Graduating from college is a lot like jumping off a cliff. You have no idea what you're falling into. You could be hitting pavement, or you could fall into the safety of a large pool of water. Your landing options are completely up to you. Going to the SparkSouth networking was like building a pool to land in. The picture of the current and future marketing landscape is a little bit clearer now that I was able to listen to industry leaders share their experience.
Today I'll be diverging from my normal routine of critiquing social media strategies and instead I'll be communicating my experience at Sparksouth. Going into the event, I really didn't know what to expect. My only concern was that the event was going to begin at 8:30 and last until 5:30 (which seemed pretty early for someone who had to drive from Athens). And so I began my journey at 5:30 in the morning eventually hitting morning traffic and inching along the Atlanta perimeter. When I arrived I found myself not only relieved at finding the location, but in awe of how amazing the new Suntrust stadium is. The mentors that spoke at Sparksouth really helped me understand what is expected of potential employees. Each section of the conference helped me gain valuable insight into what brand marketing or agency marketing professionals are looking for in a resume, in attitude, and in work ethic. I was also able to understand more about how differences in marketing professions. Professionals in brand marketing work in a drastically different environment than professionals in the agency side. Additionally, I was also able to learn more about what being an entrepreneur is like. Overall, I was ecstatic about my experience at Sparksouth. Although I still have a long way to go before I feel comfortable being out on my own, I now feel like my challenges are manageable. Sparksouth really helped me wrap my head around what it's like in the digital marketing environment, and I would highly recommend the event to any marketing student.
19 Comments
Ambica Patel
10/1/2017 10:14:23 pm
I think it's awesome that they shed a light the differences of working on brand-side vs. agency-side. I've read up on it before, and I've heard others talk about it, but actually hearing the specifics from experienced professionals on both sides really helps people decide on what they're interested in. I think that Sparksouth is an amazing event for marketing students interested in learning about both on the digital marketing side!
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10/2/2017 08:34:30 am
I went to SparkSouth as well! I agree this experience really opened my eyes as well to not only new opportunities but made me feel better that not every first job will be perfect. As a senior, I did not get an internship yet and I have been very worried that I will not find my dream job. The leaders at SparkSouth said that I don't have to start at my dream job, and that every job is an experience that we can build on and realize what we actually want to do in life. Great post!
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I also attended SparkSouth on Friday! It was my first time and I wasn't sure what to expect either. Once I got there, I felt completely relaxed. All of the speakers and employers there just wanted to be completely open with us and give us real advice. I took so many notes that I know will help me from now and into my career. It was such an awesome and helpful experience for me, and seems like it was for you as well.
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10/2/2017 01:24:59 pm
SparkSouth definitely eased some of the tension I was experiencing about graduating and entering the real world. I am glad that you enjoyed the event as much as I did! I cannot wait to encourage others to attend this event. I agree with you that I still also have a long way to go on my job search, but this really helped!
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10/2/2017 01:34:29 pm
This event should be required for all marketing students! I made connections that day that I would not have made anywhere else. Listening to the success stories and failures of many established marketers was very insightful on what to expend after graduating. The networking lunch was the best part! Having the ability to talk with a Coca-Cola market researcher on a personal level for an hour and a half was more valuable than any career fair can offer. I would definitely recommend to anyone who is interested in marketing to attend next year! Also, SunTrust park was an amazing venue to host this event.
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Emily
10/2/2017 02:58:00 pm
Although I was initially uncertain about how I would feel about paying $50 to drive to Atlanta before the sun came up and not get back to Athens until after the sun went down, overall I am also happy with my SPARKsouth experience and the knowledge I gained from the event. Would I have been happier if it was in Athens since the overwhelming majority of people attending the event was from UGA? Sure... but I also understand that many of the mentors were from the Atlanta area and it was more convenient for them, and they were the one's sharing all their knowledge and experience with us lowly college students.
