My CV

Here’s my CV, including my real name!

Personal details

• Name: Philip John Peter
• Date of birth: 5th March 1985 (25 years of age)
• Marital status: Single
• Driving license: Full UK
• Postal address: 21 Hillcrest Road, Dordon, Tamworth, Staffs, B78 1QJ
• Phone: 07886 335 896
• E-mail address: phil@philipjohn.blog
• Twitter: @philipjohn
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/philipjohn

Education

Polesworth High School, September 1996 – July 2001

Subjects studied at GCSE level and qualifications awarded;

• English – B
• Maths – C
• Science – CC (double award)
• History – A
• Geography – C
• French – C
• Technology (Graphic products) – C
• Religious Education – C
• Physical Education – E

Polesworth High School 6th Form Centre , September 2001 – July 2003

Subjects studied at A-level and qualifications awarded;

• Business Studies – C
• Information and Communication Technology (ICT) – D
• History – E
• General Studies – D

Vector Networks Ltd, September 2001 – July 2005

My time at Vector Networks included a great deal of self-improvement through company-funded education material and my own research on the various areas of my work. This includes the following:

Web Site Development

• Development languages; HTML, CSS; Javascript, PHP, MySQL
• Web and accessibility standards; XHTML, XML, WAI, CSS
• Web usability

Internet Marketing

• Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
• Pay Per Click advertising and campaign management (Google AdWords and Overture)
• E-mail marketing
• Conversion enhancement

Google AdWords Professional Certification, April 2007

I achieved a Google AdWords Qualified Professional Certification in recognition of my expertise in implementing and managing advertising campaigns through Google’s AdWords platform. I gained the qualification after taking an online exam with questions on all aspects of the AdWords system. Topics included;

• Advertising policies and terms & conditions,
• The Google networks; search and content,
• Account creation and implementation of campaigns,
• Keyword targeting (e.g. sponsored search),
• Geo-targeting features and strategy,
• Site-targeting (e.g. banner advertising),
• Conversion tracking (including cross-channel tracking),
• Reporting,
• Billing, invoicing and budgets,
• Web site conversion and enhancement,
• Account tools, including AdWords Editor.

Key Skills and Achievements

Having been largely self-taught I’ve gained my skills through a strong desire to improve upon my own knowledge and experience in internet marketing. In the past 9 years I have emerged from a starting point of simple website creation to having relevant knowledge and experience in website application development and e-marketing.

I am constantly expanding on my skills and can now boast knowledge and experience in the following;

• Web Development
  • HTML
  • CSS
  • JavaScript
  • PHP
  • MySQL
• Search Engine Optimisation
  • Search phrase analysis
  • Content development
  • External link building research and development
• Pay-per-click Campaign Management
  • Keywords research & generation
  • Ad creative writing
  • Landing page creation
  • Bid strategy management (including CPA/ROI based strategies)
  • Automated bid strategy implementation and monitoring
  • Budget management
  • Conversion tracking implementation and reporting
  • Liaising with search engine account managers directly
• Online public relations (PR)
  • Press release distribution
  • Social media as a PR tool
• Web Analytics
  • Experience with Google Analytics, Urchin, IndexTools (now Yahoo! Web Analytics)
  • Highly experienced with IndexTools (YWA) and customisation
• Conversion Enhancement
  • Identifying conversion points
  • Installation of conversion tracking software
  • Analysis of conversion data
  • Implementation of conversion enhancement strategies
• Web Site Usability
  • Manual web site analysis
  • Use of tools to check for technical issues
  • Producing recommendations on and/or making appropriate changes
• Standards Compliance & Accessibility
  • Analysis of websites for conformance to W3C standards
  • Use of tools to check for compatibility
  • Recommending and implementing changes to make sites standards compliant.
• Blogging
  • Setting up WordPress blogs
  • Submission to blog search engines and ping services
  • Tracking of subscribers
• Social Media
  • Consulting on use of social media
  • Training on social media sites
  • Mentoring
• Affiliate Marketing
  • I have experience in dealing directly with affiliate networks in the setup and ongoing maintenance of affiliate campaigns.
  • I also have experience as an affiliate myself as well as managing an affiliate lead generation campaign using pay-per-click.
• Branding monitoring and protection
• Microsoft Excel Advanced
  • Creation of management reporting centres including feeding in data and producing representative graphs
  • Flat-file databases for various uses including keyword list generation including complex formula
• Database Creation & Administration
  • Creation of relational database schemas
  • Use of Microsoft Access and MySQL
  • Administration of MySQL databases via phpMyAdmin and bespoke PHP applications
• Project Management
  • Creation and maintenance of project plans and timescales
  • Setting of actions and deadlines
  • Production of management reports
  • Co-ordination of resources and personnel to achieve deadlines
• Research
  • Using the internet to research a multitude of topics relating to all areas of my work and more including company details, domain name ownership, trademarks and patents, and internet law.
• Third Party Products
  • Research and selection
  • Integration with campaigns
  • I am very good at learning software to the point where I am often the first port of call for anyone looking for help.
  • I have experience of talking to many vendors and understanding their systems. This includes eCommerce solutions used by major companies such as Tesco and B&Q, for example; Venda, Fredhopper, Mercano and YourAmigo.

