When two data and marketing talents down different career paths

Some say keep your career options open, others recommend defining a very clear professional project from the outset. As a program hybrid in nature that attracts students from a variety of educational backgrounds, the MSc in Digital Marketing & Data Science is the perfect breeding ground for graduates to go into an array of industries and roles.

Class of 2020 and 2021 graduates Yang Lu and Giulia Mazza recount the work opportunities the program has given them.

I’d just spent a year in Taiwan learning another culture and language, so my next decision was a carefully considered one. For me, it was a combination of the very international flavor to the school and the fact the MSc covers comprehensively the two main areas in which I was interested – the programming/IT/coding side of things plus marketing.

I knew I wanted to specialize at Masters level, hence the MSc DMDS. One thing that struck me early on was how interactive the interview process was at emlyon. It really stood out from the other schools to which I applied and confirmed the high esteem in which the school is rightly held.

The opportunity to go abroad for a full term and an international seminar of a week in Europe, plus the feeling I had of being in a truly dynamic learninghub at emlyon. I’d arrive on campus at 7am every day by choice, just to soak up the atmosphere, mix with my peers, and interact with those on other programs!

The quality of the program came as no surprise, given the reputation of the school. I was actively seeking to build up more specific, transversal knowledge after my more generalist Bachelors studies. I got that and more, thanks to the experiential learning approach encouraged at emlyon plus the professional experience that the faculty could combine with their undoubted theoretical expertise.

The IT part was the most challenging but a key part of what I was seeking to get out of the experience. The very hands-on approach to classwork has stood me in very good stead in my fledgling career, as well as the kind of soft skills you acquire from extensive recourse to groupwork on the MSc.

All of that, coupled with the marketing concepts I have now have at my fingertips and the leadership qualities I assumed over time. I now feel that I know how to learn and work, above all else.

Driven by the ‘We Are Makers’ attitude that runs through every program at the school, I learned how to adapt to and embrace new technologies, organize my work effectively, and acquire knowledge that went beyond just business and data analysis. In short, I feel I have a more complete skillset thanks to the MSc.

Despite going in with a clear idea of what I needed to add to my profile, I ended up starting my career in a sector that I didn’t initially have in mind, working as a Marketing and Data Analyst at Schneider Electric. The lockdowns necessitated by the pandemic kicked in and I started to realize how much I missed human interaction and so decided to mount my own business projects to tackle this.

I worked as a Business Developer and Social Media Manager for eVox in my native Italy and became a broadcaster on the online home study community Twitch, streaming myself while at work in order to connect me with others.

I’ve taken this kind of activity a step further of late, as a radio host for “Brain It On”, a station tailor-made for the next generation of students and young professionals venturing into the workforce. I love the twist my career has taken!

I found an internship easily, working in sales performance analysis and e-commerce for Monoprix. I then secured a full-time contract with the American multinational confectionery and snack food company Mondelēz International, working as a Data Analyst.

I had prior professional experience in my native China working in project management and business analysis but for my career post-emlyon, my sights were set firmly on staying in Europe. I knew from pretty early on that I wanted to forge a career in data analysis and knew what extra skills and knowledge I’d need to achieve this.

I’m a perfect illustration of someone who didn’t narrow down their options too soon. If I had insisted on a purely data science/marketing path (one that still interests me, I should insist!) I wouldn’t be doing the job I am today, which I absolutely love. So my advice would be to find your way gradually, obviously have a plan, but don’t deny yourself other professional opportunities that may arise.

A bit of realism goes a long way – don’t dream too high too soon, explore all the possibilities your studies and previous professional experience offer, but above all follow your heart. The major advantage with data and digital marketing is that it’s such a vast area, a great many different types of positions and careers are available to you.

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