Jessica Wang is a Cornell Human Ecology alumni who graduated in 2014 majoring in Human Development. Currently, she’s working as a Senior Brand Manager at L’Oréal Paris.
Below is an interview with Jessica where she shares her advice on gaining experience in your field of interest, networking and finding mentors, using your Human Ecology education to add value to your career journey, and so much more.
Q: What is your work like? Could you tell me a little about who you are?
A: Since I’m a huge makeup and skincare junkie, I’ve always wanted to work in the beauty industry. After graduation, naturally L’Oreal was one of the companies that I had my eye on, so I reached out to a recruiter on LinkedIn. The rest is history and I’ve been at L’Oreal ever since working across multiple brands. Most of my career has been in product innovation which involves looking at market data, trends and consumer insights to identify portfolio gaps. From there, we work to conceptualize what products should be launched and collaborate with cross-functional teams like supply chain, creative, finance, packaging and the labs to physically bring the product to life. More recently, I’ve been working in brand management which involves developing media pricing, retailer and promotional strategies to sell products to the consumer. Overall, within both functions, there are so many moving parts that have to come together, so my day to day is dynamic – both in a challenging and exciting way!
Q: What was your CHE undergraduate experience like? What were you involved in during your undergraduate years?
A: I really enjoyed my CHE experience because I like having a smaller, more personable college experience but the resources of a large university. I spent most of my time at the CEC actually working with students which I really enjoyed and taught me a lot about how to write a resume, interview and make my way into the working world.
Q: Do you have advice for students to gain experience in their fields of interest?
A: Of course, internships are the best way to gain experience in any field. However, there are lot of other ways that you can get relevant experience in a field and demonstrate interest to employers. For example, as someone who really wanted to work in the beauty industry, I started a beauty blog. If you really love fashion, get a retail job at a clothing store over the summer or if you’re goal is to work in sustainable design, start a sustainable design organization on campus. You can even work with a professor to start a research project. There are a lot of simple ways you can get involved in the fields that you are interested in.
Q: What are some strategies you use to successfully network?
A: There are a lot of ways to network with people to learn more about different career paths. One of the ways that I’ve found successful is professional organizations. For example, with in the beauty industry, there’s an organization called CEW that holds industry seminars and networking events, pairs members with mentors, publishes industry newsletters, etc. Being a part of these types of groups can allow you to meet people in your field of interest, gain relevant insights for interviews and demonstrate interest to employers. In addition, never underestimate the value of Linkedin! Search for Cornell alumni who work in the areas that you want to work in and send them a message – you have nothing to lose and you would be surprised at how many people are willing to help. Cornellians are always looking to connect with and hire other Cornellians 😉
Q: What are your recommendations for finding, cultivating, and best working with mentors?
A: I think mentors can come in different forms and can be different people in your life. It’s not about having one, “grand” mentor, it’s about having multiple mentors for different aspects of your career journey. For me at work for example, a lot of my previous bosses have become my mentors but I’ve also found mentors in my cross-functional partners as well as in other members of my team who have helped me navigate different aspects of the workplace. As a student, you can find mentors in professors, bosses (at your campus job, internships, etc.) and in other students. Each of these people can help you navigate various parts of the job application process, learning more about career paths and even just transitioning to the working world.
Q: Are there skills or internships that you think students should focus on right now, which could be advantageous in multiple professions in the future?
A: From a very broad perspective, I think international experience is very valuable. With the internet, the world has become increasingly global so it’s important to understand behaviors around the world. Also, having this type of experience where you put yourself out of your comfort zone and learn a new culture can help you build your resilience and bring new perspectives to the workplace. I know that not everyone has the chance to go abroad but even doing an internship in a different city can be a great experience as well. For any business related field, I know this is very functional but definitely it’s important to have strong computer skills like Excel and PowerPoint. It’s not something you necessarily think about when you select your classes each semester but I highly recommend taking a computer applications class. You will use those programs every day and it will ease the learning curve if you are already an expert at them. And then most specifically, for any marketing-related field, I would say understand the digital and social media landscapes has become critical. Most advertising and data collection has shifted to these platforms and we know they will play an even bigger role in the consumer experience in the future.
Q: How did you personally use your Human Ecology education to add value to your career journey?
A: The beauty of the Human Ecology education is its interdisciplinary nature. My job is extremely interdisciplinary – I have to understand science as I worked to develop product formulas, I have to have a creative eye when I develop product packaging, I have to understand research methods when I do focus groups to test products with consumers, etc. Learning to wear those different hats in college really helped me with these different skill sets when I got to the workplace. Specifically, I was a Human Development major and a lot of people have asked me how that relates to marketing. The basis of marketing is understanding consumer behavior and consumer groups, so my Human Development education very relevant.
Q: What advice would you give to your undergraduate self?
A: I think I would remind myself that college is not just about grades. Of course, it’s important to learn and many graduate programs and employers look at your GPA. BUT the people you meet, the experiences you have and the things you learn about yourself will have a greater influence over your life.