How Greek Life Can Prepare You For a Digital Marketing Career

This post was written by Jennifer Brison, who is a part of the Delta Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta at the University of New Orleans and is currently the Fall’18 Social Media Specialist at Online Optimism.

A lot of controversy surrounds Greek life, but like other college organizations, it has a ton of benefits, too. Perhaps more so than any other college organization, Greek Life has many useful aspects that can help prepare you for both the real world and your future career. From leadership to problem-solving, check out all the ways Greek Life can make your future job prospects better and brighter, especially if it’s a career in digital marketing!

Leadership:

All sororities and fraternities offer executive positions to help keep order in their chapter, ranging from President to T-shirt chair. One role that’s particularly important for someone interested in a digital marketing career is a Public Relations/Communications position. In my sorority, Alpha Xi Delta– Delta Epsilon, I hold the position of Communications Vice President. This title means I’m responsible for making sure our Instagram matches national branding guidelines, monitoring what our members are posting, and responding to negative comments.

Latrissia Torres, Kappa Alpha Theta at Louisiana State University, explains how being a leader in her sorority prepared her for her career today: “As someone who was an officer in my Greek organization, serving as a member of Cabinet and in a sub-committee that directly supported our Executive Board, I was able to participate in operational planning and assist with implementing new initiatives that coincided with chapter goals. This translates into my day-to-day post-grad when I’m drafting communication plans that bolster my boss’ goals and helps further our office’s brand.”

Hannah Boudreaux, Phi Mu at the University of Arkansas adds, “Greek life has instilled a networking ability in me that I never would’ve considered a strength before I rushed—learning to advocate for my sorority and finding how I can relate our sisterhood or philanthropy to each girl I talk to is essential. When marketing, the goal is to draw people in and I think that finding ways to do that now, especially with extremely diverse girls at my university, is building a confidence in myself to do so in the future.”

Through various leadership roles, sororities/fraternities give their members the opportunity to grow and build their resume. Positioning yourself in these types of roles is extremely valuable to college students who are trying to find experience in their career field before graduation.

Networking:

Being in a sorority/fraternity allows you to connect with other members whether they’re currently in your chapter, alumni, or across the world. My sorority has a Facebook group where any active or former member can give everyday advice, post job offerings, or even post areas they’re traveling to see if any other sisters live there.

The executive board travels to Area Wide Training where different chapters in the same area meet to discuss their organizational methods in an effort to improve other chapters in the same region. This way, you’re meeting many more members, advisors, and influential people.

Latrissia Torres, Kappa Alpha Theta at Louisiana State University, offers her input on some of the practical skills she utilized at these gatherings: “I also had the opportunity to connect with current members and alumnae through newsletters I created for the fall and spring semester when I was in office. I also drafted weekly agendas detailing important notes from each Executive officer, which I presented at chapter meetings. Not only did this allow me to utilize my design skills, but I was also able to practice presenting. There’s not a day that goes by at work where I’m not helping lead meetings or using design software to help tell a story or keep the public informed on what’s going on.

Most important was the interpersonal skills I gained. Forging friendships with my sisters taught me how to foster deeper connections with different types of people. This has helped me to make friendships in my office, recognize diversity, and connect with my student interns. Very thankful for Greek life.”

“With the digital world we live in, staying in contact and marketing with/to alumni has become more accessible thanks to various social media platforms such as Twitter to give brief updates (of your campaign), Instagram to give a visual image [of your campaign], and with LinkedIn being one of the top ways to recruit for jobs, students and alumni can network with each other like never before.” -Evan Waicberg, Kappa Sigma at University of Arkansas

The ability to consistently network with current members and alumni helps collegiate members gain valuable networking skills that are often needed to make connections for future job interviews. This also allows them to meet members that can be used as references on a resume.

Time Management:

School is difficult enough as it is, and any extra activities outside the classroom can be challenging. By holding positions and going to mandatory events, Greek Life instills invaluable time management skills that you can use the moment you graduate.

Madison Moody, Sigma Kappa President, at the University of New Orleans said, “Being in a sorority has helped me effectively manage my time by holding me to high academic standards through GPA requirements and mandatory study hours. The organization helps me to prioritize my academics in order to be able to enjoy the more fun and social aspects of Greek life. “

When a part of an organization like Greek Life, you’re constantly learning how to manage time by prioritizing which event/tasks are currently most important. This time management skill is valuable to those wishing to pursue a career in digital marketing when dealing with deadlines for multiple clients.

Finding Your Fit:

There are many other organizations that can teach you these same concepts, like orientation groups, on-campus clubs, and even sports teams. But few organizations offer the breadth and depth of practical experience that carries over into the real world like Greek Life!  Whether you are currently a member of a Greek Life organization, or if you are considering going through recruitment, make sure to keep in mind how these benefits can positively impact your career!