How a Marketing Major Ended Up inLibrary and Information Science

Posted October 7, 2026 by Brianna Woodard

I didn’t always want to be an archivist, but I’ve always had an affinity for information. During my undergrad, I studied Marketing at Elms College. There, I learned about Myers-Briggs and connected with my INFJ results. INFJs are analytically minded and purpose-driven. According to 16Personalities, “INFJs have trouble deciding which job is best for them because they’re able to imagine so many possibilities.” If you ask me, that’s a good superpower. Looking back, my INFJ tendency to contemplate deeply and seek meaningful, purpose-led paths has shaped my scholarly and career choices. I have always felt a need to pursue roles where I could combine analysis alongside creativity. This self-understanding has guided each step of my journey.

I initially wanted to be an artist, but growing up, you’re encouraged to find a high-paying job with long-term security. As I thought about my future, I realized I was drawn to fields where I could be both imaginative and analytical. Marketing appealed to me because it blended understanding people’s motivations with the chance to think creatively about messaging, design, and strategy. It felt like a space where the curiosity about how things work could intersect with creating and communicating new ideas. So I started looking for a career that combined my creativity with my curiosity.

Marketing seemed like the perfect place to do that. I became particularly interested in marketing research: why people make certain decisions, how information influences them, and what makes something work. I liked asking questions, gathering information, looking for patterns, and trying to understand the story behind the data.

As I started looking for jobs after graduation, I quickly discovered how competitive marketing could be. I also noticed many positions advertised as “marketing” were really sales jobs. What truly drew me to information was the satisfaction I felt digging into data and uncovering patterns others might overlook. During my final year, I worked on a class project analyzing survey responses to help a local business better understand its customers. Sifting through responses, detecting trends, and communicating clear recommendations was extremely fulfilling. In that moment, I realized I wanted to do more than sell something. I wanted to understand the information behind decisions.

During my job search, I realized many marketing roles weren’t what I had envisioned, and I wanted work that matched my interest in information and problem-solving. I got an opportunity in Human Resources almost by chance. At first, HR seemed like a completely different direction. But I quickly discovered that one of the parts I enjoyed most was the information and data. I worked with employee records, payroll, benefits, HR systems, and eventually helped with an HRIS transition. During that transition, I migrated employee data from manual records into the new system, which required careful attention to detail and problem-solving when discrepancies arose. This experience made me realize how much I enjoyed tackling challenges related to organizing and safeguarding information. I became increasingly interested in how organizations collect, organize, maintain, and use information.

Coming to Simmons has given me a name for something I’ve been interested in for years: the way information is created, organized, preserved, accessed, and ultimately used to tell stories. I’m especially drawn to the program’s pledge to social responsibility, diversity, and ethical stewardship of information, which aligns with my values and purpose-driven approach. I look forward to learning from faculty leaders in archival science and engaging with peers who are equally passionate about making a difference through information work. Whether I’m studying archives, metadata, usability, or information systems, I keep finding pieces of my previous experiences showing up in unexpected ways.