During his visit to UNT AMA last week, Dr. Pelton shared stories of his experience in the global marketing industry, provided insights into the booming marketplace, and offered advice to our students as they begin their careers. Keep reading to learn more.
About Dr. Pelton
Dr. Lou E. Pelton has been a UNT professor for roughly 28 years. His global experiences as a scholar and practitioner make him uniquely qualified to offer advice to young marketers.
Role in AMA
Dr. Pelton has a long-standing relationship with the American Marketing Association, including being the Vice President of the AMA Academic Council. During his time in that position he worked to develop special interest groups for scholars in the program, modeling them after similar groups for practitioners.
When Dr. Pelton first came to UNT, they didn’t have AMA, only a Marketing Club. As a result of his involvement in the organization, he proposed the creation of an official American Marketing Association chapter in 1996. Colleagues were skeptical, but he had faith in the program and began it anyway. While the first meeting had only six attendees (four of which were there for extra credit), he was able to watch it grow to as many as 75 members.
International Experiences
Throughout Dr. Pelton’s career as both a scholar and marketing practitioner, he’s had the opportunity to work all around the world. For over a decade, he employed a London-based booking agent to find international roles in executive education. He continues his work in that field, having produced an educational film in Thailand just this year.
Dr. Pelton also has extensive experience leading study abroad sessions during his 20 years at UNT. He’s taken groups to Hong Kong, Singapore, Morocco, Thailand, and more. He has especially enjoyed leading study abroad through his role as a U.S. Delegate to the Asia-Pacific Cooperation. In this position, he took a small group of UNT students selected by the U.S. Department of Education to Asia each year.
Opportunities in Marketing
The marketing industry is booming with growth, with demand and wages increasing every year. Marketers with undergrad degrees can expect their salaries to increase by about 12% each year, while this number doubles for those with a graduate degree.
Because marketing spans every business, many non-marketing majors end up in marketing roles. In fact, about 76% of business majors will find themselves involved in marketing tasks such as lead generation and customer relationship building.
UNT students are especially well-positioned to build careers in marketing. One reason for this is our strong Professional Selling Program. The program is so well-known that companies interested in getting involved have to be put on a waitlist. Another is the hands-on experiences available, especially for graduate students. This year, Masters students are doing a hands-on project with Cake Craft USA, with 15-20 permanent marketing positions available.
Another benefit of UNT’s program is its proximity to Dallas, where a number of major brands thrive. The DFW area is the number one regional trade partner of China, creating a window to international opportunities. With UNT’s outstanding career center, students can readily connect with these opportunities and begin building a strong career.
Students interested in careers abroad should also consider jobs in the public sector, working for the government. For example, U.S. embassies and the Department of Commerce have many marketing roles with opportunities for international travel or permanent relocation.
Advice for students
Overall, Dr. Pelton emphasized the idea that “You can do anything while you’re young.” Already, our generation has proven its resilience in the most trying circumstances. It’s important that we remember this skill as we begin our careers. Think about how well-prepared you are to handle disruptions in the workplace. Be prepared to overcome challenges, despite potential learning curves.
He also offers advice for students interested in the world beyond the United States, saying that the world is more heterogenous than we think. When you begin to live and work in other places, you’ll see just how different things are. He also recommends researching the cost of living in other countries and evaluating it against how much you can reasonably make before planning a move.
Above all else, Dr. Pelton believes in relationships as the foundation for success. He says that course content is only a small part of the college experience. While we’ll need to know the information, it’s the relationships that will truly make the difference.
Finally, Dr. Pelton introduced a few ways to develop these relationships and expand your network. For AMA members, he invited us to look for upcoming meetings of the DFW professional chapter. Attending as students will help us plug into a network that will support us throughout our whole lives.
He also encourages us to take advantage of the resources available at UNT, especially our professors. These experts can provide great insights into the fields we want to work in. Their doors are always open and they’re excited to get to know us and help us connect with others. Don’t be afraid to email them with your questions or to ask for help or guidance.
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