Her Story
About Usra
I've been working in the advertising and marketing industry for over 8 years, with my journey beginning outside the United States before coming here 2 years ago. My career has been incredibly diverse, giving me opportunities to experiment with different aspects of the field and polish my skills - every day is different. I started with a bachelor's degree in filmmaking and film and TV production, then spent 5 years working professionally on the post-production and production side of the media industry, focusing on ads and commercials. After that, I pursued my master's degree in advertising from Zabbis in my home country, a two-year program that helped me expand my skills and knowledge. One of my proudest professional achievements was winning a competitive pitch to work with the Facebook Singapore team itself. My colleague and I were just two people working on this pitch from scratch, developing the ideas and creative strategies, competing against multiple advertising agencies and teams. We won that pitch and ran a test campaign for Facebook to promote the Facebook Blueprint certification course in a specific market. My typical day involves listing out tasks and meetings, then doing research and exploring trends in my field to stay on top of what's happening. Some days are very catchy and happening, while others are more routine. The industry is amazing and energetic, but it comes with challenges - every day there's something new, whether it's new trends, new technology, or new features on social media platforms like TikTok. With AI being incorporated into every aspect of the industry, it can be challenging to keep up with everything, and sometimes the overload of information can be overwhelming. But I believe in staying consistent, keeping myself motivated, and never stopping learning.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Usra
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Don't stop learning. Whether it's a small thing or anything, just try to learn something every day in your career and in your industry. Just keep learning and don't stop. That's the advice that has stuck with me and guided my professional journey.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
This industry is very, very amazing and energetic, so you have to be very consistent in what you are doing. One day you will achieve something, but never stop doing something, and always keep yourself motivated. The key is consistency and maintaining that motivation even when things get challenging.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Every day there's something new happening in the industry - new trends, new technology - and the challenge is that you cannot always keep up with everything. With AI being incorporated into every aspect of the industry, it's challenging to stay current with every trend and technology day by day. You have to be very aware of everything, from new features coming in social media ads to platforms like TikTok. Sometimes it gets challenging with the overload of information, and you're not always motivated enough to catch on to something new. But staying aware and keeping up with these changes is essential in this field.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
In my personal life, I always, always respect everyone. I don't care who the next person is - the first impression should always be that I'm respecting everyone. That same value carries into my professional life as well. No work is small or big - I always value my work, give it time, and believe in being very transparent and honest in everything I do.
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