Kris Roberts - Graduate Case Study
Kris Roberts graduated with a degree in Media, Culture, Communication in 2020, then completed an MSc in Digital Marketing. He is now the Head of Digital Marketing and Innovation at the MAPD Group following a role as Associate & Digital Marketing Manager at Jackson Lees Group. When studying at LJMU he told us about how he took matters into his own hands to gain writing experience when he found limited opportunities in the PR/marketing sectors.
When I first started the Media and Cultural Industries Work Based Learning and Career Planning module at Level 6, I had my heart set on securing a lucrative, highly beneficial work placement at some high-profile PR firm or digital marketing agency. This was far from my reality. I emailed every possible agency in the Merseyside area and most didn’t reply, those who did offered their ‘sincerest regrets’. I was then made aware through University Careers of some opportunities to write for digital platforms, including Mindless Mag, which I’m certain are still accepting interns this year, and another music platform where I ended up writing and editing for just short of a year.
They weren’t the internships I was initial hoping for, and I had never even considered writing as a career, but they have arguably been more beneficial for growing my skills and experience than anything else could have. I was able to contribute in my spare time, I was able to grow my network massively, and eventually it led me to start my own platform. It opened me up to an entirely new career path that I previously didn’t know existed and opened my mind to options outside of PR.
I now have a portfolio of over 50 pieces of published content, and while I’m still on the job hunt, my portfolio has been incredibly useful for getting my foot through the door. My advice to all new MCC students is simple: consider every opportunity, and if there aren’t any, create your own. I was lucky to take on multiple placements, and it was hard work balancing them with work and university, but the benefits you can reap from these experiences are totally worth it. I can’t stress that enough. Any opportunity that you can gain a new skillset from is worth considering, and they don’t all have to be in a fancy office working under high-powered execs. If nothing else, taking on any kind of work experience will show your enthusiasm and proactive nature when you enter the job market.
In some ways, creating your own experience can look even better on your CV. It shows your creativity, your motivation, and you get to practice all of the skills you’re hoping to build on your own terms. For example, you can write your own content which allows you to build you content writing skills. You can start an Instagram account and practice social media marketing. You can research SEO (an incredibly useful skill for aspiring marketers) and learn how to appropriately optimise content for search engines. You get to pick and choose what you want to learn while showing potential employers that you’re a self-starting go-getter. I started my blog in March, and one thing I realised is that I could have started it at the start of the course. The blog is a legacy of the skills I gained on MCC but it is also my future.
Support from the Student Futures team
If you want to talk about potential careers options with your degree, need help finding opportunities or want support with your CV, application forms or preparing for an interview, you can get advice and guidance by booking a 30-minute 1-2-1 careers meeting with a Careers and Employability Adviser from the LJMU Student Futures Team. You can also come along to a Careers drop-in or CV Café which take place weekly at the Careers Zones for quick careers queries.
If you are thinking about starting a business, freelancing, pursuing a side-hustle or have an idea that you want to explore further, email the Start-up Hub and a member of the team will be back in touch. For more information about the Bathgate Boost Award, visit the Start-up Hub website.
For help finding part-time, temporary or casual you can fit around your studies, email the Unitemps team or visit their website.