Sofia Toebak Bravo - Affiliate Executive at Missguided - Candidate Case Study

Our top candidate, Sofia recently landed an exciting job in the fashion industry as an Affiliate Executive with Missguided. Read her story on how she was snapped up for this great role and perhaps you could be following in her fashion footsteps soon!  

Sofia Toebak Bravo, Affiliate Executive

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

Working in Affiliate Marketing provides a great opportunity because it is based on a skillset applicable to most industries in the digital space.

Managing affiliate activity across a territory such as the US for a global brand like Missguided simply sounded too good to pass up. So far, I would say the best part has been the learning opportunities brought by the numerous relationships I have already formed with key stakeholders in the US Affiliate Marketing landscape.

What were you looking for in a new role?

When job seeking, personally I was looking for a role within an organisation with values which aligned with my own. I firmly believe that when you work for a business that understand your key motivations and shares them, your daily tasks and responsibilities become that much more enjoyable. Aside from this, the industry mattered to me and always having been passionate about fashion, Missguided seemed like the perfect choice.

How did you find interviewing and starting a new role in a lockdown?

I have to say the whole process was quite daunting, from the lack of face to face contact to the remote onboarding. For someone who considers interpersonal skills a main personal selling point, this was a tricky situation to navigate.

Luckily, my prospective team made the whole process extremely smooth as well as the hands-on support provided by Ali at The Candidate, who put me at ease considerably and made the process run with total normalcy.

Since starting the new role I am now just excited for the day we get to return to the office, and I can meet everyone face to face.

What interests you most about your industry?

The fashion and e-commerce industries are fascinating to me for the pace they always keep. Plans are never set; life is always exciting and the industry and those of us lucky enough to work within it are constantly evolving, the exact same can be said of affiliate marketing as a whole. Not only do the processes and approaches constantly change and embrace innovation, but the customer does as well. There is always something more to learn or more insights to discover which will then equip you all the better to face new challenges.

I think COVID-19 has been a true test for most industries, and the e-commerce sector has shown great adaptability in such an uncertain time, making me very proud to be a part of it.

What type of person excels in this type of role?

Affiliate marketing requires a varied set of skills in my opinion, from very strong organisational skills to being a great negotiator and understanding how to leverage nothing to get everything.

Some key skills I find valuable for this type of role are a strategic outlook and foresight, interpersonal skills and the ability to build solid relationships, an international outlook which allows for great international cooperation and lastly a keen eye for detail and an analytical mind.

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

I do not think anything can truly prepare you for an affiliate role other than getting started and diving straight in.

Experience is the best teacher, although a strong academic base in a diverse range of subjects can aid you in being adaptable and a quick learner, there is nothing like being thrown into the deep end.

What are the highlights of your job?

I would have to say collaborating with people all around the world, gaining an understanding of the inner workings of business within different cultures and seeing the fruit of your efforts with a growing program can all be extremely rewarding.

What are the challenges of your role?

On the flip side, working with so many different cultures and people of diverse backgrounds can prove a challenge especially at the start. It is key to be empathic and adaptable to all situations, especially within an ever-changing industry.

What are your top tips for securing a job in your industry?

If you want to get started with affiliate marketing my best advice is:

1. Build out your network
2. Improve your negotiation skills, you are promoting yourself not just the brand you want to work for.
3. Become a sponge – anything that gets thrown your way can be a learning experience. Every challenge is a lesson.
4. Show your transferable skills – when entering an affiliate role, it can be hard to get into without prior experience, but the truth is most of the key skills for these roles are an integral part of so many others. Learn how to apply your existing expertise onto a new industry.
5. Get acquainted with key affiliate platforms. AWIN is a great one to get started with. Even if you just familiarise yourself with the publisher side, it will provide you with an edge when you lack actual experience, and it will make starting a new affiliate role much easier.

We hope you enjoyed Sofia's story and took away some useful tips. 

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