Curious to know what different people do all day at their 9-5? We’re investigating job titles and diving deeper into day-to-day tasks to get the low-down on exactly what those roles really entail. Not sure how much to ask for your raise? Wondering what a VP in finance does in the afternoon? We’re uncovering the details behind jobs, along with the salaries and tasks that come with them, to help you figure out what you’re interested in. Below, read about how a Marketing Associate spends her day.
Age: 24
City: Boston
Industry: Software
Job Title: Marketing Associate
Years of Experience: 2
Salary: $57k
What does your job title mean? What does your job entail?
My title is “Marketing Associate,” which is a good catch-all since I have a handful of different functions that I’m responsible for. My role has morphed over the past 2 years that I’ve been with the company, but most recently, I’ve been handling all of our events (trade shows, networking events, etc.), our expanding P.R. efforts, and some social media and website content creation.
When do you wake up?
On mornings that I don’t go to the gym, I wake up at 7. I’m blessed to have a ~20 minute commute to work, which allows me to sleep later than most of my peers. In the morning, I wake up and stretch, choose my outfit for the day (forgoing makeup unless I have a post-work event), and drink a tall glass of water mixed with apple cider vinegar. I’m a breakfast die-hard (usually oatmeal) and an espresso feind. Lattes are for the weak!
At 9am I am…
Just wrapping up our morning marketing scrum (that’s tech speak for daily team check-ins). At this time, I schedule posts for our social media channels and answer any pressing emails.
At 11am I am…
It depends on the day, but I’m usually coordinating with vendors or other third parties for our latest event, writing a press release, or writing another piece of content that will be an asset for my team.
What does lunch normally look like for you?
99% of the time I pack my lunch (usually leftovers from dinner the night before or a salad). I eat with my coworkers in our office kitchen most days. I take ~20 minutes for lunch but have the freedom to leave and run an errand if necessary.
At 1pm I am…
Doing the same things I’d be doing at 11am. Most daily meetings take place before lunch to accommodate our team members who work in our Croatian office, who are ahead by 6 hours.
At 3pm I am… 
I tend to save “research” and “design” projects for the afternoon. This could entail looking up the latest trade show guerrilla marketing techniques or creating a banner to take to our next show.
At 5pm I am… 
Continuing with my research and design projects and addressing any emails that need to be answered by the end of the day.
How does a workday end for you? What time do you normally leave work?
I try to finish at a good stopping point and leave the office around 5:30.
What do you do after work?
I’m fortunate that I practically never have to take any work home. There are usually 1-2 events per month that will demand my attention after work (i.e. trade show cocktail hour or some other meet-up). I try to hit the gym at least twice a week. I also cook dinner for myself almost every weeknight. Occasionally, I’ll meet a friend for a drink or get beers with my coworkers. Currently, I’m taking weekly Italian language classes from 7-9:30P.M. 🙂
What do you do before bed?
I’m in bed between 10-11P.M. I wind down by spending too much time on Instagram, and not enough time practicing Italian on Duolingo. If I can’t sleep, I’ll read whatever book is currently on my nightstand.
Is there anything about your job you’d like people to know?
Being our sole event programmer, I travel at least once per quarter for work, which is something I consider to be a perk. The software industry is heavily male-dominated, but I feel proud to be paid equally and treated equally at my workplace. The startup world also affords you the opportunity to define your own career development and shape your role how you want it. And did I mention stock options? 😉 A lot of your startup stereotypes hold true–think long hours, beer on tap, and a shuffleboard table at the office. While I don’t want to work in software forever, I’m grateful for the awesome experience I’ve had at my company so far.