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My journey to Middle

My name is Penelope, and I’m Middle’s newest social media manager. As I’ve been here for a month (already!), it is time for me to introduce myself.

Parents decide, but the ambition is elsewhere

I come from far, far away, and it is not ironic. I am from Tahiti, in French Polynesia and moved to Montreal in 2017. Since the end of high school, I wanted to be a film student, but my parents did not agree. They wanted me to become an engineer, so I did a bachelor’s degree in chemistry at UQAM, and I graduated in 2020.

From the second year, I was trying to convince myself I would be a lab rat, but I felt I could not for the rest of my life. Waiting on a stool, for 4 hours, for false results to appear and having to redo it and wait… It was not the job I dreamed of. Once I graduated, my parents let me choose what I wanted to study: so I sent my application to a film school.

The dream falls apart, but new opportunities arise

You would guess that if I am not giving a speech about one of my next films, it means my journey in cinema was not a successful one. It actually never started. My application was rejected, which caused me many tears.

My second choice was a certificate in communication. I told myself that I could discover the field in a more general way without definitely closing doors to cinema. I loved the program: communication is the field that suits me. So I decided to continue with certificates in Communications and I am now in my last semester.

Eager to enter the job market

After my second certificate and 5 years of studies, I was ready and excited to work in communication, moving from theory to practice.

I was so excited that I did not wait until the summer of 2022 to find an internship. I did my first internship in a talent management agency, but I wanted something closer to communication. However, my applications kept being rejected because of my lack of experience in the field. 

Disappointed but determined, I played my last card to find something for the next semester with spontaneous applications.

Middle trusted me!

After being ghosted several times, many refusals, an emotional roller coaster and false hopes from many communication agencies, I started to doubt my legitimacy in this field and tell myself my parents were probably right to see me as an engineer. 

One day, I got an email from Joanie at Agence Middle, a digital marketing agency with a unicorn as a logo. She asked me to do a test. I did it, but because of my lack of confidence in my writing skills, I did not expect to be selected. 

But I did! And I got an appointment for an interview in person. When I arrived in the office, a cute dog jumped on me, I saw girls with slippers laughing. The interview went very well and the girls reassured me that my lack of experience was not a problem. After 72 hours, the verdict is in, I am hired! I was very happy and relieved that an agency finally trusted me! And here I am today at Middle, writing this blog post.

Middle allowed me to get a foot in the job market and learn more about marketing. Thank you Middle!

Penelope

Social Media Manager

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