yes, finally I'm writing about my work!..
Can't believe it is already a month and several days as I'm here. Time flies too fast!
What I'm actually doing here: my internship is for one year in an Australian company called ADSHEL. They are the biggest operator of street furniture advertising (media space provider) in Australia and New Zealand. Basic idea is that the company tenders for agreements with councils, under which Adshel supplies free bus shelters and get in return the right to sell advertising space in side panels of shelters. Coverage is really impressive, they have even panels in Tasmania! In addition, the company has panels in shopping centres across the country, and operates advertising sites in Sydney International airport.
I am the marketing executive in the company, and there are 6 other people working in the marketing department with me. Overall there are about 50 people in our Sydney office. My job includes:
Overall - my experience in Adshel is AMAZING.
It's most of all because of the company culture. It is totally is the one as we envision in AIESEC company culture should be - flat enough structure, feeling of belonging, openness, focus on achievement rather than competition, striving for excellence combined with great fun spirit and human approach. I can so easily relate myself to company's values (which are very much related to those we have in AIESEC), it makes the whole integration process much easier. Plus the company is keen on green initiatives (to stabilize the impact we do by producing shelters). Examples are introducing bus shelters with solar power, reducing water usage in cleaning of shelters' procedures, paper recycling in the office etc. I'm so glad I can work in a company and be true to my sustainable living principles!
In addition, my integration process is great. I had 2 weeks induction plan (!), with meetings with all departments, role clarifications etc. I was given lots of trust and responsibility for my work since the first week, and I really appreciate it, and do my best to stand up to the standard set :)
A couple of quotes from my company:
CEO, Steve McCarthy:
Marketing director, Anthony Xydis:
In general my marketing director is a cool guy, for what he has as best part of him - it's a combination of Brodie and Dey - mega mix :)
And this is my marketing team (left to right):
Well, this is my work, this is my life, and I enjoy it.
Watch this space for more insights :)
Can't believe it is already a month and several days as I'm here. Time flies too fast!
What I'm actually doing here: my internship is for one year in an Australian company called ADSHEL. They are the biggest operator of street furniture advertising (media space provider) in Australia and New Zealand. Basic idea is that the company tenders for agreements with councils, under which Adshel supplies free bus shelters and get in return the right to sell advertising space in side panels of shelters. Coverage is really impressive, they have even panels in Tasmania! In addition, the company has panels in shopping centres across the country, and operates advertising sites in Sydney International airport.
I am the marketing executive in the company, and there are 6 other people working in the marketing department with me. Overall there are about 50 people in our Sydney office. My job includes:
- working on organizing marketing events and promotions (lots of it is corporate entertainment),
- marketing communications (for example we'll be launching a new kind of product line soon, and I will be working on marcomm materials for that)
- I do internal marketing too, like producing internal newsletter and other stuff;
- participating in a web re-launch project (sounds familiar, isn't it :)
- managing charity advertising campaigns with Adshel
- organizing professional photo shots of our special advertising campaigns (where there is some special creative execution)
- organizing an annual national sales and marketing conference in October
Overall - my experience in Adshel is AMAZING.
It's most of all because of the company culture. It is totally is the one as we envision in AIESEC company culture should be - flat enough structure, feeling of belonging, openness, focus on achievement rather than competition, striving for excellence combined with great fun spirit and human approach. I can so easily relate myself to company's values (which are very much related to those we have in AIESEC), it makes the whole integration process much easier. Plus the company is keen on green initiatives (to stabilize the impact we do by producing shelters). Examples are introducing bus shelters with solar power, reducing water usage in cleaning of shelters' procedures, paper recycling in the office etc. I'm so glad I can work in a company and be true to my sustainable living principles!
In addition, my integration process is great. I had 2 weeks induction plan (!), with meetings with all departments, role clarifications etc. I was given lots of trust and responsibility for my work since the first week, and I really appreciate it, and do my best to stand up to the standard set :)
A couple of quotes from my company:
CEO, Steve McCarthy:
"My main job here as CEO is to recruit good people and to create environment where they can perform and develop" (culture of excellence, anyone?)On that line - Adshel was featured in 2006 in one of studies on cultural transformation as a great example. Actually the story is, after the speech the CEO of Adshel had about company's transformation, at one of conferences - a girl from MC Australia who was at that conference also, approached him and said, we have to talk with you about a partnership. This is how I appeared here :) (I'm the first trainee Adshel has, so bear a responsibility!)
