Anna Henderson graduated from our BA in New Media and English in 2017. She is now working as a Digital Marketing and Web Executive at the Bar of Ireland.
Why did you choose UL?
I initially chose UL based on the fact it offered the course I wanted and feedback I had heard from friends and older family members who all spoke very highly of their time in college. Having researched further I could see the facilities and resources UL offered students both academically and socially and I knew it was where I wanted to be!
In terms of choosing my course, I knew I wanted to go down the communications/social media route as it was something I always had an interest in. English has always been one of my favourite subjects throughout school so the course perfectly combined the two. I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to do after college and I knew by doing this course I could work in a number of different industries. I’ve gone from working in the media industry to working in the law industry so the course offers plenty of opportunity.
I’ve gone from working in the media industry to working in the law industry so the course offers plenty of opportunity.
Describe your typical day
In my current work place there is no “typical” day which is an aspect I love. I’m only in my current role a few weeks so I’m still learning a lot every day but in a nutshell my role centres around internal communications in the organisation, updating websites, working on marketing materials and running the social media accounts.
In what way did your course prepare you for your career?
The English element of the degree has helped massively with my writing ability.
Whether it’s blog posts, website copy or social media posts, when you’re creating content that is going to be read by a large audience you need to make sure it’s interesting, coherent and grammatically correct!
I also had the option to take a lot of digital communications modules during my undergrad that equipped me with practical skills such technical writing, Photoshop, and working with WordPress.
A mandatory element of my course was Co-Op Education where I worked for six months in a media communications agency. I was lucky enough to be employed full-time in the same company after graduating before moving into my current role. A semester abroad on Erasmus was another mandatory aspect of the course and always looks impressive on a CV. Further enforcing UL’s excellent reputation for graduate employability!
I also had the option to take a lot of digital communications modules during my undergrad that equipped me with practical skills such technical writing, Photoshop, and working with WordPress.
Any advice for school leavers?
Coming out of school and trying to figure out what you want to do with your life is extremely daunting. When you’re choosing a subject that you’re going to be studying for the next three/four years make sure it’s something you have an interest in rather than a subject you feel like you have to do. If you’re passionate about a topic or can somehow incorporate your hobbies into study, do it. It will make the academic work a lot easier if you have a genuine interest in the subject. Also, don’t put yourself under too much pressure. There are so many options and resources provided in UL that if something does go wrong, there is always a backup or alternative option there if you need it.