Key Achievements

Within my role at ClickThrough I developed a number of systems and reports. The purposes were wide ranging, from sales and marketing material to presentational documents for customers. Some of these are detailed below.

Project Management Documents

I created a standard document in excel for managing projects which was used by everyone within the company. This helped to centralize actions and deadlines and all information related to a project and gave all those involved a central place to look to for a view of exactly what stage the project is at. This document was also used to help successfully manage the client relationship.

Website Audits and Assessments

I developed two types of reports to analyse web sites both for prospective customers and for new clients. These looked at all factors from page titles to location of the web server on which the site resides. Not only do they provide highly valuable information to clients and prospects but create a starting point for the whole project.

Pay per Click Analysis

Using online tools I developed a report in Microsoft Excel showing, for a particular industry or subset of search phrases, the available pay-per-click search traffic and estimated costs. This was customisable to specific requirements in terms of ad position and click-through rate. The report enables companies to estimate the potential for online advertising within their industry and calculate an estimated return on investment.

Relationships with Search Engines

I successfully developed relationships with all the major pay-per-click engines and liaised with account managers on a daily basis at Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, Mirago and Miva.

Product Comparisons

I produced a very effective matrix template for comparing products and services based on desired features. Coupled with my excellent research skills I am able to take any request for product/service research and produce the matrix showing the top products/services with a feature-by-feature comparison for easy short-listing to find the right solution.

Objectives

I believe in going through life with clear objectives in mind. I have always had clear aims to drive towards, since my school days, in fact. I am very much of the mindset that unless you have clear aims and objectives and at least some sort of plan you have a far reduced chance of success. Since I am very success-orientated I am programmed to plan and always know and look to an end goal.

Self Development

On a broad view I am always looking to better myself in all areas. I am constantly aware of how I present myself and how successful I am at everything I do. I re-evaluate myself constantly, always thinking of ways to improve.

Entrepreneur

From a young age I have dreamt of ‘owning my own company’, something that appears in my year 11 school yearbook as my lifetime ambition. In recent years this has translated into a desire to become a successful entrepreneur. I am inspired by entrepreneurs such as Richard Branson, Duncan Bannatyne and others, and am currently on a mission to learn exactly what makes an entrepreneur successful so that I can follow in the footsteps of those I look up to.

Industry Leader

I have a lot of skills and experience related to online marketing and indeed the internet in general but I want to advance myself to the point where I am respected as a leading figure in the industry. Only then will I be satisfied that I have achieved the best I can.

Investor

Money is a big motivator for me but purely from a security point of view. I’ve never liked having to think about money too much. I like to feel safe about my finances and to that end I take a keen interest in investment and managing money. I often find myself offering tidbits of advice to friends and family or passing on information I’ve found. Investment and money management is purely an interest that I’d like to get better at and use to manage my own finances better as well as use to perhaps further my other objectives.

Work Experience

Vector Networks Ltd and Atherstone CAB Anti-Poverty Project, June 2000

I worked at for 2 weeks as an office junior. My responsibilities included:

• Taking phone calls and redirecting callers to the right person
• Putting together packages to be sent out to customers
• Order processing
• Web Site Development
• Creating mail merges using Microsoft Office

Vector Networks asked me to return as an office junior following my week with them in June. In this time I built up very good relationships with the other members of the workforce.

