Tell us about your job
My role is varied in that I am responsible for creating the copy for social media and scheduling the posts throughout the week as well as creating the company’s marketing newsletter. I am also the Brand Ambassador, which means that I am responsible for all company content that is published externally, whether that is social media posts or presentations used at events. I ensure that it adheres to the company’s brand guidelines, including logos, brand colours and tone of voice, this is especially important when I brief the designers who make content for us. I assist in raising invoices and managing the marketing team’s budget.
Tell us how your degree in Spanish helped you get there
The great thing about Spanish, and any language degree, is that it’s so varied in terms of topics you learn about, as well as the modules that are available for you to choose. For example, I thoroughly enjoyed the Latin American Studies module in my first 2 years as well as the Translation and Business Spanish modules in my final year. The last two were helpful for my career as I learnt much more about tone of voice in terms of translating different articles as well as business terms. Also, whilst my dissertation topic is completely different to my job, it gave me the opportunity to research a topic, write an extended piece and editing, aspects which are all important to my job now. So whilst my degree doesn’t directly translate into marketing, it has helped me learn different skills that are necessary for my job.
What other jobs have you done to get to your current role?
Whilst at university I was part of the Unijob scheme and I worked for the Languages Services Project (LSP) as an Administration Assistant within the Modern Languages department. This was incredibly useful, as it gave me the experience of working within an office and developing skills such as customer service, Microsoft Office, raising invoices and some social media management. I also have done jobs such as Residential Activity Leader at a summer camp, babysitting, stacking shelves at a supermarket and tutoring.
Employers are aware that young people won’t always have the most relevant job roles when applying to jobs- it’s important to remember to highlight how your roles have allowed you to develop skills that are necessary for the role you’re applying for. After university, I enrolled on online courses which I would recommend to help build your CV and it shows interviewers that you are committed to learning more skills, and these can offer great networking opportunities, either to make new friends, or those in the industry.
Tell us the best thing about studying at Chester
It’s hard to pinpoint any one moment, as my entire experience was incredible. I received excellent teaching and I felt fully supported by the staff. I have also gained lifelong friends from Chester and shared experiences, such as going to Costa Rica in my second year, that I will never forget. Chester has so much to offer, that it really is up to you to take advantage of those opportunities.
Did you do a British Council teaching placement? If so, how did this help your career planning?
Yes, I did a placement in a secondary school in Novelda, Alicante in Spain, and this was so helpful in terms of my career. The teaching placements allow you to gain experience in a school, which is great if you are not confident about which career path you want to follow. I was always unsure if I wanted to be a teacher, and this placement gave me an insight into teaching, but while developing transferable skills that are important in the workplace at the same time. For example, you will create activities, lesson plans, presentations and more as a language assistant, which you then have to confirm with your teachers and then present to students, in a way that is easy to understand.
When I am creating copy for the company's social media posts, I have to think about the message, how to deliver it and if it is easy to understand. Every interview I have had has mentioned my placements in Spain and Costa Rica. Employers like to see what you have done, and most importantly, what you learned from your experiences. So, I would recommend the British Council teaching placement as you are able to earn whilst you work and develop skills that you can use in your future career.