Qi Gu

Qi Gu, ‘12 Communication

Publicis, Group Media Director

Please provide a few sentences to say what you do in your job.

I lead global media strategy for the B2B business of my client

What advice would you give students who have an interest in marketing/advertising?

Leverage internships to explore different disciplines of marketing, e.g. strategy, activation, analytics. Getting a sampling early on helps you find your passion area much more easily

What WFU career resources did you utilize that were most helpful to you?

The career interest test I took during my final semester was very helpful in elucidating my strengths and passion areas for me. Believe it or not, I still have the original paper copy of the results report after all these years! 

What specific advice would you give regarding effective networking?

Network for the purpose of building genuine human connections, not for the sake of networking. The best marketers have a genuine interest about others and are eager to learn from their stories. Showing this in your conversations would bring your audience much closer 

Are there any books, magazines, websites, etc. that you would recommend to students who are interested in marketing/advertising?

Marketing is an all-encompassing discipline given its storytelling nature. I recommend sources that help you cultivate a broad perspective about the world. The Rise and Fall of Nations is a great book I just finished. Hidden Brain, Crossing Continents and Reuter’s The Exchange are excellent, too.