Meet Sam, the Local Eclectic Content Manager. Sam takes us through a day in the life at her job and answers some commonly asked question including how she started her career, what a content manager actually does, and advice for anyone searching for their dream marketing job.
What's your background, and how did you start working at Local Eclectic?
My background is actually in the beauty industry- I worked in cosmetics retail for 7 years, first as a makeup artist and skincare specialist and later as an operations manager at Sephora. I had followed Local Eclectic on Instagram for years, and when I found out via an Instagram live that they were based in Chicago, I knew I had to apply. My degree is in marketing, but I was holding out to find a marketing job at a company I actually liked and cared about. I joined Local Eclectic as part of the operations team, and slowly started doing more marketing work like writing copy for product pages and our homepage, until I transitioned fully onto the marketing team!
What do you do as a Content Manager?
A big part of my job is still writing copy for most of our platforms. I write all of our blogs which is especially fun for me because I learn so much in the research process. My favorite part of my job is probably coming up with product titles for our in house lines- that was a dream job I wanted since I was little! The other major part of my job is working with the rest of the marketing team to conceptualize new kinds of content for all of our platforms, from campaigns to youtube videos. One of my favorite campaigns was when we asked people their stance on keeping jewelry after a breakup, and people entered to win a $300 gift card to replace the jewelry their ex gave them by sharing their breakup stories. Some were funny, some were brutal, and all of them were wild to read!
What's your advice for people who want to find their dream marketing job?
My biggest advice is 1) if you can, wait to find a company whose product you really love. Part of the reason my job is so fun is because I actually like the stuff I'm writing about, even if sometimes that leads to a significant portion of my paycheck going to buying the jewelry I'm writing about (lol). And 2) is always be willing to put in the work and put yourself out there. Don't be afraid to voice a good idea, even if you're an operations team member who has an idea for marketing content. The only way to get a creative job is to prove that you have good ideas.
Sam's Jewelry Must Haves
I first found out about Local Eclectic through Sofia Zakia's Instagram and had wanted a tarot card necklace for YEARS, so when I first started working here I saved up for a long time and eventually bought one a couple years ago, and I genuinely haven't taken it off since. For my everyday earrings, I was immediately drawn to the Solid Gold Chunky Huggie Hoops from our first ever Family Gold launch, and they're still my favorite huggies on the site. I blame my affinity for ultra gleam-y gold on the fact that I'm a Leo, and these definitely check that box. Speaking of astrology, I'm obsessed with the 14K Gold Zodiac Rings from Charlie & Marcelle. I have one in my sun sign and moon sign, Leo and Pisces, and I like to wear the two stacked. And lastly, no outfit is complete to me without a pair of statement earrings. I love this chain link pair because they're subtle enough to go with anything, and I think a chunky chain adds the perfect amount of edge to any outfit.