Grad Profile: Solomiya Gritskiv

Solomiya Gritskiv

When did you first discover an interest in Advertising?

I first discovered my interest in Advertising in University, when I was majoring in Communications Studies and Sociology. I took a course about the impact of television in society, where our professor exposed me to a whole other world of information and how advertisers use cultural insights, stereotypes, etc. to help sell their product in TV ads. Things that I never thought of – like the fact that there’s always a woman in the ads for cleaning products, down to product placement in shows, opened up a different perspective on how we consume television. That experience sparked a genuine interest in how we as marketers and advertisers choose to speak to our audience and how we make our stories compelling – and I knew from there that I wanted to be a part of it.

Why did you choose Sheridan?

During my last year of university, a classmate who graduated the year prior had attended the same program, and I was also graduating into a recession so I wanted to continue my education to ensure the odds were in my favour when I started looking for a job.  I reached out to her and asked about the program, and she couldn’t say enough good things about both Sheridan and the program, as well as her success in getting an internship right out of school. With that information and knowing a few more students in various programs at Sheridan, I knew it was the right school for me.

What did you learn from Sheridan?

The post-grad program at Sheridan did a really good job of providing a taste of all of the aspects of advertising, which was great for someone like me who didn’t quite know where I would fit best. I’m glad I had the opportunity to explore all of my options before locking into a permanent position. Another great benefit of having the exposure to all elements of advertising was that, going into my internship, I knew the fundamentals of how each type of agency operates and where we overlap/work together, as well as the process. I understood where media was involved, how media sales worked, as well as how the creative department differed from account service, and so on. It was a key learning that I feel gave me the competitive advantage when I started searching for an internship.

HMC

What was the #1 thing you took away from your post grad experience?

The glamour of the ad industry is not all as it seems. You have to put in a lot of hard work to be recognized, and it is a work hard/play hard environment. I remember that was said to me on our first day of the program and I never forgot it. And when I got to my internship, this mindset also gave me the competitive advantage – I knew I needed to put in the work to gain respect from my peers and be considered to be on the team permanently.

What advice would you give to someone who is considering a post grad program?

If you truly have a passion for creativity, for immersing yourself in how advertising works, and for constantly being surrounded by creative and strong personalities – this is the program, and ultimately, the career choice for you. It is intense but very rewarding. And the programs Sheridan offers will set you up for success.

How has the completion of the program affected your career?

By completing the program I was able to gain an internship right out of school – my profs were amazing references, and what I learned in the program impressed my team during my internship, which helped me secure a full-time position at TBWA (now called Juniper Park\TBWA). Sheridan is respected among the ad industry, and throughout my career I’ve been able to connect with other graduates (which at times has opened up additional opportunities for me since they knew they would be getting great talent from a place like Sheridan).

Where do you work and what is your current position?

Currently I’m an Account Supervisor at Cossette, on the Destination Canada business.

What is your favourite part of the job? 

When you begin a project from the very beginning – with the client brief and watch it evolve throughout each stage of the process – writing the creative brief, having the first creative presentation, all the way to working through the production and execution of the campaign. When the work goes live, that is the best feeling. It is both a sense of relief but also such a proud moment! Never forget that it couldn’t have happened without your help. It takes a team effort – making a campaign live is so massive. It truly gives you a sense of accomplishment like nothing else. And a bonus, if that campaign ends up getting some hardware at the award shows, the feeling is multiplied. It’s what I push for daily.