Advertising has changed dramatically since the Sterling Cooper / Mad Men days. Although there are quite a few Don Drapers out there pitching their big ideas, advertising today has evolved into a new form that amalgamates creativity with data analytics and technology. And this is the world that I will be part of after graduation.
It is amusing to see the faces of my fellow classmates when explain what I am going to do after Booth. For some of them, it is hard to conceive a career outside of finance or consulting, but as profound as it may be, there is a wealth of opportunities out there. Not so long ago, entrepreneurship or technology were not even considered among the set of possible career paths for an MBA graduate, but now, the latter accounts for 15% of Booth’s full-time hires. An increasing number of companies from unconventional industries are hunting MBA talent. Similarly, an increasing number of unconventional MBA students are looking for opportunities at these companies.
When I first came to Booth, I was searching for a job that would somehow blend strategy with creativity. Hence, innovation consulting seemed a natural fit for me and I decided to intern at Designit during the summer (for further details about my summer experience check out this post).
When I came back from my summer internship, I further explored job alternatives that merge strategy with creativity. I looked at a wide range of firms, from innovation-driven tech firms to media and entertainment, until I came upon WPP – the world leader in advertising and marketing services. They were offering a pretty amazing opportunity to do three one-year rotations in their 300 companies, and I did not hesitate to give it a shot.
I knew it was a long shot, and a highly-demanding process – just in order to apply I had to write eight essays! I was fortunate enough to move forward to the interview round in New York, where I had the opportunity to talk with global CEOs of the world’s most renowned advertising, PR and branding agencies. I had five back-to-back interviews with these contemporary Don Drapers, and it was a fascinating, exhilarating, yet exhausting experience.
There is only one quarter left at Booth for me, and although I am going to miss this amazing student life, I am very excited to start working at WPP. I am ready to go back to the real world, and become a Mad Man.
