Originally from Stuttgart in Germany, Valentin Schoettle first joined IE University for his Bachelor in Communication and Digital Media, from which he graduated in 2015. After a brief spell of internships, Valentin then decided to return to IE University to study the Master in Corporate & Marketing Communication, from which he graduated in 2017. Currently, Valentin works at HUGO BOSS, where he is a Manager of Global Sports Sponsorship and works with a portfolio of golfers and their related management teams. As part of his role, he conducts a number of large-scale, 360-degree marketing campaigns for all golf-related topics, on both a local and global level. At the moment, he is working on a very exciting project putting together a plan for the sponsorship by HUGO BOSS of two key golf tournaments: The Open and the BMW PGA Championship.
Rebeca Flores was born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico, and moved to Europe at the age of 17. She first completed her Bachelor in Business Administration at IE University, before staying on for the Master in Visual and Digital Media. After living in both France and Spain, Rebeca is now based in The Netherlands, where she works at Nike’s Amsterdam EMEA HQ as a Brand Media Intern. Rebeca’s team is currently in charge of leading Nike’s ambitious advertising campaigns across Europe. A typical day at the office consists of various meetings that set out the strategic direction for the campaigns, creative sessions to ensure content is sharp, and meetings with brand executives and media and creative agencies.
Valentin knew he wanted to work for HUGO BOSS from the first year of his undergraduate program. Having a clear goal, he says that persistence, motivation and drive lead him to his first roles within the company: internship positions at HUGO BOSS in New York and then Germany. Following these incredibly enriching internship experiences, Valentin returned to IE University to pursue the Master in Corporate & Marketing Communication. He made the all-important decision to embark on this program so that he could return to his role in the company with as much knowledge, value and experience as possible.
Rebeca has always had a keen interest in both the strategic and creative sides of advertising. Her Bachelor in Business Administration allowed her to gain a practical understanding of the business world. Throughout her studies she also took graphic design courses and dedicated her time to independent learning. Upon completing her Bachelor, she went on to study a Master in Visual & Digital Media, also at IE University, and it was here that Rebeca brought her business and creative skills together. She says this combination of business and creativity is what landed her a role at Nike, where she combines both practical business acumen and a creative vision to generate successful advertising campaigns.
Both Valentin and Rebeca credit the professors, advisors and IE Talent & Careers for their help and career advice. Throughout both his undergraduate and postgraduate studies at IE University, Valentin greatly valued the relationships he had with professors and workshop leaders. He says that their advice on job seeking and applications was essential, and that they offered him extremely important tips on how to approach the job market. IE University was also essential in helping Rebeca with career advice. In fact, when she got her first interview at Nike, the first thing she did was book a session with her program’s career advisor. This session helped her prepare for the interview, giving her the essential tools to be a competitive candidate in the process. Rebeca says it was extremely helpful to have someone to count on and guide her through the process.
For anyone looking to break into the marketing world, Rebeca recommends learning as much as you can about the industry and field you’re interested in, so you know where to aim when looking for a job. However, she also says that one of the most important things to consider is seeking a role that matches your interests, talents, and education.
Giving his personal advice on how to break into the job market within the marketing sector, Valentin says that finding experience is essential. There are plenty of opportunities out there for work experience. It’s a matter of applying yourself and taking every opportunity. However, Valentin believes that students should not simply focus their attention on one area of marketing. Instead, you must broaden your horizons and complete work experience in a number of different sectors. Valentin himself did exactly this, working in marketing roles within the finance, creative and fashion sectors. It was only through this wide and varied range of experience that he was then able to discover that his interest lay in the fashion sector. He asserts that it’s absolutely essential that students find out exactly what they enjoy in order to thrive and be successful. By finding something you’re passionate about, you can then explore opportunities to enrich your skills.
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