Boldwin International School's Annual Magazine 2015-2016 | Page 31

My First Job
I liked my major during university, it was easy, I didn’t study much
which gave me more time to play basketball, the sports i always
loved…but I used to pay attention during classes, and one thing I
took out of my major that has an amazing value, was to think differently, not to do what everybody is doing. Advertising is all about
creativity, and a creative idea means an original idea that stands out
the clutter and creates emotion..
So when I graduated and was seeking a job, I thought to myself,
my major is all about selling, and I needed to get a job, so I basically
need to “sell” myself to employers.. Everybody back then used to
send their CVs as a word document attached to an email, but not
me.. My roommate was studying computer science, so I paid him
200$ from my savings to create me a personal website. It was a very
static website where I displayed my university projects, and some
part time jobs I took.. So here I am with a CV in a form of a website,
but a cool one, a DIFFERENT one.. So I started sending emails,
saying that I want a job and you may click on this link to know more
about me. The response employers had to my job application was
phenomenal. It didn’t take long, I was hired in one of the most prestigious AD agencies in the world Leo Burnett.
You see how little creative out of the box ideas can dramatically impact our lives.
Leo Burnett has been a dream company for most business and design students, It’s a multinational company, pays decent salaries and
one of the most awarded in the world. and the fact that I got the
job because I thought and acted differently is a great lesson to all
of you.. “Two roads diverged in a wood and I, I chose the one
less travelled by.. And that made all the difference”
Although I later discovered that the advertising industry was not
what I want to do in the rest of my life, it helped me understand one
very important lesson, here it is:
Because I was part of an ad agency, I was in a culture where if you
don’t produce creative and original ideas, you are out of business..
Cliche ideas are never tolerated. So you have this constant drive
to push your brain to produce ideas.. And you realize that ideas
have value.. But what’s more valuable is executing those
ideas.. Many people with brilliant ideas are still waiting for the
right time.. However, “The only right time is now.” Start doing
what you love immediately don’t wait to finish university, or until you
write the business plan or to get funding.. Start small steps towards
your dream.. And you will get there sooner than you think.
When I discovered that my purpose wasn’t in the advertising business, I didn’t regret my seven years I spent there... On the contrary.
I use the experience I had everyday. Thus, my message to you is to
try to find the half full of the cup in every situation you are in, don’t
waste time on blaming your luck, your parents, or the government..
etc, see what you can learn from your situation and say as Bruce
Lee says “To hell to circumstances, I create opportunities”.

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