Alex Jones
BA Broadcast Journalism 2012
Alex has been recently promoted to Campaign Manager at Zazzle Media, a digital marketing agency based in the UK. He has spent the last three years perfecting the digital approach to content promotion and speaks and writes regularly on the subject.
The 26-year-old, originally and currently based just outside of Stamford in Lincolnshire, said: “We help companies climb Google rankings and get their name out there. I put together and carry out PR and digital marketing campaigns with the intention of driving traffic and ultimately sales.”
Alex feels especially proud of a campaign he has done for online retailer specialising in electrical goods, AO.com, where they achieved a massive amount of coverage, resulting in a happy client.
“Learning the ins and outs of Digital Marketing was tough,” he explained. “Fortunately, my degree provided me with plenty of experience in communications with the press and copywriting for this side of the job, which meant I had more time to learn the more technical side of the work.”
The graduate was initially attracted to the University of Sunderland because of its location and its reputation.
He said: “I have family in the North East and I always had a soft spot for the region. I was also informed that the University’s media facilities were some of the finest in the UK, which sealed the deal for me.
“I had a great time at Sunderland. The facilities and lectures were excellent and the social side of things was incredible! The North East really is a great place to live.”
He continued: “My course consisted of just myself and five others, which meant we were a tight-knit group who pushed each other when the going got tough and were a great laugh to be around in the more relaxed periods.”
As someone who is continually learning, Alex believes than being prepared to put the work in and continue to learn is the key to growing as a person and ultimately finding success in the job market.
He advised: “Be aware that your course will provide you with skills which are usable on a number of different career paths. Don’t be afraid to stray from a well-trodden career path, and explore different areas. Be confident in your abilities and be prepared to put the work in and continue to learn in the workplace.”
The Sunderland graduate is continuing to enjoy the challenge of working at Zazzle Media and is planning to keep pushing himself.
Alex concluded: “I want to travel more, learn a new language and keep on pushing myself in terms of my career. Most importantly I want to continue to enjoy myself, because if you’re not…then what’s the point, right?”