Marketing director, Anthony Xydis:
"I believe that all good things you do return to you at the end; now we took you for an internship, you being the right person in the right place, to give you a possibility you wouldn't have had otherwise; and who knows, when in the future you are the director of the company, you take trainees also"I think it's great, this is why all companies should take trainees :) mind the piece about right person with right skills in the right place!
In general my marketing director is a cool guy, for what he has as best part of him - it's a combination of Brodie and Dey - mega mix :)
And this is my marketing team (left to right):
- Leanne, marketing coordinator, Chinese origin
- Anthony, mark director, Greek origin
- Nick, New Zealand mark manager, New Zealand origin
- Edwina, research manager, Australian origin (however may be something else..)
- Marc (on the front), mark executive, half-Croatian origin
- me, Russian origin :)
- Marie, marketing manager, Italian origin (my direct manager - mostly due to her and her patience I have the opportunity to do all the things I do in Adshel :)
- Aaron, technology and innovation manager, New Zealand origin
Well, this is my work, this is my life, and I enjoy it.
Watch this space for more insights :)
Labels: AIESEC, culture, internship, sydney, work
The Great Move has happened
4 Comments Published by Svetlana Zhukova on Sunday, February 25, 2007 at 11:04 PM.
Yes, I'm in Sydney!!!
14.500 km away from home, half of the world down here :)
Still taking time to believe that's happened, too good…
Typing these words, sitting in my room in a bay district, with palm trees just outside of my window, flowers everywhere, and night ocean breeze flowing into my room…
Australia? Australia! My country for the next year...
Yoho what a ride ahead :)
So how I'm doing:
In short, everything is great!!! (well, money is a bit of an issue, but it seems to be an eternal issue :) My company is wonderful, people here are great, Sydney is amazing. What else is needed to be happy? So I'm very happy!! hehe
A bit more in detail:
Well, sit comfortable and get ready for a long story :) Here's everything
My flight
I was flying through Tokyo, with Russian airlines Aeroflot (never-ever do this if you can! I finally got disappointed with them after they charged me 200 euros for overweight, cause total limit was 20 kg including hand luggage - hello, I'm flying to Australia!?) Anyways, farewell with Russia was good, I left on Maslenitsa day (when everyone makes pancakes and celebrates winter time). And then - 9 hrs flight to Tokyo. Obviously, I slept most of time on the plane :) A passenger next to me appeared to be nanotechnology engineer flying to deliver a presentation at a conference in Japan, his hobby was - guess what - heritage research, he published several books on the history of his family and the region he comes from. Very cool discussions!.. Travel time is a wonderful time, you can meet so many interesting people!
Japan - Tokyo. More precise, Tokyo airport
When we were flying above Japan (in the morning), first thing that struck me - how many mountains they have for such a small country! How they manage to be one of leading economies in the world in those conditions of limited land resources, is a miracle and lots of great management.
Second interesting thing - their fields are even smaller and carefully lined that those in Germany and Netherlands! (if that's possible…) I was amazed, land from above looks like a blanket of perfect small squares and rectangles. So interesting and different from vast chaotic Russian lands hehe :)
Airport actually appeared much smaller than I expected. May be that wasn't the main one? Transit area is very small (now I love Schiphol even more that I did before!), so I spent most of my time in a café, trying rolls (yay finally real Japaneese ones!) and reading, until I had to go to catch my flight to Sydney. Even being dead tired, I felt my heart beating faster and faster, as I approached the gate. I saw so many Australians at once, and all seemed to be very nice looking and smiling people… Quantas airlines are very nice (well, at least comparing to Russian airlines), and the first time in my travel life I met such friendly personnel, making jokes with passengers etc. My induction into Aussie culture began on the flight :)
Arriving to Sydney
Lucky me - there was sunny weather on my arrival, and I was with my head in a plane window, trying to catch every detail of approaching Australia. Lots of mountains, interesting stone seaside - and of course, shining waters of Pacific ocean…
Sydney Opera house, skyscrapers of the downtown, residential areas, boats in bays - and there I was, landing in Sydney airport. Yoho I did it!!! Ura-ura-ura!
