Hannah graduated in 2019 and enjoyed her Events Management and Marketing Management degree so much that she is helping current Marketing Management and Business Management students by mentoring them in their final year. This unique Graduate Peer Mentor scheme is a joint pilot between the Development and Alumni Relations Office (DARO) and Chester Business School that has been set up to give students extra help as they look forward to their career. Hannah also tells us about her current role in Social Media Marketing and gives some tips on preparing for your career whilst at university.
What are you looking forward to when you mentor Chester students?
I hope to pass on tips and tricks that I have learnt since graduating to help current marketing students. After all, 2020 is the year of agile working and with a role in social media this is so important.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I am a Social, Digital Media and Events Executive at Blackline Creative. I work alongside a team of graphic designers and my clients’ teams have a great mix of individuals who are highly skilled in their individual roles. 2020 has been a challenge! Team work and communication has never been more important to ensure we are working in the most effective way and everyone has the most up to date info.
I love the power of social media and the ability to produce content that consumers engage with, finding things to talk about and keeping our channels fresh is something I am passionate about. Our new project that looks into pop up shops is definitely the thing I enjoy the most about my job right now, 2020 is all about pushing creative boundaries.
How did the University of Chester help you get to where you are now?
As well as the great course and the supportive staff, a lot of it was about taking up opportunities to gain experience! Whilst studying at Chester I worked part time continuously throughout my degree, which the University supported. My Work Based Learning at the cruise line Royal Caribbean International, which was in association with Chester Business School led by Maeve Marmion, is how I began my marketing career. The University’s relationship with Yummy Jobs is what led to my year abroad in Disney World in 2017. In my final year, I secured a role via Uni Job where I undertook a role within the University’s Careers and Employability team, and I gained more experience with social media marketing to help improve student engagement. This is similar to my current role where I am aiming for more engagement on social media with the overall aim of driving footfall to the shopping centre.
Do you have any advice for students thinking of their career?
When considering different career paths, think about your strengths as well as your interests to find a job that you will love. I would recommend exploring options as early as Year One of university - take internship, part-time work and volunteering opportunities to figure out exactly what you might like to do. Doing a variety of tasks will help you to identify any skills gaps, which will help you to develop and make sure you tick all the criteria on your dream job spec! Remember, you can do anything you put your mind to!
If you’re interested in events and marketing, you can view our full course list, find out more about Chester Business School or chat to current students via Unibuddy.
