By Fatima Dadabhoy, Senior Lifestyle Editor
In my interview with Jess, she reflects on how Orbital Magazine shaped her post-grad life, pivotal moments in her career, and the strategy behind building her own version of fortune.
Question: How did you first become involved with Orbital, and what drew you to the Lifestyle section specifically?
Answer: I became involved in Orbital during my first week at uni at the Students’ Union fair. I’ve always been interested in lifestyle, fashion, and beauty, and that’s kind of where I thought my interests were most aligned. So naturally, when I joined Orbital, that’s what I wanted to be part of.
Question: When you think back to your earliest days at Orbital, what stands out most vividly?
Answer: When I think back to my earliest days, I guess what stands out the most is just how central it felt to life at uni, and it really just felt like a hub, a community, and it was quite a dynamic, kind of success-hungry environment. Loads of passionate people who worked on different projects, and it was a super exciting, happening time.
Question: In your view, what do you think has allowed Orbital to endure for 40 years in such a dynamic media landscape?
Answer: I think Orbital has stood the test of time because it’s really reflective of the diversity of the uni. I think Royal Holloway is a very diverse and progressive uni, and Orbital has always done well in conveying that through its media. Also, I think being a campus uni, it just feels quite central, and Orbital feels like a routine; it’s almost ingrained within the culture at uni.
Question: What was the culture like within the Orbital team during your time there?
Answer: The culture was very dynamic, passionate, and collaborative. Everyone would work on pieces kind of individually, and was very excited to bring them together to the team. A very encouraging, creative environment, I would say!
Question: Are there any collaborations, friendships, or moments behind the scenes that still stay with you?
Answer: I think all the friends I made during my team at uni were off my course(English Lit) and we had very similar interests! I think some moments that kind of stand out was when we launched the Jaime Lang Issue. I think it was my first year at Orbital and he had just launched Candy Kittens, I believe. He was doing lots of press and we had a launch partty for him! This was kind of my first taste of what media and the landscape of media culture could look like! I think I still have some copies of the magazine, actually!
Question: What do you think student publications should be paying more attention to today?
Answer: I think that student publications and students in general should really pay attention to culture and life outside of university because oftentimes, you can feel like you’re in a bubble while at uni. But all in all, it’s an amazing time for growth and learning new things and developing newer perspectives, and any student publications that challenge and encourage a wider pool of learning and a bigger understanding of the world around you are always beneficial to the student body once they leave uni!
Question: What are you doing now, and did your role at Orbital help you in any way?
Answer: I’m a freelancer now, but I’ve spent 4 years working in publishing at Hearst Magazine so my role at Orbital definitely helped. I would say a lot of the skills that I developed and a lot of the ways that I approached my own ability in pitching and writing were definitely shaped at uni and Orbital!
Question: You’ve worked at Trip in the marketing department and at Hearst in the social media department. Both big-name corporations, how did you land these roles? What would you say made you stand out?
Answer: My career has kind of been maybe an abnormal way of getting to where I wanted to go, but I did an internship during my second year of uni, which meant that I got offered a job in the third year, so I moved to London. I kind of then grew from there and fell into a social media role, which was a junior-level role, and then from there, I just kind of grew and developed my skills over time, and eventually, ended up at Hearst, where I was the Head of Social for the lifestyle magazines. I would say, to help me stand out, I put alot of time into practicing interviews and being personable and researching companies and areas that I wanted to go into and I almost always kind of believe I have the job before I have it and kind of immerse myself in that mindset because I do think that your mindset is a really powerful thing into getting you to where you want to go!
Question: What are 5 tips you would give to students looking to work at publishing houses such as Hearst or other big-name corporations?
Answer: Immerse yourself in culture, be really in the know about what you wantand what’s happening around you, and live and practice that life before you go into it. People always talk about making connections, but it’s hard to know where to do that, so a great place to start would be LinkedIn and looking at companies you love, keeping track of the team, and it’s a really great place to see updates about things and companies looking to hire people. If there are any panel talks within the industry you want to get into, attend them and learn directly from people you admire in the workplace! I would also say, practice what you preach, make a standout portfolio of your skills, even if you don’t have too much corporate experience!
Question: What are some of your pain points or things you’ve struggled with post-grad that you’d like to share?
Answer: Everyone has similar struggles post-grad where you feel like you’ve been in a bubble for 3 years, and then you’re shoved out into the world, and you don’t know where to start, but I would say, there’s no rush to find your career straight away! If you fall into a job you don’t love or don’t want to be in forever, do it anyway and develop skills that you can then use toward a better role you actually enjoy! Every journey is one that you’re supposed to be on, so embrace it!
Question: Did you imagine yourself working in social media and marketing, or did it happen more by chance?
Answer: I did not imagine myself working in social media, and I kind of wanted to go down the traditional publishing route, but it just worked out in itself, and it was exactly what I wanted.
Question: What was your experience like working at Hearst?
Answer: It was amazing! I loved it! It was the best place to grow my career. I learned invaluable skills, connected with some incredible people, and it was definitely the best part of my career! Definitely a dream! It allowed me to kind of set up to do what I do now.
Question: What do you think helps people grow in media careers — and what holds them back?
Answer: Having initiative, connecting with like-minded people, and being in the know of what’s going on and what’s important! Be really specific, if you’re pitching or if you’re interviewing somewhere, really get to know the culture because not all media places are the same, and understanding how publications work digitally. Having a portfolio has been massive in helping grow careers, and there are always ways that you can build up and play on your skills! As someone who’s worked in hiring in lots of media roles, the people that have always stood out to me are people who put themselves out there, who have done the research, who know what they’re talking about, and whose socialsand profile reflect what they want in life and career!
Question: What would you say is the biggest misconception about working in social media?
Answer: The biggest thing I would say is people think it’s just putting out posts on Instagram and Facebook! But in reality, social media is a very powerful tool for storytelling, and a lot of brands don’t understand how big a role it can play in conversion, in marketing, in growth, in commercial — you might be on a social media team but the chances are you’ve worn a million different hats; you’ve been a graphic designer, you’ve been a manager, you’ve been an influencer and there’s a misconception that it’s one thing when infact, it’s a lot of things converged together!
Question: Since you’ve worked in social media and have a fair sense of what works, what would you say actually makes an account or brand do well on social media right now?
Answer: I think accounts or brands that lean more into a cultural or personal moment, as opposed to those that just go for a polished look, do better. People love to connect with brands, so anything that can convey a sense of analogue media, or ways to take social media into the real world, such as book clubs, supper clubs, and Substacks, is always a good idea!
Question: For those who are seeking a career in marketing or social media, what are some skills they should develop or work on?
Answer: I think every skill is important. So good communication, written skills, having a good visual eye, the skill of storytelling, the ability to spot trends early on, the ability to turn creative data into numbers, and using that to shape your content are all very key skills to develop and work on!
Question: If you could sum up Orbital in one sentence, as it was to you then, what would it be?
Answer: I would say it was a hub of creativity and a really inspiring place that gave me a taste of what the publishing world would look like post-grad!