Figuring out what you want to do for your career can be pretty daunting. I’m the first one to admit I had no clue what I wanted to do… it took me a while and a few jobs later to work out what I wanted to do.
I’m Pia, a Social Media Director working at an agency producing social advertising campaigns for global tech and entertainment brands. My path to my chosen career has been a long and windy one since my days studying Sociology at Durham University. Hopefully I can impart a little bit of wisdom I’ve learnt over the past 11 years.
📺 Watch the masterclass and Q&A recording
🔎 Look for her key TAKEAWAYS from each chapter of her career to see how you can apply the tips to your own job search.
Advice for grads looking for their first job
I didn’t really know what I wanted to do when I was at University. Everyone around me seemed to have such clear ideas of what they wanted to do and which grad schemes they were going to apply for, and I did not. I sort of landed on marketing, without any idea of what it actually was.
If I could go back, I’d try and do some more work experience during the summer holidays in different sectors, industries and roles. This will not only help you gain an idea of what you want to do, but will also show potential future employers you’re serious about your career path!
Career fairs are also a great resource to get chatting to different potential employers, and taste the water of what could be of interest.
So how did I get to where I am in my career today?
Social media is typically one of those things you accidentally fall into, and over the years you gradually work out your subject matter expertise (SME). I’ve had a varied number of roles in Social and Digital Marketing that have led me to where I am today. After almost 12 years in social, it’s only really been in the last 5 or so years I’ve really started to hone in on my SME.
TAKEAWAY:
- You don’t have to know exactly what you want to do straight out of uni, every job leads to something else and is good experience
- Be proactive in your own development – your career is in your hands!
Whilst studying University I began to take an interest in a career in marketing (although looking back I’m not sure I really knew what that entailed). Luckily I was already working, part time as a student, for a super supportive team in the Durham University Retail Office, and they ended up offering me a marketing and finance internship for the year after graduation. That role entailed running their social media accounts, managing the stock on the website, and being in charge of raising POs and paying invoices for the team.
TAKEAWAY:
- I’d been applying to grad jobs before this – without much luck if I’m honest. Looking back I wasn’t applying for the right things as I didn’t know what I wanted to do.
- I also applied to too many, which was quite stressful whilst working and studying. In hindsight I would have been more selective in what I invested my energy and time in.
As that came to an end, coincidentally a teammate went on maternity leave, so I was able to step up to Supervisor level for a year, running the retail teams in 5 onsite merchandise, food and gift shops, the online website and the marketing for all Durham University merchandise. The role was challenging as I was 22 managing people in their 50s with little experience!
When that came to an end I didn’t have anything lined up, so moved home to my mum’s in Norfolk. There I accepted a role for a local fire protection and prevention company, running their B2B marketing. The role wasn’t really right for me – but it did allow me to gain B2B marketing experience, alongside running slightly bigger social channels (including linkedin, which I hadn’t done before) and email marketing. I did also learn how to, and gained an accreditation in designing fire alarm systems (a random skill I love to boast about to this day!). I used this time to gain as much knowledge of social media as I could – paying for online courses to upskill myself.
TAKEAWAY:
- Seize every opportunity to learn something new
- Spend time taking social and digital marketing courses outside of work
- Start using LinkedIn to build your personal brand
I then accepted a role as Content Executive at Endsleigh Insurance (at the time they were the biggest student insurers) where I wrote content (blogs) for Students (and Landlords… see what I’m saying about varied). After a few months, the person in the social role left and I asked to take on responsibility for the social channels. Eventually the role expanded into Social and Digital and gave me experience in running social campaigns.
TAKEAWAY:
- During my interview they loved that I had taken on courses myself to get more experience
- I asked for the opportunity to step up
- I was proactive in setting up 121s with my manager
- I took a CIM in social media and content writing to increase my experience (a CIM is a marketing qualification from the Chartered Institute of Marketing)
After this came Vodafone UK, where I spent 5 amazing years honing my craft in social. This was the first time I’d taken on a fully social role, and I was so lucky to have an incredible and experienced team to learn from. My time at Vodafone was the most pivotal in my career. There I did a number of roles: Junior Community Manager (responding to non customer care related messages and building a community of Vodafone fans) Social Media Executive and eventually Social Media Manager. In the latter two roles I worked in high profile events, launching new products and propositions and eventually finding my SME in Paid Social Campaigns, with a specialism in sponsorships and partnerships. In my final few years there, I worked with big names like Lewis Hamilton and Emma Raducanu on multi-million pound social campaigns! I left with a heavy heart, knowing I’d learnt so much from my time there but needing to gain some new skills and experiences.
