Final assignment, well actually not final but almost the final assignment. As I sit down to gather my thoughts about my experience at York University Toronto Canada and express them in the form of a blog, I’m wondering what’s the best way to do that. How can an international student summarise in at least 800 or so words what their experience was like navigating through layers. Layers of what you ask? Layers of coursework. Layers of part-time work. Layers of building a network. Layers of maintaining a social life. Layers of multi-tasking & managing everything. And finally, Layers of finding a field job.
The most befitting way, if there is one at all, I reckon is to do so through the lens of a movie I've found very relatable in my life.
My journey started in January 2023, when I began the Business Administration Postgraduate Certificate at York U. Facing the harshest winter I’d ever experienced whilst navigating through a dense curriculum of the course was a lot more difficult than I thought it would be back home in my country. My rationale for choosing this course was that coming from a line of business people in my family and now having a small chunk of them settled in Canada, in the 6 actually, made me want to establish my own business here. So, after several delays due to COVID-19, I finally made my way here and was eager to learn more about the practicality of how to do that. However, courses in Business Communication, HR Fundamentals, Marketing basics, Introductory Finance, etc. were more theoretical than I would have preferred.
But somehow, slowly and gradually things started to make more sense. I was able to get the ball rolling by landing a freelance content creator gig and starting working as a business developer at a Canadian recruitment company, Bay Workforce. Also, over here ‘Canadian’ Experience is more valued. Something that caused me to get rejected in A LOT OF interviews! The initial courses in the business administration program did feel too rudimentary in terms of their learning outcomes but I did understand their purpose. They helped build a foundation about what the ‘business landscape’ is like in Canada, i.e., what companies and work environments are like here as opposed to other countries. For instance, I remember learning about the TKI assessment and giving it. It helped me understand of how different people deal with conflicts at the workplace, or in life in general, and in which situations each of the 5 traits work the best. I learned that my behavior is inclined toward compromising, unsurprisingly. I learned what factors recruiters take into account while closing a candidate, the significance of AODA, Bill 168 and other workplace legalities, and how crucial diversity is in a Canadian workplace. Shout out to my HR professor Belinda Schuler-Chin for helping us with all that. I learnt so much from the Café simulation in the Business Fundamentals course, like how to set prices in a start-up, what factors go into consumer purchase decisions, & more. The Marketing and Finance courses too were heavy on theory but the common trait in all these courses was the exposure I got to amazing and highly seasoned instructors. Networking and building a connection with them taught me more than the courses, as they shared their own experiences and strategies that they use to land a full-time job. Like Gardner, who faced huge challenges at the start of his journey in ‘Pursuit of Happyness’, I too felt overwhelmed at times by managing so many things, on the course front, on the job front, on the personal/housework front, at once, but maintained the resilience I came with and carried on.
With some knowledge of business concepts and connections with professors of courses past, I transitioned into the Digital Marketing post-graduate certificate. This shift, similar to Gardner entering the world of finance, was drastic. In my case, it was viewing the market through a marketer’s eye. We learnt how critical data is exactly in making any sort of digital marketing strategy in the initial courses like Business in the Digital Age and Planning and Analysis. Roveena Aga’s lectures were some of the most educational and informative ones so far. Learning about her experience was relevant to me, as she truly helped me understand what a buyer persona exactly is and how focal a point it is for brands to map their entire online strategy. The final assignment in Planning and Analysis was and still is the most research-intense and difficult assignment I’ve done at York U. But one that taught me the most about what kind of research and effort actually goes into crafting a digital strategy.
Soon after, I learnt about how SEO is conducted at the very basic level and what tools are generally used to bring certain results for example Google Keyword Planner for keyword research and to know about search volume, bid range and % growth in keyword popularity, and SEMrush for website auditing, backlink research, domain and page authority audits, etc. The highlight of the SEO course was networking with our instructor Kanak Aggarwal and getting an opportunity to present a guest lecture at Conestoga College in one of his digital marketing courses.
Presently, I am a the cusp of finishing the final courses and wrapping up my digital marketing journey at York U., something that feels so strange because it feels like it was just yesterday when I started this program, as cliched as that sounds, it's true. My 2 final course instructors are both highly knowledgeable about their subjects but the energy that Tim Campbell brings to the class feels like drinking Red Bull. His classes are some of the most entertaining ones I’ve had the opportunity to experience at York and, my god, is that instructor is a curved ball when it comes to grading assignments… Phew! Thank God I passed his last course...
