Amy: 6 months at OPEN

I was never one of those kids that knew what they wanted to be when they grew up – my goals and aspirations have been formed slowly out of my experiences in work, education and my personal life.

 

One of the most important things I have learned is that it is vital to do something that you’re excited to get up for in the morning. It took me being in a few jobs that weren’t completely suited to my interests and skillset to realise this is an achievable goal, and a goal that should be fought for.

 

I have known that I love to write pretty much since GCSE English, which led me through A Levels and on to degree level at University – I was however struggling with how to put this into practise in the ‘real world’. Along with most of my peers I had to grapple with what my future might hold after graduation, which was an incredibly daunting prospect.

 

The skills gap for young people in the UK is a real issue, and I knew that my English degree alone would most likely not get me far when it came to securing a creative job in Liverpool. I knew I needed an extra push. That push came from the helpful hand of Agent Academy, a 3 month intensive course designed to encourage 16-25 year olds to get their foot on the ladder in the creative and digital sector.

 

My confidence grew significantly whilst on the Academy and gave me the platform to liase with so many influential people that I may not have had the chance to meet otherwise.

 

Whilst on the Academy, Mike Smith from OPEN Media came in to talk to the group – I knew instantly that I wanted to work for Mike as his passion for his company, and life, is infectious. Upon learning of an Inbound Marketing Executive position and after some gentle coaxing, I knew I had to put myself forward for the role.

 

Thankfully, I was successful!

 

As this was an industry that I knew little to nothing about, my first month at OPEN was spent immersing myself in the world of out of home advertising. Research was my best friend! I quickly learned that there’s a lot more to the industry than I first thought, and I relished getting to know the ins and outs.

 

As an Inbound Marketing Executive, it is my job to produce content to get brands engaged with our business. This means that I write helpful and relevant blogs, as well as manning OPEN’s social media channels, to ensure we are garnering the right kind of coverage. The inbound marketing method is a modern, unobtrusive way to grab the attention of prospective customers and to spread the word of OPEN to all the right people.

 

Part of my training process included being enrolled on an Inbound Marketing course with Hubspot – a brilliant tool whereby I can track and analyse any interactions with the content I am posting.

 

Thanks to the OPEN team I found it very easy to settle in, and I was pleased to find myself in such a relaxed and friendly working environment. It’s important to me that I’m working somewhere where the values of the business are aligned with my own, and the team at OPEN are a perfect match for me.

 

One month after I started my job, we moved OPEN headquarters to AvenueHQ, which is more of a community than an office space. Their approach to collaborative relationships within the working environment fit perfectly with our attitude towards work – we’re always looking to obtain and nurture new relationships with other businesses.

 

There have been many highlights during my initial six months at OPEN, including the launch of our first digital screen, Mike and the team winning an award at the Downtown in Business Awards, and two new team members joining us this year.

 

Having an extra pair of hands with me on the marketing team has already been brilliant, and we have lots of exciting plans in place for 2018 and beyond. OPEN is growing at a fast pace and isn’t showing signs of slowing down anytime soon.

 

Every day is different, and I can honestly say I look forward to coming into work each morning – which for me, is the dream.

 

By Amy Shaw