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Brenda is a December `01 Cal grad who majored in Interdisciplinary Studies with a minor in Business. She credits her studies, internship, and activities with a campus student organization for her management career with Enterprise. Enterprise is one of many companies that hire liberal arts students from a wide range of majors.

Career Center (CC): Describe your career path after graduation.

Brenda Lee (BL): I accepted a job with Enterprise Rent-A-Car as a Management Trainee in February 2002 and moved into the Corporate Accounts department in September 2002. Corporate Accounts is the sales force behind the region's corporate accounts (companies that have ongoing rental car needs for their employees). We establish and maintain accounts with small and large companies in the Bay Area and support the local branches. Our department is often out in the field marketing to companies: conducting presentations, checking on existing accounts, or negotiating deals with larger companies that may need more than 10 cars at one time.

CC: How did you decide to work at Enterprise?

BL: I did some research on the management training program and discovered that it's an intensive program where motivated and hardworking individuals are rewarded for their performance. The company culture emphasizes fun and teamwork, and I think that it is vital that we enjoy our careers since they occupy most of our daily lives. I visited some of the local branches and the employees were all young, outgoing and intelligent.

CC: What is most fulfilling about your career with Enterprise?

BL: Performance is recognized and rewarded at Enterprise. This may not be the case with other large companies, where you can toil for five years and no one even knows your name. At Enterprise, if you excel you will definitely be put on the fast track towards management. I've been impressed with how much Enterprise takes care of its employees. There is an established mentorship program within the company that guides each employee toward a promising future with the company.

CC: How did your experience while a student at Cal prepare you for this kind of work?

BL: Working at Enterprise requires, among other things, discipline, patience and the ability to think on your feet. Being a student at Cal has instilled a strong sense of discipline - if you don't push yourself to succeed, no one else will do it for you. I have been both a member and on the executive board of Alpha Kappa Delta Phi sorority, and this experience has been both eye-opening and enriching. I learned how to interact with many different personalities at the same time. Being on the executive board helped me develop strong leadership skills, which translate into a strong foundation for management. You learn how to make decisions that can affect an entire group or organization, weighing the pros and cons and also being able to take responsibility for these decisions. I did a public relations internship that gave me an introduction to the work environment, and I would recommend at least one summer internship to students so they can get an idea of what they would want to do after they graduate.

CC: What do you see as a career path for someone in your position?

BL: My career path would fall along the lines of management - there are other opportunities available with Enterprise, but the Management Track can be more lucrative and seems to be the best fit for me at this point. Management track positions within the rental side of the company include jobs such as Branch Manager, Area Manager, Regional Manager, etc. Some other tracks within Enterprise are related to the non-rental aspect of Enterprise, such as Accounting (Business Manager, Senior Accountant, etc.), Loss Control, Car Sales, Remarketing, Rent-a-truck, Fleet Services, and Human Resources.

I definitely see a long-term career with the company - it is a stable and profitable company (even during these hard economic times) that is fun, supportive and promotes teamwork.

CC: Do you have any advice for Cal students who are deciding on their first career?

BL: Your first job out of college may not be the career that you end up with so don't be rigid with your expectations. It's your first (and probably not last) job after college. Have a little fun and do some exploring. Think of your first job as a springboard, not the final destination. You're young and there are tons of possibilities and opportunities for Cal graduates.

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