Meet Jaymini Desai, Domestic & General Marketing Manager

 

To celebrate International Women’s Day, we caught up with Jaymini Desai our Marketing Manager, who is our go-to for all things SEO, paid social and launching new digital channels here at D&G.

Read on to find out a little bit more about Jay's career, an insight into life at D&G and three women that inspire her.

Hey Jay, tell us a little bit about you?

I am a born and raised Londoner and an only child to two Indian parents. We often travel back and forth to India to visit family who still live there. I went to Brunel University, where I completed a degree in Industrial Design (which is a little different from what I do now) but it helped me understand what I liked and didn’t like.

During my time at university, I developed a keen interest in branding mainly through some of the work I completed. Since then, I have gained qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, which helped lead me towards specialising in digital marketing. 

What has your journey been like up until now and what brought you to D&G?

After University and completing my courses, I began working two part-time jobs. One was a digital marketing intern for a publishing company working mainly on email campaigns and then the other was a marketing intern for a start-up user research and design agency, which turned into a full time role where I lead on the marketing strategy and agency rebrand.

My next role was for a facilities management company, which was quite varied. My focus there was on anything from campaigns to social media, events, and website redesign.

This brings me to my role at Domestic & General, which is focusing on digital marketing, more of a niche role but one that I enjoy.

What does a typical day look like for you (if that still exists)?

A typical day for me would involve working from home and in the office, we are lucky to have a split balance between the two. If I am at home during the day, I try and get out of the house and see friends and family. 

 

If you could do anything else (regardless of skill or qualification, what would it be?

Interesting! I genuinely think I would still like to work in a creative role – maybe a set designer or animator for Pixar, I can imagine a role like that would involve lots of fun projects.

What advice would you give to others who are developing their career, especially in digital marketing?

I think it is important to keep up with marketing news and trends to learn how they could affect your role and the future of the industry.

 

I would also say try to learn independently through courses (there are loads of free ones online), podcasts, and books and upskill yourself as much as you can.

Lastly, having varied roles (especially in marketing) will give you a chance to learn interchangeable skills and understand the various sectors that contribute to your role.

If other women wanted to pursue a career in this field, what would be a few of your top tips?

My top tips would be:

1. Network with people who are familiar with the industry or if there isn’t anyone in your life, try to join some online groups such as ones on
2. Linkedin or see if there are any meetups in your area
3. Volunteer or complete internships to build skills and confidence. If you cannot find any, reach out to local companies or businesses who may surprise you and need help
4. Play to your strengths – may this be creative, copywriting or social media and don’t sell yourself short

What advice would you give to your younger self?

I would say to not be afraid to speak up (for example in meetings) and to have more self-belief and less self-doubt when contributing, even if you have not been part of a project from end to end, you may have an idea that they haven’t thought of yet. 

I have learnt that all contributions have value however big or small.

Lastly… if you could invite 3 people to a dinner party (dead or alive) who would they be and why?

I think as it is International Women’s Day today, I would invite:

1. Ruth Ginsberg - who was an American Lawyer and Jurist, and champion for women’s rights.
2. Michelle Obama - she is not afraid to share her opinion and advocate for women, family and education. Michelle Obama is also the first African-American First Lady and a role model to many women across the world.
3. Rosa Parks – an American activist in the civil rights movement best known for her pivotal role in the Montgomery bus boycott. 

Thank you, Jay!