Let’s start at second year of university (because first year is all about having fun, meeting new people and finding your feet). I studied a fashion degree - Fashion Communication because I thought this would have so many different aspects to explore and when you’re not sure what you want to do, it was perfect.
I managed to catch the first few months of ‘normal’ university before the dreaded pandemic hit and quickly realised my love for making creative campaigns for different brands. I didn’t enjoy the photography and styling modules (I accepted my fate to the inevitable low marks), so I really dug in deep and immersed myself in the PR modules.
Come March when we were all told to squirrel away into our caves, which for me involved living in my student accommodation with my sister. A few months further down the line after days of being glued to the sofa, perfecting my uni work, I was determined that when the pandemic was over (which I thought would only last until the summer… oh if I only knew) I was going to take a year out to get some industry experience and had my heart set on fulfilling this dream in Manchester.
After weeks of scrolling on Fashion Workie for placements, I managed to secure a PR, Digital Marketing and Sales internship with a start-up athleisure wear brand based in Manchester - hooray! It was my first interview, well telephone interview, and I was so nervous that I drank a large gin & tonic beforehand.
I finally handed in my second year work at the start of the summer and went straight into my new job, still working from the sofa in my flat. I met the small team over Zoom; me, my boss and the designer as it was a total start-up. I finally moved back home and my sister went back to London living. That was a truly emotional day after spending 13 weeks locked in together. As the weeks flew by, my boss hired a few more determined students who were also trying to gain experience and just two weeks in I was hosting the morning meetings and managing the team’s responsibilities for the week. I took it in my own hands to be the face of the brand, jumping on countless TikTok transitions and hosting Instagram lives. I thought this was it. I was ready to pack up and run to Manchester to live my dream.
Little did I think about the financial side of moving to Manchester with an unpaid internship. After weeks of discussing with my very supportive family, I decided it was not the right decision to pack up and go at that point in time. I decided to re-join my university peers in final year of university, with the four months’ experience behind me.
After a summer of putting myself out there and tapping into the world of PR and Digital Marketing, I was ready to take on the year and use all the skills I had learnt and channel it into my final major project. For this, I created a 63 page ‘Strategic and Promotional Document’ on my made-up lingerie wear brand that I dreamed up during the winter months.
Since delving into being creative for a sportswear brand and being inspired to create my own, I wanted to learn the fundamental elements of marketing and didn’t know where to start. It was perfect timing, when my lecturer somehow had the confidence in me to put my name forward for a free place on Fabric’s 12-week marketing training programme. But, I’ll be honest, I was worried to commit to another course whilst trying to give it my all in my last few months of uni. However, I knew I had to grab every opportunity I could get for more experience, so I scrambled together a mini portfolio of my past uni work and I was lucky enough to win the place!
After a few busy months (thank heavens, we were in a semi-lockdown so I wasn’t tempted to go out), I completed the programme and secured a First at university with the help of everything I’d learned. I instantly knew a career in marketing was for me. Half a year later, I successfully bagged myself a job as a Digital Marketing Executive at the very place I discovered my passion for marketing, Fabric.
Looking back, I realised I made sure to say yes to every opportunity thrown at me, which helped to get me where I am today on my career path. Making your own EXPERIENCE and putting yourself out there can open so many doors that you never expected to walk through.
I’m now one month into my role at Fabric and enjoying every minute of learning all things marketing I never knew existed, getting creative with our TikTok marketing strategy and excited to help push other aspiring marketers along the way!