My job at Merkle felt like it came out of nowhere. One minute I was trawling the internet searching for a job and the next I was getting the train for my first day. The entire application process took about two weeks and then one week later I started work. Having completed my first week, I knew that applying to be a Search Account Manager was one of the best decisions I’d ever made.
What did you do after graduating from university?
Rewind slightly to 2014 - I had just finished my Philosophy degree at the University of Nottingham. Many of my friends had spent the past twelve months or longer searching and applying for various graduate schemes at all the usual places. I was suddenly confronted by that daunting question- “what now?”
Now, unfortunately for Philosophy graduates, it may be a great degree to have, but it doesn’t really do much in the way of setting out an obvious career path. Sitting around in thoughtful contemplation doesn’t pay the bills last time I checked! So, like many people in my situation, I decided to do the sensible thing and go travelling.
When I returned from my travels, I was surprised to find that I was confronted with that same pesky question - although this time it was being asked somewhat more urgently. Through some fortunate timing (and no small portion of luck), I managed to find myself a job in a start-up with an old school friend. The job itself was to write content for the clients’ websites. I had a great time working there but after a year I felt it was time to move on. This time the question seriously needed answering!
What made you choose Merkle over other companies?
I decided that I still wanted that small company feeling so I turned to that faithful, old friend - Google. I unimaginatively searched the phrase “best small companies to work for” and was presented with The Sunday Times’ Top 100 list of small companies. Merkle immediately stood out as it scored highly across the board through employee feedback. The role itself sounded great as well – they were looking for Account Managers to work in an analytical role and also work directly with clients. There was just one problem - I had no idea what PPC was.
I started scouring the internet for all the information on PPC I could find (it turns out there’s a lot). The more I read, the more I knew that Paid Search was for me. A lot of what I was reading felt like it was going over my head but a lot of it must have sunk in as well. If you’re thinking of applying I would highly recommend the WordStream PPC University as it covers everything, starting from the basics. The Google AdWords Exam Study Guide was also really helpful. Research really is the key to getting hired!
It’s an amazing place to work
What were you most nervous about throughout the interview and training process?
The one big worry that I had was that the role sounded very data-heavy. Having studied a Humanities subject, I was nervous that I would struggle - I didn’t even do maths at A-Level! To my relief this has not been the case. Whilst a lot of what we do is based on data, the two most important parts of this job are being able to think logically and interact well with both your clients and colleagues.
Fast forward and the job has lived up to everything I expected and more. It’s an amazing place to work, the time has flown by and that annoying question has gone for good!
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If you want to join George as a Search Account Manager, be sure to check out all Merkle opportunities on their profile.