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A Thirst for More: How Alumna Alaina Warburton Landed a Senior Position at Waikāi
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A Thirst for More: How Alumna Alaina Warburton Landed a Senior Position at Waikāi

December 14, 2021
As part of her role as senior marketing coordinator, Warburton traveled to Long Beach, California to help promote Waikaī at the POW! WOW! international mural festival.

By: Alexia Saucedo

When the pandemic hit, graduating MSU seniors were knee-deep in murky water. Amid the public health concerns, recent graduates were holding their breath trying to find full-time or even part-time positions. However, 2021 advertising management alumna, Alaina Warburton, persisted. She kept her head above water and landed not an entry-, but a senior-level position-at Waikāi just six months post-graduation. 

Waikāi is a bottled water company founded in 2012 and based in Hawaii. The water filters naturally through 14,000 feet of volcanic rock and is bottled sustainably at the source. Each bottle purchase also goes towards the PumpAid.Org fund, which provides 650 liters of water to those in need. Though the company is based in Hawaii, Warburton’s position is remote. 

“I applied to tons of positions. I finally saw a posting for a senior marketing position for Waikāi and was one of the first to apply. After I checked and the applications had risen to 900, I messaged the recruiter and first explained why he should open the message, then included all my references. He messaged me back and we immediately hopped on an interview,” said Warburton.  

The original position was already filled by the time Warburton scored her second interview, however, Waikāi was able to create a new position tailored to her experience: senior marketing coordinator.  

“When I first came in as senior marketing coordinator I brought my skillset to the table, including working with influencers, creating emails flows and social [media] engagement,” said Warburton. 

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During her time at MSU, Warburton worked as a marketing manager for VADE Nutrition and was a co-marketing director for MSU’s VIM magazine. Warburton said that advertising classes that tapped into creativity and campaign-building were most resourceful and beneficial to her. 

With a great start to her career and days filled with strategic influencer promotions and Instagram likes, Warburton finds herself knee-deep in a different kind of water: one full of opportunity and growth. 

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