"Writing my career growth story with IDP." - Kavitha Vijeyavelan

“I complete 12 years at IDP this month- 1/3rd of my life! They say time flies and, in this case, it truly has! This has been a period during which I’ve grown and learned immensely – working across various projects and with so many global team members and international clients.

As I celebrate this huge career milestone, which means the world to me, I am thrilled to share with you my IDP story.

When I first walked into the IDP office (November 22, 2010) - I had hardly 2.5 years of experience as a recent college graduate but the strong desire to learn and get into the digital side of content from the world of print. The world was going digital and I knew that this was the path I wanted to take.

For my very first role - I was given the opportunity to handle editorial and client communications as a Content Editor. I liaised with international universities around the world to create editorial content adverts and produce leads. Key highlights from back in the day would always be seeing happy client appreciation emails in my inbox for my copy.

What I especially love at IDP is how we believe in keeping the human element of communication alive. This has, is, and will always be our approach – personalisation of communication is key for all our valuable customers and clients. I passionately built and strengthened myself in the art of skillful communication – being part of the IDP Connect Client Care Team.

For the next few years, I took a much deeper dive into the world of content as a Senior Content Editor- a role exclusively focused on building content for our international clients and customers. I mastered the art of content creation for different kinds of search intent, different parts of the customer journey, and for different personas. From keyword research to competitor analysis, content strategy, content planning & distribution, to performance analysis of content projects – I learned and did it all for our regional and international sites.

I can proudly say that I have brought in roughly over 1.5 million views to our sites organically with just my blogs and have helped hundreds of universities enjoy a far and wide reach through a range of customised editorial adverts.

Next, after having helped deliver a key editorial project for the organisation in a challenging span of time, I was then promoted as a Lead Content Editor. I set up editorial systems for smooth internal processes, handled a team and various freelancers based on project requirements.

During trying times like the pandemic that posed a challenge for the entire world, I learnt how to pivot and cater to changes in consumer behaviour and market trends effectively for my projects by proposing new ideas and bringing in effective editorial solutions.

Now - looking back at my time handling projects for our global clients and customers, what would always drive me was the satisfying sense of purpose knowing that through my work - I had the power to make an impact in our customers’ journeys and help them make an informed decision at a major phase in their life. And knowing I could better the future of so many and the world.

It was amazing to have had the opportunity to deliver editorial projects for hundreds of well renowned international universities around the world, and various government organisations like the British Council, StudyAus and much more!

After having learnt as much as I could from my work, I then became keen to developing myself in the wider area of digital marketing and specifically around content marketing.

This part of my journey, one I hold very close to my heart, is when I was chosen as an emerging leader as part of IDP’s esteemed Maher El Bakry Emerging Leaders Award.

The Maher El Bakry Emerging Leaders Award is IDP’s flagship leadership mentoring program that has been running for over 6 years now. A prestigious one-of-a-kind program, that runs in memory of one of our cherished global leaders – Maher El Bakry - who we remember fondly. A program I truly feel honored to have been a part of.

This yearly program is open to all teams across the globe and offers leadership mentoring workshops and sessions with our Global Leadership Team, along with funding for a course of the recipient’s choice to fufill their learning and self-development goals. The program not only introduced me to the global IDP platform and teams, but also to real-world leadership concepts and insights.

On completion of my mentorship program, I gained a Mini MBA certification from Rutgers University on Digital Marketing – with a score of 97%!

And soon after, I jumped at the opportunity - when I found an opening within the Global PX Team for a communications and content specialist. Given all the amazing programs and initiatives that the Global Leadership team and the Global PX team are constantly working to bring to our teams, I strongly wanted to help increase the reach of their efforts with the right content strategy and plans.

To my delight - I got the role and was promoted shortly after my program graduation!

As the IDP Global Corporate Team’s PX Communications and Content Specialist, it’s been a pleasure to have worked with so many of our colleagues and leaders across the world, and to have supported our global leaders with comms and content plans for various projects and programs.

From employer branding to internal comms - I love how there is scope to learn and do so much. I especially enjoy how there is space for new ideas and how much exposure this role has given me! The sky is hardly the limit.

Amplifying the reach of a global team that has our people at its heart gives me true happiness.

I would like to thank all leaders and colleagues who have helped shape my journey this far and still continue to. And a heartfelt thank you to our Global Leadership Team for investing time and effort through our fantastic mentorship program to help build me and many more like me. You have truly shown us that leaders are those who help build those around them. And that we can all be leaders in our roles – by simply approaching every challenge with innovative solutions and a positive growth mindset.

Overall, my career journey has taught me that learning is a key element for growth and is something that happens every day - through every meeting, discussion, and experience - and doesn’t have to be confined to just a course or a certification. This is how I equip myself with the skills to lead in excellence in any trying situation.

A few years down the line, I aim to become someone with the knowledge and skills to head up a business unit on the content or marketing side completely.

As a concluding note, I’d like to say that IDP is a place where there are endless possibilities and ‘growth mindset’ is more than just a buzz word – it really defines who we are at our core.

If you would like to be a part of our growth story, start a fresh chapter with us by looking for opportunities here. “– Kavitha Vijeyavelan, PX Communications and Content Specialist