snowgoose

So there it is. The bomb has dropped. I am shortly going to be leaving Standard Bank to join the wonderful world of Quirk eMarketing as an account manager in their Johannesburg office.

I suppose I have some explaining to do, don’t I?
Let me start by saying that leaving the bank was not an easy decision to make. I still love the brand, the people and the culture. I just have that little thing that Shakespeare called “Vaulting ambition” and I honestly think I’m too nuts for a big corporate. The various agencies I have worked with during my time at the bank have always said I’m more of an agency person than a bank person and I guess I’ve started listening to them.

Of all the agencies out there, the one that has really captured my attention is Quirk. They seem to have the same values as me, their achievements are simply mind-blowing and I am nothing if not “quirky”. So it almost seemed pre-ordained that they were looking for an account manager in their Joburg office at the same time I was looking to be an account manager at an eMarketing agency… And to work at Quirk is not an opportunity you pass up.

So that is it then – I will officially become a QuirkStar on the 14th of April. I will most likely sob my heart out on my last day at Standard Bank, the things I have learned and the connections I have made in the past 2 years have been invaluable and I have so many people to thank.
But that does not believe I am not super duper UBER excited about joining Rob Stokes and his amazing team. I am so excited I can hardly sit still!

I’M GONNA BE A QUIRKSTAR!!! WOOOOOO HOOOOOOO!!!!!

I love to act like a 5 year old with ADD sometimes. When my boss sends around emails asking if anyone wants to attend a conference, instead of the standard: “I would love to be included, many thanks” I always reply “oohh OOOH… PICK MEEEE!” and copy the whole department in. I’m famous for bucking the corporate trend and calling everyone “dude” and telling suppliers they “rock the party that rocks the party” in official emails. It’s just me, and people always comment on how refreshing it is. But as with every 5 year old with ADD, I’m not always cute. I also have my spoiled brat moments and though they are infrequent and mostly in private, they happen.

Like now for instance: My amazing and very hardworking boyfriend and partner in crime, Shaun Custers, is down in Cape Town as we speak, blogging the Standard Bank Pro20 final. Through his passion for cricket & social media and his awesome new venture – SA Cricket Blog – he was chosen by Standard Bank as the only Gauteng blogger to travel to the final and live blog it. And very deservedly so – he has been really committed to blogging the Pro20 games this season.

“Woah, hold on a minute!” you may be saying “but don’t you work for Standard Bank?”.
Yes. I do, and the Achiever Box at the final is a part of my biggest, and most favourite campaign to date (www.standardbank.co.za/achiever), one I have been working on non-stop since July last year. But in these “tough economic times” (gawd, I hate that term!) budgets are tight and the Bank can’t just be sending people off on Weekends in Cape Town, that would be irresponsible and unfair to our customers. I understand that and as a customer myself, fully support it.

Well, the 25 year old me does. The ADD stricken 5 year old inside is whining; “but it’s MY campaign… why can’t I be there…whyyyyyy mommmmeeeee!?!?!”. As I sit here alone in my study with the sound of my annoying neighbours in the background instead of seagulls and a smog-laden Johannesburg my view instead of “the Mountain”, the 5 year old is winning the battle.

I know I’m being a spoiled brat – I have had more awesome opportunities in the last year than Shaun has had in his whole life. I am very very happy for him and even more proud of him.

But that doesn’t mean I’m not pouting. And boy, am I pouting!

I am of the firm belief that everyone should start their career off working for a big company.
The benefits are just too amazing not to. Especially if said company is a bank.

Let’s use myself and my boyfriend, Shaun Custers as examples: I work for Standard Bank, he works for a small IT company. He earns more than I do, has shorter working hours and travels less every day but I still have the better deal. In the 2 short years I have been there, I have gone on over 6 training courses on things like web development, Usability, Web Project management, Marketing and the latest one, Leadership, all free. I have also gone to numerous conferences, also free. The interest rates on my house, car etc are all discounted. On the other hand, Shaun hasn’t been on one training course that he hasn’t had to pay for in full. And his company isn’t able to offer him interest rate discounts, a retirement fund, a free counselling service, free Will drafting, a free library, a subsidised canteen, etc (I could add quite a few more things that I am lucky enough to get.)

Now you see why I say all young people should at least start their careers at a corporate. Imagine you are a 21 year old, straight out of varsity, and you are able to get this phenomenal head start. You would be way ahead of your peers in a few years and if you don’t like the enterprise culture, then you can move to a smaller company or even start your own.
People like Tyler Reed are the exception to the rule, most young people need to claw their way up the ladder and spend their first few years in the working world slogging away for peanuts. Corporates don’t pay peanuts, and the training and bursaries they offer are enough to make it well worth ‘being a number’ for as long as you need to.
Think about it.