TAKEAWAY:
- During the interview I was confident and calm, asked lots of questions and let my personality shine through. Towards the end we covered a lot of personal stuff, which helped them know I was the right fit for the team culture
- Keep looking for opportunities to get new experience – I did a secondment into Vodafone youth brand VOXI, setting up their new social channels
- I asked to change roles and teams when I felt like I’d outgrown my roles – these sidesteps help with your career development
- Networking internally with the right people is key. I identified people in my team who could help me in my development and teach me things I didn’t know
And finally, I’m now here at Jellyfish, a digital marketing agency specialising in Paid Social creative. I took this role because I really wanted to be on the other side of the table – the agency side! I started as a Senior Social Media Manager and was quickly promoted to Director. Here I lead our Paid Social creative strategy and content production for a number of key clients like Google and Neftlix!
TAKEAWAY:
- I was headhunted through LinkedIn, which is super important in today’s job market
- I used the about me section of my CV to let my personality shine through and really made my achievements clear in the role, rather than just actions/responsibilities
- This interview was one of the best I’ve ever done (despite having COVID!). I was prepared, confident and asked loads of questions about culture, KPIs – your key performance indicators, a day in the role, and more
- I took a proactive approach to my development here – I asked to be put on the right projects to help my skills develop and have regular catch ups with my manager to discuss what training I need to do to progress
- I got a mentor and joined as a mentor to a mentee
- Keep using LinkedIn to shout out about the brilliant work me and the team deliver
FINAL TAKEAWAYS:
- It’s a cliche, but sometimes things just aren’t meant to be – and whilst not getting that “dream job” can feel soul crushing, something better will come along
- Be proactive in your self development (inside and outside of work), in your career development, and in your personal branding
- Remember to show off your personality and your passions
- Find what you love!
- Progress isn’t always linear – side steps happen and can be brilliant
Masterclass recording
Q&A:
How to make CVs stand out when applying for jobs?
Firstly try to keep CVs as concise and clear as possible, focusing on not only actions and responsibilities within the role but also any key achievements. This will help the applicant stand out from the crowd.
Keep it short! 2 pages maximum. Recruiters have so little time to scroll through CVs you really don’t want to overwhelm them with information, just the key highlights.
Lastly, make sure your personality shines through. I think this was one of the biggest mistakes I made earlier on in my career, where my CV showed no personality or passion. People hire people, so making sure your CV has a bit of personality shining through is a great way to make it stand out. You can often do this either via the design of the CV (if you’re arty and creative) or just through the “about me” section. Mine reads something like this:
Experienced Social Media Expert by day, dog mum, TikTok scroller, Yogi wannabe and pretend runner by night.
Specialising in creative social strategy, paid social creative production and influencer marketing, I am proud to have delivered a number of world firsts for Vodafone UK, including the Webby and LOVIE award winning “World’s first 5G duet” with Lewis Hamilton.
Most recently working within a creative production team, as a Social Director delivering outstanding paid and owned social campaigns for global tech and entertainment brands in the EMEA region.
The best career advice I’ve been given…
“Don’t focus too much on the title, think about the experience you’re going to gain”.
It’s quite easy (especially when you’re more junior) to be caught up in wanting to get the next title, however, it doesn’t mean everything. I worked as a “Social Media Manager” for 3 years and I can tell you I started that role less knowledgeable and experienced than I left it. And the title had no impact on my ability to get the next role. Focus on what you want from the job and what you can learn, not what it’ll look like on your CV
“Always be willing to learn and don’t be afraid to make mistakes”
It doesn’t matter if you’re 12 years into your career or 1 year, you can always learn something! Stay humble, stay curious and keep learning. Mistakes happen, and they really are the best way to learn.
