Emily Hesse

Major: Communication Arts (Communication Science & Rhetorical Studies) & Environmental Studies

Certificate: Digital Studies

Graduation Date: May 2017

How did you end up working at 6sense?

My career has taken a few different paths post graduation, zig-zagging around before settling in a role that actually uses a lot of skills I learned in undergrad. Immediately after graduating, I worked as an Intern at Clean Wisconsin, helping run development and events there. Following that, I ran private events and was a manager at a local Food Fight restaurant, which helped me gain some great people managing and organization skills.

Looking to move into a more focused career path, I joined Zendesk as a Sales Development Representative, and slowly worked my way up the sales ladder to Business Development Rep, to Account Executive, and then to Solutions Consultant. I made the move to being a Solutions Consultant because I found myself loving the presentation and consultation process of the role.

Now, I work at 6sense, which is a B2B AI tool that helps sales teams uncover anonymous buyer behavior. When I moved into this role, I didn’t realize just how much I would pull from my undergrad studies. While Solutions Consultant is often a bit of a technical role, it is also primarily a presenting role, which allows me to use my communication, rhetoric, and digital skills I obtained from my undergrad.

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

As a Solutions Consultant, I work alongside the sales team who brings me in to give demonstrations, sell the value of the product, and help move along conversations with buying teams. My day is often full meetings with top level executives and c-staff members of the companies we sell to.

This is where I feel like my rhetoric and digital studies really shine, because I am able to hold these conversations, craft the necessary messaging to be part of the selling process, and convey the value of the product in an easy-to understand manner. Presentation skills are key, and I definitely learned so much of that in my undergrad studies. My role requires communication, digital, presentation, and organizational skills. I love to learn, and this allows me to constantly be improving not only those skills, but my technical capabilities as well.

How has Digital Studies influenced your career path?

The two companies I have worked for most recently have been software companies, living entirely in the digital world. Digital Studies helped me bridge the gap between traditional rhetoric and how that can be applicable in today’s world. As a Solutions Consultant, working fully remote, I am constantly having to stay up-to-date with product updates, customer information, and keep my digital skills top-notch.

Did you have a favorite Digital Studies class or professor when you were a student?

I love that we had such a variety of choices to really tailor our classes to our interests. I really enjoyed my rhetoric courses, particularly Communication Arts 472: Rhetoric and Technology, along with all the other film courses I took in Com Arts. Also, LIS 351: Intro to Digital Information taught me the basics of HTML/coding, which has helped me a lot in my current role for understanding technical things in the software space (APIs, Webhooks, HTML). And I have to give a shout-out to my favorite professor, Sara McKinnon!

Do you have any advice for current students?

Definitely meet with advisors to understand all of your options for classes, majors, and certificates! There were some majors and certificates that I didn’t even know about until after I graduated. Take classes that interest you, not just classes that fill a requirement. I took so many fun side classes, which is actually how I found the Environmental Studies major and added that as a second major for me.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career thus far?

I am very proud of my transition into the Solutions Consulting role. I am constantly growing and learning, while also hitting achievements, such as being a Top Performer or assisting with the closing of large deals. The Solutions Consultant role has been very rewarding to be thought of as an “expert” that my sales counterparts bring in to help with their deals.

Additionally, I am very proud to work at 6sense. 6sense is the top company in their market, is a highly sought-after SaaS tool, and holds their employees to a very high standard for intelligence and ability.