Millie Reed – BA (Hons) Marketing graduate

“Do as much as you can on top of your course. There will be thousands of people from all around the country graduating in the same year as you with the same qualification and applying for the same jobs. To be ahead of the competition, show that you have the motivation and passion by doing more.”

Did you decide to change your career path during your studies, and if so, why?

I always knew that marketing was the right course for me, and whilst studying at Plymouth I was an active member of the Entrepreneurs society. This enabled me to meet successful entrepreneurs at events all over the country. It was through this and the business plan competitions run by the University that I realised that start-ups and tech were the areas I wanted to specialise in.

What advice would you give to anyone wanting to get in to the same line of work?

Do as much as you can on top of your course. There will be thousands of people from all around the country graduating in the same year as you with the same qualification and applying for the same jobs. To be ahead of the competition, show that you have the motivation and passion by doing more. For example, the IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising) offers online courses that are a gateway to roles in advertising and will help you to stand out from the rest.

How did studying at Plymouth help you?

Studying at Plymouth was a great opportunity to be surrounded by lecturers who really have a passion for the subject and real experience in the industry. Learning about real life examples gave me a greater understanding of models and theory and how they are used in practice. The marketing course at Plymouth was really hands on and the majority of coursework was situated in real life projects. This meant that when I was applying for placements and graduate jobs I had a great bank of completed projects to show what I had learnt.

Do you stay in touch with other University of Plymouth alumni or lecturers?

We still have a private Facebook page for our course year group and I'm planning on flying out to Florida to visit one of my best friends from the course who is now working at Disney.

Would you recommend undertaking a course with the University of Plymouth, and why? 

I would recommend the University of Plymouth 100% as it’s a great student city with everything on your doorstep: you’ve got the sea, the city, Dartmoor, Cornwall, and of course North Hill which are all minutes from the campus.

Is there anything else which you would like to share with our current students?

Make the most of everything that goes on at university and don’t just make do with what happens on your course. Every day you could be doing something new and meeting new people. There is no other time like being at university, so make the most of it!