We’re back for part three of Clearbox career backgrounds – if you missed the first or second parts, you should read those too.
Let’s get into it…
Junior Account Executive Mark joined Clearbox two months ago to kickstart his PR career. He said:
“I’ve been working for as long as I can remember. Being brought up on a family farm, there was always something to keep me busy! Although I never considered it as a career, spending most summers there taught me how to work hard and the commitment needed to complete different jobs.
“When I headed to university to study Business Management, I knew there’d be a compulsory placement in my third year. I was fortunate to secure a position at Moy Park, where I rotated through across three different areas of the business.
“The experience significantly improved my communication skills, as I interacted with a wide range of people across departments. Over the year, I not only adapted to different working environments but also gained a better understanding of what teamwork and collaboration looks like in a large company.
“Before graduating, I started exploring opportunities to work with an agency, motivated by the positive experience I'd had working with one during my placement year. When a friend mentioned that Clearbox was advertising a graduate programme, I applied — and haven’t looked back since!”
Senior Account Executive Alana joined Clearbox in July, ready for a change. Here’s the journey that got her to where she is today:
“The day I got my national insurance number at 15, I applied for a Christmas temp job with Boots and wound up working in the pharmacy until I was 20. This overlapped with my time at QUB, and I found my work training modules so interesting while I was studying psychopharmacology for my Psychology degree. I learnt how to approach difficult and sensitive conversations with customers, and the staff discount was amazing.
“I’d focused on developmental psychology during my final year so went on to work as an SEN classroom assistant after I graduated: something I really loved. It taught me a lot about communication and adaptability, and to this day I’m very passionate about SEN issues. I balanced this work with my masters in Comms, PR and Lobbying at Ulster University and a role in a start-up agency, which required a lot of time management and caffeine…
“I had a stint in Oz after I graduated and could have earned a clean fortune doing traffic management, but I was determined to get some PR work. I used an odd-jobs app for freelance opportunities (including press for a doggy treat company that was used in the Oscars goody bags), and when I nabbed an admin role at a university, I sidled into the comms team for some experience. I realised how important it can be to be a self-starter and to keep the faith.
“Home came calling and one of the first jobs I applied for was with Clearbox. I didn’t get it, but the feedback and advice gave me confidence when applying for other roles. I’ve worked in a press office and two agencies since, with some incredibly talented people who taught me a lot. I built relationships in the media and in the industry, learned that I enjoy the thrill of a new business pitch, and seven years later here we are!”
Ella, Senior Account Executive and office comedian, shared how her background in hospitality equipped her to work in PR:
“My background is in hospitality, and now, however many years later, I’m still hospitality on the brain when it comes to our clients.”
“I started working with my mum at age 15 in Shed Bistro on the Ormeau Road, trusted with the task of polishing cutlery, glasses and setting tables. For the next 10-ish years, I worked all over Northern Ireland in pizzerias, a hotel, a lovely Hillsborough restaurant and a brief stint at Crumlin Road Gaol, where my love of events developed. You don’t know stress like back-to-back weddings and Christmas dinners for 500+ people…
“I think my love of PR stems from hospitality too. Though the two don’t naturally go together, I loved learning about different foods, producers, and drinks, and most importantly, I loved chatting to customers and building relationships.
“I studied a degree in English Literature at Ulster University and, like many, continued my hospitality work throughout my degree.
“Nearing my dissertation, I had no clue what I wanted to do after university. Everyone assumes you’re going to be a teacher, but I knew that wasn’t the road for me. To gain experience, I messaged businesses offering free graphic design work, and to my surprise, got taken up on my offer.
“After months of free work and experience gained, I got a job with a hospitality company in Antrim as a Marketing Executive. For a year, I created new menus, managed social media and inboxes and created content for seven businesses across the company. I’d always followed Clearbox on Instagram and stalked its website religiously. I jumped at the Account Executive role and the rest is history.”
Senior Account Executive Megan dished on her experience in London, and what she learned along the way:
“I left school in 2017, heading for Heriot Watt in Edinburgh to study International Business Management. Six months in, I came to the realisation that first, the course wasn’t for me (too mathsy) and second, I am in fact a homebird!
“So, I moved back home and spent six months working at a restaurant called Noble before starting a degree in marketing at Ulster University, which felt like a much better fit – a lot more creative and right up my alley.
“After completing two years there I secured a placement year at The Walt Disney company in London as a Social Media Intern. So, I moved over to the big smoke for the year, at the tail end of the pandemic. While it probably wasn’t the true ‘London life’, I still loved my time and learned a lot about the city. Two big takeaways from that year are my love for social media and newfound love for London (keep this one in mind).
“After placement, I came home to complete final year, graduating in July 2022. Unlike most, I had a fair idea of what I wanted to do: can you guess? Yep, return to London. After a month in Vietnam to quench my travel thirst, I quickly lined up a new job at Zeno London, a PR and Social Agency, as an Account and Influencer Executive.
“This role really allowed me to build on what I’d learned at university and during placement year, putting it all into practice. I loved the challenge of adapting strategies to fit specific clients and campaigns – agency life was for me.
“Throughout my time in these roles, I've grown a lot—especially working in agencies with a wide range of clients and budgets. It’s really helped me hone my creativity and adaptability, as I’ve learned to find innovative solutions whether the budget is big or small. Working with different teams, clients and influencers means I’ve picked up some solid communication skills, learning how to clearly convey ideas, manage expectations and keep everyone on the same page.
“In influencer work, I’ve definitely learned patience. From navigating negotiations and contracts to handling content approvals and analysing statistics, I’ve come to realise it takes a lot of coordination and persistence to get everything executed smoothly.
“After a year and a half at Zeno, I was ready for a change. This change also included a move back to Belfast (remember, I’m a homebird). However, I wasn’t willing to move back home for any job. I knew it needed to match the pace and vibe of the London agency I was used to. Enter Clearbox, and here we are six months in!”