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Hudson
10/2/2017 04:47:49 pm
Hey, Marshall! I really enjoyed reading your experience about SPARKsouth. It was definitely an invaluable experience for many reasons. One thing that stood out to me was the number of professionals who took time out of their busy schedule to invest in students. Additionally, I was an experience that allowed for me to gain a clearer understanding of the career path I could potentially pursue. I especially agree with your comments about how SPARKsouth initiated more confidence regarding the process!
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Jordan Jarrett
10/2/2017 06:46:41 pm
After reading this post and the other comments, I wish I had attended SparkSouth! It seems like it was truly a beneficial and worthwhile experience, and I'm sure it especially would have been for me, as I am graduating after this semester. You do a great job of making someone who missed out have some serious FOMO!
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Phil
10/2/2017 10:43:20 pm
Im glad to hear that SparkSouth was such a good experience for you. Im still shooting myself in the foot for not going, but networking is definitely the best thing for you at this point in your career. I wish you the best!
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10/2/2017 11:24:10 pm
I too went to Sparksouth and enjoyed receiving insight into the industry I am trying to become a professional in. I thought it was great that the panels were full of knowledgable professionals who were more than happy to talk to me and answer any questions I may have had. It clarified my path I want to pave for myself once I graduate.
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Allie Schank
10/2/2017 11:55:33 pm
I went to SparkSouth this past Friday as well and have to say that I loved it! It definitely was a very enlightening experience for me and I feel pretty content with the connections that I made and the learning that I retained from the event.
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Alexa Lee
10/3/2017 07:13:28 am
I completely agree with your statement of after graduation feels like jumping off a cliff! I am graduating in May and the stress of finding a job is definitely starting to hit me. Unfortunately I did not attend Sparksouth this year due to being out of town but I do believe that creating contacts through opportunities such as this conference are tremendous resources when looking for job opportunities.
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Anthony Smith
10/3/2017 08:48:11 am
Hey Marshall! I absolutely loved SparkSouth as well, and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to experience it with you. Do you believe the mentors that you spoke to and wrote about will cross paths with you again in the future? Also, did you have a preference in either brand or agency?
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Emily McGee
10/3/2017 09:45:22 am
I also went to spark south. I think the biggest take away I had was that I want to start on the agency side. I went to one brand side session and was surprised that every one of the panel members started agency side. I feel like most marketers start agency side to learn a lot as quickly as possible but I didn't truly understand what that meant until spark south.
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10/3/2017 10:09:35 am
I actually attended the SPARKSouth event as well and am already excited to attend next year!! It was an incredible experience getting to connect with several marketing professionals and get their insight on the marketing world today, tips in interviews, resume critiquing, and overall brand vs. agency marketing. My favorite part about the day was the mentor lunch. Mine was with Simon Cole and he let me ask questions about his career, told me all about how he got to where he is today and offered tons of advice for a recent graduate. As a junior attending this conference was a little nerve-wracking but I'm unbelievably happy I did and already can't wait for next year!!
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julie
10/3/2017 10:11:41 am
I agree with your post, it was very informative about the different types of roles in the digital marketing world, and helped me gain some knowledge on the difference between the corporate side and the agency side. When I went, I was going to sit in on the brand panels the entire time because of the big names that were going to be there during each session, but took their advice to try out all four panels to get a feel for everything. The agency side actually grew on me, and overall I think SparkSouth did a good job at creating awareness and motivation for all of us that are worried and about to be on our way to the real world.
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Corey Richards
10/3/2017 12:12:36 pm
I completely agree! I went to SparkSouth and was so surprised with how helpful and informative it was. I learned so much about what goes into marketing and about all of the different paths. I had no idea how many areas of marketing there actually were, so it was nice to see that I had so many options. It definitely made me feel better about getting a job next year.
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Madeleine Pescovitz
10/8/2017 12:28:30 pm
Hi Marshall,
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Korie McQueen
10/16/2017 05:03:59 pm
I attended SPARKsouth as well and I completely agree. I am a senior this year and feel terrified about graduating and entering the work force. I wish I would've heard about it last year because it made me feel so much better about looking for careers. The speakers were great, and I really enjoyed the networking aspect of it.
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