A desire for freedom and flexibility over the course of her working life saw Chloe do Rosario choose a Bachelor of Marketing and Media.
Self starter: Chloe de Rosario, pictured, committed to several internships while studying at Macquarie.
The interdisciplinary study of arts and commerce was unique at the time, with Macquarie one of the first universities to offer the combined option.
“Macquarie is a young university, is highly ranked as one of the top unis in Australia and has a lovely campus as well – it was doing exciting things so I thought it had a lot going for it,” Chloe says.
“When I was choosing my degree I wanted to be an event manager, but I thought: ‘What if I don’t want to do that in 10 years?’ I did not want to have a very specific degree that might not serve me later on.”
Chloe undertook work experience while studying, which helped her develop a wider set of skills and opened up opportunities down the track.
“I did a marketing internship at a charity organisation, worked as an accounts assistant for a marketing firm and as an events assistant for a public affairs firm,” she says.
“Theoretical knowledge only gets you so far – it’s interpersonal skills, learning to think on the fly or just applying everything you’ve learned in practical situations that leads you to those big work opportunities later on.”
When Chloe graduated, she stepped into a full-time position at one of the companies she had interned with, then worked at Twitter for six years. Last year, she landed her dream job as a partnerships manager at global multinational design platform Canva. Just a few months ago, she was promoted to the role of experiential marketing manager.
“I work on a team that's responsible for all our external consumer-facing events. So really playing with the ways Canva shows up in real life, whether that is at our own events or participating at conferences – and ensuring it’s aligned to broader marketing strategies and plans,” she says.
The right person for the team
Chloe’s manager, Jimmy Knowles, says Canva looks for self-starters – individuals who can meet challenges head on, be proactive about identifying problems, work through potential solutions and ultimately know where and how to be creative in their approach.
“I immediately knew Chloe was the right person for my team from the moment I met her – she was strong and confident in her approach, was able to easily command the attention and respect of a highly cross-functional team and took initiative to go above and beyond what was being asked of her,” Jimmy says.
“Chloe was quick to pick up on complex challenges, projects and workstreams and navigated them with ease – she almost made it seem too easy. In the world of experiential marketing, attention to detail is everything. We often run incredibly complex programs with countless interdependencies across teams, workstreams, internal and external partners and agencies. The ability to manage all of that with grace and humility is paramount and is something Chloe delivers on in spades.”
CHLOE DO ROSARIO
Degree: Bachelor of Marketing and Media.
My job: Experiential Marketing Manager at Canva
Three ways MQ supported me to be job-ready:
1. Learning the value of long-term thinking. “I definitely consider myself someone who is very into long-term thinking. So I’m happy to help others because I know that at some point, I will find a benefit for it. If it’s not tomorrow, it could be in two years’ time, because the person I helped out is now working on a new project.”
2. Being curious and trying new things. “Pursuing curiosities – through extracurricular activities, clubs and societies – ultimately contributed to my resume and made it stronger. That pursuit of curiosity also works in my job. I’m curious about what other teams are doing or how different organisations function and that’s how I've been able to move through different roles in the two major companies I've been at.”
3. Gaining experience through internships. “After I got one of my first full-time roles, I asked my manager why they hired me even though I had no formal experience. They said it was because of all the work experience I had done; because it showed them I would just get in and get my hands dirty and adapt well to change. That led to a six-year career.”
How I apply what I learned at Macquarie in the workplace:
“At uni you can progress at your own pace, but if you put in a little extra effort you will see the results. The same applies in the workplace. You really only get out as much as you put in.”
Advice to prospective students:
“Seek opportunities outside the classroom, whether that is joining societies or going on exchange programs. You never know what you’ll learn or who you'll meet. Stay in touch with your cohort, too, as those people are going to be in your industry and your network throughout your career.”
