PERSONAL & CAREER PROFILE

I have worked in graphic design, marketing and communications for 20 years in the fields of travel, insurance and the Internet. Below are a few key tasks that I have worked on during that period.

• The writing and design of company magazines
• Design of all company print material and merchandising items
• Social networking controller
• Sourcing suppliers for print production and merchandising
• Writing copy for press releases
• Taking PR calls from journalists
• Updating company websites
• Co-organising quarterly member meetings and overseas trade shows
• Running company design studio facility

I am proficient with both Mac and PC platforms and use InDesign, PhotoShop, ImageReady and Illustrator on a regular basis. I have also produced a five minute promotional DVD using iMovie for the CeBIT international trade show in Germany.

Courses attended: Developing a Web Site: Hands-on, Media skills training, How to Write Successful Newsletters & Press Releases, Copywriting, Quark Xpress, PhotoShop, Freehand, PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Dreamweaver, Time Management, Health & Safety, Fire Marshalling

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

• 2 GCE ‘A’ Levels in Graphic Design and Business Studies
• 1 City & Guilds Media Techniques (Print Journalism)
• 4 GCE ‘O’ Level passes in Mathematics, Physics, Art and Technical Drawing
• 4 CSE Grade 1 passes (equivalent to ‘O’ Level) in English Language, English Literature, Mathematics and History
• 1 EMFEC Certificate in Information Technology

ACHIEVEMENTS & OTHER INFORMATION

• Personal Development – I recently gained a Certificate in Personal Development Coaching from the Coaching Academy and attended a Tony Robbins seminar where I walked across glowing hot coals
• Creative writing – In 2005 I made the final 200 out of 5000 entrants in the BBC’s ‘The Last Laugh’ national sitcom writing competition and had a sketch performed on the London stage with satirical comedy show, NewsRevue earlier this year
• Sport – I have run four London Marathons, the London Duathlon, several half-marathons and 10Ks raising nearly £2,500 for Arthritis Research, Age Concern, Mind and local community projects
• Community – I have held roles within the local Neighbourhood Council on the PR side and am similarly involved with the village Carnival organisation committee
• Socialising – I enjoy spending time at local restaurants, bars and tourist attractions as well as attending concerts, theatre events, museums and art galleries

If you would like to learn more about how I came to be where I am at this point in my life, please read my career overview as seen in my post Is it better to work in a large corporation or a small business?