Educational Blog written by Sailor Parsons, Postgraduate at Manchester Metropolitan University
I graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University in May 2021 with a First Class Honours Linguistics degree. My final year studies were all online; face to face connection was extinct, and I was largely left to my own devices. At first, it was daunting, but my lecturers were also in this precarious position so there was a shared sense of compassion inbuilt into our relationships. It was fine. I achieved what I set out to achieve in 2018: a First Class degree and a firm understanding of who I am and what I want.
What I wanted was to stay on and study a MSc in Creative Advertising Strategy. But, at first, I genuinely didn’t know if “English degree” grads could ever set foot in the marketing/advertising world. Anyhow, I enquired and set up a quick chat with the programme leader, and the course sounded like everything I could wish for. You see, I wanted to apply my undergraduate degree in the world of marketing; I knew there were tangible crossovers, but I never fully knew the potential of what was to come…
September 2021: my MSc started and very quickly I became obsessed, immersed, and fascinated. This was what learning is all about - the feelings of “new”, the excitement of the unknown, and the eagerness to impress - getting stuck in and being confident.
Fast forward a few months, and I had equipped myself with a decent looking portfolio, and an internship opportunity with MultiTime, a B2B company based in Manchester. This was fantastic. During my undergraduate studies, the experience students all know is so valuable was scarce; unavailable to most; and often required ridiculous entry requirements.
Catch 22.
But, being a postgraduate student, the opportunities were there. A proactive and confident attitude was the formidable duo. A duo I still adopt today. It was during this time I found a keen interest in copywriting. The simple art of writing to sell. This was the path I wanted to forge, and I was to forge it with the power of my pen and paper.
As one opportunity comes to an end, another is never too far away: this is certainly the case for me. I came across THE HOUSE OF RADHA on my career hub platform as they were advertising for the role of a ‘Creative Copywriter’. My eyes lit up. I saw this as the first real copy experience on my CV, and I certainly saw this as an opportunity to network, build on my copy skills and pad out my portfolio.
I applied, had an interview and was offered the role. As I learnt more about the company, I became intrigued with their philosophy. THOR is bridging the gap between fashion, music and art; they provide students and young professionals with personalised, creative professional roles in placement and internship styles. I became heavily invested, and I was fortunate enough to be promoted to team leader; I snatched the chance to build on and acquire more project management and leadership skills. As team leader, I overlook copy related roles: proofreading, editing, helping my colleagues with creative ideation and providing structures for email, blog, social and web copy.
THOR is without a doubt a brand I can get behind. After liaising regularly with the CEO, I fully understand where THOR is heading: a place of ethical, slow fashion where the bridge up for the creative arts and industries is an accessible platform for learners of all kinds.
Photocredits: Amador Loureiro and Hannah Grace
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