“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall”– Confucius
It is often stated that, event planning is one of the most stressful jobs in the world. Aavii Worldwide Sdn Bhd does more than just planning conferences & events, we change the way people meet by going beyond the conventional, we seek adventure and we embrace change. Hence, the reason why I was driven to be a part of this company from the start.
I am inspired in my job by the constant challenge and the intensity of what happens in my company. The constant changing of trends in the event industry can be quite a challenge and I thrive in a challenging work environment. Instead of being afraid of the changes, I continue to embrace it.
When I first started working here, I never could imagine myself doing the things that I do now. After all, it is my first job. After graduating my bachelor’s degree in 2018, I was so afraid of the transition to begin that new chapter in my life, to start working and putting myself out there. But I have come to realize that starting my career with Aavii Worldwide Sdn Bhd was the best decision I have ever made.
I have to admit that entering the workforce fresh from university can be extremely daunting as I braced myself for the anticipated trials coming my way. It was not easy being new, young and with zero working experience to be involved in a high-pressure working environment.
While being a fresh graduate working for the first time in Aavii Worldwide Sdn Bhd, here are some of the challenges and key things that I have learned thus far:
1. Initiative goes a long way When I first joined the operations team Mastermind, I was assigned to work with the creative department to come up with designs for event collaterals and key visual. I struggled in terms of communicating my ideas and vision to the designers I work with. What I’ve been told so many times, “designers aren’t mind readers”, and without a specific direction I may not receive exactly what I’m picturing. I’ve also struggled due to my lack of knowledge and experience.
My solution to solving the issue was to consult my operations team based on their experience in dealing with designers as well as taking my own initiative to learn the designer lingo, such as “alignment, typography, CI” to improve my communication to better align exactly what I envisioned in a design.
After so many collaborations over the year, and with guidance from my seniors I have now successfully built and maintain a good relationship with the creative team. I no longer take too much time in explaining what I need because I’ve mastered the art of communicating with graphic designers.
2. Things change I have been shifted to three different departments within a year, from logistics to operations to social media & business leads. Having to adapt in every department as quickly as I could was a big challenge for me. It was stressful. Especially with my lack of good working skills and experience, sometimes I find myself feeling helpless and stuck, unable to make changes in unsatisfying situations.
But I have finally understood that by embracing change, it is easier to stay on top of things. The tip was to keep an open mind that things are fluid and are becoming extremely dynamic, to combat new battles and challenges as it arises and to not shy away from the problems if you wish to continuously learn and grow, and so I did.
I also choose to look at the bright side of things, instead of stressing over the modifications in my job role, I take it as an opportunity for me to learn and grow. Aavii Worldwide is giving me the opportunity to work with so many teams across the company that has amazing expertise and I get to work together not only to build something with them but I also learn so much. On the other hand, I get to improve on my adaptability skills at work.
Apart from that, due to the Covid-19 outbreak many of the companies are facing drastic changes. The restriction movement order has caused us to adapt to working from home and having meetings virtually over Zoom to minimize physical contact. I have never experienced working in a situation like this before. It is completely new to me; it is strange to be working in the event industry without working around people physically. But over time, I learn to adapt and find ways to work and help my clients and colleagues without meeting up physically. To work progressively even in difficult times. In times like this, organizing virtual events could possibly be the next best thing because “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade”.
3. It’s okay to make mistakes, learn from them Mistakes are bound to happen, whether it’s a minor or a major glitch, how you react matters more than what you did. When managing events, it is almost guaranteed to slip up once in awhile. During my first few weeks of working as a fresh graduate, I remember making mistakes such as missing a deadline, forgetting to call the client and missing an important detail in our listings, which is vital to any projects that involves logistics such as accommodations & transfers.
But over time, I learn not to panic when mistakes are done. Because there is always a way out. One thing I’ve learned is that once a mistake is made, be truthful and never try to cover it up. Own up to your mistakes and find a way to recover. I have had my team backed me up in situations where I have accidentally slip up but we learn from it and try our best to avoid from repeating the same mistakes.
4. Help is everywhere While I was in the operations department, during the peak season, there were times where I struggled with an overwhelming workload. I remember not getting enough sleep stressing over deadlines and corresponding timelines. I remember struggling to manage so many things at once.
One day, my co-worker noticed what I was going through and offered her helping hand, she was a senior executive, one of my mentors. She offered to guide me through things I was unfamiliar with and offered to reduce the burden by taking some of the tasks off my hands. At that moment, I felt thankful and relieved.
I am fortunate enough to know so many good people that are not only great at what they do, but they’re also very humble and willing to help. They are all very unique individuals and amazing people who care about each other, it is reassuring to be in a company where people value you.
As most of us look at our first job as an unpleasant experience, I look at mine as a memorable milestone in my young life. After a year of working with Aavii Worldwide Sdn Bhd, with the challenges that I have faced and with the constant support from my team and the company, I have seen myself excel in ways that are beyond my expectations. I am no longer terrified and I am confident than ever. I have confident people and team members behind me that support and believe that I can do it. Therefore, I am grateful for the company and my team because with their constant support, I know I can.
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