Fioline Oetomo (2018) : Pioneering Excellence Through Opportunity

Fioline Oetomo, a Santa Maria College alumna from the Class of 2018, stands as a testament to the significance of self-belief. Recognising her creative spark at the age of 15, Fioline chose not to suppress it. Instead, she seized every opportunity to showcase her skills, ultimately securing a position in a Perth-based media company with global connections.

 In this blog, she shares her insights on winning multiple accolades, gives us a glimpse into the daily routine of a Creative Accounts Manager, and explores the positive outcomes that can emerge from embracing the unforeseen.

Santa Maria College Days

During her time at Santa Maria, Fioline served as Media Captain, an unforgettable experience that allowed her to engage with various aspects of the school. She thoroughly enjoyed capturing moments of school-wide events such as Mercy Day and the Athletics Carnival, designing posters for various co-curricular groups, and heading the media groups; Pubbles and the AV Team. The role of Media Captain allowed her to collaborate with the various facets of the College experience.

Her most cherished memory, however, remains the honour of curating the year end video for her cohort. This project depicted the unforgettable memories forged during the students’ time at the College. Consistently taking out her camera to film special moments, Fioline dedicated almost a year to produce a comprehensive documentary, capturing the essence of a Santa Maria student’s journey. The immense gratification came when she witnessed the heartfelt reception of the video by her cohort and their families during the graduation dinner.

Though faced with the intricate task of balancing the responsibilities of the Media Captain role alongside her studies, Fioline navigated through this period with remarkable grace. The entire experience not only presented its share of challenges but also emerged as a profoundly rewarding chapter in her College journey. This period not only enhanced her professional skills but also made a significant contribution to the College community, standing out as a highlight of her academic and personal growth.

Academic Achievements

In Year 12, Fioline was honoured with both the Principal’s Award and the Award for Academic Excellence. Reflecting on the experience, she shares, “Shocked would be the best way to describe the emotions that coursed through me when I was announced as the recipient for the Principal’s Award, as there was no prior inkling that I would ever have been considered for the award. However, achieving this recognition has truly been the greatest honour as a Santa Maria student and continues to be something I am very much proud of until this day.”

Achieving the Academic Excellence Award was also very rewarding for Fioline as it served as a testament to the time and effort she had put into her studies throughout the year. Truth be told, between balancing school co-curriculars, after school commitments, and her role as Media Captain, Fioline was worried that her academic standing would have been impacted. The challenges of balancing all her commitments and still being able to maintain a high degree of academic excellence, though quite a challenging experience, was most definitely a fulfilling one.

Advice for Students

Fioline is a big believer in effective time management and knowing your limits. She says, “I have realised that when I become overwhelmed and stressed, pushing myself to keep going doesn’t necessarily result in much progress. Therefore, it’s crucial to take breaks and prioritize time for oneself, as well as to spend quality moments with friends and family, even amidst a busy schedule. Maintaining a healthy state of mind is paramount to achieving success.

However, this does not mean that co-curricular activities of interest should be compromised as they may open doors and opportunities for yourself in the future. She shares, “I know I wouldn’t have been Media Captain in 2019 and where I am today if I hadn’t entertained that little spark inside me to just start taking photos back when I was 15.”

Post High School Pursuits 

After graduating, Fioline pursued a four year double degree in Creative Media and Communications, specialising in Graphic Design and Strategic Communication at Murdoch University.

In her first year of study, a family friend approached her to assist in managing the social media profile of their small restaurant. Despite acknowledging her lack of prior experience in content creation and management, Fioline seized the opportunity, learning through trial and error until she mastered the role.

Subsequently, she extended her freelance services to two additional small restaurant businesses before successfully pitching her expertise to her current employer, Iceberg Media. Securing a freelance contract with the company, she demonstrated her multifaceted skills, leading to an offer for a part-time position while completing her studies.

Through her freelancing experiences and role at Iceberg Media, Fioline discovered her passion for content creation, which seamlessly complemented her interest in marketing. This passion revolves around the transformative power of shaping thoughts and ideas into compelling stories, visuals, or messages that resonate with audiences across various mediums.

Gaining Industry Experience 

Fioline’s invaluable advice for aspiring young graduates entering the communications and creative industry: prioritise networking. She underscores the importance of remaining open to new opportunities, even if they initially seem unappealing, and advocates for a mindset of continual improvement, urging individuals to strive and surpass the achievements of the previous day.

For those still navigating their university careers, she strongly encourages the pursuit of as many practical experiences as possible. Many universities offer internship units, providing students with a chance to gain firsthand experience and insights into the industry’s work lifestyle, aligning with current job market demands. If formal internships are not feasible, she suggests proactively putting oneself out there by reaching out to agencies and clients in the desired field and industry, advocating for oneself, and learning from those experiences.

