Daniel W.
About me
| Daniel W. | |
| Chemistry | |
| Structural Biology | |
| Research Postgraduate | |
| Wentworth | |
| 2016 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Technical Marketing Executive (Computer Software) | |
| Rapita Systems Ltd | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Advertising, marketing and PR | |
| Medium-size business (50-249 employees) | |
| 2016 |
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A day in the life of a Technical Marketing Executive (Computer Software) in the United Kingdom
Your primary motivation for development should always be internal rather than external. Think not of what you need to demonstrate to achieve a promotion etc., but instead think of the person you want to be.
Briefly describe the organisation you work for
Rapita Systems, founded in 2004 as a spin-off from the University of York's Computer Science Department, provides solutions (tools and services) that reduce the cost of verifying critical embedded software used globally. It's primary customers and companies that develop aerospace, automotive and space software and need to verify that their software is safe.
What do you do?
I produce and maintain a range of public-facing materials to support the marketing of my company's solutions. This includes written materials on our website and collateral as well as videos. I also maintain and develop an internal content management system that stores a range of information useful for our company and staff in many ways – this includes information on customer needs, potential products and features and links to a wealth of resources including sales presentations, marketing collateral, videos (both external and internal), public-facing FAQs and testimonials. I also have an active role on the Product Management committee in my company, where I work with others to ensure that our product direction considers customer needs and market trends. My role requires the ability to effectively communicate with people from diverse backgrounds, including technical specialists from areas outside my area of technical expertise.
Reflecting upon your past employment and education, what led you to your current career choice?
When I graduated, I knew that I wanted to utilize my communication skills as one of the primary functions of whatever career I took. I took a course in teaching English as a foreign language and applied for some jobs in that sector, but ended up not working in the sector. One day, a friend mentioned that his company was looking for a Technical Author and I thought that would be a perfect fit for my talents. The rest is history.
Is your current job sector different from what you thought you would enter when you graduated?
Yes (see above).
Describe your most memorable day at work
Some of the most memorable days are the days of our product releases, which are the culmination of many weeks of effort preparing a range of resources to be ready to publish on a specific day. I maintain a robust process that ensures that every T is crossed and every I is dotted to ensure the continued quality of our public-facing materials.
Are there any challenges associated with your job?
The biggest challenge is probably in the need to produce content that is catered towards an audience that I have had little personal experience interacting with, as it's a technical audience from an entirely different sector to that of my technical background. At the end of the day, though, we're all human and there are certain psychological laws that most of us follow (e.g. we like things in 3s, we generally prefer explanations to include imagery, we like content to have a logical flow).
What’s your work environment and culture like?
Historically, my work was in the office, but recently I have also been working remotely.
The environment both within my team and the company as a whole is excellent – everyone is very supportive towards everyone else, and it feels very much like a family.
What extracurricular activities did you undertake at university and what transferable skills did you develop through these?
I did Science outreach activities (mostly aimed towards children) throughout university, and this helped me learn how to present complex topics in a way that can be understood by people with little pre-existing knowledge.
Throughout university, I had extracurricular teaching activities including working in schools (through York Students in Schools and the Student Associate's Scheme) and mentoring a University of York student in A-level Chemistry. This helped me develop my communication, presentation and teaching skills.
I acted as an Amanuensis during my PhD, and this improved by ability to act professionally while also being empathetic to the needs of others.
What top tips do you have for York students preparing for today’s job market and life after graduation?
Your primary motivation for development should always be internal rather than external. Think not of what you need to demonstrate to achieve a promotion etc., but instead think of the person you want to be and how your everyday activities either move you in that direction or away from it. Never underestimate the importance of transferrable skills.
What topics from students are you happy to answer questions on?
Anything I can help with, especially related to working in sectors outside your technical background.
Next steps...
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