1 month ago
23
I’m having trouble finding a marketing job and I can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong.
I didn’t perform as well as I’d hoped in my GCSEs due to personal circumstances. I finished secondary school with just 5 GCSEs, including a B in both Maths and English.
I didn’t do particularly well in sixth form either, leaving with a C in Media, a D in Business, and a D in Sociology. I then went to college to boost my UCAS points, where I studied Business and earned a double merit pass.
Luckily, I got into my dream university and graduated with a First-Class Honours in Advertising and Marketing.
During my first year at uni, I started my own apparel business (which I’ve temporarily paused for rebranding) and it actually did pretty well! I even got a YouTuber with over 300k subscribers to promote my brand, which really boosted my sales. I also set up a graphic design business, teaching myself both graphic and web design. I’ve created logos for over 50 business owners, designed a few websites (including for my siblings), and worked on various other designs like business cards and flyers.
I also have experience with content creation. I’ve managed to reach 100k impressions on two Pinterest accounts, gone viral a few times on TikTok, and gained a decent following there.
Since graduating in 2022, I thought I’d have job offers lined up. But I’ve only been able to secure two retail jobs so far, which isn’t what I want to do. I left my last retail role, as it was temporary, but it completely drained me.
I suppose the move during my final year hasn’t helped either. My mother relocated, and after living in London my whole life, in 2022 we moved to a smaller town with limited job opportunities, especially for someone my age or in my field. I’ve applied to jobs in London, including remote roles, but I’ve been rejected repeatedly. One company even told me it was because I’m no longer based in London.
I feel the move has played a part in my struggle to find work, and it’s frustrating. I’ve applied for hundreds of jobs in the past two years and had a few interviews, but nothing has worked out. I’ve had help with my CV from professionals and even support from my uni, so I don’t think my CV is the issue. I’ve revised it many times, and my current version is by far the best.
I feel confident in my marketing skills and have gained relevant experience through my entrepreneurial ventures and content creation, but nothing seems to be paying off.
I’ve also tried networking, particularly on LinkedIn. I got in touch with an older lady who promised to hire me if I helped her with her brand and content creation, but she was just taking me for a ride honestly. She knew I was working over 30 hours a week in my retail job at the time, but she was incredibly demanding. She even asked me to translate an entire book from Spanish to English… I’m not entirely sure why as that has nothing to do with marketing. There was no contract or agreement in place, and it seemed like she was having me do all her work for her, so I after a month I stopped.
I’ll admit, I’m not the strongest when it comes to interviews, and maybe that’s holding me back. But with most of the jobs I’ve applied for, I haven’t even made it to the interview stage.
I try not to compare myself to others, but I’ve seen people with far less experience land marketing jobs. So what am I doing wrong? I’ve got a a degree and a wide set of skills; I can do marketing, graphic design, web design, and content creation. When will I be enough?
Does anyone have any advice or tips? People I’ve spoken to suggest I should continue working for myself since that’s what has worked out for me so far, but I’m really keen to gain some experience in the corporate world and environment. I worked incredibly hard at university, despite everything I’ve been through and the challenges I’ve faced with my education, and I thought by 25 I’d have it all figured out. I imagined I’d have a corporate career, my own flat, a car, and a cute pet in a lovely town by now.
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