I’ll start with two confessions. Firstly, like many people at my career stage I have a lot of questions about how best to deal with the ever-changing world of advertising. Secondly, and perhaps more unusually, I’ve always loved the idea of speed dating (even if, I confess again, I’ve never actually summoned up the courage to try it). So, when I found out about the NABS ‘speed mentoring’ event, I felt I should give it a go.
Despite my excitement, the prospect of facing up to the best in the industry and getting to ask them any question I like was a little frightening to say the least. However, I can honestly say that the session at Dare last week left me feeling inspired and extremely happy to work in the industry I do. Phew.
I think these types of events are so important for people at my level as a healthy reminder of what a friendly industry we work in. It’s great to meet other people at a similar stage as you in different parts of the industry to find out that they have the same questions and worries. It also shows you how willing people are, regardless of their level, to give up their time to offer you advice. Most importantly, it’s a reminder of the key role that NABS plays, making an evening like this possible. With the work that NABS are able to do from our support, they can hold these events and give us a unique opportunity to ask those nagging questions we all have and get the best possible advice.
I took away a wealth of advice and a lot of food for thought. As a junior account man it can often be tricky to ‘push back’ instead of trying to do everything yourself in a bit of a frantic whirlwind but John Teal and Jo Hagger reminded us that we need to take control of our careers to make things happen. Stephen White spoke about taking risks and how being a bit scared and feeling challenged can show you are doing the right things. He’s convinced me that in the future I can fly the pond and work for a year in New York, which is something I’ve always wanted to do. It was reassuring to look at where the mentors are today and how much they achieved – but also to remember that they’ve all been where we are now.
What will really stick with me are Laurence Green’s words on ‘solving the mystery not the puzzle’. He explained that when reviewing a brief you really need to look at the mystery behind it and ask why we are doing this. It’s not just about ticking certain boxes and attempting to solve the puzzles. Simple thoughts like this can give you extra tools to use in tricky situations. Another great tip was from Kathryn Jacob who has a rule that you should never walk out of a meeting into a cab and immediately dive back on to the Blackberry to check emails. Instead, you should use the time to talk about the meeting and ask how it went. It’s something that seems so simple but is a great way to capture everyone’s first thoughts and feedback.
I’m sure I speak on behalf of all the delegates who attended in saying a huge thank you to NABS for organising the event but also to all the mentors who gave up their time to come and chat with us. Roll on the next one; I would strongly encourage you to attend. Now I just need to give this speed dating a go…
