This is a guest blog by Adwoa Brobbey who attended a seminar I gave to undergraduates at Keele University about getting into marketing.

One step forward…

As a marketing student and later, hopefully, a marketeer, anything that can help me gain knowledge and an edge in this exciting, competitive industry is always accelerating and walking to the presentation I must admit that I was buzzing a bit (despite my inability to breath because of my cold!).

With excitement taking the best part of me, I sat down and listened as Paul Kirby started his presentation with a little background story. As a Keele graduate, he had struggled finding a job in the middle of ANOTHER recession, but had eventually gained experience through clever thinking and knowing the right people. As a marketeer he pointed out the importance of loving your job “if you can go away with one thing today, young marketeers (he didn’t actually call us that), it’s find a job, a career that you absolutely love” and that is exactly what I intend to do!

Three golden rules of getting your foot inside.

He gave us three simple rules accompanied with real life examples to how to, as the presentation was called, “not f*** up your marketing prospects”.

1) Accuracy – This left me thinking, well surely that’s a given! I’ve been told this at least ten billion times, but the realisation of this hadn’t dawned on me until Paul stressed the importance. A few too many spelling mistakes and grammar that just doesn’t make sense can be it for your marketing career (a little harsh, but that’s sadly the truth).

2) Know your audience – Only knowing the bare minimum of the agency you are applying to is just not good enough! Do the research! How would anyone expect to get a job when they can’t even be bothered to learn about the people they are applying to?

3) Show you’re creative – Of course! This I had not thought of before, but it makes so much sense! We are aspiring marketeers! This is what we are going to do for a living! The last point sent me brewing! Who knew that writing a CV could be this much fun?

And on that bombshell…

One hour came and went just like that and considering the limited time, I actually got a lot out of the presentation! I am now going to spent the rest of the week channeling my inner creative being and get started on a wicked CV!