10 Things You Cannot Learn In a Classroom – Part II

By Marc Kovarsky, Intern Marketing & Strategic Partnerships

As mentioned in my previous post, I’ve assembled a list of the ten things I’ve learned through my RM internship that cannot be taught in a classroom. To continue on…

How to Make a Real Presentation.
Presenting something in front of fellow students within a classroom is far different than with an actual client at their headquarters. Amongst the many tasks I was given, creating and presenting a slideshow for a client was probably my favorite. Despite the nervousness, it turned out to be a great group production. It is important to recognize you’re not receiving a grade based on whether or not your eye contact was sufficient. Instead there is potential to engage in business relations by setting a foundation for the future.

Time Management.
Sitting at a desk for eight hours a day can be rough. Some may think sitting in a two hour lecture is boring, but when Friday afternoon rolls around, I’d rather be goofing off and reading the Daily Illini in a 500 person lecture hall. However, if you’re going to be successful, you need to take advantage of that down time to explore new ideas and pick the brains of your fellow co-workers.

Think Outside of the Box.
School is a learned procedure. You know exactly what’s expected and do only what you need to in order to get by (At least I do). However, it doesn’t work like that at work. If that’s the case, you may as well work at a fast food restaurant taking orders from a drive through window. I’ve learned that you always need to be on your game and working hard. It is essential to not only meet your employers’ expectations, but exceed them. This will win you praise from your company and its clients.

Competition is Healthy.
In school, students are constantly competing against each other to get the best grades possible. Likewise in the workplace, agencies are competing for the different clients, but for different reasons. In school, you want the best GPA so you beat out the other person when applying for a job. Yet competition amongst companies keeps the game honest and on the edge to be bigger and better. Just like Dave McAnally wrote about last week with his “Cuil” example, ex-Googlers have attempted to create an alternative to the infamous Google. Competition drives the industry and you should always be aware of what other companies are doing.

Degree Titles Aren’t So Important.
Don’t get me wrong. Having a college degree is very important. However, the title doesn’t necessarily have to be exactly in the industry you want to pursue. I’ve discovered that the diversity of degree titles here at Resolution Media ranges from History to Sociology to Marketing (of course). So for all you undecided majors, there is still hope.

Resolution Media has taught me many valuable lessons that cannot be learned in a classroom. When trying to think of an ending for this blog post, just like trying to think of a topic, I approached those who I’ve sought advice from in the past. After hearing the topics that I discussed, rather than helping me think of an ending, they agreed with my ideas and refused to give suggestions. Once again, but for a different reason, I was forced to think of an idea by myself. Was this the beginning of my independence, or was it the end of my reliance? Whichever it was, my coworkers and friends were starting to do their part to prepare me for my future endeavors in the real working world. Now it’s time for me to do my part. So this is my ending, and it is my beginning.