Dear LinkedIn,
I am excited to reflect on the year that has just passed; it has been momentous in my personal and professional development.
Q1 - I worked as the marketing and social media manager [3-month intern] for a micro start-up in its infant stage. I worked on content creation, blog posts, website design, gifted-collaborations and organised an entire photoshoot involving a studio, models, a photographer, interviews and a conceptual overview. From this, I was able to schedule 3 Instagram posts - and their associated captions - every day for 90 days.
A big thing I learned was that getting initial traction in a competitive market as a newcomer can be incredibly tough; the statistics can point in the right direction, the projections can look pretty, initial funding can be there, months of thought and effort and care can be provided, yet success is never guaranteed.
Q2 - As the previous role came to an end, I started a new job. The colleagues were lovely, but the role, expectations and salary did not match what was conveyed in my interviews. That didn't sit well with me, and I felt my skillset would have been more appreciated in a different environment. I followed my gut and left the company. While in the pit of unending job applications, I took some time to think about what career projection I would be most keen for, and best suited to. I liked the idea of commission, that my hard work could be rewarded, and soon researched sales. From solid and meritocratic salaries, being able to engage various communication skills and creative approaches, as well as the opportunity for rapid career progression, I soon knew sales would be an excellent first proper step in my professional career. After exploring a few options, I was thrilled when I was invited to come and work as a Sales Development Representative [SDR] for this amazing, well-funded, collaborative, SaaS cybersecurity tech start-up, Metomic. By the end of Q2, I'd packed my bags, moved to London and started working for them.
Q3 - Enter: 3-month probation period. With love, sink or swim. I rapidly worked to get to grips with the tones of cold calling, the artistic practice of a personalised message, the crucial skills of staying organised, the use of a plethora of new instruments to 'sharpen the axe', and the fundamental technical terminology required for myself to converse with such intelligent prospects. I met expectations in month 1 and 2, and I exceeded expectations in month 3. By the end of Q3, I was joyed to have successfully passed my probation period with flying colours.
Q4 - As Q4 progressed, I started to really enjoy the rhythm and flow of sales, and strived to continue to leave a great impression on the company. Skills were honed, opportunities were opened, and deals were closed... by the end of Q4 I had overachieved my pipeline target by 155%!
Out of the cohort that joined at the same time as me, I ended 2023 as Metomic's top-performing SDR.
Bring on 2024! ✨
Thanks for the warm welcome! Glad to be a part of the team 🎉