Back to School with Dawan Savage
By Chelsi Walsh
With back-to-school on the brain, students are in prep mode for their future careers. Many are planning for internships and wondering what options are available to them. We interviewed former VERB intern, now VERB employee, Dawan Savage, who is beginning his final year as a student at NSCC, to give his take on transitioning from college life into agency life. Here’s what he had to say:
Hello! Tell us your name and a little bit about yourself.
I’m Dawan Savage, a second-year IT programming student at NSCC and working in the analytics department at VERB.
What do you do at VERB as part of the Analytics team?
With VERB and the Analytics team, I do a lot of the data ingestion and data cleaning. I also create GA4 dashboards for clients and properties. It’s an exciting and big change. There’s a lot to learn at first.
How has working at VERB helped you prepare for your final year at school?
Working at VERB helped me prepare for my final year at school by exposing me to the industry and highlighting areas that I need to improve like documentation, note-taking, being more organized, and meeting deadlines.
What is your favourite part of agency life?
My favourite part of agency life is how fast it changes week to week and how it keeps me up to date with trends.
Do you have tips for students looking for internships this coming school year?
Put yourself out there. I think it’s more important to remember who you are and not what you’ve done in terms of experience. People are either going back to learn something new or changing their careers. Students won’t apply to a lot of positions because they don’t have the experience that matches the job posting. But the skills you learn in your past can traverse over into your new industry. You should focus on what you’ve done well in the past and apply it to the new stuff.
What’s your favourite, most interesting project you’ve worked on at VERB?
I’ve worked on lots of projects, but my favourite part from each project is the people that I’ve worked with. Not just the projects, but rather learning from others who have more experience than me. It gives you a completely different perspective.
What are your plans for the fall?
My plans for the fall are to go back to school and finish my last semester. I’m also continuing with VERB and the analytics team part-time so I’m excited to keep expanding my knowledge.
What are your hobbies and interests outside of school and work?
I like reading and writing. I like art, poetry, and finding old things like typewriters, fixing them up and using them. I also like film photography and using analog technologies. Hiking, exploring, and taking things easy!
Do you think those artistic hobbies also help your work?
I think it helps because when you’re creative there isn’t just one solution to things. In analytic work, there isn’t always one solution but you just use a different part of your brain. There’s always a solution. Sometimes, it’s about finding the best solution, but there is always a solution.
We’re wishing all students good luck as they head back into the classroom. If you’re thinking about future career options and internships, follow us on LinkedIn for application updates.
Chelsi Walsh is a Social Media Strategist with VERB Interactive — a leader in digital marketing, specializing in solutions for the travel and hospitality industry. Find out more at www.verbinteractive.com.
