Image courtesy of PJM

Former Professional Snowboarder Stine Brun-Kjeldaas was top of her game, with two world championships and an Olympic medal under her belt, before she took up her present role as Creative and Sports Marketing Manager for Roxy Europe.  Here, she shares her career journey with icould.

Tell us about the job you’re doing now?

I’m working at Roxy Europe in the position of Creative and Sports Marketing Manager. In the sports marketing part I’m in charge of all Roxy athletes (surfers, skaters and snowboarders). I have team managers handling the athletes on a daily basis. My work is more activating them, creating editorial content around them, action photo/ film shoots, building campaigns for print, web etc., and making sure Roxy has the best girls’ action sports team out there.

I’m also overseeing Roxy snow and surf events. In the creative part of my job I’m in charge of the look and feel of the Roxy campaigns. I’m working on creative briefs for photo shoots, selecting photographers, location, stylists, hair makeup etc. I’m the creative lead on the Roxy campaign shoots, selecting images and then finally building the campaign. I work closely with the US as we try to keep a global creative direction, and often we follow what has been developed from their teams.

What is the most exciting aspect of your work?

We have a great team of athletes that are very inspiring, so I love working with them. I also really like working on photo shoots and seeing the final result. I enjoy travelling, and my work takes me to many amazing places!

Would your classmates from school be surprised at what you’re doing now?

I’m not sure. I never thought I would be doing this. But on the other hand I never really knew what I wanted to do. I really wanted to travel, work with people and do something creative in my job. So I guess I ended up doing what I wanted.

What school subjects were you good at and have any been surprisingly helpful later on?

I was pretty good at languages. I took English, German, French and a bit of Spanish. This has been very helpful as I work in an international company and travel a lot. My mother tongue is Norwegian, but I mostly work in English or French.

How did you decide what you wanted to do after school?

I was actually approached by a snowboard company the year I graduated from gymnasium when I was 19 years old. I was winning everything in snowboard competitions on a Norwegian level, and they wanted to sponsor me and sent me out on the World Tour. I thought I’d do this as a gap year from my studies just to get some experience and decide what do later in life. I ended up being a Professional Snowboarder for over 10 years with two world championship titles, X-Games gold and an Olympic silver medal. When I ended my snowboarding carrier, Roxy (my clothing sponsor) offered me a job as Team Manager for the snow team. I think the travels and life experience I got during those years as a Professional Snowboarder have given me a solid base of everything I’m doing today.

Did you take a gap year? Did it influence any decisions later in life?

My ‘gap year’ changed my life.

If you went to university what was your university experience like?

I studied Culture and Communications at the same time as I was snowboarding. It was great getting some mental input at the same time as focusing on my sport.

What has been the proudest moment of your life so far?

Giving birth to my daughter.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?

No idea! Life can change so quickly! I keep an open mind and let my heart guide me!

What advice would you give someone still at school who wants to do what you’re doing now?

It is hard for me to say, as my road to this position was a bit special. But if you want to do marketing for an action sports company, you need to understand the culture and lifestyle of action sports. Studies in sports marketing will be helpful. Being updated on youth culture and social media platforms will be a great asset to have. If you want to work in an international company and travel, the best thing to do is learn languages. For the creative part knowledge in graphic design and related computer skills is good to have. Management and leadership courses are also good.  We have interns doing their work training with us all the time. I think this is a very good opportunity to get a job later in the company.

Can you give us a link for more information?

www.roxy.com

I took a year out between finishing school and starting University. I wanted to earn a bit of money, and more importantly, I wanted to travel the world. Originally my plan was to return from these adventures to take up a place studying German and Russian at Leeds University, having always been a “˜languages person’ at school and secretly desperate to become a spy, but my time abroad changed my mind.

I had decided to head to China. Shanghai, to be precise. I spent 3 months living there, working for a business magazines editing the English, and trying to understand the city. Everything was different; the culture was so vastly removed from anything I knew, even though Shanghai is a huge, cosmopolitan city, and the language was an incomprehensible mystery. Despite being something of an outsider, however, I was enjoying myself immensely. So much so, in fact, that I started to wonder if maybe I had signed up for the wrong course!

