The virtues of being rejected

 So, I got rejected from the DAS Accelerate graduate scheme.

Had to get that out of the way first!

The programme is an excellent opportunity for graduates to gain a fully comprehensive introduction to and training in the industry of marketing communications, through joining one of four streams (Brand, Corporate, Healthcare and CRM), and carrying out placements in a number of agencies that are part of the Omnicom Group, one of the largest in the world. I was absolutely gutted that my application form was rejected. Especially since last year I reached the stage following the application form, which is an Open Day consisting of an introduction to the scheme through presentations, networking with Omnicom employees and previous grads, as well as an interview. 

The fact I got through last year and not this year is something I have been quite puzzled about. This year I applied with an equally strong, if not stronger, brand essay; and not only that but I had three more experiences in marketing under my belt, including one carried out in one of their own agencies. I guess there’s no hard and fast rule as to what gets you through, but having worked on my application for many months prior to the deadline with a much better knowledge of the industry and the actual job I was applying to, it made being rejected with no feedback all the more difficult to bear. But anyway, onwards and upwards I guess.

A little story about my science degree 

I have decided to recount my experience of last year’s Open Day because it is one of the most tangible examples I have of my degree impacting on my application in an unfavourable way.

This bear is sad because he has
graduated, but it turns out his degree
isn't doing him much good

 Sitting down for my interview, my interviewer introduced herself as an employee at a PR agency in the Healthcare section. She looked at me encouragingly, expecting me to take an avid interest in this and seemingly hoping that we might bond over our shared career interests. I was puzzled. I myself knew that my degree did not involve the study of any hardcore science subjects that might form the appropriate foundation for a career in healthcare communications. But I had not considered that the recruiters might have looked at my BSc degree and made the assumption that I was suited to and/or interested in this particular stream. 

 I cannot explain to you how quickly her potential fondness for me melted when I impulsively exclaimed “Oh! No, I know I do Human Sciences, but it’s not really about hardcore science and health all that much. I’m much more interested in the Brand stream”, nor can I explain the figurative drop in temperature that followed this proclamation. 

 

ERROR. 

That would have been us in my
interview.

Although this was the truth, I hadn’t considered that my degree might have caused the scheme organisers to believe they were creating a match made in heaven by assigning this particular lady to interview me. Consequently, the shock at finding myself being interviewed by someone who was expecting me to share an interest in what they do for a living meant that I lost all tact, and pretty much extinguished any hope of us ever bonding. Had I been prepared for such an occurrence, I would have definitely dedicated some time to discussing our (supposedly) mutual interest, before gently steering her towards my preference for the brand stream. 

On the day it was made clear that the healthcare stream was the hardest stream to recruit for. I’ve often wondered whether the reason I was let through last was because they saw my degree and let me through because they were short on applicants suited to or interested in the healthcare stream. This year I stipulated in my cover letter that I was interested in the brand stream, and as I’m sure it’s probably the most popular, perhaps this is why I was not put through. Though of course, you can never say for sure. 

What did I learn?

I do not mean to entirely blame DAS for my lack of success last year; I know that I was nowhere near good enough then, and of course it was my fault that my disinterest in healthcare had the impact it did on my interview. By sharing the story I wanted to highlight what I took away from the experience, which I hope might also be of some help to you. Leaving the interview, I felt that sinking feeling when you know things haven't gone well. I also couldn't help feeling frustrated that I had been pigeonholed into healthcare. I knew then that I had to use my work experience to move away from my degree and show my interests and capabilities in my preferred areas. 

It also emphasised to me how important it is that you look at yourself objectively, see yourself as the recruiter will see you, and use the perspective of how others see you to strengthen your application by making your interests and goals transparent. In my cover letter to DAS, I had dedicated a paragraph to talking about my degree. Reading this back now it is easier to see why the recruiters might have been persuaded of my desire to apply my BSc degree to my career. Whilst my original intention of including this paragraph - to demonstrate how my degree had benefited me - was a correct approach, I had emphasised the wrong aspects of it, such as content. Had I read it back objectively, I might have realised that this approach might mislead the recruiters into assuming a passion for science and healthcare. Then I might have been better able to write from a more relevant angle, such as how the inter-disciplinary nature of the degree makes me suited to the placement style of the scheme. And although I didn't get through this year, I can look back over my application with a certainty that I made my interests clear, and would have avoided any crossed wires at interview!

