Silvia A.
About me
| Silvia A. | |
| Management | |
| Management with a year in industry | |
| Undergraduate | |
| Derwent | |
| 2017 | |
| Italy |
My employment
| Assistant Brand Manager | |
| KAO UK | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Advertising, marketing and PR | |
| Large business (250+ employees) |
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A day in the life of a Assistant Brand Manager in the United Kingdom
You will get a lot of NOs and rejections..., but what makes the key difference between someone who really succeeds and someone who doesn't is the ability to keep going even when you feel like it's never ending.
Briefly describe the organisation you work for
I work for KAO, a Japanese multinational company, which operates in various sectors, including Health & Beauty. We own brands that range from consumer products, like John Frieda, to luxury, like Molton Brown.
What do you do?
I work on the brand team for our skincare brands, Biore and Curel. My day-to-day tasks change all the time, but include from working on our marketing campaigns, communications, PR and social media, to managing NPD launches, monitoring market performance and brand performance.
Reflecting upon your past employment and education, what led you to your current career choice?
My placement for sure. I knew I wanted to be in Marketing from the start and my placement at L'Oreal fortified that belief, but also led me towards the beauty industry, which I absolutely love!
Is your current job sector different from what you thought you would enter when you graduated?
Yes and no. I was a bit worried it might be a Devil wears Prada situation and it isn't in my situation. However, that also varies massively on the company and your team.
Describe your most memorable day at work
I wouldn't really go with one day, but more the nature of my job. Because I am part of a small team for my brands (only two of us), it is constantly about being able to switch projects, showing different skills and new challenges. Biore and Curel have completely different target consumers, so you need to constantly switch your mindset to fit the strategy and actions to the brand and your target.
Are there any challenges associated with your job?
The biggest challenge around marketing that it is an ever-changing force. The nature of advertising is always onto the next thing, whether that is working with influencers or running ads on TikTok. You need to always be on top of what is out there and ready to test it out. Being agile in our line of work is key, as something you might do today will not work in six months' time. Having said that, it is also one of the best aspects of it - you can never really be too creative and you don't really get bored.
What’s your work environment and culture like?
It's great, it's a real team culture, which is one of the main reasons why I have been loving working at KAO. We work a lot cross-functionally, whether that's with sales or supply or finance, and it is always about the overall output rather than individuals wanting to step on other people. There is obviously a strong culture around recognising individual work and personal merits, but it's all based on the teamworking culture.
What extracurricular activities did you undertake at university and what transferable skills did you develop through these?
The main activity I did was Volleyball. I was part of the committee, but the majority of what I learnt was on court. Volleyball is an extremely international sport, so you always have to be ready to work with people from different backgrounds and adapt to what they are used to. It is an amazing way to really open your mind and get other people's perspectives.
On top of this, I was also part of the committee for the Management society. While the scope of work was much smaller, it was a great way to get some more experience around marketing, which would be a great example for interviews.
What would you like to do next with your career?
The next main step for me is becoming Brand Manager and a key piece of advice I get given and I always follow is that if you don't ask, you don't get. I have been very clear with my Manager and Director around my aspiration goals and they have been great in allowing me to develop the key skills needed for my move.
What top tips do you have for York students preparing for today’s job market and life after graduation?
You will get a lot of NOs and rejections - we all did. It sucks, but what makes the key difference between someone who really succeeds and someone who doesn't is the ability to keep going even when you feel like it's never ending. Also, don't be afraid to change jobs - if you realize something is really not right for you and it makes you unhappy, go after what you really want to do!
What topics from students are you happy to answer questions on?
Anything really!
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?
Take advantage of the career center and the support your department gives you! I was lucky enough to have an incredible placement advisor while at York and she was extremely valuable. It was actually surprising how many people completely disregarded that support!
Next steps...
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