I Got Hired - Digital Marketing Officer

Posted on: 22 August 2022 by Richard Finch in Graduate stories

Class of 2021 Communication and Media graduate Jacob talks about his Digital Marketing role.

Jacob Bush graduated from the BA Communication and Media degree in 2021. Here he talks about his new graduate job and offers some advice for current students.

What is your current role?

I am currently working for Sheffield University Management School as the Digital Marketing Assistant. This role entails creating social media content, updating the website, writing emails for offer holders and working with student ambassadors to create content for all platforms.

How did you find the role and the recruitment process?

After graduating from the University of Liverpool in summer 2021, I applied for and interviewed for a lot of jobs. I submitted 120 applications and attended 30 interviews to be precise! At one point, I searched the University of Sheffield’s jobs website and found this role (as well as a couple of others) and I applied for it. It was a really unique find as the role is so digital focused. By the time I got to this interview, I had done so many that interviews felt second nature to me even if I did have to do this online interview from the corner of Pret in central London before another interview!

What has your career journey been like so far?

In December, about 3 weeks after I started as the Digital Marketing Assistant, my line manager went off sick. Thankfully, as the team had grown so much recently, I wasn’t left completely on my own. My line manager then left in January. After no one was appointed following the first recruitment process to find a replacement, I was strongly encouraged to apply for the role by my team, so I did.

I was shortlisted and interviewed for the role. It felt strange being interviewed by people I work with on a regular basis but it paid off as I was offered the role! At the end of August I take over as the Digital Marketing Officer. Apparently it is almost unheard of from someone to jump straight from a Grade 3 (which my current role is) to a Grade 6 so this feels like a major achievement.

What are your 3 top tips for any other students or graduates?

Think outside of the box when job hunting. You may have a clear idea of what you want (I wanted to do theatre marketing) but you may find a role that gives you the skills you need to pursue your ultimate goal that you enjoy just as much.

Be proactive and take opportunities. I wouldn’t have gained this opportunity to progress so quickly if I hadn’t been proactive and positive in the absence of a line manager. I developed new skills and had new experiences because of that which gave me the things to talk about in my interview for the Digital Marketing Officer role.

Be conscientious but don’t let work take over your life. Whether you’re in a job or you’re looking for a job, it’s so important to make sure you have a good amount of ‘me time’ as well. No job is more important than spending time with your friends and family. Take opportunities to continue developing your skillset and career prospects outside of work – for example, I review theatre shows. I love theatre and would see the shows anyway but reviewing them gives me more experience to add to my CV.