Guest blog post by fellow academic grad, Galina

Today's post is written by Galina Rusak, a Cambridge graduate who wants very much to get into advertising. Galina contacted me after seeing a tweet by Milkround about my blog (yay!), and I asked her if she would be interested in sharing some of her story here. Galina is very passionate about getting her dream job, as is pretty obvious from her application to Saatchi and Saatchi, which has seen her create a Facebook page called The Graduate. The page is somewhere where all those who are chasing their dream jobs can gather together to share information and tips - I recommend that anyone who is on the edge of embarking on their career Like this page. 

 I hope you enjoy what Galina has to say. I'm very excited to publish her post as I'm sure it will resonate with a lot of you.

If at first you don't succeed...

This week has been rather confusing. A lot of positive things have happened. One of them was that I was invited by Joscelyne to write this guest blog. Another was that I received an email from a big Advertising agency letting me know I'm through to the second round of their application process! I felt so good after I got that email. But then, I got another one. A Marketing company to which I had sent my CV and Cover Letter, emailed me that I was not short-listed for an interview. It really does confuse me sometimes how HR people go about selecting the right candidates from, admittedly, a seemingly infinite number of applicants. But that's a topic for a different blog post.

You know, I'm not unused to being rejected (by institutions and companies, I mean). When I first contacted the University of Cambridge with questions about their undergraduate selective process, they advised me to explore other options. That didn't stop me from chasing my dream. I applied a couple of years later, after having obtained further qualifications, and I got in. I am now a proud Cambridge graduate with a BA(Hons) in Classics. My degree opened up a whole new world to me! Its multidisciplinary nature (languages, literature, history, philosophy, linguistics, art and archaeology) meant I had to think differently depending on what subject I was working on. Towards the end of my degree, I could combine these different types of thinking and apply them to a single problem. This is a highly transferrable skill to any profession. I'm sure you can think of at least one valuable skill that you've acquired at uni, too.

I also got rejected last year when I applied to that same Advertising agency I mentioned above. Back then my CV must have ended up in the bin straight away. I learned my lesson. I realised that, just like with Cambridge, I needed to get a bit more experience and show a lot more commitment if I wanted them to consider my application.

After I graduated last Summer, I did a marketing internship in a small start-up. It taught me a lot. I had to work out how to create and run a Google AdWords campaign, for starters. The product we were providing was a sustainability management software, so I had to read up on sustainable development issues, energy efficiency, corporate social responsibility and carbon reduction commitment. The few months I spent in this company proved invaluable to me. A business is a business and, whatever industry you have chosen to build a career in, you stand no chance unless you can demonstrate that you are reliable and professional. I believe that the applications I send out now are much stronger than those I sent in my final year at uni. It is because I take my time to think about what role I'm applying to, what skills and competencies to highlight in my Cover Letter, and most importantly, what company I'm applying to! Last year I used applications as a welcome break from writing my essays. I had fun with them. There were bold projects and long creative sessions with my friends. None of that paid off. I do think that this year I got through to the second round with the Advertising company in question because my approach was much more structured. I researched their work and their sub-divisions and applied my knowledge when answering the questions on their application form. I also read a couple of books on Advertising which gave me an insight into the nature of the work so I could mention more relevant skills and experiences in my CV. David Ogilvy's book, Ogilvy on Advertising (1983) is an absolute must if you want to work in Advertising. The book was written before terms like “social media”, “digital marketing” and “triple bottom line” even existed but it is still considered The Bible for advertisers.

