Alexandra was a vibrant and energetic student who changed her study path from physiotherapy to advertising. She revelled in the creative projects, but at heart she always wanted to become an Account Manager. Today, only a year out of college she is an Account Executive at the agency JWT.

Tell us about working at one of the world’s most famous advertising agencies.

 J. Walter Thompson is a full service advertising agency, that aims to be the antidote to the indifference people show towards advertising. The agency is full of vibrant, creative and strategic sorts.

 Can you describe your role?

I’m essentially like Gandalf in that I act as the liaison between the client and the agency, I know their brand like the back of my hand, I brief the peeps, oversee creative development and production, on top of that, throw budget and timings in the mix and voila! I’m an account executive.

What have been some of the highlights so far?

Definitely being on my first big budget TVC shoot. I had waaay too much enthusiasm! Honestly, day-to-day in office is a highlight, it’s an awesome vibe. I love the people I work with and there’s usually a dog running around. Once every few months the agency gets together to score ads from around the world – such a great opportunity to see how people’s experiences are reflected in their perception of  ‘good advertising’. These sessions are always intriguing; after all, it’s what we’re passionate about!

 What are your future career goals?

New York, New York! Would love to join my mates Peggy and Don on Madison. Potentially dabble in TV production. Also, PARIS. This has been an (often voiced) goal since I was about 12 years old. It just has a little “je ne sais quoi”.

Why did you decide to study at Macleay and how has it helped you get to where you are now?

I started out living in my teeny tiny hometown, studying physiotherapy at uni. And then I discovered that advertising, Sydney, and infuriating parking was for me! Macleay offers a really practical learning experience, unrivalled class interaction, feedback and facilities, and incredible lecturers who all work in the industry. After finishing the Diploma of Advertising, I went on to graduate with the Bachelor of Media Communications and feel that this definitely gave me the skills I needed to get ahead, and the curiosity to learn the rest.

What are some of your best memories of your time at Macleay?

One of our final assignments at Macleay was to produce our own TVC. We decided upon the small task of advertising a car. Attempting to keep within the category norms, we quickly learned that our lack of post production budget (zero dollars and zero cents), helicopter shots and camera crew made for a very compromised kind of ‘home-movie’. We had a lot of fun shooting it.

Click here to find out more about the advertising course at Macleay College.