On November 19, approximately 230 UTM students attended an event called How to Market Yourself. The event was held by DECA, an international association of high school and college students studying marketing and management.
Guest speakers Vinny Verma and Rup Jolly, who work as business development managers for XCINO, an IT company catering to small and medium-sized businesses, each gave a 35-minute presentation. Verma lectured on the challenges facing generation Y students in the marketplace, while Jolly spoke about how to deliver a successful elevator pitch.
Vermas presentation was structured around the problems many students face in the job market after leaving university, one of them being a lack of experience. Verma divulged his experiences regarding these problems and gave advice on how students can overcome them.
According to Jolly, an individual pitches an idea to an investor in the time it takes to ride an elevator during an elevator pitch. It is an extremely brief presentation designed to capture the interest of an investor. While an elevator pitch is typically meant for entrepreneurs looking for an investment, the concept, Jolly explained, can be applied to many situations, from job interviews to getting a date.
Although the event was open to all students, it was also intended to help educate DECA members on how to succeed during their competitions, which are scheduled to occur in January. The competitions are primarily situated around sales and marketing.
Only in its first year at UTM, DECA has already attracted 50 members. It is scheduled to hold more events soon.
Congradulations Verma and Jolly on sharing some good knowledge to future leaders.