Candidate Case Study: When Two Careers Collide

Talitha McLachlan contacted The Candidate with both teaching and digital marketing experience hoping to find a role which would combine the two. Since, we have gotten in touch with Talitha to get some insight on her new role as a Content Specialist within retail company, Findel, and tips on how to get started if you’re looking for something new!

What attracted you to your new role and what has been the best part?

Initially, what attracted me was what I would be able to offer Findel. As an ex-teacher with copywriting experience, I knew I would have a lot to bring to the table. Since leaving teaching, it has always been my aim to continue helping people that really needed it. In this instance, I could help people in a job that I know first-hand is really difficult.

Having started the job, I would have to say the best bit is the people I work with. They’re talented and lovely and you can’t ask for more than that!

What were you looking for in a new role?

I really wanted a role that would add more strings to my bow but that would also utilise skills I have acquired over my two career paths. I wanted something that would push me.

What interests you most about your industry?

Findel is retail, but it is the specific customers that interest me. I like being able to help educators because I know how hard their job is. As for working in e-commerce and marketing, it’s the creative side of things that I love. The ability to paint with words on a daily basis and get paid for it!

What type of person excels in this type of role?

A copywriter excels when they have an amazing grasp of grammar and enjoy researching. It helps if you find what you’re writing about interesting, too! It’s also helpful if you can translate what someone wants from ‘tone of voice’ and can actually apply their ideas to the written word.

What is the best preparation you have had for this role?

Being a teacher myself. I’m lucky in that writing creatively has always come naturally to me. But having experienced being a teacher, gone through the training, had the daily conversations, it means I understand the intricacies of words to use and tone to give. I understand what makes teachers tick, because I was one.

What are the highlights of your job?

I really love writing the product descriptions for products that have a fun edge to them. I have been writing a lot of ICT resources product descriptions for younger learners which usually means they have a fun hook that I like to play around with. Today, I wrote something for a product that had an underwater theme to it – I like to play around with themes and set the scene.

What are the challenges of your role?

Because I am writing a lot of product descriptions, some of the products are quite similar, so it’s finding different words to say the same thing a few times over. Your brain can go a bit fuzzy. But in those times, I look at other successful website’s product descriptions and blogs for inspiration. It really helps!

What added value did you get from job hunting with a recruitment agency such as us here at The Candidate?

I would never have found this job for starters. But also, they recognised the great match of my skills and the job role at Findel. It was the perfect match and they recognised that.

It was also really helpful to have an idea about the company before I went for the interview; you can get a lot from a website, for sure. But it’s hard to get a feel for culture via a website.

Will you contact a recruitment agency again for any future career change?

Definitely. It made job hunting so much easier and it’s helpful to have that more personal touch. It can be so hard to get a foot in the door and when you’re relying on a piece of paper to communicate your personality, your ability to learn as well as everything else, it’s impossible! With a recruitment agency, you’re already in a better position to get what you want.

Top 5 Tips for securing a job in your industry:

1. Be honest about what you can provide on your CV.
2. Take courses in the areas you’re lacking.
3. Write your own blog about anything you’re interested in.
4. Keep your ear to the ground on social networks, particularly with the audience you’re writing for.
5. Read all the blogs and articles on SEO and copywriting that you can get your hands on.

A massive thanks to Talitha for this insightful information, we wish you the best of luck in your new role! If you're interested in a similar role, check out our Creative Jobs page!

To read more of our latest blogs click here.

Check out our latest creative jobs here.

Check out our marketing jobs here.

Check out our latest digital jobs here.

For all our analytics jobs click here.