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Emily is the General Manager of dentsu, Queensland.
1. Why did you choose advertising/marketing as a career path?
I was studying Marketing & Business at Bond University and was LOVING it, the mix of business analytics and acumen as well as broader creative thinking and how I could see these intersect with a role in a Media Agency with the opportunity to be connected to real-world human truths and build a connection with brands to influence purchase behaviour. I didn't know Media Agencies existed but I asked a mentor at university for guidance and proactively reached out to an agency to offer some paid work experience while studying fast forward 4.5 years and I was there moving to Melbourne (from Brisbane) to be part of opening up their Melbourne office.
2. What's the best advice you'd give to your younger self who's just started their career?
Take a notebook to every single meeting & capture notes. You will never go into a room and not come out learning at least one thing from that conversation.
3. What do you look for when hiring young people?
An interest in the industry. I always love to ascertain what people are reading, listening to, and watching and if they can passionately summarise how they consume media as well a brands they love and what those brands are doing to garner their attention.
4. How do I make my resume stand out?
Succinct, one page, capture who you are! I also love a link to click through to LinkedIn & also work you love/ proud of what you are interested in. Gives me a taste for who you are.
5. What skills have been most beneficial for you?
Confidence in public speaking & presenting. I grew up doing Speech and Drama and debating through high school which has given me confidence and conviction in conversations from the outset. I know that can be daunting as hell but use high school, university, further education courses to refine this skillset & watch online great public speakers (TED talks are a great entry point!)
6. Do you need a degree?
Not necessarily, but I do believe that my business acumen from a business degree has laid the commercial mindset of me working in the media industry running large media budgets and agency P&L. It doesn't need to be a University degree but further education and business understanding for the media industry would be a great skillset to have, particularly on media agency side.
7. What was a key lesson you learnt in your career to date?
Passionately show up with energy and drive for what you want to do, if you don't feel that fire in your belly. Continue to keep the fire there by pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone and continuing to read, listen and absorb the industry and conversations around you.
8. Have your reasons for joining the industry changed over time?
Yes, I have found that I'm constantly meeting wonderful people and a diverse set of backgrounds and media/marketing/sales practitioners who each play a role in shaping who I am today. It is hands down the people that keep me in this industry as well as the people themselves we are designing our communications strategies for.
9. Have you ever failed? How did you react?
Failed. No. Made a decision that was misaligned with my gut instinct in terms of a matter and how I dealt with it, yes. Upon reflection, it was about looking back and analysing the reasons why I made that decision, why I felt pressure to do that and understanding how I would look to mitigate and never put myself and my people in that position again.
10. If you had the chance to re-do your career knowing what you know now, what would you do differently?
This is a tough question. I don't think so. I have said yes, to great opportunities and have moved from Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and back to Brisbane. This has shaped me to be the leader and person I am today. Each time I have looked back and taken on board something as a learning if it didn't exactly work out, but overall I look back proudly on each move and decision I've made on my career to date.
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