Vector Networks Ltd, September 2001 – July 2005

In August of 2001 Vector asked me to take the place of their webmaster, who was leaving the company. At Vector, my efforts led to a doubling of traffic from search engines in 4 months, far exceeding the target set by the marketing manager.

My responsibilities at Vector included:

• Development and Maintenance of the Vector corporate web site
• Development and Maintenance of the Vector intranet
• Development and Maintenance of the Vector channel partner website
• Co-ordination of e-mail marketing campaigns
• Setup and continuous management of the company’s e-mail newsletter distribution list
• Decision-making and management of Vector’s search engine marketing campaigns. This includes web site optimisation for optimal search engine placement and management of pay-per-click advertising campaigns.

ClickThrough Marketing, July 2005 – October 2007

As a co-founder of this company I developed the methodology that comprised the service offering to all clients. My responsibilities included;

• Management of pay-per-click campaigns (including setup)
• Support of SEO campaigns by providing knowledge to the SEO account manager
• Maintaining relations with search engines
• Managing all technical aspects of the company
• Researching as per the requirements of the company including; search engine algorithms and changes, pay-per-click strategies, third-party products, business opportunities and industry sectors.

ClickThrough became a leading SEM agency in the UK during my time there.

Philip John Ltd, October 2007 – Present

Following my exit from ClickThrough, I established my own freelance internet consultancy. The decision to become a freelance consultant was made after several interviews with companies including DSGi plc, and two generous job offers, demonstrated to me that I had the skills to begin fulfilling my entrepreneurial dreams. I took on previous employer, Vector Networks as my first client.

Projects have included;

• Complete web site re-development including sourcing a web design firm and managing the entire project.
• Managing Google AdWords and Yahoo! Search Marketing pay-per-click campaigns.
• Building a social network using WordPressMU and Buddypress, including sourcing a web designer for the theme.
• Entire site re-development including conversion to WordPress.

The Lichfield Blog, February 2009 – Present

In February, 2009 I discovered a site called The Lichfield Blog which I volunteered to help with. Although it strictly started as a hobby, both for myself and the founder, it has quickly grown into something much bigger. The site has achieved great acclaim from the industry and is being watched very closely by both ‘new’ and ‘traditional’ media circles.

We are in the process of becoming a social enterprise, incorporating as a Community Interest Company and have already begun the process of applying for funding to continue our success.

Hobbies and Interests

Internet

The internet has been a hobby since I first had a PC at the age of 14. I spent most of my teenage years in front of a PC understanding how the internet works and how to create websites. I have had a number of personal sites over the years including a Formula One site with a very early form of live blogging, a rock band fan site and a political campaign web site. My ‘early years’ involved exploring monetizing sites which was far less advanced than it is now, including multi-level-marketing banner exchange networks.

I recently re-purchased the domain for my original F1 website, F1 Kingdom, and have begun live-tweeting races and the qualifying sessions via @F1KingdomLive.

Music

I thoroughly enjoy listening to music. I mainly enjoy rock music but also the occasionally bit of folk, jazz, pop and sometimes electronica.

Shortcrust

I am on the board of directors for a non-profit company providing catering training to adults with learning disabilities. My role within the company began as an IT support role as well as adding to the depth of the board. I moved towards more of a decision making role in 2008. Following this I took the company forward to a point where it is now in the process of being incorporated into an existing charity’s operations. This is something I have orchestrated almost single-handedly, including making the original contact.

Friends & Family

I am a very social person and have found many new friendships in the last year and I enjoy going out with friends as much as possible. I also love to see my family, some of whom live in Sussex and as such only visit occasionally.

Digital Community

I am a relatively active member of Birmingham’s digital community. This has seen me at conferences speaking directly to policy makers in what is being proclaimed as Britain’s ‘digital capital’. Through this group of people I have formed many new relationships, both on a personal and professional level.

My involvement in this community has helped to put Lichfield on the map as a place where real innovation is taking place. It is also my involvement in this community that has led to my work with Addiply, including assisting with its implementation on Trinity Mirror web sites in the North East.

Health

I am in very good health and have never had serious health problems.