Elisabeth Hauser is a Senior Account Based Marketing Manager at SHI International Corp., an IT solutions and services company. Prior to working at SHI, Elisabeth was a Brand Marketing Manager and a Cisco Data Center Specialist at Ingram Micro. She graduated from UB with a BA in Classics with a concentration in Archaeology.

What do you do as the Senior Account Based Marketing Manager at SHI International Corp?

SHI is a global technology solutions provider with a concierge approach that blends technical expertise with scalable and cost-effective infrastructure, end-user computing, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and IT optimization solutions.  SHI is proud to be the largest Minority- and Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) in the United States, and working at a company that shares my values was very important to me, and one of many reasons I’m glad I work here.

While working at Ingram Micro, a technology distributor, I learned a ton about the industry and ultimately decided to dip my toes into marketing, which led me to my current role at SHI. I’ve worked at SHI for just over three years. In my current role as the Sr. Account Based Marketing Manager, I get to combine strategy with creativity on a daily basis, which I love.

I work with our sales teams, subject matter experts, and others within marketing to create custom marketing plans for the accounts I cover. Part of my job is to combine knowledge of the current tech landscape and the customer’s specific needs to ideate and execute on marketing tactics such as custom briefings, messaging, campaigns, and personalized content across all verticals.

What was your educational background and how did it influence your career path?

I studied classical archaeology at UB after becoming interested in ancient mythology via a course I took during my first year. While on the surface, marketing at a technology company has nothing to do with the archaeology of the Greeks and Romans, I’ve found that what really matters is having something that is mentally stimulating to work on. I enjoy a challenge, and whether that’s translating Latin, reconstructing ancient Roman pottery, or building out new marketing programs, it’s how I stay motivated. Through my classes and fieldwork at UB, I built valuable skills that I now use every day while helping companies develop marketing strategies. Though I’m no longer in the field of classical archaeology, I still enjoy traveling, visiting museums, and watching documentaries. I’ve even been able to bond with hiring managers during interviews discussing our love of traveling and European museums! 

What organizations, clubs or internships were you involved in during college?

I was lucky enough to get to be part of an archaeological excavation for two summers after my sophomore and junior years at UB. While working on this project, I learned the methodology of field excavations, explored regional museums, and interacted with professional archaeologists, geologists, and geophysicists. I had the opportunity to work on excavations both for a Roman villa and a Celtic burial mound, which was a great way to gain hands-on experience that complemented my coursework in the Classics Department.

Looking back, what, if anything, do you wish you would have known when you were just starting out? 

I wish I had known that my degree wasn’t going to correlate to my job 100% and that that was more than okay. Shortly after graduation, I worried that I would be behind the eightball if I wanted to try out something different and that I’d never be able to get into certain lines of work without a particular degree. However, I quickly realized that wasn’t true.

I look at my degree in Classics as a solid cornerstone on which I was able to build.  At the end of the day, it’s about going after what you want and positioning the experience you do have to work for you!

What advice do you have for anyone that would want to pursue a career in marketing or a non-technical role in a tech company? 

First thing is to be ready to learn, and to keep learning. Even in a non-technical role like marketing, there is a never-ending flow of new technology and new information to keep abreast of. There are so many different types of roles at technology companies outside of purely technical roles, such as marketing, sales, operations, logistics, learning, and development, so there is always a role that can fit your skillset!

The next thing I would say is surround yourself with people who know more than you. Make connections with people in different areas of the business and even at different companies in the industry. Oftentimes, the entry level role that gets you in the door at a company may not be the role of your dreams, so if there’s someone who is working in a department you see yourself in, ask to shadow them, seek advice, or even just talk to them about why they like their job. 9 out of 10 times, people are eager to lend a helping hand when it comes to career growth. 

Lastly, this is a piece of advice that spans across all industries– do not underestimate the value of mentors and advocates! These are people who will be with you throughout your career through the good and the bad.  I owe so much to the people who have been there for me over the years. A resume is only going to say so much, but to have people who are not only willing, but excited to speak to what you have to offer goes so far!

If a UB student wanted to talk with you, what is the best way to reach you? 

Connect-a-Bull and LinkedIn work great for me, I’m always happy to talk!

NOTE: If you are a UB student or alumnus who would like to connect with others to give or get career insights you can join Connect-a-Bull. Interested in sharing your career story with UB students by answering questions like Elizabeth?  Email Ed Brodka, UB Career Design Consultant, at brodka@buffalo.edu