Advice to the future post-grads at Sheridan

Since this is my final blog post, I wanted to write a couple pieces of advice for the new batch of post-graduates that are starting in September. I truly had no idea what to expect on my first day at Sheridan, so I thought some tidbits of wisdom may help the young whippersnappers of 2015. 

Firstly, learn how to organize yourself. You're gonna get bombarded with assignments and projects (that are so much fun!..), and if you don't have a way to organize everything you may start to slowly lose your mind (trust me, it'll happen). Make sure you have a 'To Do' list with assignments listed by priority and a calendar with all your due dates! You really don't want to have that feeling of blood rushing to your face when a prof asks for an assignment that you completely forgot about..

Secondly, be open-minded. You'll be working on many different projects with many very different people. Being open to other's ideas and perspectives will only help you build great ideas. 

Thirdly, take advantage of every opportunity you can. Whether it's a career development session or an advertising competition, try to immerse yourself as much as possible. You'll make new friends and have experiences that will help you find a job when you're done the program. 

Fourthly, take your studies seriously. You're in this program for a reason... to get a job. If you half-ass your assignments you'll be wasting your time and money, and that is just a silly thing to do now isn't it.

Fifthly(?), sass Colin Robey as much as humanely possible. He'll probably be your program coordinator and he loves it when people make fun of Media or don't laugh at his jokes. Doing these things will secure you as a fanTASTic student in his books. 

Sixthly(?), have a great time! Taking this program was the best decision of my life. The classes are excellent and the profs are super personable and willing to help you in any way possible (not to mention, they know what they're talking about).

That's all the advice I have for now. I hope this post helps you make the decision to come to Sheridan for the Advertising: Account Management program and enjoy it while you're here! 

Cheers!

Coping with life without summer holidays

My school career is almost over. I have a little less than a month left of classes, and then I will pass through the invisible protection of school and into the real world... which is terrifying. As students, I think we get so used to the protective bubble that university and college provide. We don't have to determine what career we want to enter or pay off our student loans quite yet.. it's a fantastic place to be! But all things great must come to an end, and that's why I'm writing this blog post now.

This is an ode to the 4 months of summer that I used to have free from school or any major responsibilities... a reflection of the days that ended at 1pm because classes ended early that day... a ballad to the professors that would give project extensions so our weekends could be relaxing and fun.

I've never surfed in my life, but it seemed fitting.

The thing about school is that those four months after classes finished served as a reset button. You finished those eight months of hard-work, and maybe you'll try some new courses next semester, or even change your major!! (lord knows, I have). The thing is.. you knew that school was in the near future, but you could worry about it later. Now, those days are over. There's no such thing as 'summer holidays' or 'march break' or even 'christmas break' because this is real life now, kid.

By no means is this blog post a complaint about not having as many vacation days as I did as a student.. it just means that things are changing, and it's time to step up and rise with the challenge of the real world. What does that challenge entail exactly? No idea.

What I do know is this: these past few months have been the most exciting of my life, but also the most stressful. The phrase 'so what are you going to do when you're done school' is almost a daily question you have to answer, and the panic you feel when you can't answer is quite palpable. Thankfully, I've been able to find a career in a field that I love, and have actually landed a position at an agency that I respect and am excited to be a part of. But still... I have been preparing to enter the 'real world' for 5 years now, and it still seems like something just out of reach. I guess in a couple of months I feel finally know what all the hubbub is all about.

Check out the Advertising: Account Management program at Sheridan College.

'Like' us on Facebook for more information here.

Learning How To Get A Grip

So, there I was. Standing with my team in front of 12 industry executives waiting for our campaign to unfold before them. You know that feeling when you have no saliva in your mouth and can barely remember how to talk? Now, imagine having that for 45 minutes while higher ups of your dream agency judge the hell out of your pitch. Why would anyone freely choose to have this happen to them?

Before I answer that, let me give you some context...

About a month ago, I signed up for the Grip Limited Juicer competition-- an annual advertising competition offered by Grip Limited to every college and university in Ontario. I wanted a bit more real-life advertising experience, so I decided to be a part of the Sheridan team. We were equipped with a brief, a real-life challenge to solve, and a deadline. I have never really thrown together an actual advertising campaign, so I really thought I was in over my head. Luckily, there was a lot of seasoned-advertising-competition veterans that provided leadership and made the experience pretty cool.