Going back to that second email and the rejection from the Marketing company... I actually emailed them back today saying that they should reconsider their decision. After all, my experience has taught me to always try again! In my email, I attached a link to a Facebook page I created  on Monday called The Graduate. The page functions as a hub for students, graduates and anyone who is trying to get a job they actually want in the tough economic climate in which we have found ourselves. The Graduate is, in fact, my response to Saatchi and Saatchi's Brief 1 for their Summer Scholarship. The idea is that I must accumulate as many Like's as possible to be allowed to move on to Brief 2. If you would like to have a look and see what other people have already shared on The Graduate Facebook Wall, feel free! Perhaps you'll find a link or a suggestion there that will lead you to your Dream Job. Or you could share something you know that could help someone else? I would also really appreciate it if you could Like and Share the page with your friends so I can get a little bit closer to my Dream Job.

I'll be happy to answer any questions about applications I've made and what the results were, how I answered questions, and, if I'm lucky enough to have a few interviews this time around, I'd gladly share my experiences with you. Just keep an eye on The Graduate and use it to get in touch with me.

Internship!

For the past three weeks I have been interning at London advertising agency King and Tuke. It's been an excellent opportunity for me to learn about advertising by working on a diverse range of clients, from financial services to consumer goods! Now my time is coming to an end, they're looking for someone new to take on the challenge.

I'd like to share the vacancy with all of you, as it would be a great opportunity for anyone with an interest in advertising to kick start their career. And degrees don't matter! Sarah, who looks after the interns, did a degree in Economics and is excelling in her position as an Account Executive. The agency is relatively small so there are lots of opportunities to get involved, and with lots of accounts picking up their activity after Christmas there'll certainly be a lot that you can help with.

I've thoroughly enjoyed my time here and the team has been great in welcoming me. In order to apply, send your CV and cover letter to info@kingandtuke.com.

Good luck!

Being an academic grad in today's graduate job market

If you managed to read my guest blog post for the blog of fellow non-marketing grad Michael Palmer - who smashed down the potential barrier of his History MA to get a great position as an SEO consultant - thank you very much!

I wanted to keep that post brief, but if you've been brought here from Michael's blog, I guess you might be interested in reading more about being an academic graduate struggling to get the vocation you want in today's job market. So I might take this opportunity to have a bit more of a rant about the whole thing.

What does a degree in a traditional subject count for nowadays?

What I talk about in my guest post on Michael's blog - about the recent change in the job market that has apparently led to an aversion towards recruiting traditional subject candidates - is affecting thousands of graduates, who have worked hard in embarking on what they had believed to be the best possible start to building a career.

This change needs to be talked about, as the many graduates referred to in the press, who are out of work or unable to obtain decent job roles, are victims of it - left floundering in the wake of those who opted for more vocational subjects. As I have said in my guest blog post, it is not my place to comment on which of these types of graduates make better candidates for jobs. However, I’d like to try and offer some support for grads facing the frustration of feeling like all the hard work you have put in to getting your degree is not appreciated, if only by letting you know that you’re not alone. In order to do this, I think it’s important to start by documenting how the world had seemed to us as wee 17 year olds filling out our UCAS forms in 2007.

Why pick a traditional subject?

Everyone had had it imprinted on their grey matter throughout their childhood that a degree was the strongest path to take in order to be successful, and our small-world perspectives meant that we felt wholely unable to go against the advice that Oxbridge and the Russell Group were the crème de la crème, and where you should be aiming to attend if you wanted to make your degree a worthwhile investment of a great deal of money, time and effort.

I know you wanted to know just how a leech walks

Having slogged away for three years in an incredibly pressurised and competitive learning environment, immersing myself in topics that were incredibly fascinating but also widely irrelevant to most jobs (for example, how leeches walk), it makes this trend, of hiring based on a strict criteria that rejects non-marketing grads, all the more bitter a pill to swallow.

Last February, the Guardian reported that Oxbridge and redbrick institutions had confirmed that they hold a higher regard for A-levels in more theoretical ‘hard’subjects, such as English, Maths, Science, Geography, History and languages, stating that by choosing more recently-established A-level subjects such as Media and Business, students appeared to be ‘avoiding a challenge’. Many of us could have guessed that this attitude is commonplace amongst these elite unis, owing to the fact that they are known as ‘leading’ universities because they are long-established, and so are specialists in the older and more traditional subjects. Moreover, a lot of them don’t tend to even teach courses outside of traditional academia. 

