Zoe Hawkins, Lazygamer.net
Name: Zoe Hawkins
Designation: Content Editor and PR Manager
Company: Lazygamer.net
What do you do every day? Wow, each day is so varied and different. Most days start with me writing at least 3-4 articles. As a video game and tech journalist, this means reporting on new game releases, controversies, gameplay or features. This can include game reviews and editorials, as well as tech reviews and videos showing off the latest gadgets. Interspersed between the writing is plenty of witty banter with the guys I work with as we fight for the good stories and make fun of each other’s meekness.
As I write, I often edit the others’ work as well as attend to all the PR emails. I generally try to schedule meetings in the late morning or early afternoon, once things have calmed down in the mad rush to get content up for the site.
Work can often continue late into the evenings, especially when I have a game to review and need to spend my entire evening playing. However, considering that’s how I enjoy spending my evenings, it’s rather difficult to complain. Evenings are sometimes also taken up with tech events and launches, giving me the opportunity to actually get dressed in something other than slippers and comfy pants as I venture into outside world.
How did you get into the tech space? I’ve been a gamer since I was a child but never thought it could be a career. After getting a Masters in European Studies and International Relations, I moved with my future husband to South Africa. After bouncing between teaching, PR and Marketing positions, I finally ended up as a freelance social media marketer and blogger. When I saw a chance to work at lazygamer as a part-time writer, I jumped at the chance – the rest is history.
What was the best advice anyone ever gave you? Figure out what makes you happy and do that – the rest will fall into place.
What advice would you given someone wanting to get into the tech sector? Be confident with what you know, and honest about what you don’t. Anything can be learned once you know your starting point.
What motivates you to get out of bed everyday? A passion for what I do. And two cats and a husband who poke me until I get up to make coffee and food.
Who do you want to be when you grow up? An even more successful version of myself – love what I do, just want to do it better and for even more readers/viewers.
Find me on:
Twitter: @moonstormer
Web: www.lazygamer.net
Web: www.lazygamer.net/author/moonstormer
LinkedIn: za.linkedin.com/in/moonstormer
About The Author: Samantha
Samantha Perry is the owner and founder of SJ Perry PR, a small, independent agency that specialises in providing public relations and media relations services to small to medium-sized businesses. She recently served as the JHB Agency Lead for Irvine Partners, an integrated public relations and marketing agency. She has over 20 years' of experience writing for a range of media - print and online - mainly in the ICT sector including Computing SA (editor), ComputerWeek, and Brainstorm magazine (editor). In her capacity as a PR professional and consultant, she has and does work with a variety of companies including Google (South Africa & Nigeria), Salesforce, CLEVVA, Euphoria Telecom, Paymenow and Tiger Content (UK). She also has a Masters degree in ICT Policy & Regulation. She served on the IAB SA Marketing Council as the PR rep, has worked as an independent telecoms researcher for some of the analyst houses in that field and was regularly called upon to comment on telecoms issues in the press. Nowadays she can be found commenting on women in tech issues in the press and speaking at conferences on the subject and the issues women in the sector face.
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