Fast forward a couple weeks. We had our big idea, research, consumer insights, a budget, media considerations and a strategic plan. All that was left was the presentation.

I step into the agency, and my heart is pounding. I'm in classic freak-out mode, thinking of everything that could possibly go wrong. Will I stumble over my words? or forget the crucial information I am supposed to present? Will I let down my team? Will I mess up and ruin my whole career?! I know self-destructing right before a presentation isn't a 100% fantastic strategy, so I tried to cool my jets. My team walks to the front of the room, and we start our pitch. The next 45 minutes was pretty much a complete blur. If you asked me what I said during the presentation, I probably couldn't tell you. But, we got through it. It was over.

Although we didn't win the competition, I was proud of everyone on my team. We all came together to create a campaign that we were proud of, and I'm happy that I was a part of it. We came up with a unique idea and saw it to completion, which is all I wanted to do.

I've only been in advertising for about 7 months now, but having the opportunity to present my own ideas to industry professionals was something I never thought I'd be able to do. I'm an introverted person, but I took a step out of my comfort zone and tried to provide something of value to both my team and the agency. Even though it was a top-ten most-nervous moment in my life, I would do it again in a heartbeat... even if it's beating dangerously high.

I highly recommend checking out Grip if you're interested in an opportunity like this!

Finished University? Now try College.

In my last year of university, I never felt certain about my future prospects. My friends were writing the MCATs or LSATs while I was twiddling my thumbs, wondering what I could possibly do with an honours degree in psychology. Maybe I could work in a hospital? or a clinic? God, it was so frustrating! Everyone felt so sure of themselves and I didn't have a clue! I had a couple grim options to choose from; none of which would fulfill my aspirations. So, I started to entertain the idea of continuing my education. Since I already completed my university education, I thought going to college was a bit beneath me (I'm not sure where this arrogance came from.. probably hanging around too many med school prospects during my undergrad). So, I thought getting a master's degree was my first step to a great career. Lo and behold, nothing out there interested me! I studied 4 years of psychology, but I was getting tired of the field; it just didn't have the same spark anymore. Even though not one psychology master's programs caught my eye, I still didn't even want to look at college options! 'Oh, college is for burnouts, or people who don't know what they want to do!', I would think to myself. My 'self-awareness' button must have been broke that day because I had NO IDEA WHAT I WANTED TO DO! I was discounting college for absolutely no reason. I was prejudiced!

I started looking into advertising at the college level, since it was a field that interested me and had some relation to my psychology background. I read a couple brochures, and a few weeks later I was applying to the postgraduate Account Management program at Sheridan.

It was the best decision of my life.

I am surrounded by creative and hard-working people who are anxious to help find your own path, while providing you with skills that will land you a job! You get hands-on learning and many extra- and co-curricular opportunities.

To be frank (and cheesy), I've finally found my calling. I now know what I want to do with my life, and it's all due to Sheridan and the Account Management program.

... they should be paying me for this post, now that I think about it.

So, if you're finishing university and still unsure about your future, take a look at the programs Sheridan offers, especially the Post-Graduate Account Management program :)

If you have any questions about the program, 'like' us on Facebook here and ask away!

Networking Night at Sheridan College

The advertising program at Sheridan College was fortunate enough to host a networking night for graduating students last night as part of their Career Development series. 30 or so agencies and companies from around the GTA were kind enough to send representatives to speak with prospective students looking for entry-level positions. I spoke with many reps over the course of a couple hours and gained some insight into the different types of agencies out there and the qualities that they look for in future employees. Even though none of my dream-job agencies were at the event, it was great to get experience speaking with individuals in the advertising industry! You can get a really good idea of what type of jobs are available and the specific culture that individual agencies try to foster within 10 minutes of speaking to the reps.

As a bit of an introverted person, having events like this available is priceless. They allow you to strengthen your communication skills and get industry-relevant information in a no-pressure environment. Overall, I think the whole night was a success. I already got a couple emails from the reps outlining potential internship positions, which is a step in the right direction. I kinda regret not taking more free food though, but I digress.

Interested in something like this?

Advertising: Account Management program at Sheridan College.

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