When I first arrived in the UK from Malaysia to study, back in 2019, a career in PR and marketing was certainly not at the forefront of my mind. My plan was to pursue a career in International Relations, which I studied at the University of Exeter. Even after completing my master’s degree at University College London (UCL) in 2023, PR wasn’t on the horizon. But as I wrote articles for university journals about current affairs, I began to wonder where else my writing could take me.

As a university student, I also became active in Malaysian politics (thanks to being home for 18 months during the pandemic). I volunteered as a researcher and writer for a youth organisation advocating for greater political engagement among young Malaysians. This role required me to research contemporary Malaysian politics as well as co-author press releases and articles challenging legislation. That was a ‘eureka’ moment for me – I found a new purpose for my writing beyond academic essays.

Tapping into this new  interest (and trying to make a few extra bucks while studying), I got a job as a social media manager for an Australian vineyard. This experience introduced me to creating content for social media – and I absolutely loved it!

Meeting ThoughtSpark

After completing my studies, I found myself navigating a challenging graduate job market. As an international student needing a visa, job opportunities were scarce. I came across the Account Executive position at ThoughtSpark on LinkedIn, and following the hiring process, I was deli ghted when the team offered me the role – they later told me they were impressed by how responsive and organised I was throughout (essential skills in agency life), and that I came across as hard-working and thoughtful.

On my first day, I was really nervous about starting my first proper job.

However, everyone made me feel very welcome and was extremely patient with my endless questions. Initially, I found writing content about unfamiliar industries and pitching it to journalists quite challenging. But I soon learned that practice is key, an d now I can say that I am much more comfortable and familiar with all the different work of our clients.

Fast forward six months, and I have been thoroughly enjoying my role at ThoughtSpark. Although I didn’t have formal education in PR or marketing (an issue we addressed in our blog, What do you need to be a marketer?), the skills I gained through my university and work experiences have proven invaluable.

Outside of work, I’m enjoying playing tennis with my sister, lifting heavy plates at the gym, exploring new Korean restaurants in London, and going on really (really) long walks. Now that I’m working full-time, these leisure moments are all the more precious!

Highlights!

Here are some of my key moments and achievements so far:

• Getting an article placed in FTAdviser (this took many attempts)
• Attending Hannover Messe in April (my first time in Germany!)
• Visiting the Ashmolean Museum with the team for our summer party