The 'Advertising Department Entrepreneurship Talks,' organized by the Üsküdar University Faculty of Communication, Department of Advertising, took place. Bahar Kılıç, Brand Executive at TBWA\Istanbul, attended the event as a guest. At the event titled ‘The Advertising Industry Through the Eyes of Gen Z: Dreams vs. Realities,’ Kılıç discussed the impact of the competitions she participated in during her student years on her professional life.
“If you participate in competitions with your friends, you will gain that team spirit”
While Dr. Cihan Becan and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dinçer Atlı from the Department of Advertising moderated the online interview, Bahar Kılıç spoke about the importance of initiatives taken during student life. Kılıç said; “As you know, starting your first internship is very difficult. You don't know anything with what you've learned from school, and even if it's not a regular job, finding an internship position is very challenging. I first started my internship at Onedio. I first sent an email, but they didn't reply; then I sent another email, and they still didn't reply. Later, I had a friend working in the office, so I went to the office with them to get an internship, and there I had the opportunity to meet the head of advertising. I pursued it quite a bit and was accepted. I worked at Onedio for 8 months and then created a portfolio. It's an excellent method to stand out both during an internship and in the job application process; I highly recommend it. If you participate in competitions with your friends, you will gain that team spirit.”
“Participating in competitions and meeting people helped me build a network and made me love the profession even more”
Bahar Kılıç, speaking about the experiences she gained through the competitions she participated in, said; “During my time at Onedio, I talked about the work I did and gave advice to people by creating stories. When I was doing these, I was at the very beginning of my journey. It was my first years of university. I continued by always adding something to myself in this way. I participated in a competition organized by the 'Muratbey' group. It wasn't widely announced, but these types of announcements are usually made at school. Always follow them. We won a small cash prize from that competition. We gave presentations to leading people in the industry and thus built a network. Another important point here was that I built a network. When I was about to graduate, I knew the people I would be working with. This was very useful for me. Later, we participated in Ülker's 'bizz@kampüs' competition. They organize this competition every year. They expect you to create a brand and develop its 360-degree communication. As you participate in competitions, you gain both self-confidence and motivation. That's why I recommend you participate. I think I've participated in every competition you can imagine. Of course, I didn't gain something from all of them, but participating in these competitions and meeting people both helped me build a network and made me love the profession even more.”
“This field is an area where individuals who cannot be confined can succeed”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dinçer Atlı, speaking about the important points in the general flow of the program, said; “It was a very productive program. I believe young people, especially students, grasped important tips on how to develop themselves. We touched upon important points such as creating a portfolio, undertaking projects, participating in competitions, and maintaining close relationships with the business world. Depending on the era, of course, you could previously go out and meet an agency face-to-face, but now it's also possible to create these opportunities digitally. This is a communication job, as its name, Faculty of Communication, suggests. This field is an area where individuals who cannot be confined can succeed. At this point, we listened to Ms. Bahar, who is a living example. I thank her for taking the time.”