As Duke does not have an undergraduate business degree, students often turn to the MMS certificate to obtain business related skills. But what does that mean when you begin interviewing with employers who may not be familiar with the concept of Duke Certificates or how the Markets & Management Studies certificate can be beneficial? This is a great question to ask, and we have a few tips to help you navigate that process.
MMS Senior Sarah Armstrong shares that learning how to succinctly explain the role and benefits of the program to employers is something that took time to learn how to navigate. Sara says “what I have found is that with this, and any piece of your resume, you are your biggest advocate. . . I often frame it as one of the best business tracks Duke has to offer in the absence of an undergraduate business degree, and the similar ways in which it might function as one.” Many times, she explains, this opens the interviewers eyes to the rigor of the certificate and shows them that it often requires more than a major. This can be a helpful tip to learn how to advocate for yourself, as you can never assume the interviewer understands your experiences the way you do and explaining them is a helpful way to set yourself up for success.
In addition, one of the aspects that makes MMS so beneficial is the ability to take courses tailored to your interests that work in partnership with your major or other academic interests. Telling employers about those courses and how you were able to join them together to shape a certificate that fit your skills and interests will be a beneficial aspect as well. Here are just a few students who explain how they use both the combination of MMS and their other academic pursuits to market themselves to potential employers:
Alice Zhang (Pratt ‘21) – MMS + Biomedical Engineering major As a BME major, the MMS certificate allows to me to explore the industry side of biotech companies and has provided me with a more in depth look beyond the mechanics and logistics of biotech. It has also allowed me to see how management and operations plays a vital role in the development of biotech companies. I try to emphasize to employers how MMS has given me an understanding of the industry side that very few engineering majors have the chance to encounter.
Jamie Cohen (Trinity ’20) – MMS + Public Policy Major When talking to potential employers, I emphasize that the combination of the technical marketing skills I have gained through MMS as well as what my major has taught me about policy analysis and stakeholder engagement have given me valuable insight into the marketing strategies that could be used to engage audiences and build campaigns. I am confident that I will use what I have learned through my MMS courses about traditional, digital, and social media marketing strategies in my future career.
Dylan Posner (Trinity ’19) – MMS + Political Science Major "At Duke, I have coupled MMS with a political science major and an Economics minor. The MMS certificate helps me explain how I have applied theoretical and analytical skills from my Political Science and Economics courses to the case studies I have encountered in my MMS courses. MMS has also taught me how to think about strategic management within business fields and helped me contextualize where I see my career path heading.