Ellen M.
About me
| Ellen M. | |
| Politics | |
| Politics and International Relations | |
| Undergraduate | |
| Vanbrugh | |
| 2018 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Account Manager | |
| WE Communications | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Advertising, marketing and PR | |
| Medium-size business (50-249 employees) | |
| 2019 |
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A day in the life of a Account Manager in the United Kingdom
Tech is the future and rapidly infiltrating/ if not already every aspect of our lives so being able to help communicate the impact is a powerful opportunity.
Briefly describe the organisation you work for
WE Communications is one of the largest communications and integrated marketing agencies in the world. Our clients are in the tech, health and consumer sectors and we specialise in helping brands share their purpose.
What do you do?
I’m an Account Manager in the tech team working across six accounts including tech giant, Intel. My role as an AM requires me to manage activity across my accounts both below and above, managing client deliverables and making sure we hit our key performance indicators. I’m involved with the ideation and execution of campaigns. What I love the most is working with national and broadcast media on a daily basis and building relationships with top tier journalists including from the BBC. Communication and writing skills are the bread and butter of my job which I developed while at university. Time management and the capacity to digest large amounts of information and distill it into key insights is another skill I nurtured at university.
Reflecting upon your past employment and education, what led you to your current career choice?
I wanted a job which was fast-paced, you were given a lot of responsibility from an early stage and the opportunity to immerse yourselves in current affairs as I did for my course which ultimately informs my day to day work. As mentioned above, writing and communication skills are key to my role which I built a foundation of while at York. Tech is the future and rapidly infiltrating/ if not already every aspect of our lives so being able to help communicate the impact is a powerful opportunity.
Is your current job sector different from what you thought you would enter when you graduated?
Yes it is - I thought I’d go into public affairs. My dream is to work in Washington DC in US politics but I believe working in comms for a global agency will give me a good foundation for a potential career move later down the line.
Describe your most memorable day at work
In November, I attended COP26 for my agency. We were in the green zone for a few days attending talks from NGOs, green tech firms, broadcasters and former politicians. We used our time on the ground to share back insights with the agency and across our global agency network. We had to distill the vast amount of information and news coming out of COP26 and make it relevant to our industry and clients e.g. how can brands navigate the green agenda and how can the comms industry help to make effective change. The highlight was meeting UN Climate Chief, Patricia Espinosa and former governor of the BoE, Mark Carney.
Are there any challenges associated with your job?
Work load can be extensive but with time management and knowing how to prioritise properly, it can be managed effectively and rather seen as more opportunities than anything else.
What’s your work environment and culture like?
Fast-paced, dynamic, energetic, creative, requires you to keep up with current affairs, you have the opportunity to work on internal initiatives not just external.
What extracurricular activities did you undertake at university and what transferable skills did you develop through these?
I was part of Glee club and student blog, Student Insider as well as being a second year rep for freshers. All of these taught me the lesson of team work and communication which is key to working across six different accounts in my job. Particularly as an Account Manager, identifying people’s strengths is vital to building an efficient and effective team.
What would you like to do next with your career?
Work in one of WE’s US offices and start to specialise in broadcast media.
What top tips do you have for York students preparing for today’s job market and life after graduation?
I’d recommend getting as much work experience during university holidays. I’d start by researching industries/ organisations you’d be interested in as well as stopping by the careers office to discuss your options. One of the biggest learning curves is understanding the many different options you have particularly if you’re studying a humanities degree and realising the number of transferable skills you develop at university. You can start with a simple introductory covering letter as well as applying for holiday internships. Whether it’s a week or a month, any experience is invaluable. In the year you’re graduating I’d begin applications in January/ latest April and identify which graduate schemes you want to apply for. Make sure to take note of any application deadlines as some require assessment centres.
What topics from students are you happy to answer questions on?
Anything that might help them.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?
I want to help future graduates navigate the challenging jobs market and highlight a career choice you wouldn’t necessarily expect from studying Politics and IR.
Next steps...
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