Experience is key, and most students do not realize the importance of acquiring diverse experience while they attend school. My company employed a 2nd year BBA student this past summer in a producer position. She was hired due to her diverse skill set including journalistic, creative, communication, inter-personnel skills and talents. Not too mention, her winning attitude of wanting to expand her knowledge base, and not being afraid to think outside the box. She was empowered to run with projects, advance her skills, additionally, she learned how to wheel and deal with the big guns in the entertainment industry, nationally and internationally; negotiate contracts, create budgets and write programming pitches; deal with ego based PR agents.
Yet, when she spoke with other BBA and MBA students of her experience as a television producer, these students expressed much concern that working as a television producer for the summer would not get her a job in her field of study. I ask, what are higher educational institutes teaching our future leaders? What they are not teaching is that skills are transferable. That securing a degree is only one step up the career ladder; hands on experience is everything. They aren't teaching project or conflict management, nor do they teach you how to communicate within the business world: to barter, negotiate and seal a deal. They don't teach you that procrastination of assigned projects is not acceptable in the real world; a half ass report to your superior just doesn't make the grade.
Text books, group projects and debates are one issue, however, the real world is and operates much differently. Graduates need to get their foot in the door at any cost. They have to lose the attitude that they deserve the job as they have a degree. For as talented as they are, there is always another who is just as talented if not more so, who will work longer hours for less pay. Who realizes dedication, hard work, attitude and timing are the crossroad for success. That the right "attitude" is everything.
That many feel a MBA is equal to five to eight years of work experience -a degree is merely a piece of paper. It doesn't reveal an individual's communication, inter-personnel, time management, detail and organizational skills to an employer, which are key in today's work force. Bottom line, if I have to employ a candidate based on a degree or attitude, I will employ the candidate who displays the right attitude, for I know such an individual possesses the mind set, determination and drive to learn, grow and contribute to my company's progression and succession, which then becomes said individual's success.
Jill A. Mackie
Executive Producer
matrix produxions
Toronto, Canada
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