Jenny Vetokhin leads as the Content & Advertising Manager for Profile Magazine at Guerrero Howe in Chicago, Illinois.
How did you land your current job?
I found my job through Glassdoor. After doing some research and looking into the company, I was eager to learn more. Once I got the initial invitation to interview I was really excited because the company looked very young, entrepreneurial and fun.
What are your responsibilities at your job/ what does a typical work day look like?
My responsibilities stem beyond my job description and that is what makes each day different and exciting at the office. I typically come to work around 8:00 and talk to my co-workers, get coffee and prepare for the day. I am very task oriented, so one of the first things I do is sort through our CRM System and complete every task that I have scheduled for the day. Alongside with my core duties, I take on the responsibility of reaching out to past clients to secure a strategic partnership with them. I directly work with my VP of Sales almost every day to strategize new ideas centered around this new role, and update any proposals we’ve been working on. I even had the opportunity to fly out to California and pitch a deal to the CEO of an Investment Management firm.
How did you choose this career field?
I always had a passion for marketing and advertising, so I chose to focus my career search around that. I knew that I needed experience working as an Account Manager in the industry, so I took the offer at Guerrero Howe for the offered position. I didn’t know it at the time, but I ended up working on the sales side of things and absolutely fell in love. I always had a negative connotation associated with sales, but once I understood everything that the role entailed I began to enjoy it.
What advice do you have for current students?
Always be open to new things and do not assume that your major will guide your career journey. There are so many opportunities in the real world that become much more appealing to you after graduation, so keep an open mind.
How is this job different than you expected?
This job is completely the opposite of what I thought I would be doing a year and a half out of college. Throughout my time at Guerrero Howe, I have had the opportunity to work cross-functionally with account management, content development, sales and strategic partnerships. The biggest perk is that I get to network from my seat every day and interview C-Suite executives from a list of Fortune 500 companies who are changing the American business landscape every day.
How did your past experiences help you get this job?
My senior year of college I was the Marketing Assistant for all of the recreational activities at Iowa. I had the opportunity to manage all social media channels, compose the weekly e-newsletters and work side by side with the creative department to collaborate on various marketing campaigns. My responsibilities as the Marketing Assistant fit well into the job description of an Account Manager at an ad agency and definitely gave me a foot up during the interviewing process, given that I had experiences I could reflect back on and speak towards.