Fowler College Class of 2021 Career Spotlights: Sabiha Khan, Digital Marketing Coordinator with Nobel Biocare

Marketing Graduate Begins Career Search Early Securing a Role at Nobel Biocare

While attending community college for psychology, Sabiha Khan found a new passion for business that inspired her major change. Despite only being on campus for a short amount of time, Khan made the most of it by making connections with people who supported her post-graduation journey. 

Sabiha Khan, Class of 2021. 

Sabiha’s dedication, passion, and early job search during her senior year allowed her to land a position with Nobel Biocare before graduation. She is thrilled to have this job opportunity and reflects on how her journey to SDSU prepared her for this new chapter. 

Q: What experiences shaped your journey or interest in marketing?

There are many positive and challenging experiences that shaped my journey towards my marketing. The main events occurred while I was working at Nordstrom. I loved the company culture, making a customer's day, and the satisfaction of seeing your hard work pay off with daily sales goals. Although I didn't go the sales route, I think it was beneficial for me to put myself in those shoes to understand better how I would later use those skills in the marketing department. The bad times taught me what I didn't want, and those instances additionally shaped me into the person I currently am. My previous roles and past mistakes have guided me to where I am today, and I feel confident in my ability to continue growing in the right direction. 

Q: Describe your new role with Nobel Biocare.

My role as a Digital Marketing Coordinator entails writing and publishing email campaigns, social media posts and collecting data of those statistics to later present during our weekly meetings. I use Excel, PowerPoint, HubSpot, Hootsuite, and many other applications throughout my day to support our many marketing initiatives

Q: When did you receive your official job offer, and what was your reaction when you received the offer?

I received the official job offer at the beginning of May. I felt that my hard work had paid off and that I am capable of achieving my goals. I feel very blessed to receive such a great opportunity during these unpredictable times.

Q: How did you get connected with this company and position?

I applied through a LinkedIn job post which was through a recruiter. My initial call was with the recruiting company to talk about the company itself, and then I had a phone interview with my manager at Nobel Biocare.

Sabiha Khan (right) In Paris for Spring Break in 2019.

Q: Did you use any other campus resources to help you acquire this position? If so, describe the support.

I did not use any resources through campus, but Handshake is an excellent resource for applying to jobs!

Q: Are there specific skills you learned at SDSU (in class or otherwise) that helped you with the role’s qualifications?

During my last semester at SDSU, a good portion of my classes were presentation and participation heavy. Because of this, a couple of skills that prepared me are my ability to communicate effectively among my professors or peers and present projects more confidently than before. One professor who really inspired me was Professor Ehrich. I took Professor Ehrich during my last semester for her MKTG 478 course (Marketing and Sales Social Impact), and I was always insanely excited to log into our two-hour zoom classes to talk to her. She was very personable with each of her students, understood mental health, listened to what her students had to say, and truly had a passion for what she does. Some of the topics could be uncomfortable to speak about, but she made it easy and wanted to understand everyone's thoughts and feelings. The topics helped me become more aware of the social aspect of marketing that is important to today's time, from discussing reforming policies to how certain social media applications can impact how we perceive ourselves and others. She, without a doubt, helped prepare my presentation skills, bettered my knowledge, and overall strengthened me to talk more confidently in group settings.

Q: What advice do you have for fellow students, regardless of their field, looking to jumpstart their career and land their first job post-graduation?

I would say being open-minded and going with your gut is extremely important. In my last semester of college, I struggled with the idea of not finding a job, finding one but that role not being exactly what I wanted, etc. If you land an interview somewhere you’re unsure of, still attend the interview. You might end up falling in love with it, and if not, you gained great interview experience for the next one! If you get an offer, but something is holding you back, it’s okay to decline the offer and keep searching if you feel that best suits you. Whether it takes a few weeks or a few months to find that first job, it happens that way for a reason! Believe in yourself and your capability to succeed.

Q: What is it that you are most looking forward to as you kick start this next chapter?

I am looking forward to gaining more experience in my marketing career and connecting with more people! Even though we’re working remotely, I have a very supportive and loving team who I know will guide me in the right direction to grow!

Sabiha Khan (right) with fellow 2021 gradautes.

Q: What experience at SDSU has changed your life the most?

Although I only experienced a short period on campus before we went online, I was lucky enough to meet a significant number of classmates who turned into my closest friends. My friends and I supported one another by truly listening to whatever overwhelming or stressful situation we were in. It was easy to feel supported because we're all going through the pandemic together, where most of us feel the same way about online classes or being more secluded than usual. We encouraged one another to take breaks to avoid burnout, stay active, and, most importantly to prioritize our mental health before anything else. FaceTime became our best friend for a good portion of time. Since a few of my friends and I were all in the same classes in the spring, we would sit in silence on facetime while working on our laptops, and having the company really helped. Once we felt it was safer, we started going on walks and sitting at outdoor coffee shops towards the end of the semester to study together again! These friends have supported me each step of the way, and my life would not have been the same without them. 

Q: What is the best advice you have received during your time at SDSU?

While challenging and pushing yourself to excel is what most of us do, it’s okay to do things at a healthy pace that might differ from others. Often we get caught up in what everyone around us is doing and “how ahead” they might be, but remind yourself that it’s not a race and everyone’s paths are different. College goes by fast; make sure to give yourself time to appreciate it!