“The sky is the limit here. If you can dream it and work out a way of executing it, everyone’s ideas are embraced.”
In the second of our ‘Employee Spotlight’ series, we focus on Account Director, Bernadette Wilson.
Bernadette has come a long way since her first job aged 12. “I had a morning paper round, and it was horrific. I put half of the round in a wheelie bin after trying really hard for a few months.”
However, it is safe to say that Bernadette’s work ethic is somewhat more admirable twenty-three years on, balancing working at ResourceiT with being the mother of two girls. The thirty-five-year-old that lives locally to ResourceiT’s offices says she feels an obligation to be that way.
“I’m a full-time employee, which as a mum of two young daughters might seem crazy, but I am career driven and I want them to see that you can do it all.
“ResourceiT have contributed in that respect. I’m at home two and a half days a week and that helps massively with the work/life balance. I can take my kids to school, and even when I’m in the office, I take them and drive in afterwards.”
Bernadette wasn’t always sure what she wanted to do as a teenager. However, after completing a marketing degree at Kingston University in 2010, she knew her future lay in this sphere. Unfortunately, this didn’t prove particularly easy when she first graduated.
“There was about 600 people on our course and only 4 people managed to get an internship. We were literally driving in convoys where we were all going for the same jobs, there just wasn’t enough placements for us all.
“After graduating I applied at any company within any industry really, but instead of getting a job I spent the next two years doing Camp America. I taught kids to swim, kayak, and canoe while travelling around America and Canada.”
After returning, it was her friend that began to pressure her to get a ‘proper job’.
“She actually put my CV forward to some recruiters and as a result I got a job with a local IT distributor. She also set me up with my husband there, so I have quite a lot to thank her for!”
Bernadette began working in sales but already had her eyes on moving into marketing when possible.
“During lunch breaks and after shifts I did work experience within the marketing team. Writing emails, having them designed, just doing basic marketing execution for the managers. After 20 months in sales, I managed to get a marketing assistant role internally – I never looked back.”
It was during the height of COVID and between the two lockdowns that Bernadette saw an advertisement for a marketing role at ResourceiT, she thought it seemed a good fit.
“Having worked with ResourceiT for a number of years, I knew a bit about what they offered, that I wanted to make the move, and that I wanted to experience agency life. You need that mix, especially in the IT channel. That blend of experience really helps you see what you prefer and where your skills best fit. I had only worked in distribution, and I thought after nine years it was time to branch out and see what else was out there.
“I saw the job advertised on LinkedIn and decided to go for it as the culture really seemed right for me and I thought I could learn a lot. Throughout my interview process I was very open and made it clear that I wanted to learn, why I wanted to move over, and the experiences I wanted from the role change.”
After some interview calls and writing and presenting a marketing plan for a hypothetical vendor product launch, Bernadette was offered the job.
