GBUS alumni panel shares career advice

Last Friday, the Global Business Leadership department held an alumni panel at St. John’s. The event featured a panel of four alumni who have all entered different career paths since graduating, yet returned to inform up-and-coming graduates on what to expect and prepare for in their field.

The panelists — Jessica Johnson CSB ‘06, Mary Syverson CSB ‘13, Abby Smoot CSB ‘24 and Will Maikkula SJU ‘24 — all shared stories about how they found their career path, ranging from an entrepreneur starting their own business to an intern working for a lucrative production company.

Johnson is a partner and marketing strategist at Evermore Co, a marketing agency based in Sartell. Syverson is a senior marketing manager at Malco Tools, a tool manufacturer for construction and HVAC industries.

Smoot and Maikkula were the most recent graduates on the panel. Smoot studied abroad in London during her time at CSB+SJU, where she had an internship experience at Iconic London, a makeup brand based in the U.K. Since graduating, she has worked for hair salon chain Great Clips as a digital marketing specialist.

After graduating last year Maikkula relocated to Las Vegas. He works as an account executive at Taylor Corporation, a print and communications company where he interned prior to his senior year.

Students were able to ask questions and receive advice about entering the workforce, and the panelists shared tips that could apply to any student seeking to establish a career in the next few years, regardless of major.

Johnson shared how important it is to establish meaningful personal relationships with anyone you interact with in your professional career. She said that charisma goes a long way, especially when your job consists of meeting with, talking to and ultimately helping clients. In her meetings with prospective clients and other collaborators, Johnson said she works to remember one significant detail about every person so it can be a point of conversation in the future.

Panelists spoke about multiple relevant topics for graduates today, such as how artificial intelligence can be used in the workplace ethically and how career paths aren’t always linear, and professionals should expect some flexibility in their roles over time. A variety of information was shared about interviews and how to exceed the expectations of potential employers.

According to Maikkula, higherups will be searching for those who are genuinely interested in their line of work, rather than someone simply desiring a paycheck.

“The best way to be interesting is to be interested,” Maikkula said.

At the end of the Q-and-A, panelists shared what students could do now to gain a head start on their future. The most shared reply was a single word: networking. They said that students should make connections with people who share similar values and interests as themselves, whether that be other students, faculty or members of a club. According to the panelists, these relationships could prove to be invaluable in the not-too-distant future.

Syverson expressed appreciation for the opportunity to participate in the panel.

“I enjoy coming back to campus and sharing experiences that I learned from alums when I was in school. I wanted to give back,” Syverson said.