THE CONNECTEDNESS OF EVERYTHING
Dania Basli, Paid Search Intern, Publicis Health Media
Until my college advisor mentioned it, I hadn’t heard of Publicis Groupe. On a regular afternoon during my senior year, otherwise known as procrastination hours, I got a call from my favorite advisor who had become more of a friend at this point. He told me about an upcoming event for multicultural students in advertising, hosted by Publicis Groupe, and asked if I was interested in attending.
As a Middle Eastern American, I absolutely love taking part in events that allow me to simultaneously showcase my culture while connecting with others about their own. I grew up in Saudi Arabia where I went to an international high school, so this sort of thing came very naturally to me. I was beyond excited to take part in an industry event that would offer learning and networking opportunities alongside other multicultural students.
When October came around, Publicis Groupe’s Multicultural Talent Pipeline kicked off; unfortunately the event was virtual because of COVID, but it was still a great experience nonetheless. I got to truly learn about Publicis and was amazed to learn how many other companies are within the holding company—there was something for everyone! Immediately, I knew that this is where I wanted to end up after graduation.
Not only is Publicis Groupe truly global—meaning there are opportunities for me to grow and learn—but it also covers a world of communications outside of PR that I have not yet had the chance to explore. I looked into Digitas, Razorfish, Publicis Health, and Publicis Media. You name it, I searched for it. I love that Publicis has global reach and is also investing in efforts to seek out multicultural students to fill those roles.
Finally, by luck or by fate, I had received an email through my advisor about an internship opportunity with Publicis Health Media. Initially, it was a marketing/comms position that I had applied for, but as I made it through the rounds of the interviews, I heard back with an email asking if I was interested in a paid search position. I had not really heard of paid search before that, but as I did my research and looked into what exactly it is – the art of sponsored advertising through search engines or partner sites – I was hooked. The more I looked into it, the more I could see myself in that position.
While you read this on Marcel, it is safe to say that I got the internship, and have been loving every minute of it. Now that my time at Publicis is coming to an end, I’ve been reflecting on how I got here. I spent every year in university working hard in all of my classes, prioritizing my academic success so I could make the most of my time there. My prioritization of academics, and frequent trips to our Bellisario College of Communications building where all the advisors reside, allowed me to build meaningful connections with almost all of the advisors. They loved talking to students and were always eager to help us pave the way towards our careers. I particularly loved their kindness and all the stories they had to share. So, when they were trying to think of nominees, thankfully I popped into their heads, and that is how I got to attend the Talent Pipeline event.
From there, I really believe that that event gave me the extra push my application needed to stand out among the hundreds of others. And would I have been seen as a good fit for a paid search position if I had not worked very hard academically? Would I have been as close to my advisors had I not worked hard or been a tour guide that one summer? Everything boils down to a million “what if” questions, but nonetheless, I am certain that I am now where I was meant to be the second I stepped foot onto my campus as a freshman.
And just like that, my experiences have all been connected. I am incredibly thankful that all of that happened and extremely excited to start my career with a company that I know will give me opportunities and experiences that I will look back on later and realize were connected to something bigger. It may be something as simple as meeting a new coworker, or something as substantial as getting a raise or a new title, but no matter what, the most thrilling part is that I do not yet know what it will be connected to.
