Position: education and brand account manager
Employed: since January 2007
Where did you go to school? What program did you attend?
I studied at York University and graduated in 2003 with a BA in fine arts cultural studies. I then went on to do a post-graduate diploma at Sheridan College in 2004-2005 in interactive multimedia.
What drew you to your current field?
Like most new grads, I had no clue what I wanted to do after graduation ' even after graduating from Sheridan ' so I tried a couple different fields in the arts but just wasn't happy with the work. What I was realizing about myself is that I loved talking to and helping people and I felt that in sales I could do just that.
How did you find your current position?
I was already working in publishing in 2006 and knew I wanted to stay in that industry in some way so I searched online and found the job listing on Media Job Search and called the publisher. I quit my previous job before I even had my current one, but I was confident in my ability to sell myself to my current employer and I did.
Tell us a bit about your responsibilities.
I work directly with university and college marketing people and graduate program directors. It's my job to build relationships with them, talk to them to figure out their needs and offer ways we can help them reach their goals. It involves cold calling, setting up meetings, attending graduate fairs to meet clients and most importantly, building relationships.
What is the most challenging aspect of your position?
Dealing with rejection ' a lot of it! Especially with cold calling, most people have never heard of you or even care about you so it can be challenging to convince them to give you five minutes of their time to hear you out. I've been lucky with the schools I work with. Overall, people are nice and will give you time but it can also be challenging reaching them especially during a busy school year.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
I'm not gonna to lie, closing a deal, especially one you've worked really hard on, is very rewarding. However, the most rewarding part is when you reach a certain personal level with your clients, when you can talk to them as though you've been good friends for years, is always a great feeling. It's nice to get on the phone with someone and just chat about life and holiday plans and family and not even talk business at all.
What skills have you learned through your work experience?
Patience and persistence would have to be two qualities that I've fine-tuned during my career here at jobpostings. I've also learned to be a better listener, more than anything; I am definitely a talker so it's been a challenge for me. Overall, you learn to understand people's needs better through listening. I've learned to work well in a team environment and on my own. It's also important to balance work life with real life which means good time management. I've been fortunate enough to have a great balance during my years here.
What do you think it takes to be successful in this career?
You have to be a good listener, have a lot of patience and thick skin! Always remember who your audience is and who you're really helping. If you can think of yourself as someone who is doing a service to help others versus just selling something to people then you'll not only feel happier but be more successful.
Is there one accomplishment you are particularly proud of?
Publishing our first Graduate School Planning Guide has been my biggest success to date. When I started back in 2007, I took the Education Zone, which was a very small education section in jobpostings, and turned it into its own publication in 2008. The following year I also helped launch our high school magazine, G2G (Got to Go).
What are your future career aspirations?
Besides continuing to hone my skill-set and see where I can go with the company, eventually I would like to become a senior account manager and who knows, perhaps even a sales team manager one day. It would be great to one day work with junior reps and show them the ropes.
What advice do you have for students looking to land their first job?
Don't be afraid to try different career paths, even if it's not within your field or what you thought you would be doing one day. I studied fine arts and thought for sure that was the direction I was going to go. As it turns out, I've found more success and happiness in business and have been fortunate enough to still pursue my creative endeavors on the side. jp
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