Experience is the best teacher, and getting experience is a lengthy process. To learn quickly, one can listen and reflect on the experience of one’s seniors. Digital Media Marketing Seminar Series gave us the opportunity to learn from the industry experts and the alumni. It was a wonderful experience, I learned a lot about the functioning of various roles in the industry, the skill requirement for applying for these roles, and the challenges that the speakers had to face. It was a wonderful experience. When I enrolled in this course, I was sure that I wanted to work for an advertising agency after finishing my course. Being so focused narrowed my understanding of marketing departments outside the agencies. Now, I know a lot about the roles and responsibilities of marketing departments which makes me more enlightened. Many speakers inspired me, but the story of Aadhar Mehta was particularly more inspiring. Maybe it is because of similar struggles and similar aspirations. Understanding the struggles these people had to go through in the initial days of their roles is a lesson in itself. The most important lesson I learned was to be patient. I learned through their experience that job finding can be a nerve-wracking process. Having patience and trust is key to success. I also learned about the secret ingredient to success. It is networking. In the second part of my blog, I will talk about networking and resources.
Networking is connecting to people and building a relationship. It is an art and like every art, it needs the practice to perfect it. I started my networking journey with the help of LinkedIn. I connected with various industry experts and asked them for guidance. I also attended a lot of events and met many people. Gradually, I started to get a grip on making connections with people. Initially, I underestimated the power of LinkedIn, but I was able to meet multiple HR’s with the help of it, and it also helped me get an interview. I also attended events by American Marketing Association and Canadian Marketing Association. Besides, I attended various hiring events of companies. Virtual job fairs and educational events helped me a lot in to understand the hiring scenario in Canada.
There are also a few networking tips that I got from attending these seminars, I have compiled them, and they are as under:
- Active listening: Active listening is listening to understand not to respond. In our day-to-day life, we are so engrossed in ourselves that we rarely listen to understand what the other person is saying. Active listening is very important for networking. It not only helps us to understand in totality what the other person is saying but also makes other people feel heard. It is the most important skill when it comes to networking in person. It is being present at the moment and listening with mind, body, and soul.
- Give before asking: This is yet another important skill that I learned. We usually start networking by asking. We ask for introductions, jobs, and various other favors. But to build a real connection we must first give. It can be by liking and commenting on people’s posts on social media. Understanding the problems people are facing and trying to genuinely help. The list is endless. But the principle remains strong. Always give before you ask.
- Don’t be shy: You don’t anything in life if you are shy to ask for it. After building a connection it is important to ask for what you want. Many people, including myself, feel that asking is selfish. No, it is not. There are many people who would genuinely want to help you but would not know what you want. Asking is giving them a chance to help you get what you want. It is important to understand that one might well reject it. And if it happens one should not feel disheartened.
- Don’t be disheartened: For a few of us, rejections are painful. We feel a little embarrassed for asking and think we should not have asked in the first place. Remember rejections are common and one should not be disheartened by that. We should look for other opportunities and not get stuck on the one that didn’t work out.
- Stay Connected: At the end stay connected. Keep in touch with people. Leave occasional messages, comments and engage with them.
- Become a good conversationalist: This is crucial for keeping the connection alive. One must learn to be a good conversationalist. It is about being fun, engaging, and keeping the other person interested.
In the end, I want to say it was a wonderful experience. I am much wiser than I was when I entered this program. I want to thank Prof. Wendy Greenwood for her efforts. Also, I want to thank all the guest speakers who spared their valuable time and gave us invaluable knowledge.
