Time goes really fast. Since I graduated from November last year, I started the journal of full-time jobs seeking in marketing area. But things are difficult. As a eastern foreigner in this western style county, everything are different to me and need to start from 0.
On one hand, the nationality and the right of residence become the biggest problem I have ever met. The government increased the lowest salary range for a working visa (T2), from 27k in the past to the 38.7k starts from April 1st, 2024. This leads to the dramatically reduced in viable job positions. Lots of companies, such as EY, BDO, PWC, Barclays, etc., who used to provide visa sponsorships cannot reach that high level. Options for people like me are becoming very scarce.
On the other hand, my previous experience in marketing area is nothing in here. When I was still in uni, I got an online marketing internship lasting for 2 years. It was in a Chinese company. And the main area is Affiliate Marketing. However, the market size, key campaign strategies are totally different compare with western markets. Let’s use China’s digital market as an example. Im China, people mainly gathering product information via social media such as Little Red Book, TikTok, Weibo, and WeChat. Public’s buying hobbits are different based on the holidays sales, as there’re so many holidays in China. Anchors and KOL Accounts become the Seller’s agents. People will mainly buy products based on their reviews.
In contract, western’s digital marketing have several areas. Email marketing, SEO marketing, Independent merchandise websites, Social media influencers, PPC… these’re something really new to me. They are unprecedented, challenge, but interesting. The job here needs skills related to these areas. Thus, this push me to study more about Google Ads (related to Display ads and SEO), Google Analytics (data analysis), WordPress using (Website building) and the Max Digital Marketing & Business courses. As I studied Media, Culture and Society at UofG, I found it’s not that difficult to get started.
Though I don’t know how long it will take for me to fully grasp the knowledge, at least I’m getting used to these and have a beginning, isn’t it? I believe that when I learn this knowledge, I can better compound the demand for positions in this area. Even though I’m still working as a waitress in a fish and chip restaurant, as long as I keep learning and posting my CV, I’m sure I can find an interesting job in the DM field with sponsor and succeed in staying in this glamorous Scotland.
Don’t be assimilated. Hold on. Wish me luck.
Ps. These words are thought on this road ⬇️ This is the necessary way for me to get home from work. During summer, it is sooo chill that lots of lovely dogs can be seen here 🥰
