This is one of the best outfield trips we have had. I’m really proud to have this ‘reunion’ session with two of my ex-students from Curtin Advertising, Estar Rino D’Hasyah (currently marketing and corporate communications champion for CIMB bank), and Deanson Lee (our fresh Curtin graduate who has just join Mindshare’s digital team). I’m elated to learn how well they are doing for their career.
Estar is one of those students who is good at leaving you with the ‘forget me not’ impression. A really bright student who knows exactly how to make things happen and get things done. This talent of his can be evident in the way he does projects and presentations. Check out the Estar below when he was still an undergrad at Curtin.
Deanson Lee has been mentioned quite a number of times on strongerhead.com. He has been through a few modules with me, and I can see his growth and development since year 1 in terms of his strategic thinking and maturity of his mindset towards his career establishment. I’m really happy that he managed to land himself with a big corporation in just within 4 months since from his graduation.
For those who didn’t get a chance to meet them in person, I would like to share some of the key take outs from the sessions.
Have a goal
Your target might change, your goals might evolve, but it can only do so if you have one to begin with. It is important to have a goal because it acts as your compass that gives you direction when you are lost. Without it, you might not know what to do next.
For instance, Estar wanted to work as a creative since the age of 17. He ended up being a suit for 2 years instead. On his 3rd year, he got an offer which he couldn’t resist at CIMB. And that is the place where he got to see his real calling. However, if he had not had a goal initially, he would not have discovered where his real strength lies and what should be his next career move.
Deanson wanted to be part of an advertising agency, but ended up in a media agency, Mindshare, where he discovered his passion for digital strategies.
Yes, you may not end up with where you wanna go, but it gets you started.
Resume writing
Keep it short
Keep your resume really short and snappy. You only have 30 seconds – maximum 2 minutes to impress via your resume. Keep it within one page if possible. In any case, most people will only glance through the first page.
Writing style
Stay concise and be consistent. Mosquitoes can kill. For instance, “realize VS realise”, did you realize the use of both American and British spelling within the same write up. Such inconsistency can cause you your chances to be interviewed.
Pay negotiation
Get an auditor to show you the way on how to negotiate for a better pay.
Never think about the money in the beginning
According to Estar, it is so easy to get headhunted when you are really good at doing what you do. Just focus on being good at what you do, instead of worrying about life without a job, you be enjoying life with exponential discretionary income you can have to spend.
He took an internship role for $400 per month to start his career going. Yijun, one of the students who attended this session, asked if he was given a choice to kick start his career again, how would he have done it differently. He said, he would have done it in the exact same fashion. Without that internship role, he would not have gotten to where he is today. Look at the bigger picture. Where the experience, the skills and the learning will take you in the future. That’s the place where they will show you the money. Not now. Not at your present situation where you do not have anything to prove your worth yet.