As Gardner did with his finance classes, I was eager to get the most value from the digital marketing courses and my classes and not leave any stone unturned to succeed, as I wish to make a career here in the same field. And so far, I feel I’ve been able to do that. The hands-on, group projects in creating content, launching PPC campaigns, and analyzing user data to build personas have been pragmatic extrapolations of my lectures, each supposed to act as a step in refining my digital marketing skillset.
As I approach the end of the course and programs, I look back on what I have learned and what I already know from my international work experience, and I ask myself, Am I Job-Market ready? Under normal circumstances, I would say that yes, I am. However, considering the predicament Canada’s economy is in at the moment, I’m not so sure. People a lot more experienced than me are unable to get initial screening calls let alone get hired. But no matter what the outcome will be, like Gardner, I will not let up. I cannot let up because doing so feels like a privilege that I just don’t have.
Some of the strategies or tactics I learnt 1 on 1 from professors is to not simply apply for jobs but to use ‘Cold-emailing’ as well to approach companies/recruiters. I got to know about some tools that I can use and some tips that can help me get that coveted initial interview call. Tips like how to scrape e-mails using Hunter.io and SignalHire, how to make a cold call and what to say/not say during an elevator pitch, having a portfolio over and above a resume/CV or even thinking about making my website to showcase my past work and provide companies a glimpse of what I can offer, etc. Tim Campbell also advised me that it is definitely a good idea to prepare a portfolio of my past work to stand out from other applicants for any particular job, as it’s something that according to him not many students do.
Another aspect at York U. that has undoubtedly helped me to enter the market is networking with my classmates. If I’m being very honest, I was expecting more diversity in my classrooms on the first day at York, but I guess so was every other Indian student in the class :P
Still, I made more of an effort in my Digital marketing program than my business administration program to reach out to classmates to whom I normally wouldn’t, just to improve my connection-building/interpersonal skills and in hopes to be able to get some assistance from them in terms of jobs or anything else whilst being of use to them in whichever way needed. And some of those connections have helped me build genuine friendships with people I can rely on and from whose experience I can also learn about digital marketing.
One of my friends, Saishree Chalgeri, is extremely knowledgeable and brings 6+ years of vast experience working with different brands in social media and content strategy. Connecting with him and gathering his insights taught me a lot about what thought process goes into crafting a brand strategy on social media and what are some of the aspects that clients emphasize when it comes to deliverables.
Wrapping this part up, I believe the countless group presentations, research-based projects and reports, the initial ‘storming’ and then final ‘performing’ together on tasks with diverse group members, as well as the individual networking with professors and classmates alike and those at times over theoretical lessons coupled with in-class group tasks, did have an overall positive effect, helping me build a roadmap to be able to crack a full-time, field position. The only thing left? Getting that first interview call...
The ’?’ after Success is because my journey at York U hasn’t fully finished. As I’m finishing these last few deliverables and starting to incorporate the takeaways into building a strong profile, I look back in hindsight on one of my first few days in Canada, how nervous I was about everything and how little prepared I was for what was to come. I believe I have been able to make the most out of my time at York, saying yes to every opportunity that came my way, and taking every experience as a learning opportunity, no matter how clueless I felt about it initially. Reflecting on my time here, I feel anticipation and pride. Even though I still have miles to go before I sleep, I do feel more confident taking on this tough job market and I can’t help but feel gratitude towards York U and its professors, specifically, as they were the ones who acted as the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, giving me direction and mentoring me. Graduating from York U will surely not be the end of the journey but another milestone in my Pursuit of Success.
Looking forward, I am enthusiastic about using my skills in the real world, to bring my perspective and skillset to the Canadian job market, and to continue growing in my field. Similar to Gardner’s story, mine is also of persevering through hardships and showcasing resilience. Right now, I am reminded of Gardner’s path; not only his struggles but how his unwavering determination eventually led him to the Happyness he had been pursuing the whole time. As I soon get ready to enter the job market, I am prepared to apply whatever I've learned and meaningfully contribute wherever my career takes me.