Ann Hiiemaa: Success is preceded by years of failure

META Advisory partner and marcom team lead Ann Hiiemaa shared valuable tips earlier this year on how students can secure internships. Now, the conversation has expanded to cover broader topics such as the job market, personal branding, and the importance of courage in one’s career. The interview was originally published on the TULI portal.

I’ve had several experiences where I wanted to get a job at a cool agency, but they preferred people who had already worked at an agency before. Do you have any ideas on how to get your foot in the door?

Fortunately, many agencies today have internship programs. We have METAIQ, from which we recruit at least two strong interns each year. The easiest way to break into an agency is to demonstrate your capabilities and skills during the internship period.

Of course, many young people apply for internship programs today. Those who stand out in the application process are those who have made somewhat different choices in their lives—studying abroad, helping a friend’s company create social media content, building a personal brand on LinkedIn, or writing a blog, for example.

Those who step out of their comfort zone, differentiate themselves, and do something more than everyone else are the ones who stand out. Most importantly, it shows that the person has the ability to think creatively and to implement their ideas.

In marketing, there’s generally a fierce competition even among experienced professionals. How can a fresh and young person make themselves noticeable in such an environment?

Every generation has its strengths. At META Advisory, we’ve talked a lot about Generation Z and Alpha, and we’ve realized that if a representative of these generations can, for example, tell their story on LinkedIn or TikTok, or explain how to reach young people as a brand, it’s a huge added value.

Practical skills on how to engage peers and specific segments are certainly a significant advantage when applying for various marketing roles. As an employer, I understand that a young person can use certain digital platforms in a way that captivates their peers, and in turn, they can leverage their strengths.

In winter, you shared tips on our portal on how to secure an internship. Tell us, how did you get your first professional job, and did you have to work hard for it? Did your prior internship help?

My first professional internship was at Postimees’ sports department, where I also managed to get a job right away. I think I stood out with my persistence—if I didn’t get a response the first time, I wrote three more times.

I had previously written articles for a regional newspaper and thought I had practiced a lot, but when I went to the newsroom and wrote my first article, a colleague grabbed their head and exclaimed that the paper was just a pile of bricks that needed to be built into a house.

At first, the initial experiences and criticism seem very scary. Looking back, you can’t replace them with anything, and the prerequisite for future successes is that you’ve learned enough from your failures.

No matter how talented you are, none of us can write a perfect article or communication strategy the first time. It takes years of failures and tolerating imperfections before successes start coming.

I’ve seen on social media how young people discuss that it’s difficult to find a job in their field. I’ve even written to some companies asking if they could offer me an internship or job shadowing opportunity to gain experience. Could such “offering yourself” create a negative image instead?

Definitely not. Applying for a job should be seen as a win-win situation. Before sending your CV, you should ask yourself, what benefit could this particular company gain from hiring me? How could I support the company, for example, with digital marketing, reaching Generation Z, influencer marketing, or something else? Talented people who can see opportunities are likely welcomed in any company.

It’s important to think through the content of the letter and approach it strategically. Just sending a CV and cold calling probably won’t bring results. The timing is also worth considering—in terms of differentiation, I recommend writing to agencies at the beginning of the year. In the spring and summer, when everyone starts looking for internships and jobs, inboxes might be flooded with such letters. It’s good to get ahead of that train.

Today, you don’t always have to send a CV; there are other channels to reach employers, such as LinkedIn, where you can stand out with strong content and get to interviews even before the competition is announced.

I wanted to talk a bit more about personal branding. As an employer, do you look only at a young person’s LinkedIn profile before an interview, or do other social media accounts sometimes catch your eye? Can you give some tips or keywords on how to build a memorable and interesting personal brand that is attractive to employers?

LinkedIn is the main platform, but sometimes I’ve looked at other social media accounts as well. A young person is still building their network, but when hiring someone who will also handle visual execution in addition to messaging, an Instagram profile can often show their style and skills. Even if a person doesn’t treat their personal social media account as equally important as their work, it still gives us an indication, for example, of their visual vision.

Often, personal branding is thought to be something artificial that needs to be built and created on social media channels. It’s about who you really are, what your strengths are, and what you want to convey. But you need to find a balance between authenticity and, to some extent, common sense. If you worked as a waiter in a restaurant over the summer and publicly criticize your employer or, worse, the customers on your public account—no matter how good your technical skills are, why would anyone want you on their team?

