Job shadow brings career options into focus

Catherine Garrity loves the creative edge marketing brings out in people and saw that firsthand through her recent job shadowing experience at Altitude Marking, an integrated B2B marketing agency in Emmaus.

“I love working with others to combine interests and ideas,” explained Garrity, a junior business management major with a minor in marketing.

Garrity was introduced to Altitude Marketing through her dad, owner of Compass Point, a consulting company for small businesses. Altitude Marketing was a past client of his, so she reached out to Andrew Stanten, president of the company.

“He spoke very highly of his business and employees, and I could feel his passion for both,” Garrity said. “This was my first experience shadowing with an advertising agency, so it was something I was particularly excited about.”

According to Garrity, the job shadow actually opened her eyes to an added career aspect to marketing. After speaking to Altitude’s public relations team, she began to envision a career path involving PR. She spent the day around several projects the team had worked on, including social media and writing.

Through BU’s business program and the American University of Rome, a study abroad program, Garrity believes the courses she has completed have challenged and prepared her for the future in more than one way. She has developed strong writing and creativity skills, and has learned new limits.

“This program has required me to step out of my comfort zone and do things I didn’t think I could do, such as creating marketing plans and advertising products for different companies,” said Garrity, adding through job shadowing her future career path is coming into focus.