Humber OCMC: Koolness with a Twist

I want to take you back to your good old high school days. No matter how long ago it was when you attended high school there were always some very distinctive groups within the school. You had the goths, the jocks, the popular kids, the nerds, the geeks and the list goes on. Most of all in every school there was always that one person who was considered to be, the kool kid.

The kool kid was usually mysterious, likely passionate about their favorite hobbies or interests, and very likable. The popular kids respected the kool kid and everybody enjoyed their company.

Once you’ve been accepted into the Humber OCMC family, you can become this kool kid but with a difference. Like the kool kid you will develop your personality by being yourself, confident, social, and positive as we work in a team environment. The difference is that you are part of the Humber OCMC team and you will need to work exceptionally hard to represent Humber College at the competition with your marketing knowledge. You must continue to develop your interests in marketing, by reading up on the topic and keeping up to date on current events. By developing this interest you are changing your perception of the marketing world.

To take us one step further in changing our perception in the marketing world is Ellen Sparling. Each week she provides us with lectures about analyzing a case and current marketing information. She teaches us about topics such as the threats and opportunities to ensure we can do a SWOT analysis correctly. Ellen also showed us the importance of the Canadian privacy laws and how the laws can affect a business.

The final element, and most difficult to master, in being part of the Humber OCMC team is to be able to create a great first impression. The kool kid was always able to create a very memorable first impression and made others want to see them again. When making a first impression the kool kid would always have good body language, be assertive, and never forget to smile. By using these three tricks of a kool kid to your advantage you will be able to make a great first impression with the judges at the competition.

The bottom line is that kool kids weren't like anyone else and didn't want to be. They were good at creating their own footsteps and took the risks that went with it. That is the same for the Humber OCMC team with the addition of good old fashioned hard work.

HUMBER OCMC FOR THE WIN!

Humber OCMC: The Challenge

When I first signed up for the Humber OCMC I understood it was going to be a challenge. In order to succeed in this competition, I knew I was going to have to put in a lot of time, effort, and commitment in order to stand a chance at the competition.

I remember when Nicholas and I completed our first case during the summer with adviser Sheryn Beattie, it was a grueling experience. We only had an hour to complete practice case. We managed to finish with only a minute to spare. I must say, that was one of the most stressful challenges in my life.

Being part of the Humber OCMC is an experience I will not soon forget. The best experience is working as a team with a mentor guiding us through the preparation phase. OCMC has provided us with the greatest opportunity to better our presenting skills with personal feedback from Christine McCaw. We had the opportunity to have Susan Typert from Black Cat come and speak to us. She is an excellent speaker and gave some advice on how to make an excellent presentation. Lastly, by being part of the OCMC we were invited to attend the IAB MIXX event and gained an enormous amount of knowledge about current Internet marketing trends.

The best part about OCMC is that this journey has just begun. I’m excited to see what the future holds for all of us. Whatever it is, I’m sure it will bring us closer to doing very well at the competition.

HUMBER OCMC FOR THE WIN!

Why YOU should participate in OCMC

As I said a few weeks ago I was skeptical about participating in OCMC but it ended up being one of the most rewarding and influential experiences of my time here at Humber. So I thought it was important to explain why others should participate in OCMC and the overall benefits of the competition and the preparation.

Presentation Skills
Everyone at one point or another is nervous to make presentations. One huge benefit of OCMC is that presentations is all you do from DAY ONE! Presentations about yourself, mini cases  and anything that will help make you less nervous on presentation day. OCMC really prepares you to practice, practice, practice so you can have a feeling of what the experience will be on the day of competition.

Networking
The OCMC coaches are a wealth of advice, knowledge and contacts. Participants become very close with their coaches and ask for advice, references and learn so much more about the marketing industry all from members of the faculty that generously volunteer their time.
The event itself also offers a great opportunity for networking. In 2012 there was a marketplace featuring both universities and employers and a small job fair which even got some participants interviews and subsequently jobs.

Friends
OCMC is a great opportunity to meet people you may never have had the opportunity to meet in any other situation. Both the members of the OCMC team and even participants from other colleges are people that you will be able to call your friends when the competition has come to a close.

-Rachel

What I learned from OCMC

To be honest when I was approached about OCMC during the winter semester of 2012 I was hesitant to try out. I thought it would be fun but I was not confident in my presentation skills and wasn't sure what impact the commitment would have on my school work, job and social life. But after trying out, being enrolled in the course, preparing and finally participating in the event I can safely say that OCMC had a positive effect on all aspects of my life. I learned more about myself and my amazing teammates over the past 4 months then in my past 10 years of post secondary education.

My schoolwork
OCMC only improved my schoolwork and my drive to do well. The ability to make a PowerPoint presentation in 30 minutes and think logically about a problem can be applied to any subject. I can honestly say that I will never be nervous to make another presentation because of all the practice, support and encouragement and feedback that I received over the entire OCMC experience from my classmates, faculty and judges.

My job
OCMC was my job for the past four months both literally and figuratively. Since the semester began I have been responsible for the management of all the social media elements for Humber OCMC. I am the voice behind this blog, Facebook and Twitter. It has been an absolute privilege to get to spend the last four months telling the Humber community and people from all different parts of the world about OCMC and the amazing experience we had competing for Humber.

My personal life
I never imagined that a school course and such an intense competition could change my personal life so much. Who knew that sticking 20 people in a classroom and telling them they had to learn how to make a PowerPoint presentation in 30 minutes and present a case to a panel of judges would make a family. My teammates and the coaches are my Humber family. Thank you all for your hard work, constant encouragement, help, support and ability to be silly. I love you all.

-Rachel