Take for instance this quote off of the Oxford website: 

Business Studies

Oxford University does not offer an undergraduate degree in this subject, though there are opportunities to study it as a graduate course. 

However, if you are interested in a career in Business, then any course at Oxford can be an excellent preparation. 

I think this is a pretty apt summation of what has long been the established attitude (that is now threatened) to undergraduate study – that a degree, particularly one acquired at one of the top academic institutions in both the country and the world, is enough to develop you into a candidate competent enough to tackle a job role in the outside world.

Applying to jobs with an academic degree

I understand that many companies do not have the resources to train up grads; it is much quicker and easier to hire someone who has studied the subject. As I’ve said, I'm not here to comment on whether marketing grads are 'better' than non-marketing grads - this obviously varies from person to person, and also depending on the job role in question - but my problem is the droves of job roles that will only consider a graduate who has studied marketing/related. 

Peruse any job site and you will find “must have studied a marketing or business degree” or similar in a large proportion of job descriptions. I pulled this example off the Guardian Jobs website. They are asking for a ‘Marketing Assistant/Graduate’:

This famous leisure brand is seeking a confident Marketing Assistant to make a significant contribution towards their marketing activities. Candidates will be degree educated and will have obtained at least a 2:1 within a business or marketing related subject! Candidates will only be considered if they are recent graduates of 2011 or due to be finishing within 2012.

Key aspects of this fantastic role will be liaising with external client enquiries, keeping the website up-to-date, producing marketing brochure materials, analysing customer satisfaction data and assisting with the management of corporate events. The organisation in question is seeking someone with some commercial flair, someone who can adapt quickly and use their communication skills to heighten company awareness.

I’m very sure that most, if not all, of those duties could be carried out by any competent graduate. Having worked in a project management role with a focus on marketing, which seems quite similar to what they are asking here, this would be a role I would feel quite comfortable in. Employers are certainly spoilt for choice nowadays, but it’s just no help to us if we’re forbidden to even apply.

They are looking for someone who can “use their communication skills to heighten company awareness” – implying these communication skills need to come from a degree. But why discount those who may have developed communication skills from work experience? Experience that meant them applying their skills to a real-life situation which may have even brought about measurable success for a company. Job descriptions like these are no good for us graduates in traditional subjects, and their prevalence is both disheartening and concerning.

This attitude to recruitment spans not only job roles in SMEs, but graduate schemes too! (For example: Wilkinson's Brand Development and Digital Marketing programmes.) And having worked on graduate recruitment campaigns for large international clients, I can tell you that there is a definite favouritism towards marketing-related degrees over demonstrable interest and competency in the field via other endeavours, despite the fact these schemes are supposed to be training programmes.

Phew, I needed to get all of that out of my system!

Of course, there are lots of things you can do if you’re a graduate embarking on the road to a great career, even if, like me, you find yourself having to combat the obstacle of your academic degree. I just felt like I needed to make a frank acknowledgement of the problems faced by graduates of academic subjects before I got round to actually addressing them :)

If you are in the same situation as me and have any comments or experiences you want to share, please feel free to comment, or contact me if you are interested in writing a guest blog post! Follow me on Twitter @JosCanavan or connect with me on Linkedin.

How the job market has changed for academic grads (plus a bit of viral)

Please head on over to the excellent blog of my online friend Michael Palmer:

http://graduatejobhuntblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/guest-blog-breaking-into-marketing.html

in order to read my guest post about my perspective on the challenging job market for those of us wanting a career in marketing, without a related degree.

We've got a bit of a challenge on our hands, but it's all about making the best of a bad situation! Watch out for some future posts about how I've personally gone about tackling this obstacle.

Annnd, a bit of marketing for you...

Today I came across this online video "Smart thief caught on camera". Intrigued, I pressed play to find out just how smart this thief could be.

OH WOW!

Such a great reveal at the end; the selling point is effortlessly conveyed in an instance of great entertainment.

