Case studies: Sales promotion account executive: Catherine

Catherine entered university as a mature student after working in marketing. She has a degree in film, television and cultural studies from Manchester Metropolitan University and works as a sales promotion account executive for ATOM.

Whilst studying at Manchester Metropolitan University I saw a sales promotion account executive job advertised on the ATOM website. Things moved quickly as I applied for the job, was interviewed and appointed within a week.

I believe my degree in film, television and cultural studies helped me to get the job because one of our clients is one of the major film studios, and I work on that account. My degree also allowed me to build up transferable skills, such as teambuilding, presentation and analytical thinking.

Those interested in this profession must be confident, as the job involves dealing with people at all levels - it's not for shy people. You also need to be quite creative and able to spot links between partners and your client that others may not necessarily see. There are loads of great agencies out there and, due to the nature of the business, they're always looking for new people. This means they can invite people to submit their CV even when there isn't a position available, so perseverance is important. I also believe it's important to have a sense of humour.

Although I've only been in this role for three months, I feel it has already developed. I have been given my own project to manage and every day my role changes and I get different tasks to manage. We're only a small team so we all pitch in together - everything from making the tea to calling other film studios for their slate decks. We also deal with art work for packaging and websites for our clients. There are also the usual administrative tasks that need doing, such as sending out emails and sorting out the post. No two days are the same; one day I could be making calls to partners and the next I could be in the boardroom presenting to clients.

I enjoy working for the company - it has worked on some great promotions, such as the Pizza Hut and Terminator Salvation promotion. We have just entered this into The Institute of Sales Promotion (ISP) awards, which I find particularly exciting.

Getting to work with one of the major film studios on a day-to-day basis is something I would never have been able to do without my degree. I also like the fact that my ideas are taken seriously and how we all work together as a team. Plus, getting to go to film premieres is really exciting.

There is a fairly traditional career progression route from this role. The next level up for me is account manager, then account director. It's going to take a lot of hard work, but going back to university as a mature student has helped me to get this role and I'm willing to put in what I have to, to get where I want to be. Overall, I'd say that working in marketing is an exciting job that isn't as boring as your typical nine to five role.