someone who always likes to be ahead of things and avoids playing catch up. I balance being a full time student, working, and other commitments and have learned I need a system in place so I dont become overwhelmed by a pileup.  I use a planner, write down reminders, and break larger assignments into smaller steps before i begin working on them. 
For example, if i had assignments due on sunday, i typically use my free time on monday to get started or even finish them. I also like to knock out smaller tasks as early as i can to give myself more time to work on projects that require more thought and time contribution. That being said, i still prioritize based on deadlines and importance rather than doing what is easiest first. 
Having structure is one of the things that help me to feel stable and calm, as well as staying consistent and to produce my best work. Especially in marketing, i will definetly have to balance several projecst that have different deadlines and taking deadlines seriously gives you more time to be more creative rather than rushing to get things done. Already having my foundation of organziation and timliness will allow me to transition more smoothly into a professional role. 

tell me about a time you worked on a team

One example is a marketing capstone project I'm currently working on with a team of four, where we're auditing Catalina Crunch and presenting our findings to an industry panel.

It's a pretty involved project because we're looking at the brand from a lot of different angles, including SEO and GEO, in-store visibility, the digital shelf, competitors, and email marketing. With so many different pieces and assignments, I realized early on that we needed to stay organized and make sure everything connected rather than just treating each part as a separate assignment.

I naturally stepped into more of a leadership role by helping divide up the work, keeping track of deadlines, and checking in with everyone to see where we were and what still needed to be done. I also paid attention to the assignment rubrics and made sure we were covering the requirements while keeping our overall strategy consistent. I wanted everyone to have ownership of their part, but I also wanted to make sure we were working toward the same end goal.

It's taught me that being a good team member isn't just about completing your own portion of the work. Sometimes it's about taking initiative, communicating consistently, and helping bring everyone's contributions together. As we prepare for our industry presentation, I'm learning how important that balance is between trusting your teammates and making sure the whole project stays on track.

why s.a.k.e?

I'm interested in SAKE because I'm looking for an opportunity to take what I've learned in the classroom and apply it to something real and purposeful before I graduate. I've really loved my time at the University of Arkansas, and I'd love to be part of creating and selling products that other students can connect with and associate with their own college experience.

I'm naturally creative, and throughout my marketing coursework, I've developed a stronger understanding of branding, consumer behavior, and how to connect with an audience. I think SAKE would be a great opportunity to bring those two sides together by contributing creative ideas while learning what it actually takes to market and sell a product. I also love the idea of working with other students who are excited to build something together. Ultimately, I want to graduate with more than just what I've learned in class. I want to have hands-on experience that I can be proud of, contribute something meaningful to the university community, and continue growing as a marketer.