About my college education:
Studying Communication Arts was very interesting and enjoyable for me because there were so many channels to express my creativity and deepen my love for the arts. I was immersed to different fields and garnered adequate skills and valuable experiences in each one, making me a very well-rounded communications practitioner after graduating.
Back in High School, my favorite subjects were my English classes where I got to write a bunch of stuff and learn about great writers and their works. My journalism and literature classes in University of Santo Tomas (UST) did not disappoint as I was able to greatly improve both my creative and technical writing skills and read a lot of literary classics and got inspired by their authors.
But that was only the beginning: aside from learning how to write great copy for marketing materials, I also learned how to plan integrated marketing campaigns through our marketing communication classes, had equal experiences in being on-cam and working behind the camera and the studio in our media production classes, wrote scripts and acted on different short films through our film classes, became abreast in utilizing tri-media channels in building brands in our advertising classes, learned how to implement advertising strategies for free in our public relations classes, and learned how to take almost professional-quality photographs in our photography classes.
The challenging part was always to deliver excellent projects/requirements for different classes with similar deadline dates. Usually we had 2-3 different projects from different classes we had to submit per week. Although difficult, I believe the experience has taught me how to handle and overcome stress and pressure and deliver quality and timely outputs.
The fun part is many of the projects are group projects - meaning you would have to spend a lot of time with your friends and classmates. I remember we would always hangout in the university parks studying together, going to the library and researching together, shooting documentaries in different locations, sleeping over to write the thesis, etc. One part of my college life that I will always treasure are the bonds I’ve made with my friends which were formed all thanks to my university.
To do well studying Communication Arts, you have to be creative, expressive, determined, the ability to multi-task, develop your critical thinking, have good interpersonal communication skills, and at the end of the day, you just have to love and enjoy what you are doing.
My current job:
I am currently a Communications Officer for the Philippine Government’s lead agency that develops, implements and coordinates social protection and poverty reduction solutions for and with the poor, vulnerable and disadvantaged. Among my responsibilities include overseeing the Social Marketing component of seventeen regional offices nationwide, drafting project proposals, writing press releases, feature stories, talking points, clarification letters, fact sheets, web content, frequently asked questions (FAQs), scripts, advertorials, staging and documenting events, etc.
Before, I was an Advocacy Officer for a non-government organization promoting Fair Trade in the country and a Marketing Communication Specialist for a below-the-line advertising agency.
Am I using what I learned in college:
The communication skills I’ve learned over my 4-years at the university have helped me get jobs, perform well in my work and advance my professional career. I am proud to say that the university has molded me to become a versatile and well-rounded communications practitioner able to excel in different communication fields. The communication skills are already there, what I aim to do is enhance these skills in my profession for personal and career growth.
My creative and technical writing skills have always been at the forefront of my communications skills set and have been my selling point to hiring companies. I use my skills in marketing, advertising and public relations anywhere I go to plan and implement campaigns and stage events. My visual skills in photography has been frequently recognized in terms of documenting purposes.
I guess learning a lot of things in college also helped me to become easily adaptable to working environments and new skills. In my professional career, I’ve learned how to develop and maintain a website, become a graphic artist, a video editor and animator among others.
How long did it take to find a job:
After graduating, I felt like taking some time off to rest a little and enjoy the summer before going job hunting. It took me two months to get my first job. I graduated in April, started looking for a job in July and got a job in September.
Do I recommend studying Communication:
There are a lot of employment opportunities out there for a Communication Arts graduate. You have a rich communications skill set that can be beneficial in the fields of marketing, advertising, public relations, journalism, media, etc. What matters is you pursue the career you really want. If you want to be a future news anchor, go for it. If you want to be a copywriter for a global advertising agency, go for it. The point is with your education: YOU CAN.
Salary is always commensurate to the skills and experience you have. You may not get that high-paying dream job of yours in your first crack at job hunting, but working your way up and developing your skills along the way will definitely pay dividends in the future, career and salary-wise.
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