Assistant Media Planner @ Wavemaker with Stephanie Lee
Stephanie and Blair discuss getting three different jobs in three very different ways in her year one, how being genuine is the best form of networking; and, what it’s like working in BIG media where your company is involved in 1 of every 3 ads being delivered at any time around the world.
In her year one, Stephanie’s had a few roles. She’s currently working as an Assistant Media Planner at Wavemaker Canada, that’s part of GroupM and WPP, a Top 5 global media network. Prior to this Stephanie consulted to Waterloo Public Library and Communal Lunch Project doing content marketing and social media management. Some of the things that Stephanie and Blair discuss include getting three different jobs in three very different ways in her year one, how being genuine is the best form of networking; and, what it’s like working in BIG media where your company is involved in 1 of every 3 ads being delivered at any time around the world.
About Stephanie Lee
Stephanie is a tea-loving introvert with a passion for creating meaningful connections with others and working with organizations that seek to make positive community impacts. She's guided by the phrase "Two heads are better than one" and believes that being genuine is the best form of networking.
The Highlights and Hottest Takes 🔥
How Stephanie Got the Job
An old classmate working at Wavemaker Canada thought that Stephanie would be a good fit for the role. They reached out to her directly to share the job description and to encourage her to apply for the role as Assistant Media Planner.
“I worked with them on a couple of projects in the Digital Media Marketing program. I think I left a good impression with them, my work habits, my way of working remotely. These things make more of an impression on people than you know.”
Mistake Made
Not asking for clarification. Especially when there’s calculations and/or quantitative data. You need to be precise, so if ask if you’re not sure. There are also lots of acronyms in marketing. People in it for a while tend to use them naturally, but if you’re new you won’t know what it means.
Lesson Learned
Networking happens in different ways. Stephanie is proof of that by getting jobs from being herself and from liking a friend’s post on LinkedIn.
Pro Tip
Be yourself. You’re going to learn new things each day. Take a deep breath. It’s going to be daunting. Keep at it.
Segments
Stephanie's Year 1ne @ Wavemaker Canada | 1:03-21:38
Wavemaker is a top 5 global media network. It's part of larger GroupM family which is media arm of even larger WPP family. GroupM runs 1 of 3 ads run in market at any time.
The role is more of a generalist across all types of digital advertising, and sometimes touches on offline advertising too; but Stephanie is on the digital team so is more focused on paid search, paid social, programmatic and display advertising. A typical day involves: gathering research to inform media plans, ensuring paid advertising campaigns are running; liaising between publishers and clients on campaigns, analyzing mid- or post-campaign reports; and, inputting new media buys into different software.
Essential human skills include: communication skills internal and external across different levels, attention to detail with large budgets, important dates for client campaigns; and, knowing media math is important to get behind the formulas.
Getting to Day 1ne: The Job Search | 21:39-31:51
Prior to getting the job at Wavemaker Canada on a referral from an ex-classmate, Stephanie was working on a couple of contracts. One was at the Waterloo Public Library. She heard about this job opportunity by chance...saw post on LinkedIn because her friend liked the post (wasn’t following the library at the time). If her friend hadn’t liked the post then Stephanie wouldn’t have seen it. Another was on the Communal Lunch Project. This part-time contract opportunity was shared in the Digital Media Marketing program at George Brown College. Both of these followed a pretty typical submit an introduction letter and resume and go through interviews.
Things I've Learned in Year 1ne | 31:52-37:16
Not asking for clarification–especially when there’s calculations and/or quantitative data. You need to be precise, so if ask if you’re not sure. There are also lots of acronyms in marketing. People in it for a while tend to use them naturally, but if you’re new you won’t know what it means. She asked about one acronym and the person ended up explaining three of them that are all related for media planning.
Remember, each day is an opportunity to learn. You’re going to learn new things each day. The first few months are going to be daunting. Take a deep breath, and just keep at it.
Re(Sources)
- Connect with Stephanie Lee: LinkedIn
- Brands/organizations: Wavemaker Canada | Group M | WPP | Waterloo Public Library | George Brown College
- Marketing and media tools: Canva
- Connect with The Year 1ne’s host Blair Smith: LinkedIn | Website
Credits
- Created and Produced by Blair Smith
- Hosted by Blair Smith
- Mixed and Mastered by Ray Harripaul
Sponsor(s)
N/A for this episode...Interested in being a sponsor of The Year 1ne's Show? Drop us a line via email 😀
Stephanie Lee
Assistant Media Planner
Stephanie is a tea-loving introvert with a background in social media and content marketing for new and small organizations. Her passion for creating meaningful connections with others and working with organizations that seek to make positive community impacts stems from years of volunteer work during her undergraduate years. She firmly believes in the phrase "Two heads are better than one" and believes being genuine is the best form of networking.
Stephanie loves reading and adding new titles to her To-Be-Read list, and is currently re-reading "Shame on Me: An Anatomy of Race and Belonging" by Tessa McWatt. She previously ran a small campaign recommending new reads by BIPOC authors, and would welcome any new reading recommendations.