After a good few weeks of agonising, I realised I should at least check if changing my degree course were even a possibility. I called the University admissions office and asked if there might be a way to switch, and as luck would have it, there was. All I had to do was write a formal letter of request, and I was away – 4 years later, one of which was spent in Taiwan, and half on another for which I was in Germany, I graduated with a degree in Chinese and German.

What felt like a scary, irrational leap at the time, has turned out to be the best decision I ever made.

On graduating I moved back out to China, but this time to Beijing. The Olympics were looming and the atmosphere was pure excitement. I found an internship to last around 6 months, and following that, after some intensive and determined pestering on my part, (I was told three times that they weren’t hiring but was persistent and fortunately, was in the right place at the right time) I was hired as a Fixer/Interpreter by BBC Sport for the duration of the games.

Almost as soon as the final firework faded from the closing ceremony I returned to London to begin the WPP Marketing Fellowship, a fantastic 3 year programme run by the world’s largest communications services group. I had applied for this from China and was interviewed initially by telephone. Since then I have returned to China a number of times, for business and for pleasure, and I still enjoy it every time.

I chose to study Chinese simply because I liked the country, and loved the culture. I am sure this passion helped me to get the best degree I could, and from there, has helped me to make choices that were right for me, and have got me to where I am now.

Tell us about the job you’re doing now?

I work for Rackspace Hosting, running their International Marketing department.  Rackspace is a billion dollar IT services company, we run the web sites for companies like Confused.com and the Vue Cinemas.

What is the most exciting aspect of your work?

I love my job, Rackspace is a company with a strong family culture, we work hard but have fun in the office whilst driving a new industry and growing fast.  Marketing is also a great job full stop.  Don’t let people fool you into thinking that marketing is all about logos and t-shirts.  Marketing is at the forefront of everything any company does.  Marketing is central to gaining new customers as well as keeping your current customers happy and getting them to spend more money with you.

Would your classmates from school be surprised at what you’re doing now?

I don’t think so.  Although never the most artistic I was always  an outgoing people person and a bit of a trouble maker, marketing is the perfect fit.

Was there a teacher who had a particularly strong influence on you and if so in what way?

If only I could remember that far back.  As I wouldn’t want to offend any of my old teachers I’ll stick with, “they all had a positive influence on who I am today.”

What school subjects were you good at and have any been surprisingly helpful later on?

I have always been numerical and was therefore strong in Maths, Economics and Accounting.  Mathematics is an essential foundation for any senior role, in marketing I’d take an aptitude in maths over a creative subject any day of the week.  Mathematics allows you to have a firm understanding of which investments or projects are working and which aren’t, an essential element to running any part of a business.

How did you decide what you wanted to do after school?

I decided at university that I wanted to be in marketing and doggedly stuck to that decision.  After university I turned several roles down until the right one came my way.

Did you take a gap year? Did it influence any decisions later in life?

I was a good boy and went straight to university.  Much better to go travelling when you have a little money in your pocket.

If you went to university what was your university experience like?

I studied European Business Studies and specialised in Marketing.  It was a four-year course with a sandwich year spent in Italy.  It was a wonderfully diverse course with elements in finance, marketing and organisational behaviour.  This allowed you to see which elements of business you liked the most and then specialise in that area.  As it was an international course as well, we had a great mix of people.  A year abroad too, can’t be bad.

What has been the proudest moment of your life so far?

I joined my current company when it was just a handful of people, over the last 10 years we’ve developed this company into a billion dollar business and hire 1,000 people here in Hayes, London.  Now, I didn’t do that all by myself but my part wasn’t a minor one.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?

Hopefully creating another billion dollar organisation.

What advice would you give someone still at school who wants to do what you’re doing now?

Work hard, be lucky, take risks.

Can you give us a link for more information?

http://www.rackspace.co.uk

Strategic Marketing Consultant Georgia Hall studied fashion but now specialises in helping companies to build their brands.  Recently, we caught up with Georgia to find out more.

Tell us about the job you’re doing now?

