From Fan Pages to Full-Time: Why My Work Experience Started Way Before My First Job

You started your social media career after your degree. I started mine at 15.

Except, I didn’t know it was a career at the time.

While others were studying social media in theory, I was living it. Back when Twitter was still raw and chaotic, I was running my personal Twitter page that seemed like a One Direction fan account and somehow managed to grow it to over 20K followers, just because celebrities followed me back. I learned the power of community, engagement, and viral content long before it was a bullet point on anyone’s resume.

But it started even earlier than that.

Before Instagram was a thing, I was building my personal brand on MySpace and Tumblr. I’d spend hours coding custom layouts, tweaking HTML, and designing aesthetic profiles that matched my vibe. I didn’t know it then, but I was already learning about UX, branding, and user psychology, all while procrastinating on homework.

Content creation was my after-school activity. I was the friend who always carried a little digital camera in her bag, documenting everything. Photos, videos, school trips, birthdays.. you name it. I was editing videos for YouTube before "content creator" was even a career path. When I discovered photo editing and colour grading, I organised mini photoshoots with my friends just to practice.

I wasn’t following a trend, I was part of the generation shaping it.

So when someone asks for my "official portfolio," sure, I can show them my professional campaigns, brand strategy work, and Instagram accounts I’ve grown. But I also wish I could include:

• The Tumblr themes I custom-coded at 13.

• The hours spent editing concert photos in PicMonkey.

• The community management lessons I learned moderating chaotic Twitter threads.

• The 50+ videos I filmed, edited, and posted (and deleted) on my first YouTube channel.

Because that’s where my love for content, design, and digital storytelling really started.

How Do You Add This to a CV?

The truth? You don’t always have to.

But you can bring it into your interviews. You should weave it into your portfolio intro or personal website. And you must talk about it as part of your story, because it shows:

• Initiative

• Creativity

• Adaptability

• A native understanding of social platforms

Some people start their careers with internships. I started mine with a digital camera, a celebrity follow, and a whole lot of curiosity.

And honestly? That’s the foundation that’s shaped everything I do today.