Endless queues on the custom and quarantine (Australia is an isolated land, therefore very strict on incoming items), I was worried that could forget something and would be fined - but everything went smoothly, people were friendly (even at customs!). I went out - and there they were, several @-ers, waiting for 2 hrs for my arrival :) I was positively surprised, that there were more than a couple, as it usually happens, they even presented me with a sim card so I could let my parents immediately that I'm fine. And then I was taken to a place I'm living in, by car, through the city center, facing Harbor Bridge and a hint of Opera House… Great reception :)
First day
I was taken to a place where one of trainees (Russian girl from Ekaterinburg by the way :) lives, a nice old colonial house in a Neutral Bay area, which a posh area in the center of the city. The location is perfect, but I'd be moving out to a flat with some @-ers (current place, this house, is a private hotel, most tenants are talkative old ladies etc, so… in search of a more private space I want to change the place).
Some logistics on arrival, short sleep, short walk in the city - and by the evening there I was, riding a ferry through a bay, passing by Sydney Opera House. Imagine how happy I was, standing on the deck of a ferry, sun shining, breeze, smell of ocean… I couldn't stop smiling - I AM IN SYDNEY!!!
Apparently the same evening the biggest ship in the world (Queen Mary) was leaving Sydney Harbour, and there thousands of people everywhere, on boats and hills around the bay. I thought, what a reception for my first evening here hehe
Actually why the first day was as great as it was - in the evening I met up with Pita and Anya, the Santos couple :) oh I was SO HAPPY to see guys here in Sydney!!! They made up my first day as great :) was so cool to sit and chat, see smiles on dear familiar faces, talking everything… I guess this is the best part of globalization - you can meet with friends everywhere! I think I have to pay off and visit Singapore some time during this year :)
Work
I started actually the next day I arrived, a bit jetlagged, especially by the end of the day - but things are great, it deserves a separate post coming later on.
And yes, I have had my welcome party! Saturday evening, Spanish tapas bar, and then off for drinks - for a change! - to… an Irish pub! Hehe some things never change :) AIESEC guys are so nice and welcoming, and trainees are cool people - 3 Brazilians (yes, Gabi is one of them :), girl from Bulgaria, Romanian girl - Salma (it seems there will be always something that keeps me connected to Romanians :) cheers to all of you I know :)
Something more about first images of Australia?
Of course I had to go to the beach!!! No comments, just look at my happy face :)
I'm mega-glad to finally live, as I dreamed, in a seaside city. Now I can come and sit, watching the water, at any time, which I successfully do, even in the evening like this:
Well, that was long way, good if you read till these lines :) That was it, my travel in detail. Lots of text, but that will work for the memoirs :)
To be continued - keep looking at Australia through my eyes!
14.500 km away from home, half of the world down here :)
Still taking time to believe that's happened, too good…
Typing these words, sitting in my room in a bay district, with palm trees just outside of my window, flowers everywhere, and night ocean breeze flowing into my room…
Australia? Australia! My country for the next year...
Yoho what a ride ahead :)
So how I'm doing:
In short, everything is great!!! (well, money is a bit of an issue, but it seems to be an eternal issue :) My company is wonderful, people here are great, Sydney is amazing. What else is needed to be happy? So I'm very happy!! hehe
A bit more in detail:
Well, sit comfortable and get ready for a long story :) Here's everything
My flight
I was flying through Tokyo, with Russian airlines Aeroflot (never-ever do this if you can! I finally got disappointed with them after they charged me 200 euros for overweight, cause total limit was 20 kg including hand luggage - hello, I'm flying to Australia!?) Anyways, farewell with Russia was good, I left on Maslenitsa day (when everyone makes pancakes and celebrates winter time). And then - 9 hrs flight to Tokyo. Obviously, I slept most of time on the plane :) A passenger next to me appeared to be nanotechnology engineer flying to deliver a presentation at a conference in Japan, his hobby was - guess what - heritage research, he published several books on the history of his family and the region he comes from. Very cool discussions!.. Travel time is a wonderful time, you can meet so many interesting people!
