In this monthly column with NGEN, the MFA’s training program for media professionals with less than five years of experience, Andrew Sintras, marketplace executive at Wavemaker, tells us of his longstanding connection to the industry and why you should be banging on the boss’ door for a coffee.
I started working in the marketing industry just over two and a half years ago at Orion/Mediabrands, and earlier this year I joined Wavemaker.
NGEN was an important part of my industry experience from the start. I joined the Committee in Q2 2022 as a way of accelerating my learning and for the opportunity to network with great people outside of the immediate workplace. It’s really important to get outside inspiration, and it’s also cool to help inspire others too – it helps you grow and keeps you motivated. I’m really keen to do impactful work over the course of my career and I believe building genuine relationships will help in achieving that goal.
I’ve loved the media and marketing industry ever since I can remember. You could say I grew up with it, watching my dad, John Sintras, run agencies at Mediabrands and Publicis. Going into the office with him when I was a kid, I was obsessed with the work he was doing and the cool things he got to do – like the constant travel, the cool clients, and the glamorous events. But I could also see that it was a lot of hard work.
It’s great that we can make a meaningful difference in how brands grow and that we also have the power to help in the not-for-profit space. I’ve been involved in initiatives such as helping Starlight, CP Alliance and The Kindness Factory, and doing pro-bono work is something I’m really passionate about. It’s a great feeling to give back and also another great way to learn and network, so I’d encourage everyone to do the same.
There are many industry trends I’m excited about, but I’m really keen to dig deeper into influencer marketing and content creation. I’m also really interested in the impact of AI, which is already huge and growing. It will be fascinating to see what impact it has on improving marketing personalisation, in addition to helping us better measure and understand what’s working and driving performance.
Find out more: Wavemaker’s Global Bosses On The Price Of Oreos & Aussies Being Great
Mentors are really important in shaping your career and helping you grow. I was so lucky to be surrounded by so many industry leaders when I was younger, it’s just as well I had no clue who they were, so I wasn’t intimidated asking them questions.
I’m a lot more careful now, but I do know CEOs and managers aren’t so scary – they are just people too! They were once just like us, starting out on their career journey. If you get the chance to grab and coffee one day with the “big boss”, go for it. You may even be surprised at how receptive they are to helping you out and providing invaluable career advice, and you never know where it may lead.
The current media landscape is always evolving, and you need to stay relevant but try to enjoy it and not be impatient and get caught up in all the drama. I’m learning to take one day at a time and that hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.
I’ve also learnt that you are the main driver of your career journey, so don’t wait for someone else to do your career plan – try and be proactive. And don’t be afraid to ask for help and ask lots of great questions, it’s the only way to learn.
Check out the rest of the Inside NGEN series:
