I Got Hired: Executive Assistant & PR/Marketing at Macclesfield College

Posted on: 26 February 2021 in Graduate stories

Megan studied a Bachelor Degree in English Literature and she is currently working in Marketing and Press at Macclesfield College.

What was your best experience while studying your course at the University of Liverpool and why?

I absolutely loved my time on the English society committee as vice-president, it was such a great way to meet new people and have a say in what events are organised for us. don’t get me wrong, sometimes things were difficult to juggle when I had academic work to do too, but it was so rewarding and offered me so many opportunities.

What aspects of your course do you think have been most beneficial to your career development?

I’d probably say the academic essays – yes, they can be difficult at the time, but they show employers that you have excellent written communication skills (which not everyone has) as well as the ability to work independently and efficiently for long periods of time. academic essays, especially when you study English literature is all analytical: you can write thousands of words on a topic that others may overlook. depending on the industry you’d like to work in, any degree that requires analysis of a text/study/other proves that you have an eye for detail! use it to your advantage!

What did you do during your degree to prepare for the transition into the workplace and how did this help? e.g. extra-curricular activities or work experience.

I was on the English society committee which was really great as it gave me experience in a leadership role, event planning and working as part of a team. it also gave me the opportunity to have two hear (higher education achievement report) awards alongside my degree which looks great on your cv.

I was also a campus representative for victoria’s secret pink during my second year which was great fun! it was unpaid but I gained so much valuable experience which paid off in the end.

What challenges did you face as a recent graduate in a new workplace? how did you overcome these?

When you’re new to the workplace, it can be a difficult adjustment as you’ve gone from a student whose schedule can be quite varied with a lot of freedom to choose when and where to do your work, to having a rigid schedule that can seem really tiring at first. 

It can be difficult making that transition, especially during a lockdown when you can go from not working at all to working 35 hours a week in a matter of days. for me, overcoming it was just getting on with it until I got used to it. I was always tired and was really missing home but you soon get used to it when you have a lot to work to do. but it’s very important to take care of your mental health, as it can easily be knocked if you let it!

Can you please share insight into your current role, what do you enjoy the most?

My role consists of conducting interviews, writing press releases, assisting event planning, taking photos, updating the website and social media accounts to name just some parts of the job! honestly, I love it all. it’s varied and gives me the opportunity to be creative and enhance my skills in various areas which will no doubt be useful later on!

Do you have any top tips to share with future and current students when preparing for the world of work?

Take a look at your cv, how is it looking? is it full of experience and skills or is it looking a little bare? take the opportunity to look at what is available to you both at the university and locally and make the most of them! doing a training course, attending a networking event or having a part-time job could be the difference between a graduate that is struggling to find a job and a student that is getting job offers left and right! it can be difficult to know what you’d like to do when you graduate, and that is absolutely fine, not many people have a definite idea. it’s easy to forget that you can change directions as many times as needed so why not try everything? if you see a training opportunity or a quick course that might be interesting, go for it!! what do you have to lose?

Also, another thing that is important to remember is that it’s normal to be rejected for roles after you graduate, don’t take it personally! the job I am in now was created especially for me after I was rejected from the role I originally applied for. I was discussing this with one of the people who interviewed me and was told the main thing that made me stand out were three things:

1. After the interview, I left a letter at reception to thank them for considering me and telling them how the interview made me even more excited at the possibility of working with them.
2. I was emailed a couple of days before the interview confirming the details of the interview, this included the names of the people who would be conducting the interview. as interview preparation, I did my homework on the company, as well as on the people conducting the interview. (if they give you this information, use it!!) ‘what do you know about *name of company here*?’ is one of the first questions that they’re likely to ask – be ready for it!
3. When I was informed of their decision that I wasn’t chosen for the role I applied for, I asked whether they had any feedback that they could provide letting me know why they didn’t hire me, as well as if they had any feedback on my general interview skills. apparently, this was the biggest thing for them: the fact that I actively wanted to learn from the experience and grow from it earned a lot of brownie points!

While being rejected can be difficult, it’s important to take it as a learning opportunity otherwise it can be easy to be consumed by the negativity.

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