Knowing the right people is not always enough when it comes to today鈥檚 job market - just ask Megan Bobbitt, Wittenberg class of 2017.
Bobbitt, who graduated with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in marketing with a minor in communication, recently obtained a job with Nestl茅 as a regional sales representative in Stamford, Conn. She found out about the job opportunity from a family friend who works for the company. He sent her resum茅 to the right people, and she was able to secure an interview.
While knowing the right people helped the Cleveland, Ohio, native get her foot in the door, it was Wittenberg鈥檚 Communication and Business Leadership Program (CABLE) that helped her land the position.
鈥淸My friend] helped steer me in the right direction, but then I had to nail the six-interview process and show that I was the right fit for Nestl茅 and the position,鈥� said Bobbitt, who was involved with many different clubs and organizations that shaped her undergraduate experience at Wittenberg.
鈥淭apping into the network you have created over the years can really help in the business world, but it's a two-way street. Your network is made of relationships you create and have to maintain. My Wittenberg education and experiences over the last four years really prepared me for the interview process.鈥�
Bobbitt credits the CABLE program led by Karen Reynolds, program co-founder, and Tim Bode, assistant professor of business, for being 鈥渢he single most important and formative experience she has ever had.鈥� From presenting with her team at Google in Chicago in the fall of 2016 to experiencing the interview process and developing her resum茅 in the classroom, Bobbitt learned about her personality type and where she would be beneficial and happy at the same time.
鈥淚 learned so much about business and effective communication through this process, and it made me much more prepared for my interviews,鈥� she said. 鈥淐ABLE has been the most influential experience I have ever had, and I love that Wittenberg plans to use this model in other disciplines. CABLE and Wittenberg gave me the confidence to apply for my dream job, and the skills to actually get it.
鈥淲ittenberg鈥檚 business department also played a huge role in my ability to land this role with such an influential company,鈥� Bobbitt continued. 鈥淭he classes I took and real-world experience I was able to gain during my college years through the department pushed me beyond what I ever thought possible. Professors like Dr. Wendy Gradwohl, Dr. Tom Kaplan and Kevin Steidel really made an impact on me by teaching me more than theory.鈥�
As a student, Bobbitt liked to be involved at Wittenberg and embraced the entire college experience. She was a member of the Student Senate and the class of 2017 president. She also was an orientation assistant for three years, a member of the Delta Gamma, and held several leadership positions aside from being part of the 2016 CABLE group.
鈥淚 had several different campus jobs ranging from athletic trainer's assistant to research assistant for the School of Community Education,鈥� said Bobbitt, who was named the Wittenberg Woman of the Year this past spring at the annual leadership awards. 鈥淵ou could say I kept myself pretty busy; I like to say I had a second minor in involvement, like many Witt students do. Wittenberg really instilled in me the confidence to push myself. I will forever be grateful for my college experience and all the relationships I built.鈥�
Bobbitt also credits the Wittenberg in Wittenberg, Germany, program for helping her choose a career path.
鈥淒uring my study abroad, I got to work for Unilever as part of the university program where we took classes, went on excursions and held an internship in various professions,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y experience working for an international company sparked my interest in my career path and solidified my intent on applying for Nestl茅. The internship experience I gained during the semester made the choice really easy. Wittenberg also made studying abroad so easy, I think it would have been a mistake not to go.鈥�
One of the only entry-level positions at Nestl茅 that leads to a path in marketing, her position allows her to learn the product and how the product sells.
鈥淚 call on different stores that stock our products and ensure that they are displaying the right products in the right place,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 also make sure that we are stocking the right amount of inventory and specific products for a particular market. I like the relationship building I am able to do and that I get to learn about all of the different products Nestl茅 has to offer. Wittenberg really helped me grow my communication and relationship-building skills that I use every day in my position.鈥�
