Student lands position with power tool giant

In June, Heather Killeen headed to an internship with Techtronic Industries with no knowledge of the industry. Several months later, she will assume a full-time position with the Milwaukee-based power tool giant after she graduates in December.

A field sales and marketing intern, Killeen previously worked part-time as a sales associate and marketer for a local gym.

“On the sales side, I felt pretty good, and I felt prepared from all of my classes for the marketing side,” said Killeen, a business management and marketing major from Byram Township.

She also gained experience as co-president of Rowan’s award-winning student chapter of the American Marketing Association.

Meanwhile, Techtronic Industries extensively trained her about its tools. Representing the company at Home Depot, Killeen performed demonstrations, interviewed customers, helped them with their tools and performed sales analyses.

Eventually, the corporation flew her to Milwaukee to interview for a full-time position, where she presented a competitor analysis project to company executives.  

“I came to realize that you don't need any of the product knowledge coming in,” she said. “You just need to have the same personality as many people in the company. You have to be outgoing, competitive, but also a team player. And you need the personal qualities to be driven for success.”

According to Amie Ryno, manager of the Rohrer College of Business’s in-house career services center, Killeen embodies the attributes that make RCB young alumni so competitive in the job market. According to Ryno, “The Center provides business students with the tools necessary to become career-ready, navigate the job and internship search process, and to graduate with the ability to find meaningful employment in their chosen fields.  With a 94% job and graduate school placement rate last year, we’re pleased that our graduates are going on to productive careers in a wide range of industries, bringing value to their employers and communities not just in New Jersey, but across the US and abroad.”