AD391 Career Passport Yijun - Strongerhead

Yeow Yijun
Advertising Campaign Development 391
Career Passport
Student ID 14677744

Career Plan
Managing Director
General Manager
Marcom Director
Account Director
Marcom Manager
Account Manager
Marcom Executive
Account Executive
Undergraduate / intern
Would not be able to pinpoint which position I would be holding exactly along the way, but the direction is set. From
pursuing the bachelors degree in Advertising and Marketing and doing an internship in the field, gives me a foot in the
door, to explore the never ending possibilities in this creative line, and hopefully one day hold a name card that reads:
Yeow Yijun – Managing Director.

Activity 1 – Internship at
Formul8 is a local boutique agency with a 25-men strong team, with a branch in Dubai. Formul8 offers print,
interactive, branding and alliance marketing solutions.
I was given an Account Servicing Intern Role from February to May 2012. The job scope included
shadowing an Account Manager, assisting her with her day to day client servicing. Also, I got to sit in, in most
internal briefings and reviews, to understand the workings of the company and the agency’s creative process
flow. Research, and more research made up most of my time there – to better understand the clients, the
market, and most importantly, how to use that information to your advantage. Getting to service real life
clients was exciting, but actually pleasing and anticipating their wants was a challenge indeed.

Key Learning Experiences
1 st Photo Shoot Experience
Client called at 3pm requesting for a NIGHT SHOT of a DAY
SHOT ad we had done earlier. First cut… in TWO days. Traffic
and Production Keith dialing furiously for a photographer hire to
shoot at location at 8pm, Account Manager Angela getting yelled
at for…something, Art Director Cre being hustled around to
discuss the art direction, Boss dictating… as I watch on in silent
amusement hoping to get into the action of it all. 730pm… all
those involved have been rushed out to location, while I sat at my
desk finishing up….
Boss (struts out of her room): Yijun, why aren’t you at the shoot?’
Me: Oh, no one told me to go, but I am keen on going!
Boss: ‘Nobody is polite around here, if you want
something, you have to speak up.’
Pitches
I have seen the mad rush that goes on in the office before big pitches
many times… the designers staying overnight at the office, the rapid
cutting and mounting of ads on the board, compiling final artwork on the
presentation slides… while Boss dictates, and her minions jump at
every word she screeches. Time creeps up, and its time to leave. ‘LATE
LATE LATE NOW NOW NOW!’ and the suits have scrambled off,
leaving the office in post-war state.
I have successfully mastered the art of being useful in the pre-pitch
madness by then, and was going through the motion that faithful day
when Boss yelled in frustration ‘Just hurry up take it, Yijun help her carry
it, and come along!’
So there I was, midway to pitch, too flustered and overwhelmed to fully
comprehend that, there I was in the Boss’ car, on the way to a board
room full of men in suits for this my first real pitching experience…
After thoughts: Take the initiative, speak up, regardless if it is for something small like, sharing an idea, or requesting
to tag along for a brief, if you never ask, you will always be missing out on potential valuable experiences. Nobody will
be holding your hand and be on the look out for anyone in the real working world unlike parents or teachers who guide
you along the way in school.

Activity 2 – Interview
with Wong Kok Hoe
‘Possibly the closest to the walking cliché of the Advertising World’, were my
first thoughts when I first met Kok Hoe, in my first interview with him at
formul8. Flamboyant, dramatic, insistent, confident and persuasive would
probably make up the 5 adjectives i would use to describe him.
2012 marks the 9 th year Kok Hoe has been with formul8. He started out as
an Account Executive then, with no prior experience in the Advertising
industry, but sheer interest and passion. His work ethic, dedication and long
hours spent at the office (930am till late) gives no one a chance to question
his position in the company.
Words of advice for those who want to be in Account Servicing:
‘You need to have a lot of heart and tenacity to pursue this passion. It
is a rejection based industry with zero appreciation.’

Activity 3 – Dialogue Session
With Estar from CIMB Bank
Estar Rino D’Hasyah who is currently at CIMB Bank marketing and corporate communications department, left me with
hope and optimism for my own career path. He had a way with communication, which was engaging yet warm. He
started out from the same position as all of us in the room, just 3 years back, yet he was brimming with the confidence
and experience that seemed way beyond those 3 years.
Words of advice to those embarking on a career:
‘It is so easy to get headhunted when you are really good at doing what you do. Just focus on being good at
what you do, instead of worrying about life without a job, you be enjoying life with exponential discretionary
income you can have to spend.’