As it turns out, Ms. Hamann did not return to Wellesley but remained with the School of Business Administration for the rest of her college career. She was thrilled with the business school: her classmates were intelligent and interesting to be with, the facilities were top-notch, and her classes and professors were fascinating. In particular, she enjoyed her classes in Business Ethics (Dr. Jackson), Organizational Behavior (Dr. McIntosh), International Business (Dr. Jackson), and Canadian Business (Dr. Averyt). Ms. Hamann graduated with a self-designed degree in International Business and Organizational Behavior.
When Ms. Hamann graduated, she didn't quite know what kind of a career she wanted to pursue. Internship opportunities were not as available and easy to pursue as they are now. Having no business experiences on which to base a career decision, she spent a good amount of time conducting research about different business fields. It wasn't until she wandered upon a career description of Public Relations that she knew what direction she wanted her career to move in.
Ms. Hamann left Vermont for Chicago, both because she wanted an urban experience and because Chicago is a major center for Public Relations. Her first job was a six-week contract assignment for Burson-Marsteller. She spent her time there coordinating internships for students in-between their junior and senior years of college (this was, to her, another huge tip-off that internships are of extreme importance to forging a career in business). From there she pursued different assignments and other contractual work until she landed her first full-time position with (Public Communications Inc.). She found employment with two other agencies before joining Edelman, the world's largest independent public relations firm, in 1998.
She began her position at Edelman with a focus on consumer marketing and media relations but moved into the area of employee engagement within a few years. Ms. Hamann focuses on helping companies align employee behavior around organizational goals and objectives using strategic change management techniques, including employee communications. "Agency life," states Ms. Hamann, "has a lot of variety, is fast, and is creative." She is expected to provide counsel, to "think big," to understand each individual industry that she is working with, and to come up with solutions. The pace of her field is a big draw, though she admits that the difficulty lies in never being able to become fully immersed in each company, its products, and its culture. Once a company has its solution, it is time for her to move on.
Ms. Hamann has multiple future career aspirations, but right now, as a mother of a 2 ½ year old, she is focused on her family. "Being a mom is the real challenge," she admits. For now, she loves her career and the creative and stimulating opportunities that it affords her. In her down-time she enjoys skiing and entertaining. Her advice to current business students: "Get as much hands-on, real-world experience as you can, even if you have to create the internship for yourself. Take advantage of the internship once you're there---ask the right questions, get involved, and establish connections!"