What advice would I have given my 21-year-old self?

I’ve now spent a little over a decade working in the experiential landscape, both in Australia and Europe, after graduating as a Graphic Design student at 21 (yes, a slightly strange career path for a graphic design student, but that’s a story for another day). This highly competitive industry has grown exponentially in that time, both in scale and understanding. It’s no longer the misunderstood second cousin to big spend advertising campaigns, it’s risen and evolved to claim its rightful throne as one of the key marketing pillars every good brand manager is using as consumers grow increasingly fatigued with passive advertising techniques from the Mad Men days. A recent survey of 644 professionals across Fortune 500 companies found that 87% of brand-side marketers invest in experiential to effectively connect with their target audience. This alone is a 30% increase from 2018 (Agency EA, 2020 State of Experiential Research Study).

With such rapid growth it’s no wonder more and more graduates are looking to break into this industry. A degree in Events Management was almost unheard of 10 years ago, now most good universities offer this lucrative choice of study. On the surface, the glitz and the glamour will lure many budding ‘experientialpreneurs’ in, but the reality of long hours, the fast pace and event-blacks over cocktail dresses can often deter even the most enthusiastic of individuals.

Not long before going freelance, I hired a Graduate Account Executive who had incredible potential. She was a natural at events, picked things up very quickly, was hard working and honestly a dream to have on any project. But after less than six months, the stress of this often-ruthless industry got too much and she decided this career wasn’t for her. I totally respected her decision and applauded her for perusing an alternative path, but it got me thinking about how I felt when I first started out; did I ever think of quitting? How did I know this was what I wanted to do? And what, if anything, would I have done differently?

Over a decade on, here’s a few tips I would have given myself back then, and would give any junior in the events and experiential industry today.

Learn to walk before you run

Too often have I had juniors trying so hard to climb the ladder as quickly as possible, that they completely lose sight of what they need to do to get there. I get it, everyone wants to progress, earn more money, have more responsibility, but the focus should be on mastering the required skills to get there and not on ‘how long until I can get promoted?’. Become adept in the requirements of your current role and the rewards will come.  

Fear kills more dreams than failure ever will

Never be afraid to give something a go! Everyone is a culprit of this, fear of failure can be pretty daunting, I was terrified of it when I started my career. But failure helps you learn and improve, and you’ll probably not make the same mistake twice. 

My only exception to this rule… On a live event, maybe don’t risk things going pear shaped if you’re not sure on how to do something. ;)

Take the rough with the smooth

I won’t sugar coat it, there are some tasks early on in your career which are not fun… at all! But somebody’s got to do it, and we’ve all been there. It’s easy to feel hard done by with a sense of ‘why do I have to do this?’, but the best advice I can give is to just get on with it, don’t moan and know that everyone has parts of their job they don’t like. I’ve managed a few Moaning Myrtles in my time, it’s exhausting and really doesn’t do the said ‘Myrtles’ any favours down the track.

Be a fly on the wall as much as you can

The best way to learn from those around you is to consume yourself in what’s going on. Tag along to meetings, join creative briefings, dial in as a silent party on calls, ask if you can attend pitches, go to as many live events as you can. Don’t be shy and sit glued to your desk! Plus, you’ll never get your 10,000 steps in doing that.

Invest your own time learning some of the basics

When you first start out in an agency, you’ll notice that everyone is really busy nearly all of the time. You are eager to learn, but sadly the team around you are often time poor and can’t spend hours teaching you some of the basics. It plays dividends to teach yourself some of the things you’ll be expected to hit the ground running with such as simple finance, how to compose a WIP document, writing contact reports, taking minutes, excelling at excel, etc. Look at examples, use Professor Google and you’ll save time down the track.

Don’t suffer in silence

I think all too often senior staff can forget how crazy agency life can be, we become a part of the chaos and it’s becomes our normal. I have definitely fallen fowl to this on occasion, all too familiar with juggling 10 projects at once, working late and jumping from meeting to meeting every day. But when you first start out, it can be a little overwhelming. Don’t just sit there silently having an invisible panic attack whilst you sip on your morning soy latte, talk to you line manager, tell them your concerns and ask for help.

Read industry news

I read a lot about the events and experiential industry, not just locally here in Australia, but globally. America and the UK especially have some great publications that can be a valuable source of inspiration (campaignlive.co.uk/experiences is a pretty good place to start). Seeing what other agencies/countries/continents are doing can inspire great work and help you to contribute value to your team. Plus if you’re on the hunt for a job, it provides some savvy interview material.  

ENJOY an events career, it’s not for the faint hearted

This would honestly be my most valuable piece of advice for anyone starting out in this industry. When I took my first job in 2010, I fell in love with events and the experiential industry and I knew this was the career for me. I thrive on the creativity and nothing is more satisfying than seeing months and months of hard work come to life for the live event, whatever that might be. However, it’s not for everyone, and it’s bloody hard work! As the late Steve Jobs once said; ‘The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.’

OK, I’ve got enough to be getting on with. Wrap it up

Whether you have just graduated and you’re looking for your first job in events, or you’re a junior at an experiential agency, I hope this little snippet goes some way in helping you carve out your path. As we all know, it’s not a great time for events amidst the global pandemic, but use this opportunity to expand your skillset, learn the basics, read industry news or explore the archives of great work (you know, when events were actually a thing).

When we do get back on our feet, the competition for event roles will be fierce! Use this time wisely and focus on the things within your control. Let go of the rest.