Spring Break. A time when college students flock to various warm locations and try to forget about the stresses of academia. While this sounds fantastic, I decided to spend my spring break doing something a bit more productive. I, along with several of my peers, traveled to New York City on a trip sponsored by the Vanderbilt Center for Student Professional Development. The purpose of this trip was for us to be able to network with professional alumni and learn about the media and communications industry.
If I could choose one item to symbolize my experiences while on this trip, it would be a gift bag that I received from Ogilvy and Mather. Although we visited a variety of companies, ranging from NBCUniversal to Facebook, I found the advice that I received at Ogilvy and Mather to be the most enlightening. As of late, I have been going through a quarter-life crisis and feeling as though my life has no purpose. Trying to identify what I am meant to do has been a very stressful process and it’s one that I can’t help but involve myself in. However, the wise words that I heard at Ogilvy really allowed me to put my career search in perspective. Brian Fetherstonhaugh, Global CEO of OgilvyOne Worldwide, told us to “Find our sweet spot and align it with our passions.” Best. Advice. Ever.
Hearing this was akin to someone giving me a new lease on life. I was enlightened. I was excited. Applying his advice to my life caused me to realize that I was pursuing the wrong career choice. The reason that I could find no passion for my current career pursuit was because it didn’t exist. I had been trying to market myself to the wrong people for the wrong reasons and had the nerve to wonder why I wasn’t finding success. Mr. Fetherstonhaugh reminded me of what I ultimately wanted out of a career, and how I wanted to go about achieving it.
What I learned at Ogilvy and Mather helped to shape my thought process for the remainder of the trip. I am grateful for having had the chance to encounter such wonderful people while in NYC. It was the greatest birthday present that I could have asked for.
-Kya Jones