Please consider me in your search for a Social Media and Marketing Officer.

I feel I am an excellent match for this position because I have spent a large portion of my career in the educational sector, either as a student, a communications officer for The University of Calgary or as a teacher. It seems as if I’m always learning something new, which allows me to state with confidence that I believe I can further add to my knowledge base, where required.

After completing my Education degree at the U of A (with a major in art) and serving as a writer/production editor for the Students’ Union Gateway, I joined The University of Calgary as a Communications Officer II. In this position, I worked with university administrators to implement communication plans for students, staff and the public. I also served as co-editor of the bi-weekly Gazette. In this role, I was often called upon to create copy that made technical information accessible to a general audience. My article on digital mapping, with its commissioned illustration, is an example. My profile of new staff member, Beatrice Medicine, illustrates another part of my duties. Where required, I provided photography, illustration and design skills. While at the U of C, I took advantage of free tuition and completed several courses including one on Communications Research Methods.

After almost five years with the U of C, I accepted a position as a Journalism Instructor at Grant MacEwan. Moving to Vancouver, I joined Southam Business Communications as Western Editor for Canadian Forest Industries Magazine, providing copy on all aspects of the business including harvesting, safety and milling.

I then settled in Nanaimo where I worked as a weekly and daily reporter. Sample stories include the development of an underwater camera, for The Nanaimo Business Examiner, and Sam Struhar’s fight with WCB, for The Nanaimo Daily Free Press. I also ran my own direct-mail advertising business, Val-Pak, for almost five years. This experience helped me learn how to evaluate the measurable success of this type of promotion.

In my duties as Marketing Manager for forest equipment manufacturer T-MAR Industries, I used my writing and editorial skills to launch the company’s newsletter, The T-MAR Times and my graphic design skills and my understanding of communications research methods to create and analyze customer surveys. I also produced advertising copy and brochures, maintained contact with industry publications and designed the company’s booth for the annual Truck Loggers Association Convention in Vancouver. Part of my duties also included regular presentations to sales staff and management.

A downturn in the industry led to leave T-MAR and spend 10 years overseas teaching in Libya, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, Norway, the UAE and Japan. Highlights of this period include co-authoring mathematics workbooks for vocational students in Al Ain, UAE and producing the student-illustrated video of my children’s story about life from an apple’s point of view, The Apple of Albert’s Eye.

Albert’s story is one of a disadvantaged apple (he’s smaller than the rest because he didn’t get as much sun) chosen by a young, handicapped girl at the market. After being advised by her father that she should put Albert back and get an apple that was “perfect,” Holly keeps Albert saying, “Dad, you wouldn’t put me back just because my legs don’t work, or I’m not perfect, would you?” I believe this story is representative of my mindset, which chooses to see opportunity where others might not.

Returning to Canada in 2012, I relocated to Prince George, BC and served as a Community Support Worker and Residential Care Worker for the Prince George Association for Community Living and Thompson Community Services, respectively. Both these agencies are dedicated to providing service and help to the disadvantaged. I also worked as a Licensed Property Manager in Prince George and Courtenay, after successfully completing the required coursework in the field at UBC’s Sauder School of Business. This work has given me the skill to develop and maintain databases using a specific software.

My return to Canada gave me the opportunity to work with a web designer and friend to launch my WordPress website to highlight my creative abilities in writing, photography, art, music and video production. I use my blog and twitter account to promote my belief in a better world. I have a working knowledge of WordPress, MS Office, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat and Movie Studio.

As an example of my writing, video production and editing skills, consider my application for the position of Traveling Ambassador with Air Transat, shot in Dubai. I post my videos on YouTube and then link them to my website.

You ask for a very wide skill set in filling this role. One that is extremely common is an expertise in SEO and analytics. I believe I have the analytical mind capable of working with these kinds of metrics and have made arrangements with my web designer to develop the skills required.

I believe my combination of communications experience and community service mindset combine to makes me a unique and ideal candidate for this position. Accordingly, let me suggest, then, that we meet to discuss the contribution I could make to your organization in this role.