Good practice
While at Miami, 2006 graduate Christopher Burton was involved in a variety of activities, including marching band, summer orientation, and the University's yearbook, for which he served first as co-editor-in-chief and then business director. Chris, a marketing major and management information systems minor, now works as an Executive Team Leader at Target in Columbus, Ohio. He says his experiences at Miami helped develop the skills he uses everyday on the job.
Being the boss
Chris is in charge of Target's hardline products, which include everything except clothing, and he has about 100 employees working under him. "One of my major responsibilities is payroll, making sure that based on demand and sales, I have the right people at the right time," he said. "I'm in charge of the training and development of these people, and I want them to be successful."
On the go
One of Target's mottos for employees is that they are fast, fun, and friendly, and Chris said, "Every single day is about that. No two days are alike." Hours are long and he sometimes works weekends, but it "keeps me on my toes," he said.
Making the most of it
Chris said his years at Miami helped prepare him for his management internship with Enterprise Rent-a-Car Company and his current job at Target. "If you come to college and have your destination planned, and you know exactly where you're going to be in five or 10 years, that's great. But for the rest of us, let your classroom experience, your professors, and your extracurriculars impact you and lead you somewhere." He said the Office of Career Services is a great guide for the whole process of interviewing, writing a resume, and finding internships and a job.
The long run
At some point, Chris would like to move to Target headquarters in Minnesota and help run the marketing side of the company. But for now, he's having fun meeting new people, and he's pushing himself to learn as much as he can about his position in the company. "Go where you're going to have fun and enjoy life," he said. "Be open to anything. You never know what's going to come along for you."
