Cristina Rechy-Pereda

Mexico
Senior Marketing Specialist, Symantec Mexico

Describe your time at Stirling:
Studying the Masters degree at the University of Stirling gave me the tools to get more managerial skills. One of the biggest capabilities I got was the ability to structure and start projects from scratch, which is one of the most common challenges on a daily basis. They make you see the general picture and strategically organize and prioritize next steps. I consider that as a huge value added to have better control in project, time and client management. The professors have real working experience, so they guide students to what it really applies to the marketing field. Additionally, the professors are open-minded to accept any suggestion about the course depending on your interests. Also, working with people from different backgrounds makes your knowledge and expertise wider about how things are being done in other countries.

Briefly describe your career history to date:
Before studying at Stirling, I had Public Relations experience in the IT sector with companies like Symantec, SAP, APC and Kodak. I then got a job as Marketing and Public Relations Co-ordinator with the Department of Science and Technology of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington, D.C. I was responsible for designing and planning public relations and marketing programs; identifying and prioritising prospective partners and business alliances; implementing the project by developing a strategic insight profile of the department. I am about to start a new job with Symantec Mexico as a Senior Marketing Specialist. Within this role, I will be focusing on prospect client development, demand generation in awareness/consideration/purchase, regional projects coordination in Latin America, Marketing product launches, foreign product marketing visits coordination. My professional career wouldn't be possible without studying the MSc Marketing at University of Stirling.

What attracted you to this career?
The possibility to keep growing in the Communications and Marketing fields, and the dynamism of Marketing.

How did you get into your current job?
Networking.

List three things that you love about your job:
Challenge, dynamism, and the people.

What advice would you give to current students in terms of preparing for life after graduation?
To network, to identify key players in any organization, to keep your mouth shut or to express out your ideas (both likes and dislikes, agreements or disagreements) with the right people at the right moment, that sales and marketing will always be rivals so get ready to be strong enough and smart.