Aurora Ask Bjaarstad
Aurora is a talented young woman who loves skiing, dancing, travelling, and cultures. As a young girl, her family would travel to different places every summer. She had the opportunity to spend her summers in France, Spain, Italy, Britain, and the US. In high school, she did a one-year exchange in Madrid, where she lived with a Spanish host family and learned Spanish. From that moment, she fell in love with Madrid and wanted to complete her higher education in Spain. Later, she began studying at IE and loved the experience of connecting with and getting to know different cultures every day. She loves to express herself creatively and enjoys finding creative solutions to problems.
At IE, she gained valuable experience from three internships. At Amvos Digital, she learned how companies sell their products through Amazon. At Vector ITC, she gained valuable experience with Facebook Ads and SEM strategy, including Google Adwords. When interning at Clarins, she travelled to Paris and learned about e-learning and Learning Management Systems to improve internal communication. She continued to build this knowledge in her bachelor thesis by preparing a communication plan for a potential new product line for Clarins. The aim of the project was to engage a new customer group for the company.
Recently, she graduated from the Master in Visual and Digital Media from IE HST. Now, works at Videocation in Oslo, Norway. Videocateion is a fully digital publisher that develops and publishes online courses for the Norwegian corporate and retail market.
"Always be yourself, believe in yourself, do not talk yourself down and smile!"
Q&A WITH AURORA
Could you tell us about the application process and your role at Videocation?
Videocation is a fully digital publisher that develops and publishes online courses for the Norwegian corporate and retail market. I sent them a message on the chat section on their website and asked if it was possible to send an open application. I got an answer with an email quickly and sent my CV. A few days later I got an email where they explained that there was a position available. I had a call with them and spoke to the Senior Content Producer, Marianne Bjørnbakk. She briefly explained the company and I told her about myself and my education at IE. The meeting was very brief, and there were practically no more questions from her side. Some days later I got an email with an offer. My role now is content producer. I greet the experts and film them in our studio. Then, I edit these videos in Premier Pro and upload them to our platform. I love meeting new and knowledgeable people every week and working with exciting companies to provide specialized courses for them. I also get to learn a lot since Videocation has courses in everything from Google Ads to User Experience. Never stop learning!
How did your experience at IEU prepare you for your professional career?
My experience at IE prepared me so well for my professional career and I am forever grateful. I learned so much at IE about business, innovation, marketing, and people. I know and understand everything my colleagues at work are discussing in my field, be it marketing, digital marketing, content production, how to behave, and the list goes on. All that I learned through the courses at IE have prepared me, especially since IE focuses on practicality. Learn by doing! Having had the opportunity to study with so many different people and working in teams has prepared me for anything. It has prepared me to be open and take on new challenges. The broad spectrum of knowledge I earned at IE really made me advance in so many fields.
What is the competitive advantage that studying at IEU provides or has provided you?
Knowledge about more than just a specific field. Studying at IE has provided me with the knowledge of working with different people, closely, in teams on and offline. I now feel that I know much more than others because IE thought me everything about innovation, business, communication, and creative campaigns. Indeed, I have the practical skills, which most other universities do not teach.
Do you have any advice for IEU students and alumni who are looking to pursue a career in your field?
My advice to IEU students and alumni is that they should find a company that matches their experience and interests. Sending applications focusing on your specific interests and showing your passion for it in a proper way will get you far. It is important to spend time on the cover letter and adapt it to the company. Also, always be yourself, believe in yourself, do not talk yourself down and smile! I also must add – do not give up! I applied to many jobs before getting hired. I had several interviews that did not work out. It is smart to practice before you go into an interview. Also, it could be helpful to have a portfolio website where you show your work. Continue posting whatever you produce or create so people can see the skills you have.
What skills do you consider are needed to succeed in your field?
The person should have skills such as creativity, emotional intelligence, teamwork skills, communication, problem solving, confidence, perseverance, and knowledge of the production process including generally knowing how the camera works (you don’t need to be an expert), how creative and commercial work functions from the beginning till the very end.
Tell us about the IEU alumni community and the impact they have had in your life and/or career.
I very much enjoyed going to IE. I have met so many different people from all over the world. I felt that IE became my home. I am prepared to work with any kind of person from all around the globe and of all kinds of personalities. Also, it has opened me and made me able to understand others better. I love it and will always miss going to IE. Learning about new cultures and countries was a part of my everyday life. It has made me an even more open person when it comes to working with others. I think that if everyone went to IE, the world would be a much better place.
What skills would you recommend job seekers develop in order to make them more competitive in today’s workforce?
Emotional intelligence, perseverance, confidence (this is so important), public speaking, teamwork, the ability to think beyond, the ability to reinvent and innovate, adaptability, communication, and leadership.
What’s the best career advice you have ever been given?
Don’t be the smartest one in the room!
If someone was considering going to IEU, what would you tell them?
Go. It is really a different experience and so worth it. You will meet people from all over the world, have tons of fun and enjoy several practical, fun, and innovative events. You will make friends for life, have a great learning experiences, and be prepared for your professional lives, and you will have the opportunity to choose from many different job positions.
Why did you choose the BCDM & MVDM programs at IE University?
I had communication as an optional course at my high school in Norway and did very well, I really enjoyed the subject. I was looking for a program where I could unfold myself creatively, and learn about communication, innovation, and business. I wanted to study at IE because I was attracted to the design on their website, and modern philosophy the university employed. IE is a place where every culture is included and appreciated, and where the world unites
I also chose the master’s in visual and Digital Media because I fell in love with IE and its community and the creative, digital, and innovation-focused master was a perfect ending to my bachelor years.
What is one thing you wished you knew, when you were a student?
I wished I knew that the time goes much faster than it seems, so that I could have even more taken the advantage of the extracurricular activities at IE and spent even more time with the people there.