What do you do and how long have you been in your current role?
I am the sales and marketing manager of the stunning Grade II-listed venue BMA House, where I develop and deliver the sales and marketing strategy for the events team, steering the direction of our sales focus and developing new markets for growth, whilst ensuring our existing clients receive the very best of our attention. I have only been with the team for eight months, although it feels like much longer, which is a great sign of settling quickly into my new role.
Where was your first job? What was the most important thing you learnt there?
My first ever real job in events was at The Jarvis Hotel in Willerby. I did a great deal of event planning and organising and I got to work on lots of weddings there so I learnt how to handle bridezillas and their mothers.
How did you get from there to where you are now?
My passion for events management started all the way back in college when I was elected student president. I was responsible for the sporting and social calendar, which meant I organised events such as sports day, graduation ceremonies, balls and dinners. That led me to complete an Higher National Diploma in events management and during my student years I would work as a banqueting manager in London at venues such as the V&A, Natural History Museum, St James's Palace and Syon Park, and in my final year organising conferences regionally and nationally for the Department of Health. By the time I graduated ready to embark on my ‘official’ career, I had a wealth of knowledge to support me in my first ‘real’ job.
Looking back, did you expect your career path to take the course it has?
I think ever since the days as student president back in college, I knew where I wanted to go. I was so eager to learn the tricks of the trade that all the volunteeing and work experience couldn’t have set me on a different path.
Would you do anything differently?
I would have liked to have joined the Olympic Games circuit earlier in my career as the opportunities to travel the world are fantastic and would have been very much suited to my younger self. However, if I changed my earlier days in the industry I wouldn’t be where I am now.
Who has inspired you along the way?
Gary Verity, chief executive at Welcome to Yorkshire. He has put Yorkshire on the map in the past few years and I would love to get inside his head and find out how he did it. Plus Welcome to Yorkshire secured the Grand Depart for the Tour de France this year and I would have loved to be on the starting line in Gary’s place waving off the riders through the beautiful Yorkshire Dales.
Have you ever had a job interview that went particularly well or spectacularly wrong?
Sometimes you walk into a room and you know it’s not right. In one of my past experiences I was faced with an oversized leather chair opposite what seemed like a panel of judges - that didn’t go down so well. On the other hand, one of my favourite interviews which was conducted by phone, ended with a conversation about what hobbies I enjoyed. The deal was pretty much sealed after we discovered that we both loved skiing.
Is there a piece of career advice you’ve ever been told that has stuck with you?
Someone once told me to always follow up on old contacts you make. Tenacity is most definitely the name of the game. It’s important to go back to someone even if they said no the first time and is something I have stuck to throughout my career.
What career advice would you give to your 21-year-old self?
I worked hard as a student and as a graduate new in the market place gaining experience through volunteer opportunities and networking to the best of my young capabilities. I would remind myself to follow up more thoroughly with those people I was fortunate to meet in my early days. And additionally, I would have allowed myself more time to travel to gain international experience.
How do you wind down and relax after a hectic day?
Coming home to a lovely family dinner is at the top of the list. In summer when the weather is nice I like outdoor activities such as a bike ride or a nice evening stroll. Anything that involves fresh air. In winter, I attempt to improve my sewing and guitar skills. It’s a working progress.
Want to share your career story with us as part of the ? Email news editor Samantha Edwards to feature in a future How I Got Here.
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