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| A day in the life of Ogilvy Employees |
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Why do you do this job? I’m very creative but I also have an interest in economics and corporate business. Public Relations is a good balance between being creative and being in a corporate environment. I love engaging with people, writing and making people happy – PR is the best way for me to do this. What training did you receive? I was not trained in PR. I studied Political Science, Economics and Philosophy; with extra studies in languages. I then completed my post-grad with a BPhil. degree in Journalism and I am currently studying towards obtaining my post-grad in Marketing so that I can have a better understanding of Advertising and PR. What happens 9-5? 9-5… Is usually filled with interviewing clients; writing press releases on behalf of clients; compiling media lists; forwarding press releases to various media; pitching television interviews to various media and arranging such interviews; and consulting with clients and media. What's the upside? The upside would be being successful in terms of satisfying my client’s needs; getting a good radio or TV interview and getting good coverage for my clients. What personality traits do you think you have that make you good at your job? I’m a perfectionist; I’m extremely organized and have good writing skills. I’m kind and have a genuine feel for people. I’m friendly; have good professional manners – which are important when you have to deal with media and clients; I’m eloquent and very much an individualist which helps me to look at things from a different perspective. What's the downside? Learning to get over disappointments – especially when you don’t get the type of coverage that you really want for a client… But it’s a good challenge that forces you to learn and adapt. As a graduate, you can do whatever you want to; whenever you want. As an employee with responsibilities to a manager and clients, you have to put in the time and the work and then report into someone who is monitoring your performance on a daily basis… I guess it’s called “Growing Up”… Who are your role models or mentors? Creative, individualistic, strong, ambitious women such as Anna Wintour (US Vogue Editor-in-Chief); Mireille Guiliano (former CEO of Clicquot Inc.); Coco Chanel; Michelle van Breda (Editor-in-Chief of Sarie magazine); Zelda Heinrich (a dermatologist); Oprah Winfrey (media giant) and Sandy Dobrin (Executive Director for Ogilvy Cape Town Public Relations). Do you make enough money? No…. What will you do next? I’d like to complete my Masters in Business Administration Degree and travel the world. Travel is knowledge and I’m a global citizen. My advice to all young ladies entering the corporate world would be the famous words from Coco Chanel and that is that “You must always be 2 things in life: Classy and Fabulous!”
Why do you do this job?
Why do you do this job? I’m an early-riser. I’m in the office around 7am most days, until 18h30. I basically keep everyone in the on the loop in terms of where we are with certain jobs. I make sure that all team members are clear on what is required of them. I make myself available for all questions that need to be answered. There is no ‘normal’ day for me – things change constantly, not always for bad; usually for great. I still have team meetings; client meetings and presentations; brainstorming sessions and finding new ways of working with the team. Sometimes I read books for inspiration. I manage each day by being positive, and I find solutions for all the problems we encounter as a team. What's the upside? Working with all the departments within the Agency; meeting new people – Advertising is ever-changing so we meet new people all the time; be it if they are from production houses, actors or music artists. What personality traits do you think you have that make you good at your job? I’m a transformational leader. I’m a giver. I see the good in people. My purpose in life is to help, build and grow. With tenacity and perseverance, we can all achieve our goals. What's the downside? Advertising Agencies do not make important decisions when it comes to marketing and that sometimes kills great ideas. Who are your role models or mentors? I am my own role model. Do you make enough money? Yes, I do make enough money. What will you do next? I want to climb the corporate ladder and become a business director in the next couple of years. My ultimate dream is to be the managing director of my own Advertising Agency.
Why do you do this job? I was at Red and Yellow School of Advertising for 2½ years. What happens 9-5? Every day is different. So a typical day would have me starting at 08h30. If I’ve been briefed on a job, then I’ll continue working on it, deadlines will be set – but this is always flexible – work reviews will be set; work will be reviewed; changes will be discussed and then it’s back to the drawing-board while we wait for the client presentation. And since work is constantly flowing, we’re usually working on at least 3 briefs at a time. There’s always work in progress. What's the upside? I get to be able to do what I love. What personality traits do you think you have that make you good at your job? I’m sociable and I have the ability to understand where people are coming from. I can put myself in the client’s shoes, or the consumer’s shoes, and I am able to see things from their point-of-view. What's the downside? The working hours can sometimes become really intense but the hours don’t matter when you are doing what you love. Who are your role models or mentors? Wendy Moorcroft who is an ex-Ogilvy Creative Director and my course director at Red and Yellow – she taught me a lot… My mother!... Peter Southworth, a course director at Red and Yellow – he had a big impact on my job and my studies. And Chris Gotz, Creative Group Head at Ogilvy – he taught me that with patience and hard work comes great reward. Do you make enough money? Not as much as I’d like to earn… but for the moment and the mere fact that I’m working in Ogilvy… it’s a reasonable amount. What will you do next? I want to keep working, keep progressing and build a good rep in the industry for myself. I want to win as many awards as possible and I intend on grabbing all the opportunities offered by Ogilvy. I will keep learning and growing my skills. To learn more about Ogilvy, click on the underlined script next to their logo on the A-Z of Employers Listing. Click-start your Career! And visit our Job Board to see which opportunities Ogilvy may have for you. |
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