I am providing consultancy marketing services for various companies, launching a premium sterling silver brand for the UK’s largest jewellery manufacturer as well as providing marketing consultancy for a top FX (foreign exchange) company.  Last year I was Head of Brand for Chelsea Football Club and prior to that I headed up the marketing for YO! Sushi.

What is the most exciting aspect of your work?

Making a difference to a business by successful marketing – even the world’s greatest restaurants need marketing and PR to keep their brand front of mind.

Would your classmates from school be surprised at what you’re doing now?

Yes because I was a bit of an artist at school and used to keep all my classmates entertained by doing a ‘Rolf Harris’ on the blackboard and everyone automatically assumed I was creative – not business – focussed.

Was there a teacher who had a particularly strong influence on you and if so in what way?

My Maths teacher who was called Mrs Winterbottom, apart from the fabulous surname she was very clever and her helpful enthusiasm is still memorable.

What school subjects were you good at and have any been surprisingly helpful later on?

I was good at Maths, English and Art which are all very handy skills to have in marketing and brand building.

How did you decide what you wanted to do after school?

I went to Art College and did a foundation course so I could experience a multitude of courses – Photography, 3D design, Graphics and Fashion – prior to making my mind up as to what I wanted to study for a degree.  I don’t do fashion or design anymore but my degree skills are very handy when working with creative companies, overseeing brand communications or when auditing a brand.

Did you take a gap year? Did it influence any decisions later in life?

No I didn’t because I was in too much of a hurry to get all of my studies out of the way.

If you went to university what was your university experience like?

I studied Fashion Design in a four-year degree course which meant that you had to find a lot of work placements during the course.  My best work placement was working for a fashion prediction agency based in Knightsbridge, I still remember the free passes to all the fashion shows and watching the lights on Harrods at night from the bedroom window.

What has been the proudest moment of your life so far?

My first job, which was illustrating for a fashion prediction agency in New York, a long way for a girl from Newcastle upon Tyne.  I had always wanted to go to New York and I am a firm believer you CAN do anything you want if you work hard enough.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?

Continuing to consult for various brands, writing books and eventually returning to illustration.

What advice would you give someone still at school who wants to do what you’re doing now?

Believe in yourself, everyone has unique talents;  treat your teachers with great respect and try to think of them as mentors.  Don’t waste your time sitting around thinking about it, just do it.  Mistakes are not a problem, inertia is.

Can you give us a link for more information?

www.hungryhall.com is my website.

We’re all familiar with that long list of names as the credits role, but have you ever wondered what all those people actually do? As the A-listers descend on Cannes for its annual film festival, we take a look at some of the lesser-known jobs in the film industry, away from the glitz and glamour of the red carpet.

From scriptwriting to special effects, casting to catering, there’s a vast range of skills required to bring a feature film to your local cinema screen.

On a film set, the collective roles behind the camera are referred to as the crew.  These include technical jobs such as Cameraman, Lighting and Sound Engineers, through to Make-up Artist, Costume Designer and Set-Decorator.

Some roles have unusual names, often particular to the film industry.  The Gaffer is the Chief Electrician or Lighting Technician and the Best Boy is the next in command.  The Grip is in charge of building and maintaining all the equipment that supports the cameras, whilst the Greensman buys, arranges and maintains foliage and other greenery on the set.

A popular entry level role is a Runner.  Runners help everything to run smoothly and provide a range of support in all areas of film production. Having gained skills and experience on set, Runners often progress to other roles, either within the Production Office or in other departments.

Once a film has finished shooting it moves into Post Production.  Here the film is edited and any effects added.  Foley Artists reproduce everyday sounds and sound effects to enhance the sound track of a film.  This is because sounds are often lost or never even created when the film is being shot.  Some sound effects, such as footsteps over wooden floorboards, may be recreated in a sound studio by performing the same action again, whilst others can come from the most unlikely of sources.  Many explosions, for example, are nothing more than a carrier bag being crinkled very close to a microphone.

The finished film then goes into the distribution phase, which is about getting the film released into cinemas.  Finally, it reaches the cinema, referred to in the industry as the exhibition sector.  Here jobs include Projectionist, Film Buyer, and Merchandising Manager.

