Stick with it and you could get stuck

Alumnus Rupert Pople (Management 2016) shares the experience of his own career journey, providing both inspiration and sound advice to other young graduates contemplating the perennial 'what next?' conundrum.

"Since graduating from Nottingham University Business School I have been through a whirlwind of employment experiences. From working in a pub to being a marketing intern in a tech startup and part of an insurance underwriting team at Lloyds of London. I have tried and tested many career routes in a small time.

"Finally, I found my dream position, working for myself as an affiliate marketer for companies such as Amazon. The main project is my own website yoursmarthomeguide.com, a niche site that providing guides, overviews and the very latest news about the smart home tech industry. It has taken 6 months to build and I have loved every second of it. During this time I have learned a huge amount about Search Engine Optimisation, how to develop good content, build links, and convert this into sales revenue. The site now attracts a significant number of unique monthly visitors and ranks in position 1 for several high volume search terms on Google USA.

"The Management degree definitely helped me to achieve the dream goal of working for myself and creating my own business. The marketing modules were contemporary and helped me to understand concepts and key terms, providing a solid base to enter the online marketing world. I felt I was in a strong position to truly grasp how the industry works.

"My advice to anyone who is unsure about the career path they wish to take is to push yourself to go for something but not be afraid to depart from this. There is such pressure to find something and stick with it in the job market. It can be very easy to get stuck in something that you do not feel happy with, as I found with past jobs.

"Internships are also a great way to scope out what you want to do. If you want to work for yourself then take the step, instead of thinking 'what if'. It was a frightening step for me, but with time it was the right one.

"Whatever you want to do, especially if it is bold, you should have a plan to gain knowledge that works. For me, it was a friend who had success at affiliate marketing and was working in the dream job that I sought. There is nothing better than following the advice of someone with a confirmed history of achieving your goal. You will also need hard work and application."