How I Got Here: Mecca’s Head of Content on why you should constantly challenge yourself

“I think every single creative is challenged every single day, just battling their own self-doubt. Is this idea good enough? Will they pick me for the freelancer job? Can I make it?”

Have you ever stalked someone on LinkedIn and wondered how on earth they managed to land that wildly impressive job? While the internet and social media might have us believe that our ideal job is a mere pipe dream, the individuals who have these jobs were, believe it or not, in the same position once, fantasising over someone else’s seemingly unattainable job.

But behind the awe-inspiring titles and the fancy work events lies a heck of a lot of hard work. So what lessons have been learnt and what skills have proved invaluable in getting them from daydreaming about success to actually being at the top of their industry?

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Welcome to How I Got Here, where we talk to women who are killing it in their respective fields about how they landed their awe-inspiring jobs, exploring the peaks and pits, the failures and the wins, and most importantly the knowledge, advice and practical tips they’ve gleaned along the way.

This week we speak to Tara Lamont-Djite, Mecca’s Head of Content. Growing up, Tara, like many who end up working in editorial, had an all-consuming love of magazines. Eager to break into this notoriously competitive industry, she studied journalism before attending FBI Fashion College and landing a coveted internship at InStyle. From there, she worked her way up to becoming the Editor-in-Chief’s Assistant, before heading to New York to work in media.

Now working for one of Australia’s most beloved companies, she oversees the vast majority of Mecca’s content. Pushing herself to be creative each day, embracing challenges and consuming a wide array of content (books, films, art, blogs) are each key to her success in such a demanding and fast-paced role. Here’s what she learnt along the way.

What do you do and what’s your official job title?

I run the content team within the marketing department at Mecca, and my title is Head of Content. That means I run a team of 11 including writers, sub-editors, art directors and a videographer, and we create most of the content you read or consume within the Mecca multiverse. If you read an email newsletter or a sign in-store or spy a campaign on a window, chances are the content team has concepted it, written it, or helped dream it up.

Take us back to when you were first starting out. Did you study to get into your chosen field, or did you start out with an internship/entry-level role and climb the ladder? Tell us the story.

I was always obsessed with beauty – and by that, I mean beautiful things/stories/images. I grew up with an obsession for magazines and I loved to curate things. Whether it was fashion, beauty products, art, style, taste, flowers, design… I loved it all. And in their glory days, that’s what magazines were. Gorgeous compendiums filled with things that made your life beautiful.

I studied journalism but I knew I’d never get into a magazine without a proper in, so I went to FBI Fashion College and got an internship at InStyle magazine. The wonderful Editor-in-Chief Kerrie McCallum took a chance on me (as an intern) and hired me to be her assistant. I did that for two years, and then I moved to New York to try and get a job in magazines there. But then that’s a whole other chapter, and you guys have a word limit.

What challenges/hurdles have you faced getting to where you are now? Can you tell us about one in particular?

Oh wow – moving to New York without ever having stepped foot in the USA and trying to get a job? I got fired from a job once, but that ended up being one of the best things that could have happened to me. I think every single creative is challenged every single day, just battling their own self-doubt. Is this idea good enough? Will they pick me for the freelancer job? Can I make it? Will my grandiose dreams come true?

What do you want people to know about your industry/your role?

It’s magical. I have a dream job at a dream company. Truly. I will say that any role requires you to work really hard, to keep thinking out of the box and to keep pushing. You have to constantly challenge yourself – read things, write things, CREATE things! I moved to New York and started a blog so I could interview cool people I liked (and then maybe work for them). But to work with other creative people who are passionate (and also love discussing how amazing a new eyeliner is or how great Jacob Elordi’s hair looked in Priscilla) is super fun. I feel very lucky every single day.

What’s the best part about your role?

I honestly truly believe that fashion and beauty are incredible transformative, powerful tools. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t feel more confident when they put on a blazer, think their skin looks great or have a good hair day. It’s empowering, it’s uplifting, it’s a bit magical. And like I said above, to work in a place where it’s your job to celebrate that. That’s pretty cool. Also, my boss, Chief Marketing Officer Kate Blythe and Founder/Co-CEO Jo Horgan are incredibly, incredibly inspiring women to work with.

What would surprise people about your role?

That I still do things I did as an assistant! I still write, I still complete briefs and I still carry the flowers to the photo shoot. One of my favourite quotes is ‘Do the work’.

What skills have served you well in your industry?

Tenacity. Grit. Creative thinking. Thinking laterally.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to be in a role like yours one day?

Read everything. Write every single day. Be creative – start your own TikTok account, your own online magazine, your own completely new thing that no one has done yet! The more you practice, the better you’ll be.

What about a practical tip?

Network, network, network. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people or ask for help, or feedback, or an intro. Also, be polite, kind and grammatically correct in email communication. It’s the little things that make a difference.

@tldjite

Read the rest of the How I Got Here series here.

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