AMA Panel: Utah offers great outdoor industry careers

On Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020, the American Marketing Association (AMA) at the University of Utah hosted an Outdoor Industry Marketing Panel. The AMA event highlighted professionals in the outdoor industry, who gave some great insights into the work that they do, as well as some advice to students interested in outdoor industry careers.

The panel featured two women who have a passion for the outdoors and have made careers out of it. Janice Gardner is a conservation ecologist with the Wild Utah Project, providing technical assessments for various wildlife research and monitoring projects, state and federal actions, and natural resource planning. Laura Mascari is an associate brand manager for Backcountry.com, whose mission is to “provide the best outdoor gear — and to be the best at doing it.” Interestingly enough, their jobs are less about the outdoor experiences they have at their respective companies, and more about providing the best outdoor experience for people everywhere, especially during a pandemic.

During the discussion, Gardner and Mascari gave career advice and insight into how their companies operate successfully, even amidst a pandemic. They both spoke of “rookie mistakes” they had made during their careers.

Gardner said, “have patience and take time to see the lay of the land.” My take: it’s always good to assess and understand opportunities before you jump into something you may not like. Further, Gardner stressed the importance of receiving feedback; it is a great way to better yourself and others around you. On a similar note, Mascari spoke to humility, and the importance of recognizing that no matter where we are in life, we are always learning, and that humility will “always be on your side.”

On a more practical note, the panelists shared how they set themselves apart from the crowd during the hiring process. One important takeaway was the emphasis on relationship-building early in your career. The more people you know, especially those who work in your desired career path, the better!

Both Wild Utah Project and Backcountry.com are examples of companies that have seen a lot of success during the pandemic, and the time spent with Gardner and Mascari assured students of their potential during such unprecedented times. On a final note, be sure to check out both company’s websites for career (Backcountry) and volunteer (Wild Utah Project) opportunities!

Your premier Eccles Experience. Business Career Services (BCS) offers comprehensive career coaching and resources to students at the David Eccles School of Business. Paired with a dedicated corporate outreach team, BCS also allows students to gain real-world experience through job and internship opportunities with top employers. For more information, visit Eccles.link/BCS.