Codruta Loana
Tourism and Leisure graduate
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What are you doing now?
Sales and Marketing Coordinator hopefully promoted soon to Marketing Executive Company: The Langham, London (hotel)
What does your current role entail?
- Personal Assistant to the Director of Sales and Marketing including planning of sales trips and tradeshows while upholding corporate travel policy in line with travel budgets, hosting familiarisation visits of the hotel, handling incoming enquiries and booking meetings
- Maintain relationships with clients and regular guests
- Ensure VIP reservation requests are recognised as part of the VIP procedures
- Manage marketing and PR enquiries
- Arrange and oversee hotel photoshoots
- Prepare and submit the monthly PR report
- Create EDMs using Adobe Dreamweaver and Fireworks to send to global guests / clients databases
- Create artwork design in-house using Adobe InDesign
- Knowledge of PMS and CRM systems
- Advise and support the delivery of the social media plan for the hotel
- Monitor company's social media accounts and respond to messages, comments and reviews
- Uphold Langham Hospitality Group brand pillars at all times and always provide genuine service
- Actively support all LHG corporate programmes, particularly managing the Langham Supper Club submissions and queries
- Arrange training plan and mentor new starters
What were the strengths/highlights of your university course?
Overall, I would say that the commitment and professionalism of the tutors were real strengths, especially for less appealing subjects such as Accounting. From a different perspective, I think the opportunity to study with Erasmus in Malta for the whole second year was a major benefit of the university course, especially from a ‘tourism’ perspective.
Why did you choose to study in Canterbury?
I came to the UK on an EU Student Loan and I was recommended from back home (Romania) to study in Canterbury. To be honest, I did not know much about the city or the university but looking back I would not change a thing.
I truly believe that Canterbury is an absolutely amazing place to study and live. For me, it was like a fairy tale. I was definitely not a big fan of the English weather (still not) but I cannot fault Canterbury. People were so nice everywhere, they said a happy ‘Good morning’ although they did not know me and I felt extremely welcome. It really helped me adapt quicker and made my life away from family a little bit better.
Did your course prepare you adequately for the world of work? How?
I believe that it was not necessarily the course that prepared me for the world of work, but more the experience of meeting new people from different countries, socialising and working in teams, working on deadlines, etc, very similar to the work ‘world’. I have always been a firm believer that it does not matter what you study, but what you take with you after you have finished your studies.
How have you drawn on the experience you gained at university in your work today?
Commitment to quality work, perseverance, being organised, dealing well under pressure and changes.
The same as in university, that the more you spend studying for a subject for final exams, the better you will do. It is the same at work, it all depends on how much passion and effort you invest in a project and results will show.
Have you completed any further qualifications since you completed your degree?
I have not pursued further courses after completing my degree.
What are your plans/aspirations for the progression of your career?
Having worked closely to our Communications Manager here at the hotel (although she has left after 11 years), I have started to endear Marketing and wish to learn more about it. I have communicated my wish to my Director of Sales and Marketing and she is supportive of my progression to a Marketing Executive role which potentially in the future could turn out into a Marketing Manager role and the sky is the limit.
Do you have any advice for current students? (Study, university life or career based)
Believe in yourself, be confident and you will succeed. Do not be afraid to ask when you do not understand or when you need help, fear not failure or mistakes. Do as many mistakes as possible, I know it may sound as a cliché, but it could not be further from the truth. I still wish I was not afraid of failure sometimes as it is simply paralysing. Do look back and sing your laurels when you feel down and you will see how much you have actually achieved so far. Be brave to speak your mind and more importantly know when it is best to keep quiet.