For further information on careers in the film industry visit: http://www.creativeskillset.org/film/jobs/

Applying for university but unsure which course to choose or where to go?  Interested in learning more about the university application process?

Pure Potential, an independent organisation which raises the aspirations of sixth-formers, is running a range of events across the country to help state school students with the potential to achieve three Bs or above, apply to university.

Learn how to write an outstanding personal statement, develop confidence and communication skills for interviews, and understand the ins and outs of student finance, loans, bursaries and budgeting.

Participants will also be able to meet leading graduate employers in a range of careers including Accountancy, Investment Banking, Law, Medicine, Retail and Teaching.

Now in its eighth year, PP: Sixth events have a strong track record.  In 2011, 98 per cent of students said they would recommend the event to others, with over a third of students ending up at a Russell Group university, and over three-quarters going to a Times Top 50 university.

This year’s programme is as follows:
Aston University, Birmingham – Wednesday 27th June
University of Manchester – Thursday 28th June
University College London – Friday 29th June
University of Southampton – Wednesday 4th July
Newcastle University – Thursday  5th July
Imperial College, London  - Monday, 9th July

For further information about the events, including booking instructions, see: www.purepotential.org.

Nihal Pekbeken is Vice President of Global Marketing and Creative Services at Universal Networks International, one of the world’s premier entertainment networks. We caught up with her for a chat about her job and career so far.

Tell us about the job you’re doing now?

Leadership of the global central marketing team with responsibility for the strategic development of brand marketing and communication plans aligned to the UNI (Universal Networks International) business objectives. I have been tasked with the rebrand and management of portfolio of global channel brands and web initiatives as well as the global positioning and creative origination to promote channel content through integrated initiatives (promotions, merchandising, events, partnerships, digital etc.).

What is the most exciting aspect of your work?

I would say that the global nature of the role is what makes it exciting. For example, when we are looking to launch new content such as Rookie Blue and we are looking at creative communication campaigns, we have to have an understanding of how the creative will translate culturally. This goes beyond literal translation. It is a challenge trying to find routes that suit all markets so we have to establish how the communication can be varied both creatively and message-wise in order to work within each market. When you think about all the markets we deal with, it gives you an idea of the scale of the task.

Would your classmates from school be surprised at what you’re doing now?

I am in contact with a few school, college and university friends and I can honestly say they are not surprised at what I’m doing.  I have always been ambitious. They know I have high standards and demand quality of creative and service at all times, not only from my teams but also from the suppliers and business partners. The only thing that would surprise them is how much tougher I have become since school. That’s just life I’m afraid.

Was there a teacher who had a particularly strong influence on you and if so in what way?

My early years at Brunswick Park Primary School have been very influential in shaping my creativity. I had a few very good teachers – my music teacher Mrs Bromley was always great at encouraging us to do things differently and to push ourselves in music and dance.  It seems silly to think of that as an influence but I remember thinking at the time that anything was possible.  I still think that today.

What school subjects were you good at and have any been surprisingly helpful later on?

I was an all rounder as a student, meaning generally good at everything. My parents were very strict when it came to education and I didn’t want to embarrass myself with bad grades. The ones I was better at were art, English language and literature and music. However if you want to be successful in life you need to know how to make money so the subjects I disliked have actually been the most useful – maths, economics and business studies.

How did you decide what you wanted to do after school?

I don’t remember ever knowing what I really wanted to do with my life until after university. When I was a child I used to say I wanted to be a business woman as I thought it sounded like a pretty successful role. Clearly I didn’t know what it meant. Sometimes I get asked why I chose to do a PR degree – I guess at the time I was into creative writing and it had an element of that. But in all honesty, I was just 17, still living at home with my parents – so what did I know? There will be a lot of students stumbling into degrees the same way and there is nothing wrong with that because you soon understand what it is you want to do and it is never too late to change direction.

Did you take a gap year? Did it influence any decisions later in life?

I didn’t need to take a gap year. For me leaving home for the first time to go to university was kind of my gap year and an adventure in itself. Also I had a pretty adventurous life growing up as my parents loved travelling and we have family living abroad. My dad decided he wanted to take the whole family to Turkey by car in the early 80s. It took over a week to get there with six of us in an Opel Ascona which wouldn’t have been so bad if my dad hadn’t insisted on us sleeping in the car as well. I can’t begin to tell you how uncomfortable it was.  But now I’m grateful to him for giving us that experience as I think it gave me an appreciation of cultures which is a major part of my job.

