What We Learned at the 1stFive Intern Reception -- Sara Dreibelbis

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Cover image for  article: What We Learned at the 1stFive Intern Reception -- Sara Dreibelbis

On July 23 more than 300 members of the 1stFive community filled the offices of OMD North America headquarters for the organization's second annual summer intern reception, hosted by OMD CEO U.S.A. Monica Karo. The event kicked off with a keynote from Kay Koplovitz, Founder of USA Network and Chairman of Springboard Enterprises, followed by breakout sessions led by David Moore, Chairman of Xaxis and President of WPP Digital; Anne Hubert, Senior Vice President of Scratch at Viacom; Katherine Shappley, Head of U.S. Agency at Facebook, and Sydney Fulkerson, Marketing Manager at IMC and author of "The Coffee Run."

In Part Three of this five-part series, attendee Sara Dreibelbis reveals what she learned from David Moore (pictured above).

Rows of desks fill a massive office as hundreds of file clerks bustle away at the day's work. As the clock's stiff hands approach 4 p.m., the rustling of papers grows louder with workers packing up to go. At the stroke of 4:00 there is a stampede out the door.

While others rush out, one young worker stays behind. After the crowd has trickled away, he packs up his things to leave. Those few extra seconds he stays are enough to set him apart as a worker of "outstanding caliber" and to create a work ethic that carries him through an impressive media career.

That file clerk is David Moore, now Chairman of Xaxis and President of WPP Digital. "When you look at what it takes to just give a little more effort, a little bit more to differentiate yourself from the rest, it's not that hard,"he told us. "It really isn't." With over 35 years in the industry, he has taken part in some of the greatest shifts in media history.

The first step to success is finding a passion, Moore advised. Next, he suggests picking 25 favorite companies in the industry, then making connections within those companies, showing initiative until a job opens. "Whatever it is that you love, you decide, and then you go after it," he said. "You move with courage, passion, your heart and soul."

He also said having an impressive resume isn't enough, calling human resources "the black hole for the resume." Instead, Moore emphasized fostering relationships, getting referrals and having a "do it now" attitude that attracts employers by showing value and motivation.

Moore's biggest advice to young professionals: Do great work. "Work fills such a large part of your life," he explained. "The only way you can be satisfied with your life is to do great work; and the only way to do great work is really to love what you do."

Once that passion is in place, all it takes is the confidence to find success. "Trust yourself," Moore concluded. "Who and what you want to be, only you know that deep down. And only you have the ability to make it happen."

Sara Dreibelbis is a recent graduate of Ball State University currently working in documentary and non-fiction television production in New York Citythanks to an internship with Part2 Pictures through IRTS. She is passionate about storytelling and using media to inform, entertain and ignite conversations across a variety of platforms.

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