Hi, my name is Jess, and I am an Alumna of the Create Job’s Podcasting Course, which I completed at the end of 2020. I would really highly recommend the course to anyone lucky enough to be offered the opportunity (promise I am not being paid to write this!!).
As for many of us, 2020 forced me to slow down, reflect and grow. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was put on furlough and then made redundant from my role as an Account Executive at a design agency specialising in bespoke branding for luxury hotels and restaurants. Instead of seeing this as a negative experience, I decided to use the time out as an opportunity to explore my interests and figure out what I want to do with my life, which is how I ended up on the podcasting course. I think being in your early 20's is a strange time for anyone, where opportunities seem endless, but also that little bit out of reach and especially during a pandemic.
To be honest, I had never thought about applying for a mentorship scheme before or even knew they were available to me, but I am so thankful I have been selected to take part in the Meet a Mentor Scheme. I don't think I fully understood the value of having a mentor until recently, and now being 25, I wish I had accessed these services earlier. Not coming from a creative family or having any industry connections means you have to go out and make them yourself. Someone once gave me the following piece of advice:
'If you want something, go out and make it happen, as no one is going to hand it to you'
Having a mentor is proactive and smart. It's allowing someone knowledgeable and experienced to give you a helping hand in figuring out how to make things happen.
Through Meet a Mentor, I was paired with James Benenson, the Managing Director of NERDS, a creative agency specialising in youth and culture. In our first meeting, James and I introduced ourselves, had a general chat and then got straight to work in making a plan of action for my short and long-term goals. Even though we have only had one session so far, I can already see the benefits of having a mentor...
- My CV and LinkedIn profile has been revamped
- I have been put in contact with a specialist recruiter
- We have created a list of realistic and actionable tasks for me to work on before our next session.
James has been supportive and full of encouragement, but also realistic about what it takes to succeed in the creative industries. I am excited for our next mentoring session and now feel more positive about completing my goals.
After the 1-1 mentoring session, the evening was finished with a talk from the talented Edem Wornoo, a past alumnus from a Create Jobs Creative Content course. Edem Wornoo recently directed Fredo and Dave's music video Money Talks. His presentation and work literally blew me away and filled me with so much inspiration. It was so interesting to hear him talk about his work, and even see the treatment breakdown he’d created for Money Talks and to hear about his journey so far. He is proof that anything is possible!
To finish, I think my favourite thing about Create Jobs is the network of truly amazing people. I feel like I have gained and learned more invaluable lessons being part of the Create Jobs network than I did attending University! To anyone thinking of applying for the mentorship scheme or any of their fabulous courses - just do it!