Sparrow’s Nest Readers’ Topic: Career advice and planning
You have had a long and successful career. Can you share your major learnings, how did you start, career highlights, any regrets, and maybe any career tips?
I would like to start by saying I had a clear career plan and knew exactly what I wanted to do, unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.
I grew up in a small country town on the NSW mid-north coast called Wauchope. I was awarded a teacher college scholarship however I didn’t think that was the path I wanted to take. I moved to the big smoke Sydney and lived with my grandparents in Liverpool, and went to Macquarie University to study accountancy.
Immediately I realised it wasn’t for me, however I didn’t want to let my parents down so I had to find something else before I told them I dropped out. Luckily for me, while I was scanning The Sydney Morning Herald classified job ads under A was a very small ad that read: Adverting trainee prepared to start at the bottom and work your way up, contact Bev Hilton.
I didn’t even know what an advertising agency was when I went for an interview at McCann’s for a role in the despatch department (the mailroom where we delivered the actual mail.)
I got the job, loved every minute of it, and after six months was promoted to the media department. Fast forward 40+ years in advertising/media and here we are today.
So, no career plan … but I fell into something that I was passionate about with great people, incredible creativity, and energy and I thrived.
Sparrow with Mickey in Melbourne after Mindshare won the Disney business
My career highlight would be working for seven years in New York for Mindshare as their new business director where one year we won over a billion dollars in new business and were named Agency of the Year.
I don’t have regrets, however, should have I stayed in NYC longer? At the time I had a personal tragedy with my father passing away unexpectantly and I wanted to be home with family.
Sparrow’s Nest: Top 10 Career Tips
- Find a wonderful mentor and coach
- Be curious, always ask questions
- Good old fashioned hard work, above and beyond
- Care about the work, your team and clients
- Be kind and build relationships (they matter)
- Learn from your mistakes, and never make them again
- Surround yourself with great talent/people
- Be memorable – make an impression
- Bleed passion, commitment, enthusiasm and positivity
- The F word – FUN!
My dreams have come true from wanting to move to the big smoke, I ended up in the Big Apple and I made it there. Advertising, marketing, and media thrive on creativity and brilliant talent and I have been super fortunate to be immersed it in for 40+ years.
Some of the crew I started with within the media department of McCann Erickson are still my best friends.
Bang! The announcement when JWT secured Steady and Sparrow
On reflection, I didn’t take up my teacher’s college scholarship however I find myself today nurturing, training, teaching, and developing the next generation of our industry leaders. Plus, I still love what I do every day, not sure many people can put their hand on their heart and say that.
A big THANK YOU, Bev Hilton!
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