Surviving the Ogilvy Snap
Surviving the Ogilvy Snap
By Cindy Diep
Avengers: Endgame started to roll out into cinemas just as my time in the Goliath Grad program was about to wrap up. I’d spent the last year debating with friends, reading into all kinds of Reddit fan-theory and just absolutely dying to know who else had survived the snap and who’d been turned to dust. Suddenly, though, I didn’t feel too good and it dawned on me that I was potentially going to be turned into dust IRL once the grad program finished up.
Had I made enough out of my time here during the grad program??
Had I made enough of an impression here as I’d hoped??
Had the program provided me with enough industry experience in 3 months that would help open doors to employment opportunities down the track??
After about half a day or so of this early-career existential crisis, I calmed down and realised something.
I’d had a freaking great time during Goliath.
For a grad program, I’d been given some pretty cool opportunities that I never would have imagined in a million years I’d be asked to do as part of my first real job outside of uni.
Whether I survived the Ogilvy snap or not, and whether I’d stay on board after the grad program – Goliath was everything I could have asked for and more.
So, what were some of the things I got to do during Goliath?
- Went on my first ever TV shoot set – saw the whole behind the scene action of a KFC commercial and was even able to make a sneaky cameo as well (which my mum was super impressed by).
- Did a 5-minute presentation in front of company’s entire Account Service team about the Jonas Brothers and how they inspired me – and they LOVED it.
- Made a Tik Tok video for a very serious workshop on Social – and won a jar of home-made honey for it 🍯
- Being allowed to actually listen to some BIG strategic and creative conversations from big brands I never would have dreamed of working on
- Sat through lessons on brief writing and strategy FROM THE HEAD OF STRATEGY HIMSELF.
- Got paired with a senior mentor throughout the grad program who literally helped me navigate the ins and outs of my new surroundings and who gave me invaluable support and tips.
- Got the opportunity to PITCH in-front of Exco with the other grads – literally having the floor to some top industry heads that you’d never even dream of coming close to unless you already had several years’ experience under your belt (of which I had none of).
Whether or not I would stay wasn’t the point – 3 months in Goliath gave me more than 3 years at uni had.
So… In the end I did survive the snap (thank God).
Just a glimpse of life after – I’m so happy where I am. I’m working with the best team, filled with the funniest personalities I’ve ever met and helping to push out work that makes me excited to come in every day.
And the other grads? We’ve all become BFFs, and for the Avenger’s fans out there – I love them 3000.