When creating a public image—your personal brand—a simple barrier often arises. It’s the fear of putting yourself out there. We always think, who am I to say anything, and what will others think? I’ve noticed this especially among young women, who often experience imposter syndrome.

I’ve suffered from it too, and it wasn’t until my thirties that I started to come out of it. Before that, I felt paralyzing fear of speaking up in meetings or expressing my opinion out loud, but by taking small steps every day, it’s possible to overcome it. However, it’s a rather long and painful process.

I think quite a few people might have recognized themselves in your story just now. Could you share with young people what the first steps might be to reduce their fears?

I believe that experience plays a crucial role. After finishing my master’s degree in Denmark, I sent out over a hundred CVs to get a job somewhere. Then I went to so many job interviews that I eventually started to genuinely enjoy them.

At first, I was shaking like a leaf in interviews, but I quickly realized that generally, 99% of the questions in job interviews are the same, which gives you the opportunity to do your homework and feel more confident. A very simple secret weapon for overcoming insecurity is preparation. The more thoroughly you’ve prepared, the more confident you’ll feel.

Is it possible to overdo it with experience in a CV? As a young person, it feels like every little project or experience should be included to show what you’ve done, but can it be too much?

I’ve generally noticed that people include their summer jobs from their youth in their CVs. If you’re applying for a job at an agency, for example, as a digital marketing specialist, it’s not as important to me that you worked as a waiter in a café when you were 14. Instead, you can highlight any volunteer work experience when applying. The fact that you’ve been a member of an organization or done more than your peers is a very good sign.

The CV should be neat, structured, and in correct language, but even more important is the person who comes to interview with me—their energy and attitude. Are they seemingly positive, or do I sense that they would rather be anywhere else but where they are at the moment?

The best thing is to be yourself and as honest and transparent as possible, even about your mistakes. It’s very refreshing. The worst thing is to talk in a job interview about who you would like to be, rather than who you really are. The same goes for the employer—it’s important for both sides to be honest and transparent.

More and more, it’s being said that the traditional education path of primary school-high school-bachelor’s degree may no longer be the ideal that’s needed in every field on the job market. How is it in marketing? Can continuous self-education and practical experience be an equal opponent to a university degree?

An academic degree shows the employer that the person has been able to start something and also finish it. They have enough perseverance and ambition to achieve their goals. I personally value highly those who have done a year abroad or studied longer at a foreign university. It indicates that the person dares to step out of their comfort zone and stand out. Of course, it’s not financially possible for everyone, but it does give some indication.

At the same time, only having an academic degree may no longer give a significant advantage on the job market. Most of the candidates who apply to us have a university degree from strong universities, and it’s not a differentiating factor, but rather basic hygiene.

What’s becoming increasingly important is adaptability, curiosity, and a constant desire to grow, because the world is changing so fast. That’s why companies need to have representatives from multiple generations working together to bring the strengths of different generations to the table and to reach all target groups.

Is there something you, as an employer, look for and expect in a good employee?

In a communication agency where strong writing skills are crucial, we see more and more that young people have difficulty writing in Estonian. Here, one downside of studying at a foreign university comes to light. Young people express themselves excellently in English, but writing in beautiful Estonian often poses challenges.

Work at an agency can often be quite general, but it’s increasingly important that people have specific interests that help support the sales of different products and services. Individuals who are curious, stay updated on trends, can make connections, and have strong critical thinking skills are likely to be highly valued at any agency.

I know people in marketing who can be described as “jack-of-all-trades”—they do everything that needs to be done. At the same time, I’ve also heard recommendations to choose a specific area and stick to it. What do you think—is there a shortage of young specialists, or do you expect more flexibility?

It’s a difficult question because different positions naturally have different requirements. Personally, I look for analytical skills and critical thinking in an employee. I want someone who can see details and draw conclusions and connections from them. Everything else can be learned, and you can develop your specialty over time, but for someone who lacks critical thinking skills, working in an agency can be challenging.

What are your final thoughts and recommendations for job seekers?

I currently have several friends and acquaintances who are making a career change, and they also receive very few responses from potential employers. It can sometimes feel like a matter of luck. Your competing candidate might simply have a stronger profile and more experience at that moment, but you should never take this personally.

I recommend gaining experience through pro bono projects, continuing to learn, grow, read, and build your network. Ultimately, it’s important to stand out, differentiate yourself, and make connections. I also suggest applying annually to the META IQ program, which will start accepting new candidates in March 2025.