Bronco Spotlight: Jessica Smith

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Master of Business Administration, computer information systems, 2013; Bachelor of Business Administration, business, 2009

Current Job Title:

IT Business Process Analyst

Current Employer:

Kellogg Company

Describe your current job:

I work closely with Marketing to map their business processes, look for continuous improvement opportunities, and partner with IT when a technical solution is needed.

What is the most rewarding and the most challenging part of your job?

The most rewarding: Seeing my work make a contribution to an improvement in the company; especially if it reduced costs or made someone’s job easier.  The most challenging: Getting input from everyone to get a holistic version of the process. In the industry we call it “herding cats”.

If you had a campus job or internship, how did they impact your career development?

I was fortunate enough to have both. My campus job was where I first learned the importance of maintaining good working relationships and leveraging contacts within an organization to solve problems.  My internship at Kellogg gave me my first taste of working in my desired industry. They were willing to take a chance on me, and I was able to use it as a trial run.  Apparently, it worked out for both parties.

What advice would you offer students to help them decide on a career path?

Experiment! If something looks cool, ask someone about it or try it. There is always someone out there excited enough about what they do that they are overjoyed to share it with others. If all else fails, google it and get lost in the topic.  Also, know that your career path does not have to be paved with concrete. Life will move you into places you cannot predict and that’s ok.  It’s usually a good thing.

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