Day 603: "You're just overqualified."

Day 603 of the job hunt. I feel like it has been a slow start in the job hunt since my "break", but it will start to pick up steam soon (I hope!).

I actually got my first rejection this week since re-starting the job hunt. It was the wonderful "You're just too overqualified for this position" rejection. I didn't want to come back and say "I've been job searching for over 600 days, so please reconsider!" Although I understand the reasoning, I hate getting that reply. Jobs were hard to come by when I finished my Bachelor's degree. I somehow thought doing a Postgraduate degree would help my employability, along with some part-time work for experience. This is proving not to be the case though! Basically though, I would take any opportunity available to me that I know I would do exceptionally well in, so please still consider me!

I also find that people do not quite understand my qualifications. I thought I would take today to explain more in-depth about my education.

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Straight out of High School in Florida, I started taking classes at St. Petersburg College. I have to say that I loved it. The staff were always really nice and approachable, there was a wide array of classes and the campus in Clearwater is lovely. I started with a basic degree (Associate in Arts), where you study several subjects such as English Composition, Ethics, Humanities, Mathematics (Algebra and Statistics in my case) and Science (I chose Earth Science). I also took classes towards an Associate in Science degree, this included Hospitality and Tourism Management classes, however I went back to an AA degree after deciding I wanted to study abroad and the AA path would be best.

This proved to be true as I got accepted to Liverpool Hope University's Media Studies. I chose this course because I wanted to learn more about the ever-changing ways sports are using media. I was a fan in America of a Premier League team in England and depended on many media sources to keep me up to date with my team. This was my chance to learn more and hopefully be part of that process. Unlike other American students I came across, I did the whole course (three years) at Hope University, which was an experience being so far away from home! I started working at the university though, and I made a lot of friends through my course and work. They made it easier for me! The course covered many aspects of media including journalism (print and broadcast) and public relations. I graduated with a 2:1 in 2012.

I felt like I still had a lot of opportunity in front of me in England. I was convinced by my tutors to go for a Master of Philosophy degree in Media. I also considered a Master's programme at another University, but Hope gave me the opportunity to go further and had faith in me to go for the Postgraduate Research. I went for it, and with that help of a fabulous tutor I obtained my MPhil degree in Football, Media and Fan Relationships in December 2015. This degree included writing a thesis that looked at the history of football and media's relationships and how a symbiotic relationship helped the two sectors grow. However things have changed dramatically in the digital age. Clubs are now keeping tighter control on their brand, deciding what news goes out to what source, and using their own media to connect with the fans. Supporters no longer need to depend on the newspaper the next morning to get news on the game form the night before and clubs no longer exclusively need the newspapers to connect with fans. My research used different case studies to show the change in relationships and what tactics are being used now to connect with their fans and market their brand.

Although my research specifically looked at football, the same concepts can be applied to many companies who are wishing to connect with audiences. To strengthen my position, I enrolled with Coursera's Social Media Marketing Specialization through Northwestern University. This has included lessons in analytics, listening to your audience via social networks, different marketing strategies, the importance of keywords, and blogging. There is also a Capstone Project that I will undertake after the fifth and final course, which will finish in June. This will give me the opportunity to showcase the skills I have learned in this specialization. I have obtained four out of the five certificates you can earn in the specialization so far, and I am loving the course!

During my studies, I have also worked part-time and volunteered, doing everything I can to keep learning and gain more opportunities. If you think you could give me my next opportunity, please send me an e-mail, tweet me or connect with me on LinkedIn.

My Education

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." - Nelson Mandela

My education is something I have worked very hard at, and the hard work has certainly paid off. An in-depth look at my studies can be found here, but I have briefly outlined my academic achievements below:

Liverpool Hope University 2012 – 2015

Liverpool, England

Master of Philosophy in Football and Media Relationships

·         Degree awarded December 2015.

• ·         Studies include research into past and existing relationships between media and football and how the changes, if any, are affecting the industries. This looked at expectations of the club for the media and media partners and vice versa, as well as expectations of the now ‘active’ fans through new media.
• ·         It also involves how clubs use their own media (social media, website, applications, etc) to promote their brand and to develop a relationship with fans.
• ·         A strong focus was made on football clubs communicating directly with their fans and local communities and the importance of fan engagement.
• ·         Student Representative on Politics, History, Media & Communications Departmental Review.

Liverpool Hope University 2009 - 2012

Liverpool, England

BA with Honours in Media Studies (2:1)

• Including Print/Broadcast Journalism, Marketing and PR and Political Communications.
• Student Liaison/Representative for Media Students for all three years.

St Petersburg College 2004 - 2009

St Petersburg, Florida, USA

Associate in Arts Degree

Part-time

In addition to my studies at university, I aim to continue my professional development in this constantly changing sector. Below demonstrates my accomplishments in this:

Northwestern University November 2015-February 2016 (Projected end date)

Social Media Marketing Specialization Certificate

MOOC consisting of five courses to further develop skills in Social Media Marketing, including:

• ·         How to develop social strategies using effective methodologies
• ·         Building strong relationships with target audiences and partners
• ·         Content, advertising and social IMC     

Wharton, University of Pennsylvania (via Coursera) November 2015
Introduction to Marketing

Using a massive open online course (via Coursera), I have been able to complete additional courses to further develop and learn new skills through top Universities and also stay up to date on the latest techniques used in the industry. Skills acquired through Introduction to Marketing include: Building strong brands, identifying target markets and aspects of promotion.

You can always look at my LinkedIn page for more information!

About Me!

I am originally from America (Sunny Florida, to be exact!) but now living in the North West area of England. Before taking the jump overseas, I completed an Associate's Degree with St. Petersburg College in my hometown. This degree is quite general and covered everything from sciences and mathematics to ethics and humanities. As much as I love where I am from, it's a big world out there, and felt a new setting for my Bachelor's degree would be an adventure.

I travelled to the UK originally over six years ago to study at Liverpool Hope University for a BA (Hons) in Media Studies. I achieved this with a 2:1 in 2012. My studies included journalism (print and broadcast), creating a magazine, blogs and public relations. I went on to do an M.Phil (Master of Philosophy, postgraduate research) degree in Football and Media Relationships. My research for this degree has focused greatly on how football clubs communicate with their supporters and partners in the modern digital age. This degree was awarded in December 2015.

Image Source: http://bit.ly/1Nef1GC

I chose to go into Media/Marketing for many reasons. First of all I love how there never seems to be a dull moment. There is always something new developing, and I find it quite exciting to be part of something new. I also love working with people and being the link between a company and their consumers using social media as a tool. My career goals include working in a role where I can use the skills I obtained during my intense studies and work experiences in connecting the company with the wider community.

There is a lot more to me than just all this studying! I also love football (soccer), all things Disney, to bake/cook, travel to places of historical significance, and generally have a laugh with my closest friends! I also like to volunteer when possible. I am currently a Dementia Friend Champion through the Alzheimer's Society, giving short information sessions to community groups to help erase the stigma surrounding Dementia as well as help promote a happy, healthy way of life for those living with the disease.