This week Marketing Executive, Caroline Noble is talking about studying for Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) exams, home schooling and keeping the kids fit during lockdown.
I started at Jacksons back in 2002 when I left school, and applied for a job with the firm as an office junior. From then, I learned a lot about the firm and took on various roles in a number of departments. In 2009 I was given the opportunity to join the marketing team as an assistant to their then marketing manager, a role I loved instantly. Following a career break when my youngest son was born, I was asked by Karen Robinson, Jacksons’ Head of Marketing and Business Development, if I would consider returning as a Marketing Executive to work alongside her. I didn’t have to think about the offer for very long and soon I was back doing a job I love, and working in a great team.
During my appraisal last year I mentioned to Karen that I would like to gain a CIM qualification. I have several years’ experience under my belt working in a marketing capacity, however, I’m not yet CIM qualified. The partners at Jacksons have always been supportive of my career development and so when the suggestion was put to them by Karen, they agreed to support and fund the CIM qualification. In January this year, I enrolled on the CIM Diploma in Professional Marketing, which started in March. Fortunately, the course I chose is online, which meant that there was no disruption to my learning once the government announced that colleges and universities must close as part as the first lockdown in March.
I think it’s safe to say that since the first lockdown was announced, most people have felt a little bit overwhelmed. For me personally, I went into the lockdown with a positive view. With the schools closing, it meant I’d get to spend more time with my kids, more time doing productive tasks, more time for us as a family. The lockdown also meant that I would have more time to focus on completing my diploma. I knew it was going to take up a large chunk of my free time and, as I now had more of this, the timing was great.
I soon realised that the lack of routine also came with a lack of motivation. I often found it difficult to get stuck into my assignments and one of the reasons was because the days seemed to pass so quickly. Juggling home schooling with my own work was stressful at times. I was grateful however, for the extra hours I got to spend with the kids and even enjoyed the daily Joe Wicks workouts and spiderman yoga!
As the months went by, I established a routine that worked for me. I quickly realised that having set working hours and being more disciplined meant that I was more productive which motivated me to complete tasks quicker. I started and finished work at a set time each day and scheduled time to work on my assignments.
The first module of the course was Marketing and Digital Strategy. Completing this module was a challenge and at times I felt like I would never complete it. However, by dedicating time to it, and with the support of Karen and Jane our Managing Partner, I submitted the assignments for my first module in July and received the fantastic news in September that I had passed!
Digital marketing is something I’ve had an interest in for a while and it was already a major part of the marketing strategy at Jacksons.
These past seven months have taught us all the importance of having a strong digital presence and many firms have increased their social media activity and used many platforms including LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram etc to promote their services.
I love to learn and for me completing this course will be a big achievement. I’m currently halfway through my second module which focuses on innovation in marketing, a topic which again has come at a great time.
The course is giving me the confidence to use my skills and hopefully develop strategies to help Jacksons continue to develop a competitive edge and take them forward in the future.
So, with one module down and two to go, I am due to complete the course in March 2021. The graduation ceremony is scheduled for June 2021 and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we will be able to attend the ceremony in person!
I’m working from home full time at the moment, but I still have a great support network around me. Jacksons is a fantastic company to work for. It is a forward thinking firm and always looking at innovative ways to set themselves apart from its competitors. The partners and solicitors understand the importance of marketing and business development and fully support the marketing team and our efforts.
I’m excited about the future of marketing and the future of Jacksons. There are so many possibilities out there and I can’t wait to see where they take us.
Caroline Noble, Marketing Executive
