I wish I could tell you that my day job was something straight out of The Devil Wears Prada. That I’m the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, dashing between runway shows and power lunches. Sadly, reality looks a little more like endless emails, strategy decks, and coffee-fuelled meetings — but it’s a career I genuinely love.
Today, I thought I’d share a bit more about what I actually do for a living and how my full-time role intertwines with my online world. It might not be glamorous, but it’s the foundation that’s shaped everything from my blog to my freelance career.
How It All Began
I started working straight after finishing my degree — I graduated at 17, when most of my friends were still in college, and I was desperate to do something practical. The idea of more studying didn’t appeal, so one Sunday night I sent off seven job applications for clerical roles. By Monday afternoon, I had seven interview invites, and by the end of the week, I’d been offered a full-time job. I said yes — and, eight years later, I’m still there.
My first role was in the service department, answering phones, scanning documents, and generally trying to figure out what on earth I was doing. I actually enjoyed the structure of clerical work, but it didn’t take long for the company directors to realise I might be useful for more than filing and photocopying. They decided to move me through each department — service, sales, customer service, finance — until I found my fit.
It turned out that my fit was marketing.
Finding My Career Path
Once I landed in the marketing department, everything clicked. I was suddenly surrounded by strategy, creativity, and problem-solving — all the things that made my brain tick. My degree in history didn’t help much (turns out, medieval Europe isn’t particularly useful when you’re writing ad copy), so I threw myself into learning everything from scratch.
I took online courses, attended workshops, and even went to night classes to upskill in specific areas. Within six months, I’d earned my first professional marketing qualification and built a foundation that would change my entire career trajectory.
Climbing the Ladder (and Managing the Chaos)
After several years in marketing, the company directors decided it was time to push me further. I was promoted to head up the marketing team, managing campaigns, data, budgets, and a small but mighty group of brilliant creatives. It was challenging but rewarding — and I finally felt like I could see the direct impact of my work.
Not long after, I was given an even bigger challenge: overseeing both marketing and sales. That meant tracking performance figures, setting targets, and (occasionally) having the awkward “we need to talk about your numbers” conversations. Managing people older than me was intimidating at first, but slowly, respect came with consistency, patience, and results.
These days, I’ve found my rhythm. My weeks are a blur of strategy sessions, analytics reports, and creative meetings — but I honestly thrive on it. It’s fast-paced, often stressful, but deeply fulfilling.
How My Day Job Helps My Blogging Career
Oddly enough, my full-time career and my online work have grown side by side. My marketing experience has helped me build my blog into something structured and sustainable — from understanding SEO to analysing audience data. In turn, my blog and freelance work have made me a more empathetic, well-rounded marketer. It’s given me insight into influencer partnerships, content creation, and the power of authentic storytelling from both sides of the fence.
While the two worlds are very different, they feed each other beautifully. My corporate career gives me the discipline, structure, and data-driven thinking I bring into my creative life. And my blog keeps me grounded, reminding me that marketing isn’t just numbers — it’s people, connection, and voice.
The Reality of It All
My job isn’t glamorous, but it’s rewarding. It’s high-pressure, demanding, and occasionally chaotic — but it gives me purpose. I typically work twelve-hour days, juggling campaigns, deadlines, and meetings, but I know that this hustle is building something bigger for the future.
The truth is, I love what I do. I’m analytical to my core, and I find genuine joy in pulling reports, interpreting data, and watching strategies pay off. Not every day is easy, but every day teaches me something new — and that, to me, is success.
