A Look Back: Marketing Seminar Series

When I registered for classes at the start of this semester, I dreaded the fact that I once again would be taking on the heavy workload that is seven courses in a single semester. I remember telling people that and nodding in agreement every time they balked at the prospect of taking that many post-secondary classes at once. Upon further review, I noticed the strangely late lecture series called “Marketing Seminar Series”. My initial thought was one of horror, thinking that it would be a public speaking course that was geared towards marketing professionals. While that might be useful it was not something that I felt I personally needed in my life. Nonetheless, I thought it might be an opportunity to refine some networking skills. 


While I really did not want to make mention of COVID, it is impossible to ignore the profound impact that it has had on the semester. Well, not only the semester but on day to day life itself. These events meant that the upcoming semester would be held online only, which was an unfortunate necessity. This changed the dynamics of our upcoming education entirely. Sitting at home hunched over your computer is really no substitute for sitting on a desk among a room full of students while the instructor teaches in front of you. But enough about COVID, let’s get back to the teaching! 

 

It is revealed in the first week that the seminar series would be less of a traditional class, and more of an educational seminar hub where a different industry speaker would come in and share some knowledge with the class. Another interesting fact was that our program would be a part of three different cohorts all tuning in to see these speakers together. I really lament the missed opportunity for some great networking opportunities with those outside of our immediate academic circle. But I digress!  


Week after week, I tuned into the collaborate sessions to listen to what a healthy variety of marketing professionals had to say. It is difficult to begin to speak about what I learned over the semester in a succinct way. There was just such a large and wonderful diversity in the topics, skills, strategies and networking tips that were discussed during the semester. I think starting the whole thing off with alumni guest speakers was a great transition into the professional marketing world. It made it easy to begin to contextualize how our own paths might look in the very near future when successful students from this very program spoke about the trials and tribulations of the jump from student to intern to full time position. 

As we went through the weeks, all different manner of speakers would give the class tips, tricks and valuable insight based on their personal experiences. There were networking strategies, self-help tips, interview ideas, software suggestions, digital strategies and stories about dealing with hardship. I personally did not follow up with any of the speakers, mainly as I am disinterested in having a multitude of LinkedIn connections of people that I don’t truly know. But I did learn a great deal from them. I think the speakers that had the biggest impact on me were the ones who had incorporated some artistic skills and creativity into their work and marketing strategies. For me the intersection of art and business is fascinating as the two topics seem almost unrelated. But looking deeper, it is the utilization of art for expressive and communicative means that explores the symbiotic relationship that they share. It has impacted how I think about my career options in a positive way. I was afraid that there was maybe less need for creative thinking but many of these seminars really demonstrated how to use my existing skills in the marketing sphere. 

As for networking and resources, there has been a subtle use of class lists to link students together. Once I began to receive connection invitations from students from the other programs taking the seminar series, it had a wonderful domino effect on my immediate professional network. I was able to virtually meet students from the adjacent marketing programs to our, and seeing as the world is a small place, am sure that these connections will be very valuable in the future. 

Speaking of the future, I am hopeful that I can begin to forge my own path to success using much of the marketing knowledge, techniques and insight that I have gained over the course of the semester. While the competitiveness for positions will only increase and become fiercer, I have confidence in what I can bring to the table and show brands and agency what an asset I can be! As of right now I have joined POCAM (People of Color in Canadian Advertising and Marketing) on LinkedIn, which aims to help representation for all different people within the industry. This kind of organizations that seek to help as many people as possible be successful make me very happy to see. I want to take the networking skills I learned to build dialogue around this and improve myself. 

I wish to one day be in a position where I can make top down decisions and have a positive influence with how things are run in an organization. I would love to offer incoming marketers the chance to intern under me and just pass on the knowledge that those before me offered up when I was in their exact same stage in life.   

Javier Cruz