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.
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