Niwah Visser

Niwah Visser thought she wanted a career in event management after she graduated.

“I did land a junior event coordinator position with one of Canada’s foremost event management companies. However, within the first three weeks, I realized that it wasn't what I wanted,” says Niwah. “I wanted to follow a more creative line of work, but I would have stayed had it not been for a very unprofessional boss. It was a very dysfunctional environment. It was enough to make me want to leave and pursue what I am really passionate about—photography.”

Niwah says one must be willing to work long hours in the events management business.

“It’s definitely not a nine-to-five job. You must also be detail-oriented and organized,” she says. “Looking back, I think one of the most tangible rewards of the job was that I got to use my photography in one of the big events and got to do some graphic design work. I saw firsthand how a small business is run.”

Niwah began her job search after graduation, starting with print ads and with online job search engines.

“After much frustration, I read a book called ‘What Color Is Your Parachute?’ and found that my skills aligned with events management. I also visited a career councilor at UTM who was extremely helpful. I also conducted information interviews with event management presidents and vice presidents,” says Niwah,

“I think hiring managers like when you take initiative and approach them instead of going the traditional route of applying for jobs. Information interviews are like interviews, except you’re in control. It's a great way to see the company and meet people. It was a very fun way to look for a job. I got to know a lot of key members within the industry and by the time I made my way to my eventual boss, I already knew a lot of her friends in the industry. One of her friends that I interviewed with even gave me a recommendation.”

Niwah wouldn’t have done anything differently in terms of her studies.

“I studied what I loved and don’t regret it,” she says. “In terms of my career path, I wish I would have listened to my gut and went for something more creative. But in any case, I still learned a lot from my last job experience and now know what I really want.”