Catherine Kenny on life as a Senior Account Manager

I’ve just recently completed my third year as an account manager at First Internet and it’s fair to say, I’ve learnt a lot during my time here. I joined FI back in December 2018, fresh out of university with little to no knowledge about digital marketing, web development or SEO.  Following a recent promotion, I’m now a senior account manager and I’m enjoying getting stuck into my new role.

My role as a senior account manager

If you’re not familiar with the digital marketing world, you may wonder what an account manager actually is. The role differs between agencies, but my main duty here at FI involves the management of website development projects for our clients, from the initial scoping phase, through to design, development, testing and eventually launch. Following a website launch, I also manage monthly client retainers / ongoing activity. Due to our vast client portfolio, everyday is different and the variation keeps the job exciting. 

A typical day in my life

Every morning starts the same: making a cup of tea and then sitting down to manage the daily development schedule. This involves catching up with the design and development team on their progress with their work the day before, ensuring projects are staying on track and that nothing stands in the way of a speedy project delivery.

The transition to senior account manager has meant I’m now also more involved in supporting the leadership team with business development, so there’s usually always a proposal or two to get stuck into. I’ll often be managing several projects at once, with each at a different stage of the project lifecycle, so other typical tasks involve writing specifications, drawing up project timelines, testing development work and staying up to date with tickets. A big part of my new role also involves taking an active part in training junior staff members on internal processes, high-quality website testing and other general account management tasks. I find this part really rewarding as, after all, I was in their position only three years ago. I learnt from an extremely knowledgeable and organised client services team when I started at FI, so it’s important to me that I continue the legacy. 

Life at FI HQ

Although a cliche, you’ll hear the majority of the FI team say it, we genuinely are one big family. As a team of 16 all working in the same office, it’s easy to get to know your colleagues and every single person brings something different to the table, both professionally and personally. There isn’t a day that goes by where the office isn’t filled with laughter and although we have great ‘office banter’, we also work extremely hard as a team to produce high-quality work for our clients. We support each other’s professional development, celebrate company successes as a team, and club together if there’s a problem to be solved. The digital marketing industry as a whole is also known to be a sociable one, so aside from socialising in the office and during lunchtime, there’s usually always an awards night, away day, or office party in the diary! 

Three things I’ve learnt during my time at FI 

Since I’ve now been at FI for three years, I’ll leave you with the three most important things I’ve learnt during my time here.

1. You’ll never stop learning

When starting a new role, particularly as a recent graduate joining an experienced team, we often put pressure on ourselves to learn everything there is to know about the role, immediately. The biggest thing I’ve learnt over the last three years is that you’ll never stop learning, especially in an industry as evolving as digital marketing. With every project I learn something new about development, SEO and UX and I’ve realised now that I will never know ‘everything’ (and no-one does!).

2. Don’t be afraid to ask questions

Tying into the above point, don’t be afraid to ask your colleagues questions if you’re unsure. Here at FI, the team is always happy to assist other staff members and asking questions (to colleagues, or Google), has helped my progression within the role and the company.

3. Get to know your colleagues

On a more personal note, I’ve learnt how important it is to get to know your colleagues. We’re back to office working at First Internet and for most people, we spend more time at work than we do at home. Over the last three years I’ve formed solid friendships with colleagues who I socialise with regularly, both inside and outside of work. The great office culture at FI has formed largely because of how close everyone in the team is.