If you went to university what was your university experience like?

University went by in a blink of an eye. The new found freedom away from my parents meant I became a bit of a social butterfly, initially with more emphasis on the social and less on studying in the first year. But that is part of the student experience and you soon realise that unless you work hard you aren’t going to graduate with anything decent. I settled down in the second year. My third year was spent in a placement at a project management agency in Chandlers Ford and gave me my first real taste of working life. I had summer jobs when at college but it’s not really the same as having to commit yourself to a 9-5 schedule every weekday for a year. It was a bit of a reality check and a good one at that. By the time I returned for my final year I was a little more mature in my thinking and outlook which helped me approach that dreaded dissertation. I look back now and realise how easy everything was compared to challenges at work.

What was the proudest moment of your life so far?

It’s hard to say. There are many career and personal highs I can mention.  I adopted a child a few years ago and I’m very proud of her.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?

I enjoy what I do so I would like to think that in 10 years time I’m still doing this but for my own business.

What advice would you give someone still at school who wants to do what you’re doing now?

If you want a career in marketing then a marketing qualification will get your foot on the ladder.  Your degree/qualification opens the door to a job but once you are in employment you need to focus on what is expected of you.  My advice is for graduates to remember that many senior managers have worked their way up from the bottom – some with degrees and some without.  Therefore a ‘can do’ attitude together with a willingness to learn is very attractive and will get you far.

Can you give us a link for more information?

http://www.uninetworks.tv/

Tell us about the job you’re doing now?

I’m a freelance copywriter, so I write marketing and PR materials. I mainly work with B2B technology companies (businesses that sell products and services to other businesses, instead of consumers). It’s really varied – one day I could be writing an advert or a brochure, and the next day I could be helping a company define their messaging.

What is the most exciting aspect of your work/training?

I think the thing I love most about my job is that you really have to understand how business works and what’s going on in different industry sectors. A lot of people think copywriting is just being clever with words, but you need to know how the people you’re writing for think and what they’re worrying about.

Would your classmates from school be surprised at what you’re doing now?

Probably not – I was a real bookworm at school, so I guess it’s not really surprising I’m doing something with words!

Was there a teacher who had a particularly strong influence on you and if so in what way?

My history teacher at school was really supportive during my A-levels. I was diagnosed with epilepsy at the time and before it was brought under control with medication I was quite ill and school was a bit of a struggle.

How did you decide what you wanted to do after school?

I knew I wanted to do archaeology at university because I was really interested in history and used to spend the weekends digging up bits of bone and pottery in my Mum and Dad’s garden.

After university, I didn’t have a clue what to do and was pretty directionless for a few years. I temped for a while which was a bit soulless but was also really good experience, both in terms of picking up general office skills and working out the kinds of things I enjoyed doing – and the stuff I hated!

Once I’d figured out I liked researching and writing, I joined a small PR agency and stayed there for five years. Gradually I realised that if I wanted to write more, I needed to be in marketing rather than PR and got an in-house job as a marketing writer. Later on I went freelance.

Did you take a gap year? Did it influence any decisions later in life?

Yes, I took a gap year and worked in a solicitors’ office to earn enough money to go on some archaeological digs. I’m glad I did because the digs were really good fun and I wasn’t really ready to go to university straight out of school.

A few years ago my husband and I took some time off work to do all the travelling some of our friends did during their gap years. It was brilliant, but I’m pleased I did it after spending a few years earning, because travelling with a bit of extra cash made it a lot more fun!

What was your university experience like?

University was great. I’d never really been challenged before to think in the way I was asked to when I got there. Plus I made life-long friends who I shared some outrageous adventures with!

What was the proudest moment of your life so far?

Probably landing the job as an in-house marketing writer. I didn’t have any experience of marketing and I desperately wanted the job, because I knew it would lead me to where I wanted to go.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?