How to ace job interviews?
Here are my 7 top tips:
- Prepare! So you’re calm and confident. Anticipate questions beforehand and write up answers using the STAR framework.
- Do your research, have examples to hand of things you’ve spotted from their website or industry news about their business.
- Know your CV like the back of your hand. Employers are going to ask you about your CV, so you really need to know your stuff.
- Don’t forget to let your personality shine through. People hire people – I think it’s really important that your CV and interview shows who you are so the employer can understand if you’ll fit in well with the rest of the team and their company’s culture.
- Ask questions (more on that in the next question!)
- Hype yourself up beforehand! And fake it ‘till you make it. I would literally talk to myself in the mirror and say, “You’re gonna boss this interview”.
- Remember that practice makes perfect. The more you do, the easier they get.
What questions to ask during interviews?
Don’t just ask standard questions about the pay and the hours. Ask about the company culture, the progression opportunities, how your performance will be measured and what a typical day looks like. I tend to also ask the interviewer what their favourite and least favourite things are about the job.
In my most recent interview, I had to do a task and I anticipated the questions they’d ask and proactively answered those. I did my homework and it paid off. My employer told me it was the best interview they’d ever had!
For example:
- What is the thing you love most about your job and where you work?
- How does your team live and breathe the brand values?
- What does progression look like in this role?
- What are the main KPIs for the role?/What does success look like?
How do I land a job in a field I have no experience in?
Think about some of the leadership roles you may have taken during university, such as captaining a sports team or joining a committee. These activities are proof that you’ve developed communication and organisational skills that’ll come in handy in any field of work.
On top of that, employers are always looking for people that are proactive and willing to learn. You can show them this by taking online courses, watching YouTube videos, listening to podcasts or reading books. It’s about taking it upon yourself, to upskill yourself.
After graduating, what skills should I develop and how? Do online courses look good on your CV?
Yes! In my experience, my employers were really impressed by the fact that I’d taken online courses. It showed them that I’m proactive, serious about what I want to and motivated to better myself.
When you’re early on in your career, you’re not going to have lots of experience. Online courses show employers that you’re committed to learning and know how to manage your time.
What skills do you need to be a Social Media Director? And is it a remote or in-person role?
To work as a Social Media Direct you’ll need to be:
- Adaptable and a fast learner!! The world of digital is ever-evolving and fast-paced.
- Open to working outside of the usual hours, as social is a 24/7 thing.
- An expert on social platforms and current trends.
- A great communicator.
It’s a mixture of remote and in-person work, and it’s the best of both worlds. I love coming to the office to collaborate with others, but I love working from home to be alone with my thoughts and focus on deep work.
Do you have any advice for graduates looking for online work?
Be open to new opportunities and proactive in driving your own development. Some jobs might not be perfect, but they’ll lead you to the next thing. And you’ll always learn something from it.
Build up your LinkedIn Profile to establish yourself as a subject matter expert and showcase your personality. CVs are limited, but your LinkedIn profile can show much more of your opinions and passions. Prospective employers can also read your endorsements and recommendations.
Should I look for a job before or after graduating? Or dive-bomb into the grad market?
It’s really hard to juggle studying and applying to jobs, so I think my best advice would be to try to work out what you want to do first, so you don’t waste your time applying to things that aren’t quite right for you.
That said, it depends on your personal circumstances. Sometimes you just have to find work and start earning, and in those cases, you just have to put in the time and effort. You might have to sacrifice other things, but it’ll pay off in the end.
How can I relate my online tutoring work to jobs in other fields?
Take a look at this article written by a tutor here.
Should I use Chat GPT to apply to lots of companies quickly?
Maybe because my work is very creative and subjective, I think it’s obvious when an applicant has used a tool like that. I know that writing individual cover letters is a laborious task, and perhaps Chat GPT could help you to spit something out, but I don’t think you can accurately show who you are as a person using a tool like that.
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If you liked this post and want even more career advice, check out Top tips to land your first job from the MyTutor team.