Sian J.
About me
| Sian J. | |
| Archaeology | |
| Historical Archaeology | |
| Undergraduate | |
| Halifax | |
| 2013 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Marketing Executive | |
| Shop Direct (Very and Littlewoods) | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Advertising, marketing and PR / Retail and sales | |
| Large business (250+ employees) | |
| 2015 | |
| £20,000 | |
| £27,000 |
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A day in the life of a Marketing Executive in the United Kingdom
From Archaeology degree to marketing department of major online retailer
My career goals when I graduated
When I first graduated I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I loved studying Archaeology, but wasn't finding the right roles for me and was interested in doing something a little more fast-paced.
My career history
After graduating I became a Graduate Ambassador for the University in the Student Recruitment department and it was one of the best things I've ever done! I got an insight into different aspects of marketing as well as developing my confidence through lots of public speaking. After this I moved to London and worked as a copy writer for a property company. Then I secured the 2 month PR position at Shop Direct and moved across to the marketing team and have since been promoted from an assistant to an executive. Getting your first in the door really is the hardest part!
What has helped my career to progress
Working hard and always saying yes - having a positive attitude.
Where I hope to be in 5 years
I hope to be managing my own team at a fashion retail company.
My advice about working in my industry
You might think you don't have the relevant degree (i.e. marketing) but you do! Marketing involves lots of skills you will have gained at university - so don't let this put you off. It's also important to present yourself well and be enthusiastic in this industry as it is fast-paced and you need to always be thinking ahead of the game.
Contacting me
I'm happy to answer any questions you might have!
What I do
I work in the Marketing department at online retailer Shop Direct which includes the brands Very and Littlewoods. I am part of the Email Marketing team so am briefing in and deploying large scale email campaigns to subscribers.
Skills I use and how I developed them
I use a range of skills that I developed whilst at York including writing, presenting and team work skills. The work is varied and fast-paced so need to be able to think of my feet - seminars and field work helped me develop the critical thinking I need in my role.
What I like most
I really like how varied the role is - it's both technical and creative at the same time.
What I like least
Reporting on email campaigns can be a little tedious but it is satisfying to see how much money a campaign has generated for the business.
What surprised me most
That my Archaeology degree took me to a career in fashion marketing!
Next steps...
If you like the look of Sian’s profile, the next steps are down to you! You can send Sian a message to find out more about their career journey. If you feel you would benefit from more in-depth conversations, ask Sian to be your mentor.