I am Nicole Manning ... and I am a programme manager at the Forum Theatre

I moved from Brisbane to Melbourne seven years ago for an admin job, but I didn’t want to be tied to a desk eight hours a day. I left in 2013 and started a teaching degree. To support myself, I took on jobs behind the bar at Marriner Group theatres, including at the Forum, which is where I became the bar manager. I realised just how much I loved hospitality and the entertainment industry, and I stopped the teaching degree. I’ve never looked back.

I was invited to work at head office to help out with programming, which includes everything from ticketing and building events to being there on the night. For the past six months, I’ve been the programming manager. I’ve learned everything on the job, and those years working behind the bar have helped enormously.

Broadly speaking, my job involves liaising with venue hirers, the venue manager and venue coordinator to put on shows, as well as promoting the Forum. On a day-to-day basis, I get in at 9am. If we had a gig the night before, I’ll open up the event report to see how the show went and follow up on any issues; contacting security, bar or cleaners with feedback, good or bad, although there’s not much negative feedback. The aim is to make things smoother in the future. Then, I’ll have a look at the calendar and see if we’re announcing a show or if a show is going on sale that day, and make sure everything is set up in terms of social media and emails, and check in with the ticketing company.

My favourite nook at the Forum is the waiting room before you go into the ladies’ bathroom. It’s a beautiful detail. Where else would you find that in a venue now?

The craziest day at work was definitely “Harry Styles Day”. We knew it was going to be nuts. That morning, there was a massive line of teenage girls waiting for the doors to open, not leaving their spots, not eating, not drinking and not going to the toilet; a rabid look in their eyes. I’m not making fun – you lose that adrenaline and excitement as an adult. Another job highlight was earlier this year when my favourite band ever, Slowdive, played here.

I bought tickets for my friend’s birthday and she came down and saw it with me. I had a moment of, “This is what I do for a living. I get paid to do this. It’s incredible.’’

• As told to Meg Crawford