Daniela Silva came to the UK in 2017, now working for marketing and prints company JAM, she reflects on her career progression throughout her time in the region.
Daniela grew up in the Alentejo region of Portugal, however, she took the chance to study in the UK and gained a place at Sunderland University.
What happened when you finished your degree?
When I graduated the Covid-19 pandemic was at its worst, I had to go back to Portugal as I couldn’t afford to stay in the UK without a job. During my final year at university, I had set up an Instagram account dedicated to reading, one of my biggest passions. The account became quite successful having over 6,000 followers at one point, and I became interested in jobs in social media. I came back to the UK in 2021 to try and find a position and saw an advert for a photographer looking for a social media manager. I applied and was successful, through him I managed to gain other clients, another photographer, and a bridal shop. I loved social media management because it gave me the opportunity to use my creativity in creating posts and trying different ways to get audience engagement.
Why did you decide to leave freelance and join JAM?
I was looking for something new because I wanted something more permanent and to be part of a team instead of working on my own. I saw the advert on LinkedIn and knew I wanted to go for it. Although I liked what I was doing I still felt very new to it and really wanted the chance to learn from someone with more experience. I also love the fact that JAM is a full-service agency, so I can learn more about all areas of marketing, not just social media. I went for the interview and had to complete a social media tasks, then I got the call that I’d got the job! I was really pleased because I knew I really wanted to work for JAM, their values and way of working really appealed to me. Jackie and Geeta were lovely and I knew I’d enjoy it there. I also love being known as a Jammy Dodger, the name given to all staff who join the team!
What do you do now at JAM?
I cover social media management, so making sure posts are regularly going out for all of our clients, replying to any comments or messages on their social media and writing up of their strategies in line with their requirements. I look at the insights, what’s doing well, and what we can change to get more engagement. I also get to work in design which I love, it lets me get creative, I’ve been involved in designing hoodies, business cards, banners, invitations and menus for some of our clients already.
How would you like to progress in the future?
I would love to expand my skills even further in the future, the industry is so unpredictable so there is always so much to learn. I’d also like to do more work in design, perhaps work on a few more projects that I can really get artistic with. I like to take courses whenever possible, to enhance my skillset, and am pleased that JAM are prepared to invest in their staff to do this.