Japan - Tokyo. More precise, Tokyo airport
When we were flying above Japan (in the morning), first thing that struck me - how many mountains they have for such a small country! How they manage to be one of leading economies in the world in those conditions of limited land resources, is a miracle and lots of great management.
Second interesting thing - their fields are even smaller and carefully lined that those in Germany and Netherlands! (if that's possible…) I was amazed, land from above looks like a blanket of perfect small squares and rectangles. So interesting and different from vast chaotic Russian lands hehe :)
Airport actually appeared much smaller than I expected. May be that wasn't the main one? Transit area is very small (now I love Schiphol even more that I did before!), so I spent most of my time in a café, trying rolls (yay finally real Japaneese ones!) and reading, until I had to go to catch my flight to Sydney. Even being dead tired, I felt my heart beating faster and faster, as I approached the gate. I saw so many Australians at once, and all seemed to be very nice looking and smiling people… Quantas airlines are very nice (well, at least comparing to Russian airlines), and the first time in my travel life I met such friendly personnel, making jokes with passengers etc. My induction into Aussie culture began on the flight :)
Arriving to Sydney
Lucky me - there was sunny weather on my arrival, and I was with my head in a plane window, trying to catch every detail of approaching Australia. Lots of mountains, interesting stone seaside - and of course, shining waters of Pacific ocean…
Sydney Opera house, skyscrapers of the downtown, residential areas, boats in bays - and there I was, landing in Sydney airport. Yoho I did it!!! Ura-ura-ura!
Endless queues on the custom and quarantine (Australia is an isolated land, therefore very strict on incoming items), I was worried that could forget something and would be fined - but everything went smoothly, people were friendly (even at customs!). I went out - and there they were, several @-ers, waiting for 2 hrs for my arrival :) I was positively surprised, that there were more than a couple, as it usually happens, they even presented me with a sim card so I could let my parents immediately that I'm fine. And then I was taken to a place I'm living in, by car, through the city center, facing Harbor Bridge and a hint of Opera House… Great reception :)
First day
I was taken to a place where one of trainees (Russian girl from Ekaterinburg by the way :) lives, a nice old colonial house in a Neutral Bay area, which a posh area in the center of the city. The location is perfect, but I'd be moving out to a flat with some @-ers (current place, this house, is a private hotel, most tenants are talkative old ladies etc, so… in search of a more private space I want to change the place).
Some logistics on arrival, short sleep, short walk in the city - and by the evening there I was, riding a ferry through a bay, passing by Sydney Opera House. Imagine how happy I was, standing on the deck of a ferry, sun shining, breeze, smell of ocean… I couldn't stop smiling - I AM IN SYDNEY!!!
Apparently the same evening the biggest ship in the world (Queen Mary) was leaving Sydney Harbour, and there thousands of people everywhere, on boats and hills around the bay. I thought, what a reception for my first evening here hehe
Actually why the first day was as great as it was - in the evening I met up with Pita and Anya, the Santos couple :) oh I was SO HAPPY to see guys here in Sydney!!! They made up my first day as great :) was so cool to sit and chat, see smiles on dear familiar faces, talking everything… I guess this is the best part of globalization - you can meet with friends everywhere! I think I have to pay off and visit Singapore some time during this year :)
Work
I started actually the next day I arrived, a bit jetlagged, especially by the end of the day - but things are great, it deserves a separate post coming later on.
And yes, I have had my welcome party! Saturday evening, Spanish tapas bar, and then off for drinks - for a change! - to… an Irish pub! Hehe some things never change :) AIESEC guys are so nice and welcoming, and trainees are cool people - 3 Brazilians (yes, Gabi is one of them :), girl from Bulgaria, Romanian girl - Salma (it seems there will be always something that keeps me connected to Romanians :) cheers to all of you I know :)
Something more about first images of Australia?
Of course I had to go to the beach!!! No comments, just look at my happy face :)
I'm mega-glad to finally live, as I dreamed, in a seaside city. Now I can come and sit, watching the water, at any time, which I successfully do, even in the evening like this:
Well, that was long way, good if you read till these lines :) That was it, my travel in detail. Lots of text, but that will work for the memoirs :)
To be continued - keep looking at Australia through my eyes!
Labels: australia, internship, sydney
