CTM Career Pathways: Ali Dowton

A career journey, not just career progression 

Do you dream to have a career journey and not just career progression, whether in finance, IT, HR, sales, or whatever your ambitions desire? Meet Ali, she dared to dream of a career in Marketing; a journey that would be fluid and full of opportunities in a field she was passionate about.  CTM made her dreams a reality. This could be you!

Ali’s CTM Career Pathway – Snapshot

• 2016 – Marketing & Design Assistant Australia and New Zealand
• 2017 – Marketing Coordinator Australia and New Zealand
• 2018 – Marketing Coordinator – EMEA – London
• 2021 – Marketing Manager – Australia and New Zealand

What was your journey to starting at CTM?

I was a recent University Marketing Graduate at the time, working for a not-for-profit seeking my first career move. Given marketing is not industry-specific, I was very open-minded about what industry I joined, and seeking a corporate business that was Australian owned.  Travel was always something I was interested in, I mean how can you not be? It is full of adventure, the unknown, the ever-changing, and great life experiences. I even studied for part of my degree in Canada and always traveled frequently with family.

Seeking a company I could grow with great mentorship was very important in my decisions and after meeting with my future manager and having the opportunity to visit the Brisbane Head Office, I was hooked. The opportunity was presented and well, the rest is history.

You have had a bright career journey with CTM, what has been a highlight for you?

This one is easy! The opportunity to move overseas, where I could fulfill my life goal to live and travel across Europe while working for CTM. There is no better life experience than that. Travel teaches you so much about yourself, it allows you to grow personally and professionally and inspires you.

A company’s culture has never been more important in a world where hybrid and remote workforces are commonplace. What do you enjoy most about the CTM culture and why?

As a marketer, I naturally aspire to have a creative and spirited mindset in my work and I love that CTM complements this. The working environment continues to be fast-paced and I enjoy the eccentric and fun culture that creates. Throughout my years at CTM, the business has grown and established itself within the industry, all while still having that inquisitive and innovative mindset that I love. This mindset strongly influences the company culture, which is positive, forward-thinking, determined, and team-focused. In recent years, I have seen the culture become more aligned with a healthy work-life balance through hybrid and remote work opportunities which has been beneficial and welcomed by many staff across the business. The CTM annual conference is always a highlight and great for building camaraderie with teams from all offices while reinforcing the CTM spirit.

Have you been given any advice, guidance, or opportunities that significantly impacted your career progression at CTM? If so, what was it?

I have been privileged to receive significant support from my managers over the years who have always endorsed my development and progression. In my early years, I completed a Content Marketing course that had a huge impact on my role and allowed me to demonstrate my unique value to the business. I was also invited to attend an International Women’s Day conference in Sydney that our Global COO was presenting at. Some opportunities were pure luck – like the UK Marketing Team having an opening just before I had planned to travel there. My most recent progression came out of the blue when I was invited back to the business following COVID. I’ve been given so much advice and guidance over the years that I’m incredibly grateful for CTM. Some of my favorites that I would love others to consider are:

1. Sometimes, all you need is 3 seconds of courage
2. Done is better than perfect
3. Don’t sweat the small stuff: things change all the time in business so be prepared to adapt when required and stay calm!

What is something you have discovered about working in the travel industry that prospective employees may not know?

Be prepared for a whole lot of acronyms – the industry is full of them, like a language of its own. There are acronyms for airports, technology, travel terms, and the list goes on. I have kept a cheat sheet handy over the years to keep up. It is also a helpful tool that I can share with any new starters who are new to the industry.

What advice would you give to others considering joining CTM, or considering a change of career direction?

CTM fosters “career journeys” not just career progression. I say that because it’s quite common for people to end up in completely different roles than where they started. That fluidity brings so much value to our company by allowing people to share knowledge from different departments, businesses, and countries. So, if you’re interested in joining, I’d say keep an open mind and enjoy the journey!

How would you describe your CTM employee experience?

It’s been an exciting journey!