Youtube can act as an excellent platform by which brands can put themselves out among the public sphere and become a more integrated part of our everyday lives. Videos like this one represent the viral type - that are so entertaining you would pass them on to others - regardless of whether you recognise the marketing ploy behind it or not. Indeed, I feel that the fact the reveal shows that it was a marketing ploy all along actually forms a large part of its appeal - there is entertainment value in passing this on knowing that it will intrigue your friends until they find out that they've been watching an ad. Then these friends will pass it on in order to become masters of that same tricking experience.

Guerrilla Giveaway

I first came across this amazing piece of communication on one of my favourite blogs by The Awkward Stag. Please watch before you read below!

(I realise that this is a tad late given that we're now in January, but what's the harm in spreading some belated seasonal cheer?)

The usual charity campaign premise is to tug as hard as possible on our heart strings. Unfortunately, this is not always enough to encourage action, and more often than not merely incites the generic thought: "I really should do something for charity". That's why this piece is so refreshing. 

Contrary to the tired charity appeal format, Inferno have created the character of 'Good Will', who is full of his namesake's seasonal spirit and takes us on an emotional flight to the highest heavens with his generosity for generosity's sake. And if Good Will can be so generous for no reason in particular, surely we can take a leaf (or a fiver) out of his book and give to a worthy charity?

Two of my favey interests combined - art and marketing. Arteting? Markarteting? Doesn't quite work...but ANYWAY, here it is :)

What an amazing piece of art; I get vertigo tummy looking at the people working out over the 'ravine'. Also it's so great that they broke the two records for longest and largest 3D street art after they heard about the rival art.

I bet the event was amazing - obviously the build up as the painting was happening generated a lot of buzz and then on the day people were invited to take part in the fitness programme (see the little kid at 1 minute 25 secs!), followed by the viral nature of this Youtube video. Only thing is I'm not too sure what Reebok Crossfit is exactly... It's not obvious on the Youtube video or in the description. Well I'm sure that it was made obvious at the event and that there are other videos about that are focused on that bit. I hope!

I can be a Lion! A Cannes Lion!

Been working away at applications to some grad schemes over the holidays. Whilst I really enjoy writing them, as anyone with an interest in the industry  would do, it can also become an experience tantamount to an interview or assessment day. For as I work I am also drawn to the websites and Facebook/Linkedin pages of the companies, which invariably leads me to a procrastination spiral of stalking staff and the current graduate trainees.

I try to be like this little guy
as I write and submit applications

Now I've been lucky enough to be invited to a few interviews for graduate schemes, and during my preparation prior to the event I work my butt off researching and pre-empting the questions I think may come my way. I also find a vital aspect of my preparation has to be a self-confidence boost, where I try to study my application objectively and concentrate on all that I've achieved. Great. But the procrastination spiral I mentioned above is the worst enemy of this exercise. I'm drawn to the Linkedin profiles of the graduates who have come before me, and am consistently met with the same thought process as I peruse them.

"Oh my gosh, yes! Someone with an academic degree! There's hope for folks like me! Wait...what's that? Oh, they spent their year abroad at JWT...Right. Well, maybe the next one..." *clicks through to another profile* "Ok..wow, they did molecular biology. How did they persuade the recruiters they don't want to go into healthcare PR?" ( - one of my most common problems) "Ah, it must have been those placements at DDB and Proximity in their summer holidays."

Suddenly I feel like I'm sitting in a room at a group interview alongside these amazing graduates, and all my effort into bolstering my self-esteem trickles away...

I know it's fairly unlikely that I'll make it onto a graduate scheme, so maybe I can put all this down to character building and learn from it. Apart from the enjoyment and understanding gleaned from working on application forms, interviews are always a worthwhile experience. It's great to be able to talk to the successful graduate trainees and see what they are up to in their incredible new jobs, and in particular to speak to the real industry experts interviewing me; I especially enjoy asking them the typical interview questions - why marketing, what's your favourite brand etc. - and seeing how they approach the answers. And if it all fails and I just end up crying in the interview (actually did happen in my last one), more often than not there's chocolate :D