5 Takeaways from Rapert Marketing

When beginning Marketing Management, I felt a little anxious and apprehensive. This course was structured completely differently than any other I had taken at that point. ?

On the first day of class, Dr. Rapert walked us through the different projects and tasks we would expect to complete. This would include various LinkedIn assignments, a values project, a store walk, articles hand-picked by her advisory board, executive small group sessions, and more. ?

Although it was unique and I had some nerves, I knew that this class would get me out of my comfort zone and provide me with new knowledge and experiences.?Fortunately, I was right, and I cannot thank myself enough for sticking with it for I have grown to love Dr. Rapert as a professor and every aspect of this Marketing Management course. ?

This past semester has taught me many valuable lessons that I will carry into both my professional career and personal life. It’s hard to pick just a few, but here are five that have stuck with me: ?

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1. Align Your Career with Your Purpose?

One of our first projects in Marketing Management was a values project. During this, we used close family members’ and friends’ insights and executive advice to find our inner purpose and personal brand. This easily?became my favorite project I’ve completed in college because through it, I was able to gain a deeper understanding of myself and the strengths I have to offer. I have a newfound confidence and can carry these learnings with me as I approach graduation and future jobs.?

?After discovering your purpose, it’s important to keep it in your light of sight while navigating between jobs. This will allow you to find one that best fits your needs and enables you to be?happier and more successful. I will never forget Amanda Bailey ’s words in our small group session with her. She said that after discovering her purpose, she found a way to carry it out every day at work and in her personal life. As I enter these new times, I look forward to fulfilling my purpose daily like her and growing more professionally as a result.?

2. Find Someone Who Will Invest in You?

This advice has been constantly stressed to us over these last few months. Past students that came to talk to our class discussed how one manager or mentor who invests time and energy into you can make all the difference. Someone who cares about your personal and professional development can help you prosper in your career and reach new heights. As different executives were brought in to give speeches and help with projects, this advice was put into action. It was clear how much Dr. Rapert’s advisory board, Andy Murray , Jeff Metzner , Amanda Bailey , Jesse Lane , the store walk supervisors, and so many more poured into our class and we grew as a result. I appreciate how much time each of them invested and?hope to find a personal mentor like them one day.?

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3. Find Your Passion and Joys in Life?

Our first article Dr. Rapert gave us discussed how important it is to find things that will provide you with an enduring source of happiness in life and your profession. It’s surprisingly easy for students to fall into a rhythm of mundane tasks after college and lose sight of what matters and what gives them fulfillment. You must find opportunities to learn, develop, and grow in your achievements and keep your purpose front and center every day. You must seek passion and hobbies that offer you happiness in both work and your personal life.?As guest speaker Jesse Lane mentioned in one of our last classes, developing habits that will help you be better and happier is also critical.?If you fail to do so, it can be difficult to sustain a happy relationship and family outside of work. I hope to not fall victim to an unjoyful life after college too and will do everything in my power to regularly carry my purpose and passions out. ?

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4. Develop Strong Connections and Relationships?

Throughout this course, almost every assignment was posted on LinkedIn.?This was a unique aspect that I hadn’t encountered in any other classes and I’m so grateful for it now. These assignments have allowed me to broaden my professional network and build connections with Dr. Rapert’s past students, guest speakers, and other executives. ??

Developing connections is critical for success in your career because you can leverage them later on for advice, support, job interviews, referrals, and other opportunities. LinkedIn is such a useful platform for accomplishing this and I believe more professors should be promoting it within their courses and pushing their students to use it.?

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5. Your Career Doesn’t Need to Be a Linear Path?

Over the course of the semester, Dr. Rapert brought in multiple executives and past students. They each had unique backgrounds and career paths that led them to the position they are in today. Although some had planned to pursue a certain job at first, they bounced around a lot. This showed how unpredictable life is and that you can’t plan for what your career has in store for you. Although you may set out for the “perfect” job that you’ll stay in for years right after college, the odds of that happening are slim. There’s no need to place so much pressure on yourself at this stage of life. You are approaching new times, so face it with confidence and excitement. Keep your line of purpose and passions in front of you and everything will work out the way it’s supposed to.?

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Final Thoughts?

Marketing Management has become my favorite course in college thus far and I have Molly Rapert to thank. She genuinely cares so much about each of her students and does everything she can to help them grow professionally. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have taken her and all the new knowledge I’ve gained. I’m proud to be a part of the #rapertmktg family and hope to stay involved post-graduation!?