Fioline (Back row, first to the left) and the Iceberg Media team

Embracing the Unforeseen 

Fioline attributes the highlight of her university career to the transformative 2022 New Colombo Grant Program, which she embraced as part of a university unit. This opportunity propelled her and a dynamic design team to the scenic landscapes of Lombok, Indonesia, where they collaborated on Project Hiu. Dedicated to promoting ecotourism over the perilous and environmentally detrimental shark fishing trade, Project Hiu aimed to reshape the community’s economic prospects.

Rather than immediately stepping into full-time employment post-graduation, this life-altering experience motivated Fioline to return to her studies. She embarked on a journey pursuing a Graduate Diploma in Design Thinking and Service Innovation, driven by the desire to continue contributing to Project Hiu and crafting a service system that would enhance the quality of life for Maringkik Island residents. The project, marked by its challenges and incredible rewards, culminated in a comprehensive 600+ page case study outlining strategies to uplift the islanders’ livelihoods.

Another notable highlight in Fioline’s journey involves her internship at DrawHistory, “a social impact agency utilising brand, design, communications, and research to pioneer new initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region.” During this period, she honed valuable design skills and deepened her understanding of the industry. Reflecting on this experience, Fioline describes it as eye-opening and considers it an honour to have witnessed and contributed to impactful design projects.

One of Fioline’s challenges was navigating the demanding balance of her commitments. Juggling full-time studies, part-time work, internship experiences, and other responsibilities often came at the expense of a full night’s sleep. She acknowledges experiencing burnout and a limited social life while completing her intensive undergraduate degree and a one-year diploma.

Despite these challenges, Fioline’s university journey was immensely fulfilling, providing her with opportunities to engage in eye-opening experiences and acquire the professional skills crucial in today’s competitive creative industry.

Fioline (second row to the left) and the Project Hiu design team in Lombok.

A Day in the Life – Creative Accounts Manager

Fioline’s daily routine is a dynamic mix of diverse tasks and responsibilities. From conducting client onboarding consultations to engaging in content creation, project pitching, and quoting, her role encompasses a wide array of activities. Mornings often involve online meetings with clients, focusing on potential content strategies and planning content briefs. Afternoons are dedicated to photo editing from recent shoots and scheduling posts for in-house marketing efforts.

Additionally, her responsibilities extend to backend workflow maintenance and various graphic design projects. Fioline’s versatility shines through as she tackles tasks such as taking corporate headshots, curating marketing image libraries, and attending in-person meetings with clients to discuss upcoming projects.

On some days, she transitions to an off-site role as the lead wedding photographer for Weddings by Iceberg, a service offered by Iceberg Media. This entails full-day wedding coverage on-site or spending office hours editing and delivering photos to clients. Each day presents a unique blend of challenges and opportunities, showcasing Fioline’s multifaceted skill set and adaptability in her role.

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence Within the Marketing Industry

Fioline has witnessed firsthand the rapid introduction and transformation of the Marketing and Content Creation industry, particularly in automation and prompt generation. She anticipates that it will speed up the process of tasks such as researching, copywriting, and design content generation. However, she believes that this software comes at the cost of genuine authenticity in marketing strategies and outputs, fearing they will become too machine-influenced. She shares, “Its over-reliance could really sterilise the marketing industry as it no longer relies on genuine human creativity and connection.”

Getting to know Fioline Better:

When Fioline isn’t at wedding shoots, you can find her spending some precious time with family and friends over a meal, and catching up on her musical hobbies. She answers some of our quick facts below:

  •  Favourite Food? Definitely would be Japanese Food though I am a big sucker for brunch too.
  • Favourite place to travel to? Due to the pandemic, I have only been able to return to my home, Indonesia, however, I would love to travel to Japan someday.
  • Are you a book, movie, or television series type of person? I’m not much of either since I do not have much free time, so I am more of a short-form social media content for entertainment type of person as it doesn’t require much time commitment and can be done on the go.
  • What is one thing on your bucket list that you hope to achieve in 2024? If there is one thing I hope to achieve, it would be to plan a trip or travel more as I haven’t had the opportunity to do so in the past few years.

 

We express our gratitude to Fioline for her valuable contributions to our blog. Her unwavering commitment to excellence and keen ability to seize opportunities are truly remarkable examples, and we wish her the best on her career journey.

  • alumni, Featured

Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation.  Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world.  Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD.  We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.

Request Enrolment Pack
Book a Tour
Scroll to Top