Developing with Dell Technologies: Rosie Finds Her Passion in Marketing with the help of the MDP

Rosie S. | DevOps PMM, Future of IT | Analyst, MDP | Philadelphia, PA 

Originally Published: December 15, 2022

The Marketing Development Program is designed to attract and retain top talent from Colleges, Universities, Community Colleges, and Vocational Programs, as well as Diversity & Inclusion conferences to build the marketing talent pipeline. Program members experience four 6-month rotations with different marketing teams, gaining valuable hands-on experience and exposure to various marketing disciplines. Members also get access to exclusive trainings, career coaching, executive exposure, and networking opportunities to help accelerate their success at Dell.

Currently on the Future of IT Team under Product Marketing, Rosie reflects on her first year as a member of the Marketing Development Program:

How did you start your career with Dell Technologies and how did you get involved with the Marketing Development Program?

It all started because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In college, I was planning on either being a clinical psychologist or a veterinarian and had hopes of working in a veterinary office in the Summer of 2020. However, due to the sudden emergence of COVID-19 I could no longer work in person at the veterinary office, so I needed a backup plan. When trying to decide what to do during the summer, I decided to apply for a position at a hot sauce startup and got the offer. It was a random job I applied to, but during my time there I ultimately discovered my love for business and decided to minor in Entrepreneurship. A few months after the summer ended, I began to think about opportunities for a Summer 2021 internship specifically in HR because of my background in psychology.

I applied to 20+ corporate HR positions, only to find Dell Technologies was my favorite. Through extensive research and talking to Dell employees in coffee chats hosted by my university, I knew Dell was the place for me. What stood out the most to me was Dell's culture, values, and 2030 moonshot goals. I applied for the HR internship position at Dell Technologies and was so pleased when I received an offer. I was placed on the Marketing Talent Development team, working closely on planning Marketing Development Program events such as graduation, orientation, and skills trainings. After learning and contributing so much to the MDP through an HR lens, I gained a keen interest in applying to the program myself. Feelings of joy and excitement sparked when I thought of the possibility of working in marketing because it was new and different. I made the leap and finally applied to the MDP with the help and encouragement of leaders on the Marketing Talent Development team. The rest was history!

What were your first thoughts about the program? Did you have any doubts? When I initially received my offer to join the MDP, I was nervous because I had no previous marketing experience. Many of my fellow peers in the MDP majored in Marketing, but I majored in Psychology and minored in Entrepreneurship. Due to my previous exposure as a HR intern in Marketing Talent Development, I decided to apply to both the MDP and HR Program. I was grateful to receive an offer from both programs, but I was itching to do something different. I wanted to take that risk and try something new, so I did. After taking the Marketing offer, I enrolled in 2 marketing classes for my final semester of college to better prepare myself. Through those two classes, I learned an immense amount of information that I took with me into my current role. I was excited to join a group of intelligent young marketing professionals. What is your favorite part about being a member of the Marketing Development Program? The people are truly amazing! Whenever I need clarification or have questions, everyone in the program is always more than happy to hop on a call to chat. I love that the people in the program are always willing to help fellow MDPers, the community and honest connections I’ve built are unbelievable.

Please share a bit about your current role. I am currently on the Future of IT team under Product Marketing, a team focused on DevOps and Kubernetes. My role title is "DevOps PMM", and I’m involved in numerous areas of my team including content creation, social media, and event planning. I've been able to work with agencies to create a variety of assets including infographics, videos, and solution briefs to be used at KubeCon NA and Kubecon EU, two conferences in the industry. The assets I helped make were featured at the conferences, showing a real impact! I am also working to plan KubeCon EU which is taking place in April 2023, helping with everything from booth design, swag, Dell party venue, booth uniform, and more.

Do you see your inputs valued as a member of the program and are you able to make an impact?

Yes! Within the program, we are all part of committees that help better the program overall. I am in the Networking Committee and primarily focus on planning MDP bonding events. We helped plan a variety of events including a Guess that MDPer Kahoot game, Halloween Cookie Decorating, MDP/HRRP/FDP Holiday trivia, and more. These events all had a positive impact on the members of the MDP community, helping to form new connections and networks. Also, I love that my team values my ideas and contributions, and it’s always rewarding to see my suggestions go from idea to reality!

How has the program contributed to your success at Dell Technologies?

The program has helped me learn more about myself and my interests within marketing, while also helping the greater Dell Technologies community as a whole. In the program, I have the opportunity to rotate between 4 different roles within the span of 2 years. During this time, I also help benefit the MDP itself through committee initiatives and independent research projects. I have learned so much about marketing, collaboration, and professionalism that I can take with me wherever I go.

How has the program contributed to your success at Dell Technologies? The program has helped me learn more about myself and my interests within marketing, while also helping the greater Dell Technologies community as a whole. In the program, I have the opportunity to rotate between 4 different roles within the span of 2 years. During this time, I also help benefit the MDP itself through committee initiatives and independent research projects. I have learned so much about marketing, collaboration, and professionalism that I can take with me wherever I go. Would you recommend the program to other graduates? Absolutely! The program is wonderful exposure to so many different areas of marketing. It’s fine if you’re not exactly sure what you want to do in the future – most of us don’t! However, the Marketing Development Program helps you discover what you like and don’t like. It has helped me find my passion within the marketing industry. I would 100% recommend this program and any other rotational program at Dell Technologies to other graduates.

To learn more about graduate programs at Dell, visit jobs.dell.com/graduates.