In this monthly column with NGEN, the MFA’s training program for media professionals with less than five years’ experience, Zoe Parker from News Corp recounts her transition from beauty therapy to media and how she navigated the accompanying self doubt and impostor syndrome.
When I tell people I used to be a beauty therapist, they’re often surprised to hear I now work in media. Honestly, if you’d told a younger version of me that I’d be tailoring campaign solutions instead of treatment plans, I probably would’ve laughed, handed you a consent form, and offered you a warm towel.
But here I am—nearly two years into a role I once thought I wasn’t qualified for. As it turns out, polishing and soothing are more relevant in media than I thought.
My career began in 2020 in New Zealand after training as a makeup artist and beauty therapist from 2018. Eventually, I took on a full-time role in beauty and I truly loved the work. It was personal and taught me more about people than any training ever could. I learned how to listen—not just politely, but attentively. I learned how to read body language, how to make people feel seen and safe, and how trust is built in small, meaningful moments.
In 2022, I moved to Sydney and continued working in beauty, but over time I felt a shift. I didn’t know exactly what I was looking for, but I knew I wanted to challenge myself in a new way.
A year later, someone close to me opened the door to an unexpected opportunity in media. It felt completely left-of-field—I had none of the typical experience. But the people who knew me best believed I could do it, and their encouragement gave me the confidence to take the leap. By the end of the year, I’d landed a role as a solutions executive.
I didn’t have the degree, the background, or even the lingo to blend in. But I thought, “If it all turns to custard, I’ve always got beauty to fall back on.” And with that, I jumped in.
Then came the self doubt. The impostor syndrome hit almost instantly.
“I’m not smart enough.”
“Everyone’s going to realise I have no idea what I’m doing.”
“What on earth is a CPM?”
I assumed everyone else had it figured out while I was still memorising acronyms and trying to wrap my head around our company’s hundreds of offerings. I convinced myself that people must be questioning how I got the job, because I certainly was.
After many embarrassing questions, accidentally confusing commercial and editorial and thinking programmatic and performance media were the same thing, I started to see how the skills I’d honed in beauty—listening, empathy, adaptability, attention to detail—were quietly supporting me in every meeting, brainstorm, and client call.
Just as I was starting to feel more confident, my company restructured. Ten months into my exec role, I was promoted to solutions manager. It was validating on paper—but internally, it triggered another wave of doubt.
“Everyone will think it’s too soon for me”
“Someone else deserves this more than me”
“I’m going to let my team down.”
It took time to realise that fear doesn’t mean you’re not capable. It means you’re stepping into something unfamiliar—and that’s where growth lives.
Over the past 10 months, I’ve learned more than I ever thought possible—not just about media, but about myself. I’ve discovered that more responsibility doesn’t mean having all the answers. It means staying curious and knowing who to turn to when you need help. It means showing up and backing yourself, even when your inner critic discourages you.
And I learned that I didn’t leave my former career behind—I brought it with me. My background in beauty gave me a set of skills that continue to shape the way I work. The ability to connect, empathise and adapt to different people and situations has proven just as essential in media as it was in the treatment room.
Looking back, I’m proud I took a leap before I had the full picture. That I followed a feeling, even when I couldn’t quite articulate it. And that I didn’t let self-doubt stop me from discovering what I was capable of.
If you’re in a moment of transition—if something inside you is nudging you toward change, even if you don’t know exactly what that looks like—trust it. You don’t need all the answers to start. You just need to start.
Zoe Parker is client solutions manager at News Corp
