Help, my org work doesn't match up against my batchmates - #DearTBC
*From the past archives of old posts and questions, specific situational questions are now answered in a more complete way (because ya’ll deserve that) through #DearTBC. Today’s episode comes originally from 6 Incredibly Long Answers About Interning.
Read on to find out about 1 anonymous reader who worries about how to spin their creatives experience against their batchmates’ experiences, especially since they’re looking for a marketing internship soon.
Hi TBC! I’m actually writing my CV right now and I’m wondering how to make it stand out given that most of my org work (like 50%) are creatives related (graphic design, photography, conceptualization, creatives head) and most people don’t really give that much value those kind of jobs. Would having a well-designed CV help showcase my creativity or something?
I don’t really know how to compete with people who have so many leadership positions and super high grades under their belts. I’ve only been active last year for MEA and Celadon and the most responsibility I’ve had is currently being a project head for one of Celadon’s projects, but my QPI is above 3.5.
I’m thinking of applying for a marketing related internship by the way. 🙂
P.S. You’re so awesome!
You’d be surprised at how in-demand graphic designers are nowadays. Everyone and anyone is looking for a graphic designer to join their team. If anything, you should be more worried about being exploited in doing a ton of graphic design work for less to no pay.
I’ll divide my advice for you into 2 buckets.
Practical Emotional Advice
Don’t worry about the fact that a lot of your org work is on the creative side. Having a well-designed CV definitely helps showcase your creativity if you’re applying for something in a creative field, like marketing.
But don’t prioritize design above all else since readability is key. A lot of companies are automating their recruitment so make sure your resume can be easily read by a machine. That usually means not having confusing layouts.
Don’t worry so much about not being super active in orgs. When I first started interning, I had never been project head. I only had 1 org project on my resume, and it was as an underling. (I think it was Logistics Head lol.)
If you’re really worried about building up your org work experience, you’ve got a few semesters to go, so it’s not too late to take on more projects. Your QPI (fun fact, I’ve never gotten a 3.5+ so I’m envious) will for sure get your foot in the door. People always want to hire smart students because that means you’re good at taking direction.
Related: How much are ad agencies starting salaries in the Philippines? – #DearTBC
Don’t feel like you have to compete with anyone directly. You have a different skill set (I’m assuming you’re management engineering), so I’d focus more on prepping for interviews than in trying to catch up with whatever skills the others have. (I’m jumping straight to interviews, since given your QPI and existing experience, I’m sure you’ll make the first cut.)
You already understand the visual operations side of marketing as a creatives. Lean into that further with an understanding on how that impacts sales and the rest of the marketing tasks.
Practical Task Advice
Do start soul searching and researching on companies and fields you’re interested in. See what do they need in their applicants, and use that as a plan for your next experience. The QPI and the creatives experience (both as an executor and project manager) shows potential employers that you can do a wide variety of jobs. Now all you have to show is your interest in what they have to offer by showing up to your interview prepared.
The main problem I see is, will you be duped into thinking you’re less than you’re actually worth? All this creatives experience + your background in ME makes you a highly in-demand worker.
Related: Intern-view: Sophia Tayag on Globe Telecom
Fact is you can do different kinds of creatives and you can understand the business impact behind it. If someone told you, “I want a high fashion burger shot.” and you made it happen, you can easily take the next step of positioning how that collateral turns into sales. You can see what kind of promo materials do you need to talk about new products or price, and then execute it or give feedback to the executors since you have that skill set too. You’d need very little hand holding in judging creatives.
So unsolicited, vaguely related advice: think about building up your work experience instead. Org work is great and all, but it’s not always the priority in a resume. Especially since no one can tell if you got the job because you’re good or because of some political machinations.
I suggest you get outside work, especially somewhere with an existing network you can utilize or a PR system so that your creatives work gets seen and you can connect it to other marketing tasks. Take on projects elsewhere. Do something different from the pack.
Work on your leadership experience by being an underling via an internship. Trust me, it turns you into a different kind of person, knowing how to work for people.
When we’re all thrown into the world, aka we’ve graduated, a lot of HR recruiters will be seeing the words MEA and Celadon in a lot of resumes due to the huge number of members in both those orgs. You don’t want to become a generic resume in the pile, so work on how you’re presenting yourself in your resume and on your interview skills starting now.
Related: What should I keep in mind before my next interview?
You have a bright future ahead of you. Don’t lose track of it by looking at your peers doing better in org work. I also advise you to open an online portfolio and show off your work there. Behance, IG, FB, anywhere you feel comfortable with. Don’t limit it to just creatives but also to marketing case studies too.
Whatever happens next, good luck! Rooting for youu~
Hi! I’m Justine.
I’m the founder and writer of all things in The Bumpy Career and welcome to #DearTBC, a slot for really specific career-related questions that you’re worrying about, but you’re not quite sure who you can turn to. We answer in-depth so that anyone else who’s never wondered but wants to know, will know what to do next.
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