I am a final year student, it’s my 7th semester now, but normally undergraduate students in Indonesia will finish their study at their 8th semester. I am studying communication study, with the specialization of advertising, and advertising could be a mix between marketing, literature, and art. This industry is currently kept developing and fast-changing as consumers’ move. This is unique as the shifting of consumers’ trend day by day, influenced by many many factors.
Okay, that’s the introduction of what I am studying and a bit overview about this industry. What intrudes me a lot this time and grabs my attention the whole day (when I’m awake) is that in this semester while I still have few subjects ongoing (including my final year project), there are several job offers and opportunities approaching me. Currently I already agree with the deal came from a global advertising agency, let’s say it MCE (it’s an abbreviation, you can guess it if you’re working or studying in this industry) as their permanent junior planner. Officially I will be start working on October 4th (because I was asking for some times, and I was supposed to start earlier).
But... actually they already gave this offer to me since two months ago (when my final year hasn’t begun yet), and I was waiting for the fix confirmation (after the planning director told me if I was hired right after the interview) pretty long due to the hiring-freeze as what the managing director told me. Anyway, the managing director was the one who head-hunted me through LinkedIn. Yep, I was lucky, indeed. Since the uncertainty period was pretty long, I who already had three times internship (two in an ad agency, one in client side) was trying to look for another opportunities. Besides my boss at my former internship office (Robert Bosch) asking me to extend my internship period with a very big possibility getting hired as their permanent employee after four months (the position was Marketing Communications), I tried to apply for copywriter position in another two global ad agencies. One was LB, but it was for the internship and... unpaid. Actually I already passed the interview stage of which I met the Creative Group Head that really really fancy me, my work, and my brain. He wished if I could replacing the Creative Director in his team who is female and would resign soon and said that there was a possibility me getting the permanent position even when I’m still studying. But since the office location was far away from my residence and it was unpaid, I didn’t show my big interest, but a great confusion at the interview, while he already asked me when I would start be available!
The other agency initial was D, and I already met the Creative Director of which was really confused either to give me a pass or not, and suggested me to meet the Executive Creative Director (I haven’t been called yet by the ECD until now even he already promised so, though). And I also got an offer as a copywriter in a local agency, but I didn’t manage to send my resume and port folios until now. And... while waiting for the final confirmation from MCE, I put my courage to approach and ask to the Creative Group Head from two global advertising agency, let’s say it S&S and G. They just answered my message after I got final confirmation from MCE, haha, suggested me to send my resume and port folios to their email. But of course, I didn’t manage to submit them again! And again, at that idle moment, I also sent a message asking the founder of an ad agency with the head office in Australia (let’s say it NC) about the internship opportunity, and he replied it suggested me to send him email. But... I haven’t managed it, either.
And this is the most unbelievable one. There was just someone sent me an email stating an interest about my profile and asking if I had the same interest to join with their team. The person was the owner of a small local agency which had run for around 6 years, and previously he had tremendous experiences in a big global ad agency as an Account Director. The unpredictable one was the position of which he offered to me. It was for the BUSINESS MANAGER. It’s a very challenging role and I was thinking if he didn’t really read my profile and didn’t notice if I was a university kid, but actually he does! I knew it after I had a chat with him in Starbucks. At that time he told me lots of thing, start with some questions to me about advertising, strategy, brand, and myself (I managed to answer pretty good, confident, and clear I suppose), and tell me about his agency (the background, the clients, the staff, the works, the process, the condition, etc) pretty long and complete. I also told him if I will soon start working with MCE. It seemed if he really serious about the offer, even though I am still a junior in this industry. He wished me to be a replacement of his business director that will resign due to her maternity. It was clearly portrayed from our conversation if he was confident enough about my talent, my hidden skills, and my great-capability-will-be. He said he was interest about my profile and background and my writings. And honestly I was truly feeling appreciated for that. That meant a lot for me. I mean, how would you feel if the owner of an ad agency offering you a job with high position, roles and responsibilities? And he said you will be someone great in this business?
I really really confused (and impressed, of course). He said if someone with many experiences in this industry (like him) will have the capability to sense a talent in a junior (including a university kid), like me. Okay, and yes, it actually boosted my confidence level up. Besides one of my lecturer just few days ago told me if I was the best student in my batch (there was another one, my friend, well, my competitor actually), this kind of offer seems like assuring if I really have such great potential in this business. Umm... maybe when you see someone really enthusiast, hard working, passionate about something, and of course able to think really logic (in advertising studies case), that talent is there? Or, simply by seeing how someone is writing, and having a chat with him/her, that potential would be reflected and predictable? Since I’m still a junior, I don’t know yet about the answer, but I just believe in myself if advertising is my passion, and I keen to work on it and keep updating about it in every moment. It was funny and annoying and hurt to remember a friend of mine ever told me if one of my colleague in the ad agency of which the first time I took my internship was actually feeling really bored since I really often started a chat with him about advertising. Well, that’s when I was in my 2nd year of study, and at that time I really really had a strong desire to learn and know many! He should have known if that kind of enthusiasm was good. And he was saying, “She was the most enthusiast person I met when it came to talk about advertising, and I dunno why she could be like that. Why didn’t she say about the other things?” Haha. It was a satire remark and seemed like he thought if I was a weirdo. He, as a senior failed to understand my passion, and I supposed if my passion in this industry is much stronger than his (he is three years ahead of me anyway).
But as a person studying advertising, it doesn't mean that I am only interested in advertising. I also love music, K-pop, movies, culture, etc. Even I am a human rights volunteer and before I am studying in advertising, I had a strong passion in film directing and script writing.
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