I was on my Twitter account the other day and saw a Tweet about focus groups being dead for Ad Agencies. I was curious because we were talking about them in my marketing class, so I clicked on the link.

The post on fuelingnewbusiness.com is interesting to me not because I’m surprised that focus groups are becoming less relevant, but because if I’m learning about that in my class, there’s some kind of disconnect. A quote from the article says, “Our industry will experience more change in the next 5 years than we have in the past 50.”

That means by the time I graduate and get a “real job”, the changes in the marketing and advertising industry will be completely different. Marketing is changing now more than ever, people are getting thrifty with their techniques. Social media is playing a huge role in this, because it’s very cheap, you can connect with consumers on a more personal level and in return gain more insight than you ever could by sitting people in a room that is totally unnatural and asking them questions.

Dana asked me the other day, “Have you talked about anything you learned here at work in class yet?” I said, “Honestly, no.” I’m really hoping that Drexel does have a marketing class that focuses on eMarketing and some more recent methods. I’m not sure if it does though.

I suggest that colleges should have a class dedicated to comparing what was marketing like 5 years ago? 2 years ago? Last year? And compare that to what’s going on right now- what might be going on next year and what we think will be going on when we graduate. I understand that it’s critical to learn “The History of Marketing” and a lot of the basics are still relevant. But where’s the innovation and forward thinking?

For an industry that is constantly changing and evolving, why aren’t our marketing classes changing with it? Does anyone know of a marketing class that discusses current trends and methods?

Julie Novak
Marketing Coordinator
RedZebraWorks

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On CNN Money the other day was an article about more experienced workers having to take hourly paid jobs that typically go to younger people who have no experience. This means the jobs that teenagers and college students typically qualify for are being taken by over- qualified people. The article claims that the unemployment rate for 16-24 year olds peaked in October at 19.2%.

One thing the article mentions that I never thought of is that because the younger workers are not getting the experience in these hourly paid jobs, they are missing out on building those basic work skills, such as communication skills, responsibility, and time management. This could be bad news for their career development. If people my age don’t have this, what are they going to put on their resume when they are looking for a job?

I remember my first hourly job was when I was 14 at the local ski resort. I haven’t been without a job since then, and I’m thankful for the experiences I’ve had. I worked for hourly paid jobs in everything from fast food, ice cream scooping, and even stacking wood. These are jobs that I included on my first resumes because I learned valuable skills that relate to any career path.

I decided to go to Drexel University for college because of the co-op program- I’ll have 1.5 years of work experience related to my major but the time I graduate in 2012. Again, I feel lucky that I’m having this experience of working, when people in my age group are experiencing a high unemployment rate.

If you’re in the group of 16-24 year olds is having a hard time finding hourly wage jobs, consider getting more involved in school. If you’re currently in high school or college, getting involved in organizations and groups is a great way to get experience. You can develop leadership skills, take on responsibility, and gain knowledge in an area you’re interested in.

I know getting involved in clubs and organizations usually doesn’t pay, but there is the added benefit of meeting awesome new people. Plus, if you take on an active role, it’s something that will stand out on your resume.

Julie Novak
Marketing Coordinator
RedZebraWorks

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