I’m really enjoying freelancing because I love being my own boss and having a variety of clients, so I’m going to carry that on for the foreseeable future. With an energetic young son around these days it’s hard to think about what’s happening next week, let alone in ten years!

What advice would you give someone still at school who wants to do what you’re doing now?

I’d say don’t worry too much about getting straight into the industry if you can’t get the right job. Try to find a job that lets you do a bit of writing, even if it’s only an admin role where you’re writing letters or flyers.

Once you’ve got some experience of being in the working world on your CV, it’ll be easier to get an entry-level position in an agency or with an in-house marketing team and you can work your way from there.

Any suggestions for where we can find out more information?

I really enjoy ABC Copywriting’s blog (http://www.abccopywriting.com/blog/) which is an intelligent and often quite funny look at copywriting and marketing. If you’d like to see some of the work that I do, take a look at my website www.annamilan.co.uk/work.

This week icould caught up with Hugh Chappell and asked him to let us know how he ended up where he is today.

Hugh has worked in the IT and publishing industry since 1976.  He worked for Apple in the UK from 1979 when the personal computer industry was in its infancy.

In 1985 he established Taxan (Europe) Ltd, a wholly subsidiary of Kaga Electronics, Japan.

In 2003 he founded TrustedReviews.com and in 2005  he acquired bit-tech.net.  Both on-line only publications quickly became market leaders in their respective sectors.  Hugh achieved his ultimate goal when he sold TrustedReviews.com to Time Warner/IPC Media in 2007 and bit-tech.net to Dennis Publishing in 2008.

Hugh is now involved with several start-up organisations and companies either as a mentor and/or investor. He also works with more established companies using his experience to provide an independent voice on strategy, performance, risk and people.

He has invested in Net Communities (network and publisher), Lovestruck.com (dating), and ParkatmyHouse.com (car parking).  His non-executive Director roles include Time Out Group, Dennis Publishing and MyVoucherCodes.com.

How did you decide what you wanted to do after school?

I had no idea. I considered being an airline pilot, a rock star etc. and then woke up!

You left school at 17, why?

I went to very good grammar school, however I recognised after two terms in the sixth form that studying was not for me.  I wanted to experience life, I wanted to earn money!

What was your best subject a school?

Maths, I love numbers.

Was there a teacher who had a particular strong influence on you and if so in what way?

To be honest, I found teachers focussed on what I was doing wrong.  In general there was no guidance or help.  I recall one saying, “he will be a millionaire or a failure”.  They were right!

Tell me more about you?

I play to win.  I am an individualist and a team player according to the situations in front of me.  I am a perfectionist, I cannot stand untidiness or mess at home or in the working environment.  I am also disciplined, self-motivated and very good with money/cost control.

What was your first job?

I was fortunate, my father helped me secure full-time employment in a company where he held a senior position. The company also sponsored further education (ONC and HNC in Business Studies).  Overnight my character changed, from messing around at school to working very hard and building my education with a subject matter  relevant to the working environment.  I worked in small computing department as an analyst/programmer, becoming supervisor of the department.

And after this?

I joined Apple in 1979 because I saw a future in personal computers.

Tell me more about your attitude to work?

This is the important part.  From my very first day I worked very hard. I did my job to the best of my ability and continue to do so now.  I was never late for work and I always worked beyond my finish time to complete my work ahead of schedule and perhaps to stand out.   A job done well combined with hard work is appreciated by customers, colleagues, management and stakeholders.

What advice would you give someone still at school who wants to do what you’re doing now?

Be different, work extremely hard, be patient and respect the people above you.  Good manners is always appreciated.  Success at work will shape your life so get into the right frame of mind.  Work first, play second.

Employment or start your own business?

There is great emphasis right now on entrepreneurship and rightly so.  I would encourage anybody at school to consider ways to earn money during their spare time.  So many businesses start with a simple idea and require minimal if any investment.  Your time will be the biggest investment.

What is the proudest moment of your life so far?

Selling my company, TrustedReviews.com, to Time Warner/IPC Media.

Any further advice?

Yes, remember the difference between you and success is YOU.  There are three types of people, there are those people who make things happen, there are those people who watch things happen and finally there are those people who ask what happened.  Which one are you?