SEMESTER SERIES: KATIE HULL – CAREER TREK WEEK
One of my personal highlights of the first semester at GBS was Career Trek Week, where Emory organizes a range of different treks for first year students based on their career interests. There are traditional treks for those pursuing careers in Investment Banking, Marketing, and General Management, and there are more specific options like the Energy Trek in Houston and the Tech Trek in Seattle and San Francisco. Unsurprisingly, the Tech Trek, which included visits to Google and Amazon, was very popular. There were two Marketing Treks this year, one to New York and one here in Atlanta. Since I lived in New York before moving to Atlanta, I wanted to check out some of the marketing options in New York, so I opted for that.
About 10 classmates and I flew to New York to visit companies including Citibank, Interbrand, Lippincott, Dannon, and Madison Square Garden. With companies ranging from Brand Consultancies to CPGs to financial services, it was a great way to learn about the different career paths for MBAs interested in marketing. Each company hosted us for a few hours and introduced us to different senior marketing staff (many of them Emory alums!), and spoke with us about their careers, opportunities and challenges within their industries, and what makes MBAs successful at their company. Each group was incredibly candid and generous with their time, and gave us a great inside look into the company’s culture.
We met with 6 companies in 3 days, but still had a little time to explore the city and relax. Pictured below is two classmates and I at Eataly, trying to brainstorm our own entrepreneurial venture for an artisanal eatery in Atlanta.