What we learnt from our first year in a media agency
University doesn’t always prepare graduates for the realities of a career in media and marketing, and often important lessons take place on the job. Group M mGrad participants at Wavemaker, Melissa Pont and Kerryn Josman, run through everything they learnt in their first year in a media agency.
From having no idea what a media agency does to loving every minute in a fast-paced industry – a lot of learning can take place in one year. Here is what we discovered and some tips for future graduates joining the industry.
As a graduate coming into the industry, you learn 10% from your uni degree and 90% on the job
Melissa: One aspect you learn quick smart when you first come into the world of media is that 90% of your learning is done on the job and a mere 10% is from either a university degree or third-party training. With technology and trends changing every other month, you’re always upskilling on the job to adapt and grow with these trends.
Universities need to better adapt to these changes. While I can appreciate the importance of having a foundation of industry knowledge, learning how to think is just as important when we are working in a fast-changing, dynamic industry. Students today need to be prepared with the tools to be adaptable and adept at continuous upskilling.
