We sat down for a chat with Kirilly to learn about her experience navigating employment as a person with disability, and how she found work at an organisation that aligns with her values on the Field!
the Field:
Thanks for taking the time to talk to us, Kirilly! To start with, tell us a little bit about yourself.
Kirilly:
I am a Digital Marketer with a disability, and I use a walking stick and sometimes a walker. I have a Bachelor of Commerce and started my career in direct marketing, specifically data, telemarketing and direct mail, then moved on to Digital Marketing.
I’ve worked across a variety of client and agency roles both here (in Australia) and in the UK, including advertising, media and marketing. I have a passion for data and love using it to inform strategy.
During my career I have experienced different models of disability, from the medical model to the social model, and it’s been great to see this way of viewing the world change over time.
I also love travelling and exploring new places!
the Field:
And what do you do at Remarkable?
Kirilly:
I am the Digital Marketing Manager.
the Field:
Great! How have you found the workplace culture at an organisation like Remarkable?
Kirilly:
Great question! Remarkable is guided by the saying ‘nothing about us, without us’ which is an idea from the disability rights movement that really resonates with me. I also love that at Remarkable I am on a continual learning journey that embraces new ideas.
the Field:
Were there any challenges or barriers you faced in finding a role with an inclusive Employer?
Kirilly:
In my experience it hasn’t always been clear that an organisation was an Inclusive Employer, and if they mentioned they were it wasn’t necessarily clear what that actually meant.
the Field:
Do you have any advice for people with disability who are wanting to get started in the Digital Marketing space?
Kirilly:
Research what marketers are doing in the digital marketing space and what roles exist. There is such a range of roles, organisations and industries and this can change. For example explore questions such as – do you want to specialise in a particular area of digital marketing or be a generalist? Would you like to work in an agency, client environment, or for one of the platforms?
the Field:
For some people, for whatever reason, university and further study isn’t an option. For those people, what advice can you give to help them improve their employment prospects?
Kirilly:
Know your strengths, what type of work gives you energy and how you work best. Know how you learn best, and find ways that you can learn that way. We don’t all learn the same way.
Find people in the roles you want to work in and learn about the work they are doing.
Look for companies that have inclusive practices and values that align with your values. Research how these companies put these principles into practice and understand why you want to work for them. Sign up to The Field to find out about the inclusive organisations and roles available.
the Field:
What advice do you have for Employers who are thinking about getting started with more inclusive hiring?
Kirilly:
Understand your own biases and that of your company – that’s not a criticism, it’s just about awareness. For example, do the hiring processes you have include inbuilt biases so that certain groups of people can’t apply for the job you are advertising? Do these processes use data that is biased? Are your onboarding processes accessible for people with disability? How do you make your organisation a safe space for people with disabilities to work, where they are comfortable asking for any adjustments to do their work?
Engage inclusive experts and pay them for their time and advice. Learn from them and keep learning.
People with disability are the largest minority and the sector is always changing – approximately 1 in 5 people live with disability and they are natural problem solvers, as they often have to navigate a world which is not always built for them.
the Field:
Have you had some really positive work experiences that stand out? What made them different?
Kirilly:
The work experiences that stand out the most as positive for me are when an organisation’s mission, values and culture align with my own values and my career goals.
Apart from the great experience at Remarkable, which is due to the amazing people I work with, and our mission and values, the other positive work experience that comes to mind is when I worked at Carat UK. I was part of the data planning department, a team of people who worked with data to generate insights and build campaign strategies. When I was there Carat fostered an environment for me to try new ideas. I felt I was backed for my work, not for the way I walked.
the Field:
What made you start using the Field to search for employment opportunities?
Kirilly:
I remember hearing Dylan talk just before launch, and so I went online to learn more, and signed up to the newsletter. I received I think the first newsletter before jobs went live. I applied for the Remarkable role very early on and got the job! I met Dylan later at an expo recently and spoke to him about landing that role, actually (pictured below).
the Field:
And finally, what’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?
Kirilly:
Choose the things that are important to you and that you want to fight for. For me these things have definitely changed over my career.
To learn more about Remarkable, click here.
If you’re a Job Seeker searching for work with Inclusive Employers, or an Employer that wants to hire more inclusively, visit the Field today!
