This month we catch up with Ellie Anderson, our Marketing Coordinator. She’s been with us for four months and now juggles work with her final year of tertiary studies at Swinburne University. So, we thought it’ll be a great chance to find out what she’s discovered about herself and what it’s like to work at Content Smith.

This interview is helpful for those wanting to get started in the digital marketing industry or wanted to know what it’s like to work in an agency.

Tell us about your role at Content Smith.

I am Content Smith’s Marketing Coordinator. My role involves client communications, content creation, editing, copywriting, EDM, creating additions for our website (including writing these journal articles!) and analytics/ reporting. So, it’s safe to say that I am learning A LOT in this role!

What is the culture like at Content Smith?

Since we are currently a small team, we are all quite close. We have an open and honest dialogue, so I always feel that everyone’s opinions are valued equally. I have found Steph’s management style as the Founder and Director to be perfect for establishing a balance between studies and work. Being able to work in a hybrid style has been really instrumental in developing my work-life balance. Her attention to preventing burnout and over-committing ourselves has also helped largely with this. So, I would describe the culture as creative, kind, innovative and fun!

What is one thing you had to learn quickly while starting out in a digital marketing agency?

Time-management! It didn’t take me long to realise that planning ahead was my best friend in agency life. I like to map out each week in detail in my notebook and allocate my time to our clients and tasks wisely. This allows me to be as efficient and focused as possible.

Do you think university prepared you well enough for the work environment?

Certainly! My knowledge of communication styles has been extremely useful internally at Content Smith, working with clients and understanding audiences. Being a professional communicator is vital in a digital marketing agency, and having studied the ‘do’s and don’ts’ in class has definitely impacted the way I understand and share information at work. I also think my experiences working in groups at university have really prepared me for delegation and collaboration in the workplace. I love being able to work cohesively with my colleagues and I am constantly learning from their ideas and knowledge. I am truly grateful to have the privilege of my higher education and even more so that I get to use it so much in my role.

What are your tips on managing uni and work commitments?

Setting boundaries for yourself. I am personally an extrovert and I find so much joy in spending time with my friends and family. But being a student while I’m working means I have limited time. I find that I often want to say yes to everything, but realistically that only leads to unnecessary stress. Balance is key, and I have found that my perfect work/study/social life balance changes from week to week. So my tips would be making sure you check in with yourself, allocating time to relax and not feeling like you have to say yes to everything! It’s important to acknowledge when you need rest and to take time for yourself.

What has been the most interesting project you’ve worked on lately and why?

The most interesting project I’ve worked on lately is one of our newest clients, Envee. Envee is a Melbourne-based company that produces an eco-friendly polystyrene alternative. They are currently selling 100% bio-based bean bag beans. This project has been really interesting so far, as I am so fascinated by the tangible product and also the incredible societal progress it represents. Working on their digital marketing has been a big learning curve for me as there are so many unique factors that come into play for a niche audience like theirs. Working with brands that are so modern and innovative is exciting for me!