My first day in media I worked 13 hours, and not for one minute in those 13 hours did I know what I was doing. If I am being generous I probably understood 30 seconds, the part where they said: “This is your desk”. I remember sheepishly looking around seeing if anyone else has a similar look of fear or confusion. I remember hoping someone would be my knight in shining armour and show me how to easily and quickly match BCC. But on that first day he did not come.
I know every job is like that – the initial panic, followed by a gradual understanding and confidence of the role and the industry. Life is similar too, but life didn’t have to say no to reps, attend mid week alcohol-filled parties and front-up to budget recommendations on a Friday.
Working in media isn’t something that you can learn in a textbook – even though universities have tried for decades. It seems to have become one of those industries that throws you in the deep end without so much as a look or ‘would you like a floating devise down there?’ Ever increasingly, we need people to stand up and be willing to assert themselves as the go-to person, the person who will guide you and the person who is willing to say ‘that was a royal stuff up – next time do it like this!’.
Media expects a lot from its employees and in turn as employees we should expect a lot from each other. Most of all, we should be inspired.
Wanting a mentor is something we all desire, even though we may care not to admit it. There is someone we all look up to, be it in the industry or out of it. Our hero worship can stretch from wanting to be as cool under pressure as those above you, or as passionate as the person who sits next to you.
It is in that inspiration we are prompted to be a better buyer, strategist or assistant. We want to be told we are doing a good job, and yes, the long nights and minimum wage are worth it. We want to see that someone has done it before and succeeded. We want to know it means something.
And if none of these heart-warming analogies are stirring the do-gooder inside think of this: if we didn’t have mentors around and fellow employees to look up to, we wouldn’t have anyone to measure ourselves against when we come up with a better idea than they did. Even if it is five years down the track.
And what better measure of greatness is there than imparting what was taught to you onto another. While we all want someone who inspires us and pushes us out of our comfort zones, the ego in us also wants to be that beacon for another someday. Having a purpose means something greater than being the best email filer, having a purpose should mean making those around you as excited and capable as you are.
Perhaps our measure of success shouldn’t be in how many awards we have or pitches we win. Perhaps it should be about how others see us, and what we give to those under us and next to us on a daily basis.
Everyone in media landed here for a purpose, sometimes we should remember it.
Stephanie Coyle and Elena Giannini
UM Sydney