What was the best idea you heard on the lecture?
Brand yourself!
Personal branding is how we market ourselves to others. I really liked the idea about the fact we have to perceive ourselves as a brand that we create, build and maintain. Indeed we always have to sell ourselves in various situations: from selling a project at work/university to convince friends to watch a movie. Our personal brand is everything: From the clothing we wear, to how we behave and interact with other people, to our body language, everything is tied to our overall brand. It’s also about our reputation, the size and strength of your network, and what unique value you can contribute to a company or your clients.
Joaquin Lorente, and then José Maria Casero insisted on this last point. During a job interview (or in our job seeking) we never have to say that “we want to work for the company because it will allow us to learn a lot or because it will please us”.
We have to bring a profit, an added value to the company. Such a product, we have to sell our advantages and our contributions, we have to sell ourselves like the promise of a brand!
Another idea which seduced me a lot during this conference is that we have to have and demonstrate a passion for a particular domain to find a work. Indeed, I completely support the assumption according to which we reach nothing without passion.
Name the idea you disagreed with the most
What is your position on the debate about English Fluency?
(I will answer both question 2 and 3 as they are related.)
The idea I disagreed with the most was Conche Wert’s opinion about the English fluency which according to her is not necessary to work in an advertising agency in Spain.
A student asked if it was necessary to be bilingual to work in the advertising agency. The opinion of Conche Wert on this subject is that it is not necessary to be bilingual in English to work in an advertising agency in SPAIN while the opinion of Joaquin Wert is that it is on the contrary indispensable to be bilingual to work in an advertising agency. This opposition of ideas was doubtless the funniest part of this conference!
I naturally support the opinion of J. Lorente. Indeed, the advertising’s world abounds in English words and every advertising agency has to have an international vocation because it is brought to work on international projects where it is indispensable to speak the business language: English.
I didn’t appreciate the answer of Conche Wert of which fields of vision limits itself to the Spanish market. She doesn’t worry about possible contracts which a Spanish advertising agency can pick up abroad or simply the fact that the main advertising agencies in the world are not Spanish but employ Spanish, which even hired in the local subsidiary of a multinational advertising agency, will be forced to speak in English with their colleagues.
I think that Conche Wert has a minimalist thought of the world of the work and the world of the advertising. Especially I don’t think that the objective of a conference about "How to find a work" is to inculcate minimalist thoughts to the students...
Another thing which made me laugh is that she finally concluded that it was obvious that every student by going out of the university has to be bilingual, but not specifically to work in advertising. I think that her thought is contradictory
What are you good at? Where do you see yourself?
I am good at creating new ideas, conceiving new products and sell them!
In the daily life, I always share my ideas (even the silliest) with my “circle”.
In a company, I see myself good in product manager's position.
Explain the idea that surprised you the most
The idea according to which nobody consults CVs anymore, "nobody buys on catalog anymore" and that the time of the on-line applications is over surprised me a lot me.
It is true that nowadays, we mostly find jobs thanks to our personal and professional network... However I do not agree with the idea that the CV is an out-of-date tool, without any more interest.
Indeed, the CV remains what we give to a professional during a meeting (at a conference for example) and it is also often the first impression that a company has of a candidate, what leads to the interview. Indeed, we can find other tools to become known by the employer but I think that as future young graduates we don’t have to exclude the CV of our job search.
