My First Role in Marketing
Hi, I’m Millie and I am the Marketing Assistant here at Seas Design, I have been in my role just over a month now and thought it would be a great idea to write a piece on how my first role in marketing is going! I will discuss my journey, from university life to where I am now and how I have found the transition from student to full time marketer!
Leaving the safety net of university life and entering the ‘real world’ can be an incredibly daunting experience, the idea of saying goodbye to the past three years of fun and new experiences, to enter a brand-new chapter of your life can be a terrifying prospect. Like many other class of 2022 graduates, I was faced with the uncertainty of the world of work due to the lack of work experience I was able to gain throughout my studies, which was hindered to the Covid-19 pandemic putting the world at a standstill.
In September 2019 I began my journey at the University of Chester as a Fashion Marketing and Communications student. Over the next three years I gained a great deal of knowledge and experience, in both a professional and personal sense. Learning about not only the fashion industry but also marketing and business I was introduced to a whole new landscape that I had not yet been aware of.
Social media is something I have grown up with, using social media and following many influencers, I was looking for a role that provided me with an opportunity in which these interests were featured. Being part of Generation Z, I have been brought up using social media therefore it is like second nature to me. Throughout university I discovered my passion for styling and social media content creation and knew that this was the path I wanted to take when graduating.
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit and I, like millions of others was forced to stay at home for months, I made the decision to use my time wisely and completed numerous online marketing courses, this is where my interest in the digital marketing industry bloomed.
In June 2022 when I finished University with a First-class honour’s degree (after months of hard work) I felt slightly lost at what I would be doing next. This was the first time in my entire life where I had no structure or plan, and it was scary! I began searching LinkedIn and job sites every day to find a graduate role I felt suited me.
I knew I wanted to work within the marketing industry but had no set goal of the type of role I was looking for. I thought that combining my love for social media with the skills I have gained throughout university would make a unique and challenging experience for me.
The transition from student to working as a waitress was one that I found challenging, I felt a pressure from myself more than anyone else to find a job in industry and felt burnt out, which no one tells you about when you graduate. I kept persevering and remaining optimistic and told myself that the right job would find me eventually.
After a few months I stumbled across a job advert from a company called Seas Design, who were based in Llandudno, North Wales. The location was a huge plus for me as living in Anglesey, there aren’t many opportunities within the field I wanted to enter, so I was thrilled to find a role within a commutable distance.
I wrote my cover letter and sent over my CV and waited and waited. On the 14th of July I attended an interview for the role of Marketing Assistant at Seas Design, I felt that the interview went well, and I had done everything I could, now it was time to be patient. Fast forward to a few days later and I am sat on the beach during one of the UK’s summer heatwaves and I receive an email confirming that I had been offered the job! I couldn’t quite believe it.
My first day was full of nerves and excitement, meeting the team and getting familiarised with the business’s clients. I spent the day doing a few quick tasks to get used to the company.
Skip to today and I have been here for just over a month and am thoroughly enjoying the role. Everyday consists of something different however my tasks usually include, writing captions and scheduling social media posts, writing blog posts for various different clients, and managing and creating Tik Tok content for the Seas Design Page! Follow us here!
Each day begins with checking emails and Monday.com to see what my tasks for the day are. I then write, create mood boards, and film content for Tik Tok.
I am lucky enough to have been on location for a few shoots so far. One shoot in a local coffee shop, where I created the behind-the-scenes content. I have also visited a new client which is a luxury holiday rental, where I also created content.
One of my favourite aspects of this role is that I get the chance to work on a wide variety of projects, from caravan parks, coffee shops, housing developments and luxury holidays it is a varied mixture. Although the role is not the fashion career, I had imagined I am thoroughly enjoying learning about marketing and seeing it from a first-hand design agency.
Since starting my role as Marketing Assistant, I have been able to take creative freedom on the businesses Tik Tok account which is a great experience to use my creativity and stay up to date with recent trends.
Previously to this role, writing was not my favourite element of marketing, I didn’t find that it came naturally to me, but after writing numerous blog posts and learning the different brand identities and tones of voice, I am enjoying writing copy and gaining new skills.
If I were to give any fellow graduates advice on finding your first role, I would say don’t lose hope, it can be extremely disappointing when you receive rejection after rejection email but stick at it. The right job will find you.
I am looking forward to continuing working alongside the team and gain more experience and can’t wait to see what the future holds!
Millie Wright