Throwback Thursday: How I Became a Social Media Manager

Hi, today I want to share a little throwback about how I ended up becoming a Social Media Manager — something I never planned, but somehow felt like the most natural path for me.

If you know my academic background, you’d probably notice that nothing screams “social media” at all. I have a Bachelor's Degree (Hons) in Applied Language Studies — English for Professional Communication, and before that, a Diploma in Public Administration. So, ideally, I should’ve ended up working in government, education, or maybe corporate communication. But life had other plans for me.

My dream after graduating was actually to become a writer for a fashion magazine. That’s why I chose to do my internship at Zalora. I thought it would be the perfect stepping stone into the fashion world. I loved my time there and even got offered a job — but they wanted me to start immediately, and I still had classes after my internship. So I had to decline. That was a painful “what if” moment in my early career.

After graduating, I landed my first job as a Project Coordinator. Surprisingly, it was really fun. I enjoyed project management, the coordination, the teamwork, the pace — but deep inside, I knew I wanted to do something more… something that involved writing or creating.

Next, I heard about content moderation. I honestly had no idea what the job was, but I applied anyway — and that’s how I ended up at 11Street. It wasn’t glamorous, and it wasn’t exactly what I wanted, but it gave me a little taste of the world of content. I guess that small exposure became the spark I needed.

Then came Kidxy — and that’s truly where it all began. I was managing social media, writing blogs, creating visual content, and basically doing everything I always wanted to do but never had the chance to. I was so excited stepping into the role. I think I would’ve stayed much longer if it wasn’t for the pandemic.

After that, I joined agency life — and honestly, those were my happiest years as a social media specialist. I was exposed to so many aspects of social media marketing. I got to pitch ideas, write scripts, draft campaigns, plan content calendars, create strategies… and the best part was seeing my ideas come to life. When a brand chooses your idea, it really hits different. It feels like you’re seen. You’re heard. You’re valued.

If you ask me which is better — agency or in-house — I would honestly choose agency. You’re surrounded by like-minded people. You never feel alone in your creative journey. Everyone understands the process, the brainstorming, the late nights, and the magic behind making social media work. It’s a space where creativity is respected.

So yeah, that’s a bit of my journey on becoming a Social Media Manager. Even now, I still feel fulfilled creating content. But just like fashion: one day you’re in, the next day you’re out. Trends evolve fast. Audiences change even faster. And I admit — sometimes I don’t fully get what the younger generation is consuming nowadays. But it’s fun learning. It keeps me sharp.

Maybe that’s why I’m now at a stage where translating data into insights feels like the next natural step for me. With the skill set I’ve built over the years — creative, analytical, strategic — I’m hopeful I can continue contributing to the social media marketing world in a way that still excites me.

I don’t know where this journey will take me next, but I’m ready for it.