FiT Feature: Mariel Zamora
Age or Age Range: 20s
Title: Digital Marketing Specialist, Growth Company: Fishbowl, Glassdoor
How long have you been in tech? 2 years
What inspired to work in the tech industry? I was born and raised in the Philippines where access to the latest technologies were limited and the adoption of which was slow. Moving to San Francisco, which is inarguably the tech hub of the world, I was struck by the rigid dichotomy between the two. For the first time, I was inspired to work in the tech industry; and in the future, I would like to work towards bridging the gap between access to technology and the different parts of the world, including the Philippines.
What quality do you think makes a growth marketer successful? I find that a growth marketer’s success hinges on their ability to adopt an experimental-first mindset. This approach involves constantly testing new ideas to identify what works best and then using data-driven insights to optimize marketing campaigns. At its core, an experimental-first mindset is grounded in the idea that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to marketing. What works for one audience or in one context may not work in another, and the best means to find out what works is to test and experiment.
What advice would you have for someone that is interested in getting into growth marketing? Get hands-on experience and build a work portfolio from those projects. You can share it with the hiring manager and can make all the difference if it were between you and another candidate; it can make a strong impression on potential employers. And if you are an immigrant, local experience is most relevant - it can be an internship, volunteer work, or even your own side project!
Do you feel represented in Tech? No - it could be better. While there is Asian American representation in tech, I feel that there can be greater representation of other Asian groups, including Filipinos and much more Filipino immigrants like myself. In this effort, I recently joined the employee resource group GAIN (Glassdoor Asian Impact Network) to work towards this goal of representation of Asian multiculturalism in the workplace.
Do you feel supported by the Filipinx community? Yes! As a Filipino immigrant, I uprooted my life and had to start anew. It has not been the easiest, and I sometimes still feel like a fish out of water. But meeting other Filipinos who share similar experiences has made me feel empowered to stay here and continue forging a career in the tech industry. To see their successes makes me feel like I can do the same!
What advice do you have for anyone looking to break into tech? Network! Connect with individuals with jobs you have a genuine curiosity in and learn from them. I started out with ZERO local connections, but I was able to network successfully and landed my first two jobs! And if you would like a more anonymous platform, there are online communities where you can connect with other professionals in tech - Reddit, Discord, or even Fishbowl! There are people out there who would love to help you out. How can people reach you and for what? I am happy to chat about anything! Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/marielzamora or shoot me an email at zamoramdal@gmail.com.