This is part two in a series of posts called ‘Letters to a Marketing Student’. (Part 1)
The ‘College Bubble’ is this: Class, sleep, study, party, eat, repeat. It’s accepting the lie that four years of university incubation is necessary before applying your craft in the real world. This school year, challenge yourself to step outside the College Bubble and actually do marketing, lead a team, start something valuable.
Remember, your degree is a commodity (albeit, necessary and valuable). Now is the time to differentiate yourself from your peers with relevant, real world experience and avoid heaps of frustration on graduation day.
How can you step outside bubble?
- Approach small businesses in the community and offer to be their marketing department for the year
- Approach large businesses and offer to work pro bono in their marketing department
- Volunteer with a local charity to help launch their next big event
- Lead a new initiative at your church
- Coach a community sports team
Unfortunately, your likely graduating at a time when differentiation matters more than ever before. According to ABC, as of May 2009 only 19% of college graduates had landed a job.
Skeptical? Next time your sitting in class, look around the room and ask yourself an honest question: If an employer walked into the room right now, looking to hire the best candidate for an amazing marketing job, is there any reason why she’d hire you? Would your credentials even remotely stand out? (Hint: She wouldn’t be looking at transcripts)
As a bonus, stepping out of the College Bubble will make your studies come alive. It will fuel debate in class, spark skepticism of textboook readings and inject passion into projects.
Don’t wait. Start today.