I had a marketing degree, but I still didn’t know where I fit. CampusLife changed that.

“I know marketing. I studied it. But what do I actually do with it?”

That’s a question a lot of students have after graduating. You finish your degree, open LinkedIn, and start applying to anything that sounds remotely relevant. Not because it truly fits you, but because it feels like the next step you’re supposed to take. Over time, that process becomes frustrating. You send out applications, wait for responses, and slowly start questioning whether you’re actually ready for the industry.

For many students, especially international students, this feeling is even stronger. There’s the added pressure of not having enough local experience and not knowing where to start. Liz Hsu found herself in that exact position. She had the knowledge and the qualification, but like many others, she lacked clarity on what direction to take.

Liz’s first step towards finding direction in her marketing career

When she was in her last semester of her Master of Management (Marketing) course at the University of Melbourne, Liz realised that continuing to apply without direction wasn’t going to solve the problem. What she needed wasn’t just a job, but an environment where she could gain real experience and understand how marketing actually works in practice.

That’s when she came across CampusLife. What stood out wasn’t just the opportunity to work on real projects, but the idea that she didn’t need prior experience to get started.

Instead of waiting until she felt completely ready, Liz made a decision to step into something uncertain. She chose to put herself in a position where she could learn by doing, even if it meant figuring things out along the way.

Why client-facing experience matters early in the marketing career

From the beginning, Liz was placed into an environment that balanced both learning and real responsibility. She worked across different areas of marketing, including social media strategy, content creation, and personal branding, while also supporting operational tasks such as event coordination and stakeholder communication. This level of responsibility helped her build confidence, develop practical skills beyond theory, understand how different parts of marketing connect, and develop the ability to communicate and solve problems in real client situations.

What made this experience different was not just the variety of work, but the support system around it. She wasn’t expected to figure everything out on her own. There was guidance, collaboration, and a team that encouraged questions and learning. This allowed her to build confidence while working on real client tasks, making the transition from theory to practice feel more achievable and less overwhelming.

How Liz built confidence by working through challenges

With real work came real challenges. One of the biggest hurdles Liz faced was the technical side of marketing, particularly tasks related to website updates and SEO. These were areas she had no prior experience in, and initially, it felt difficult to even know where to begin.

At one point, while working on a website, she accidentally disrupted part of the layout. Moments like that can feel discouraging, especially when you’re already unsure of your abilities. However, instead of stepping back, Liz approached the situation as part of the learning process. With support from her team and by using tools like ChatGPT, she worked through problems step by step, learning through trial, feedback, and improvement.

Through this, she began to realise that growth doesn’t come from knowing everything upfront. It comes from being willing to try, ask for help, and continue improving.

How Liz discovered where she belonged in marketing

The turning point came when Liz began applying the e-traction method more intentionally. Through its “understand” phase, she focused on identifying her own strengths and interests, while also understanding how she could contribute to a business.

As she reflected on this, she recognised that she was naturally extroverted and enjoyed working in event-based environments. So when an opportunity came up during a client project, she chose to step into that space, aligning her interests with real opportunities rather than simply completing assigned tasks.

That decision created new opportunities. Through this experience, she built connections, gained confidence, and eventually stepped into a role as an independent event assistant. It wasn’t the result of applying to more roles, but of positioning herself in the right environment and making the most of it.

This experience shifted how Liz approached her career. Instead of applying broadly and hoping for the best, she became more intentional about choosing opportunities that aligned with her strengths and interests. She moved from thinking she lacked skills to recognising her ability to solve problems and adapt to new challenges.

More importantly, she gained clarity. Not from overthinking her options, but from being in an environment that supported her growth and allowed her to explore different aspects of marketing in a practical way.

What marketing students can learn from Liz’s journey

If there’s one thing Liz’s journey shows, it’s that finding direction doesn’t happen before you start, it develops through experience. Being in an environment where she could work on real projects, explore different areas of marketing, and apply what she learned helped her understand where her skills, personality, and interests aligned most.

If you’re a student feeling unsure about your next move, know that you’re not alone. And more importantly, you don’t have to figure it out on your own. CampusLife is built to support students in gaining real experience, connecting with like-minded people, and developing the skills needed to move forward.

If that sounds like what you’re looking for, keep an eye out for the next intake. Your starting point might be closer than you think.