How I got my job

To wrap up National Careers Week we spoke to our colleagues and asked them how they got their jobs and what advice they would give when it comes to careers

Daniel Higginbotham, editor

How did you get your job?

I had been working as a content writer and then senior content writer in the digital marketing industry for about six years and was looking for a change. The idea of working in the higher education sector had always appealed to me.

I had used Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ»ÆƬ' as a student so when I saw that they were recruiting for an editor I jumped at the chance to work for them.

What's the best piece of careers advice you could give to someone?

It's  important to be committed to the roles you apply for and think carefully about why you want to work for an employer. If you don't tailor your CV and cover letter to the position and company, it's really a waste of time.

Also, don't worry if you don't have a fixed career in mind, as many people take on a variety of roles during their working lives.

Gemma Pearson, senior product owner

How did you get your job?

After being made redundant from a product manager role within the travel industry, I decided to step out of my comfort zone, and apply for a job in a different industry. Having a charitable objective made Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ»ÆƬ appealing to me as my previous experience had been very commercially focussed. I applied for a product manager job but was offered a different role. My plan was to accept the opportunity, get 6-12 months experience outside of the travel industry, then re-assess my career path. The fact I am still working here almost eight years and a couple of promotions later shows it was a good move to make.  

What's the best piece of careers advice you could give to someone?

Don't underestimate the importance of work experience and the transferable skills that can be gained from it. If you're concerned you don't tick all the boxes of a job advert, you may find that skills and knowledge gained from work or life experience align with the job criteria and make you a good fit for the role.    

Simon Rust, account director

How did you get your job?

I had been working in sales and account management for over ten years in various sectors but never within education. I was interested to find out more about Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ»ÆƬ and after a recommendation from someone I knew within the organisation I had a meeting with the sales director, which led to me accepting a role working within the postgraduate sales team. I have worked my way through the ranks to account director and I'm now able to work remotely from Spain and visit university clients during monthly visits to the UK.

What's the best piece of careers advice you could give to someone?

Find a job that makes you want to get up in the morning rather than keeping you awake at night.

Sam Breslin, head of product

How did you get your job?

I have been with Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ»ÆƬ for 18 years which is crazy, it was only going to be five, but I loved it so much I stayed and worked up through the ranks from product manager to head of product. I did several different product-related jobs and now I am in charge of teams delivering three digital services, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ»ÆƬ, Luminate and Hedd.

What's the best piece of careers advice you could give to someone?

• Understanding what motivates you and how you are rewarded is really important for job satisfaction. 
• Reflecting on your own behaviours is hard but very worth it - don't be afraid to ask other people for help with this - and anything else you're stuck on. 
• Listen to people, even when you don't feel like it.
• Some of the best career advice I ever got was: Dare to dream; don't be afraid to fail. It sounds like it should be written on an inspirational coffee mug, but it has been my mantra. It encapsulates my working life - I use my imagination to create and my experience to succeed, and my failures just add to that experience.

Callum O'Rourke, SEO and web analytics manager

How did you get your job?

I set up and managed my own website while studying at university. This allowed me to gain experience in digital marketing, primarily with websites. As I had total freedom, I was able to experiment with different techniques to find what works, while learning more about the analytics and ways of measuring the performance. After university and running the website for three years, I used this experience to get a job within digital marketing and developed my skills further while learning from those around me.

What's the best piece of careers advice you could give to someone?

Have a thirst for knowledge. Always be looking to learn and develop yourself, using all resources available, whether that be from books, people, or from your own trial and error. Learning from those around you is especially powerful, as this allows you to gain knowledge that has been built up over a number of years, fast tracking your education within a chosen field.

Laura Greaves, information analyst 

How did you get your job? 

I found and applied for it on prospects.ac.uk.

What's the best piece of careers advice you could give to someone? 

Don't underestimate the importance of a good cover letter. It will set you apart from other applicants and provides an opportunity to explain why you'd love the job and what you can bring to the company. Always tailor it to the job you're applying for and include any keywords that are relevant. 

Also, don't be afraid to apply for a job if you don't meet all the requirements listed in the advert. They are often 'desired' rather than 'essential' requirements, and employers may even offer training opportunities for employees to learn on the job. Demonstrate your willingness to learn in your cover letter and highlight any transferable skills that you have from your studies and previous work experience.  

Find out more

• Search for a graduate job.
• Find help and inspiration when it comes to CVs and cover letters.
• Learn how to ace job interviews.
• Return to The Topic for more news, insights and opinions.