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My interests include traveling to experience different cultures, playing musical instruments, speech arts, analyzing legal issues, and of course, marketing! What drew me into marketing is its flexibility and the role it plays in different industries. I can think outside the box and be creative with the content and graphics I create. What I love about marketing is the freedom I get to express with my ideas in all creative and unique ways 

Contrary to popular belief, career success doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a progression with highs and lows and it starts with you. Your attitude. Your resilience. It’s not determined by how many hours you clock in, or the fancy blazers you buy, or how many LinkedIn connections you have. It’s about a strong work ethic and channeling that energy into action.

Instead of neglecting your LinkedIn profile, why not use it to its full power to professionally network? It’s more than just an online resume. A strong LinkedIn presence is like a blazing fire: it lets everyone know you’re out there and ready. LinkedIn has become the top professional social network and it’s brimming with countless resources and opportunities. 

Let’s be clear: a video interview isn’t as scary as it seems. Just think of sweet Dorothy of Kansas who was petrified to speak to the great and terrible Oz. Thanks to Toto’s curtain pulling, it turns out that Oz wasn’t as terrifying as he first appeared. For years, video interviewing has been surrounded by speculation and weariness. That’s right, years. It’s been around for some time, and one thing is for certain: it’s here to stay in today’s new world. 

Starting your professional development journey might feel like finding yourself up a creek with no paddle. You know you need to do something to move forward but you’re just not sure where to start. Especially now when it seems like every direction is frozen and blocked off to you. What if we told you that’s not true? That now is the right time to get moving, to thaw out that uncertainty so you can work on yourself. 

To video resume or not, that is indeed the question during an already stressful job search. CMA NXT challenges its users to push their creative boundaries and try it out for themselves. For inspiration, look at Sheldon Rodrigues, VP Marketing & Strategic Initiatives, CMA, video resume, and how it landed him a job as a newcomer to Canada.

It’s time to try to bake some bread because why not, seems easy enough. So, you start by (hopefully) finding a recipe, gathering ingredients, and your key equipment. You dream of the light aired fluffiness perfection that’s worthy of an Instagram post.

When job searching, we tend to list the many challenges and fears we face, laying them brick by brick until it is a massive wall. How are you going to climb over it? What do you need to start? Yes, the job market is tumultuous and with today’s unprecedented circumstances, there is a fog of uncertainty. But there’s one undeniable and unwavering fact: your amazing potential.

Reacting with mindfulness in the workplace is the perfect defense against adversarial thoughts. But what is mindfulness? It is the ability to be present in the moment and take effective action. There’s nothing to lose by practicing mindfulness, but a lot to gain, like empowerment and better outcomes in difficult situations.

"I’m very interested in seeing how content is going to continue to play a role in marketing and in business success. Content is everything nowadays, and it’s critical to stand out from all the clutter. It’s essential for engaging consumers, creating brand loyalty, and it will be interesting to see how it will be used to market to the next generation. With content, also comes influencers, which is another trend I’m excited to continue following and see how it impacts the industry. "

I got started in marketing because someone took a chance on me! Given both my undergraduate and master’s degrees were in disciplines outside of business and marketing, I didn’t really have a leg up on other candidates in this field. Understanding my disadvantage on paper, I was determined to get in front of as many people as possible and tell my personal story firsthand and highlight all of the transferrable skills I had acquired that would help me succeed in sponsorship and marketing.

"My greatest achievement would have to be helping grow a small business through its marketing and communications. I was able to grow their following as well as learn so many new ways to target customers, create content, and learn more about a new industry, barbering. Taking general lessons learnt in class and online and then actually applying them, has been so beneficial and personally rewarding."

My biggest challenge was finding a marketing position on the client-side that I would be happy with. Client-side opportunities, especially intern positions, are much rarer than they are on the agency side. Once I landed my first job at Mercedes, the biggest challenge was adapting to the practices for corporate culture.

I view success as creating and implementing programs that empower marketing and business development professionals to drive top-line growth within their organizations. And on a personal level, establishing yourself as an agent of change within your firm and as a trusted resource to both your colleagues and peers in the industry.

"I started my marketing career working for Wunderman which is a direct response marketing agency.  I was a shared resource between the account service and media departments.  It was actually a perfect entry-level role - I learned very quickly about how to measure a campaign and the how to apply those results and insights on the creative development and the media buy.  I got a big picture view very early on in my career."

"My proudest achievement has been the work I've done as Vice President at the Digital Enterprise Management Association at the University of Toronto Mississauga. With my team we successfully organized and executed over 12 individual and collaborative events throughout the school year that contributed to the personal and professional development of UTM students."

I love the storytelling aspect of marketing. When marketing is done well, it creates a story around a product or service that enhances a consumer’s enjoyment of it. Nike understands this implicitly when they market their performance apparel and shoes. That brand building and storytelling is the reason I got into marketing in the first place and continues to be the reason I enjoy it today.

 

"I got my foot in the door through a reference. In university, I joined a literary journal and became friends with my Editor-in-Chief and mentor, who eventually decided to pursue marketing as well. I reached out to them post-university and was lucky enough to get an interview with Brainrider through them. The rest is history."

"In addition to marketing, I am also very passionate about technology. I have personally invested in some technology companies and enjoy researching the latest technology developments in my spare time. I hope to be able to use some of the technologies of the future within marketing and hopefully trailblaze and innovate with some creative uses of our newest technologies in a marketing context."

"Technology has always played a role in growing marketing. What’s important for marketers is to stay abreast of all the technologies that the consumer is demanding. Being ahead of what’s next shows a continued commitment and engagement with the client.  Embrace the change and see it as an opportunity to be even more connected with your customers.”

"My advice to students looking to get into the industry would be to get real-life experience; volunteer, seek relevant summer placements or internships, and find mentors! If you come across someone’s career profile that sparks your interest, setup an informational interview or ask to grab a coffee. Growing your network is a must in the marketing industry and never stop learning!"

"As a student interested in pursuing a career in marketing, first, establish your own set of core values. Live them out with integrity leading the way. Second, keep learning, try new things and be a team player."

"Finding myself, was my biggest challenge when I first started out. It may seem trite but sometimes you have to ‘kiss a couple frogs before you find your prince’. The important thing is to get everything you can out of every role you take. It’s surprising how two jobs in completely different industries, could have transferable skills that will allow you to grow and strengthen your skill set."

"Canadian work experience is one of the biggest challenges that I face when I am applying for internships. I have international experience in corporate communications, but I still feel like it is not enough for the Canadian workplace."

“I want to come up with unique creative solutions to every problem. And I want to do it in a way that puts consumers first. This means breaking the stigma that marketing is shady. It means ensuring that there will be no more "false" advertising.”

“There have been so many times in my career that I have stepped out of my comfort zone, sometimes not having a solid plan, that has turned out for the better. Whether it was that I made a decision to leave a job, get in front of a classroom and teach, incorporate my business, or take any other sort of risk, it has always paid off for me in the end. Always find that silver lining and stay positive.”

“When I was 13, I blew up the microwave. The day started like any other, only I wanted to have a hot chocolate in hand for my walk to school. I popped my thermos in the microwave, went upstairs to grab my things for school, and returned to a kitchen full of black smoke. My brother quickly followed and asked ever so lovingly ‘Why the hell would you put a tin thermos in the microwave?’”