Where and when were you born?
I was born in ’93. I am from St. Bride’s on the Cape Shore. “Bayman turned downtown-ie”
What is your current job and list some things you like about it?
I am a Digital Media Specialist at a local agency called JAC. I run the organic and paid social media posts for my clients, keep their digital footprint up to date (website, Google my Business, etc), and develop strategies to help their businesses thrive. I love specializing in digital media vs. traditional because you get real results to look at and make changes. I can see how my audience reacts to different types of posts, compare the success of similar posts, and make changes in real-time. Social media advertising changes constantly, so it’s fun to be constantly learning. I also like how in an agency you work with so many clients that you get to learn about a bunch of different industries and understand how different industries perform on the various platforms.
How does it relate to your diploma or certificate?
I got a diploma in Business Management – Marketing. My work term was with another agency in town and I stayed with them for about four years before moving on to other agencies. So my program directly relates to the career path I’ve been on since the second year of my three-year program.
What is the hardest thing you’ve ever done in your lifetime?
Before I went to CNA, I worked in Fort McMurray for a few years making good money, but not doing a job that I cared about. The hardest thing was realizing money isn’t everything, but it’s been the most rewarding 100 per cent.
What’s your favourite place in the world?
My favourite place in the world would have to be in the window of my downtown apartment on a stormy Saturday morning with a good cup of coffee and VOCM on with my kitties.
Can you describe an experience that changed your life?
Moving home and becoming a student at 22. I figured I was too old. Looking back, I know that if I wanted to change careers now, it’s still not too late to go back. We’ve got more life ahead of us so getting the nerve to go for it is key to being your best self.
What’s your favourite movie or book?
JoJo Rabbit is 1,000 per cent my favourite movie, as well as Tommy Boy. I love to read NL novels and biographies. Annabel by Kathleen Winter is an awesome book about growing up in Labrador.
Is your current career path as you originally intended?
When I first started at CNA, I had originally planned to do Human Resources. After my first year, when it came time to make the choice, one of my instructors told me I had the personality for marketing and I decided to give it a try. The best advice I ever took!
What challenges did you face in launching your career?
I have been lucky. I landed a good job and never left for years. I worked part-time during my last year of college and started a salary position immediately following my final exams. I’ve been working in digital marketing since, but I’ve since then furthered my education with a digital marketing professional diploma from The Digital Marketing Institute. The biggest challenge when starting a digital marketing career is keeping up with how fast the platforms change, so challenges happen often, but rolling with the punches helps!
What advice would you give to your CNA first-year self?
Find your niche. Don’t do something for the sake of doing it. Job titles are fluid and you’ll come to learn the title means a lot less than the work you do itself. If you don’t like something in school (I’m looking at you, Accounting) then you probably won’t like doing it Monday to Friday. Look at potential careers for completing your program, you might realize there are career paths available to you that you’ve never heard of but come to love. Be happy for others’ successes, and don’t get ahead by bringing others down. There’s lots of room at the top for all of us to be deadly!
