After graduating from Edinburgh Napier University in 2016 with a BA (Hons) in Marketing with Digital Media, Jonathan moved down to London to start his career. He embarked on a six-month internship at Diageo, a global leader in premium drinks, within their commercial team.
In 2017, Jonathan decided to move back up to Edinburgh. He took a leap into agency life at Attacat as a PPC Account Executive. Despite having no pay-per-click (PPC) experience at the time, he took the plunge as the role felt like a great fit for his skillset and interest in the marketing industry.
Over the next four years, Jonathan gained experience and skills that enabled him to work his way up to lead the PPC team. In this role, he was responsible for overseeing the PPC strategy for all clients.
After some invaluable agency experience, Jonathan decided it was time for a change. He reflects: “I decided to seek broader marketing experience and wanted to move client side. I joined Sainsbury's Bank as a Digital Marketing Manager in 2021, where I was responsible for PPC, as well as insurance products across all digital channels.”
Jonathan is now a Senior Digital Marketing Manager at Sainsbury's Bank. Within his role, he is responsible for all digital marketing activity, including Paid and Organic Search strategy, and Paid Social.
Have any specific experiences from your time at university been particularly valuable to your career?
“In my third year of university, I completed a six month-internship that formed part of my degree – and it was by far my most valuable experience.
“I joined a local branding agency which exposed me to the world of marketing, and I gained an insight into what a marketing career would be like. I made some great connections and I still keep in touch with several of them.”
What words of wisdom would you share to current students who are about to enter the world of work?
“Don't stress if you don't know what you want to do once you graduate. There is an expectation that by the end of your degree you'll have it all figured out, with a clear career plan. But this isn't the case for most (and it certainly wasn't for me). Keep your options open and be patient.
“Grow your network and use it to your advantage. Find local events related to your degree (Eventbrite can be a great resource) and start going along to them.
“Consider getting yourself a mentor and ask for guidance. Mentors can be extremely helpful for gaining insight into your industry and the world of work in general. They can help you focus your efforts to achieve your career goals (or help you define your career goals if you're unsure).”
And finally, what do you do in your spare time?
“I'm pretty active and tend to fill my spare time with exercising/playing sports. I play 5-a-side football, badminton, I run, and enjoy hill walking.
“I also spend a lot of time renovating my Victorian home (although thankfully that's just about finished).”
For information on careers with Sainsbury’s Bank, visit the website here.