Talented PR practitioner Kosta Petrov gave career and life advice to students. He talked about his various experiences, his life lessons and the key skill of adaptability in the workplace.
Here are five key takeaways:
#1: Take advantage of as many opportunities as you can.
Kosta has worked as an event planner in Dubai, dealt with the 2008 recession, moved back home, started a new business, worked in politics, etc.
He has taken the opportunities that have come his way and done his very best to be a success in all of them.
#2: Sometimes life doesn’t go the way you planned; just take a deep breath and tackle it head-on.
After working in Dubai for several years in his dream job, Kosta lost it because of the financial crisis in 2008.
He ended up moving back home, and he stated that he felt like a failure because he had wanted to be an international success.
However, moving back home helped give him the time to start a new business and eventually that business expanded internationally.
Taking “a step backwards” actually propelled him even further in his career. Going back home helped him strengthen his network, his skill set and confidence.
#3: At the end of the day, it is all about authenticity.
One thing about trying to find jobs and opportunities is that sometimes it seems like you’ll have to embellish or try very hard to make yourself look good.
However, authenticity is key.
People care more about who you are than what you do. What you do looks good on a resume but who you are determines partnerships.
Authenticity helps you build up a network of people who truly will support you and trust you.
It’s like a new twist on the adage: It’s not about what you do. It’s who knows you, and what they think about you.
#4: Think outside of your cultural norms and mindsets.
Being someone who is involved internationally, Kosta has worked in various countries on different projects. Each one has taught him a new part of the cultural norms.
For example, in Arabic countries, follow-up and approvals are key to success. However, in North American cultures, people don’t want you to follow up. They expect you to know they’ll honour their commitments.
It’s important to look at cultural context and keep it in mind when analyzing risk. Even though the world is internationally connected, each place has its quirks and ways of doing things.
#5: Imposter syndrome is just that, a syndrome.
One of the most fascinating stories Kosta told was about his interaction with Demi Moore.
He sat next to her at a dinner event and for an hour and a half, they talked about varying high-level topics. However, as soon as he asked her for a picture, she stopped talking to him.
It was at that moment that Kosta became a fan instead of someone who deserved to be at the table.
He said, “If you’re sitting at a table with Demi Moore, you’ve earned a place at the table.”
It was a good reminder that no matter how much you may feel like you don’t deserve to be somewhere, you do. If you have put in the work, then you deserve to be there.
This presentation by Kosta opened my eyes to the importance of authenticity over delivery.
So much of my life I have been told that it’s always about what I do.
Listening to Kosta, I have been reminded that it’s about what you do and how well you do it.
It’s important to keep your core values at the heart of all that you do and in the end, you will never fail if you stay true to that.