Marketing and Communications Intern Review

I really enjoyed my placement year - I had a huge range of opportunities and worked with several hierarchical levels of the business. As an intern, you don't always expect to be given too much responsibility but I was treated equally to my permanent colleagues and was trusted to lead on a few different projects - from a 600 person Christmas party to being on the Outreach committee. The job role was very diverse and I was able to tailor it to what I was most interested in which is great for personal development.

I definitely felt valued by my team. My team is quite small with only four members but I quite like that - the team were very supportive and I instantly felt at ease with them. Having the small team meant that we talked often so I would regularly get feedback on my work and things I helped out with making me feel valued. The company has a feedback system where employees can give you awards which definitely makes you feel more appreciated.

My manager has been a tremendous support throughout my placement! I have regular one to one meetings with my manager where I could ask for more support if needed, talk about areas of the job I am particularly enjoying and discuss any areas of improvement. The one to ones have been a great support network as it means I am able to tailor my role to suit my interests which has been great for personal development.

I felt that I was mostly always busy which really suits me. I remember in my interview for the role I was asked which working environment suits me most and I said something where no two days look the same - and this is exactly what I've had! Every day is different and I have lots to be working on, but the team are always there to step in and support each other if ever it gets too busy.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much responsibility I was given - I was able to attend trade shows and man the stand, plan events and even led the planning for a 600 person Christmas party. Interns are treated the same as regular staff in terms of responsibility which is great as it meant I learnt a lot! Being able to lead on event planning increased my confidence drastically and meant I got to see all different sides to the business increasing my commercial awareness.

Having this year in industry has really solidified that this is something I'd like to do in the future. Being able to get hands on experience in this field has allowed me to learn a lot of different skills that will be applicable to any future job roles in this area - things like graphic design, Photoshop knowledge, proofreading, teamwork - to name a few! Being able to work in an office setting has also helped me massively. Meeting etiquette is very important so it's good to get some experience in the real working world before graduating.

The office atmosphere was great - there was the perfect balance between having a laugh with colleagues and being able to have a quiet moment to get on with work. Having a small team was great as it meant it was easier to grow closer to colleagues and form lasting relationships. My team would always be there for me if I needed them for any personal problems which was really comforting when moving away from home and university.

Having other Early Careers onsite improved the overall set up of the internship. It meant the induction programme was very structured and there were other young people who started on the same day as me. It's important to have like-minded people as a support network so this was a really good way to meet people who were in the same boat as me. The placement has been running for around seven years so is well developed and very well organised.

There seemed to be some reluctance to provide any formal training courses to temporary staff but I was lucky enough to be select to attend some social media training which was very insightful. The company also provides IT equipment such as phone, laptop and VPN token which is very useful. Throughout doing my job, I have definitely learnt useful skills and tips along the way which has been really good for my personal development without having some kind of formal training.

It is a real shame that this role doesn't have a follow up graduate role. I have thoroughly enjoyed my internship and have learnt a lot so would love to come back to the company if the opportunity was there but it seems like that is not the case for this particular role. The team is very small and there doesn't seem to be a need for another role so future employment prospects in this field do not seem likely. However, in other fields it seems like there are a lot of roles available.

I started my internship with around 13 other interns and graduates which meant I was able to develop lasting friendships from the start. Within weeks of being at the company, I was invited to socials with graduates that I hadn't even met yet which was really nice! When moving away from your home and university, it is always a worry that you may have a very lonely year but everyone at the company was very welcoming and there was a good social scene.

The cost of living is definitely a bit higher here - it is considered a commuting area for London which means prices are higher than most - especially when you move down from the North! The company do offer a relocation bonus which really helped with moving and the higher accommodation rates. The company also have a discount scheme for employees which helps with retail shops so I have not struggled too much in terms of cost of living.

The nightlife is good here. It's very close to London with 24-hour train services which means you could head into London if you wanted to. Otherwise, there are a few options around here. It's definitely not up to the standard of a city nightlife but you could have a good night with some good company! There are a lot of local pubs and beer gardens which are very nice to go to after work at the end of the week.

There were a lot of opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work. The site has early careers reps who organise regular socials which have included go karting, bowling and mini golf so it's not always alcohol related too and inclusive for all! Some activities were cancelled due to COVID-19 which is a real shame for us but the opportunities were definitely there before these unprecedented circumstances. The site also organises an annual Couch to 5k which is good to get involved with.