UK Country Marketing Specialist Inten Review

My placement was highly enjoyable. I was given real responsibility with real campaigns. My team were supportive and encouraging at all times, and were keen to involve me as much as possible. I had the opportunity to work on really engaging projects, in addition to often travelling and networking with agencies, and international teams.

I definitely felt valued by my team. I worked closely with my team on real events and projects, so had a vital role at times in making things come to life. My opinion was always asked for, and valued. I always felt my work was having an impact on the team’s activities.

I received good guidance and advice from both my managers and colleagues. As well as a mentor throughout my internship, regular meetings with my manager and colleagues allowed for constant feedback, guidance and advice. With each team member holding so much experience themselves, that they provide relatable advice to help me utilise my time in the company as much as possible.

Every day was packed from start to finish. I was extremely busy working on a wide variety of projects across the board. The internship definitely got busier throughout the year – so started off very quietly, but as a I reached out to more teams, networked with more people, my job grew and grew.

I was given great responsibility throughout my placement. I worked on real life campaigns, spending real money, and driving real results. Sometimes this was overwhelming, but I definitely found this the most engaging, and interesting way to learn. Sometimes my job did involve shadowing my colleagues, but more than not, I was owning campaigns or projects.

I definitely found the hands-on, real-life experience the best and quickest way to learn. I can definitely see this being transferred into the future. More than anything, just general business etiquette – for example, communications, meetings, networking are huge advantages of this year long placement. I now feel really confident going into a graduate job when leaving University.

The atmosphere in the office was really great. It was very relaxed, yet everyone surrounding you is hard working. Everyone nearby in the office is approachable, and very chilled. There would quite often be communal treats / snacks on offer, and the often some fun and games. Everyone’s in a positive and fun mood, making the day go a lot quicker!

The placement was very well organized. From the moment I received the offer, to actually starting work, it was all well managed by the company. The team were used to having an intern in their team, so were great at giving me plenty of work to do. The company also takes on a lot of interns, so the whole site were used to our large presence.

I received good personal training and development whist with the company. I was able to participate in both external and internal training. There of course compulsory training at the start of the year. In addition, there were online modules available throughout the year to develop certain skill areas whenever I wished.

The company certainly know how to look after their employees, so I would say the future employment prospects were pretty appealing. The internship certainly doesn’t guarantee you a graduate job, however, it definitely plays to your advantage. The company has many employees who begun as interns, and have stayed for 10 / 20 / 30 years plus – which is a good sign!

With a large number of interns in my office, there was a great social scene amongst fellow placement students. In addition to a site-wide social committee, there were specific sports and social, and charity committees for solely interns. They organized a couple of events a month throughout the year – from team sports like rounders and netball, to themed nights out.

The cost of living was pretty fair. It’s definitely a lot cheaper for some people who go to University in expensive cities. Rent was pretty reasonable for me – a lot cheaper than what I was paying at University. Sometimes, with all the additional activities going on outside of work, it can work out to be expensive, so it’s just important to watch the pennies… you don’t get paid as much as you think!

The nightlife in the area I worked was fine. It certainly was not excellent, but it was good enough for the odd night out for 12 months. There were multiple bars to choose from just minutes from my house. In town, there were a couple of (pretty average) clubs to choose from. Most importantly, when you’re with all the interns, it’s a pretty good night out wherever you go!

Yes, there were plenty of opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work. There is a social committee for all employees in the office, in addition to dedicated sports and social, and charity committees for just the interns. Furthermore, interns would organize activities themselves in the evenings after work.