Where Are You Now?

Sarah Shannon

Sarah Shannon

BA (Hons) English Language and Literature 2011

MA Sports Journalism 2012

Sarah works as a Content Marketing Executive at technology recruitment company, Pearson Frank. Since graduating in 2012 Sarah has been working for a number of publications, still seeing her name at the bottom of an article gives her a real sense of pride.

The 29-year-old said: “My role is to get potential clients and candidates on to our website. I do this by creating engaging content about the specific technologies Pearson Frank recruits for.

“One of my biggest challenges has been learning new skills that include WordPress and HTML. I have also needed to adapt my writing style to fit with my current role. The articles I create for Pearson Frank primarily focus on web and software development, so I have needed to hone my knowledge of these specialist subjects.”

Sarah, who is from the local area, was initially attracted to the University of Sunderland due to its proximity to home.

“Sunderland is a very friendly city, and being from the local area, it was the perfect place for me to continue my studies after sixth form,” she said. “It has everything a student needs to enjoy their time at university including great nightlife and brilliant facilities.”

After completing a BA in English Language and Literature, Sarah wanted to continue her studies to achieve a Master’s degree in Sports Journalism.

“Sunderland was one of the only universities that offered a dedicated course in Sports Journalism where you could also achieve an NCTJ qualification,” she explained.

“I had recently graduated with a Bachelor’s degree, and after speaking to some of the course leaders, I decided it was the right move for me. The University of Sunderland has a dedicated media suite with some of the best facilities in the country, and that provided me with great opportunities to progress my career.”

She also praised the lecturers as she said they played a big part in shaping her current career path.

“Their advice and guidance has helped me to become the writer I am today,” she added.

According to the Sunderland graduate, taking advantage of all the services the University has to offer are the keys to help you get a foot on the career ladder.

She advised: “Take advantage of all the services including CV reviews, talks from industry experts, work experience placements, and careers fairs. The University also offers exclusive graduate schemes and internship opportunities, which is actually how I landed my first ever job as an account executive.”

Sarah’s future plans include to make more progress in her current role.

“I would like to learn more about the niche technologies we recruit for, so I can improve my writing knowledge and technique,” she concluded.

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