Experiencing a Marketing Agency At First Hand for the First Time
I’ve been studying marketing for four very long years. After completing one marketing degree and deciding to do another, I’m a pro at SMART objectives, adept at PESTLE and getting a little bit sick and tired of the infamous SWOT! I was itching to put all this theory I’d learnt into practice and set out on a quest for some work experience.
It’s safe to say I didn’t quest very far, less than 100 metres in fact. I was delighted to receive an offer of work experience after a brief meeting with Jez and Sharon. It seemed they were offering me exactly the kind of work experience I was looking for, and just a five-minute commute from my flat. PERFECT! Being a student, the 8.30 am start and the nine-hour days seemed daunting. I wasn’t entirely sure I’d survive the day without my usual siesta after lunch but to my surprise, I do function before 8am!
My first day was a bit of a whirlwind. I had no idea what to expect. Would I be filing admin? Running to Tesco for tea and coffee supplies? Giving the office a good spring clean? To my relief, none of these tasks was listed on my work experience agenda. It quickly became apparent that I would be very involved in the everyday marketing duties of the office, with a few of my own little projects to get my teeth into. Sharon kindly eased me in with a Canva project, followed by writing and scheduling some Tweets and Facebook posts for Shooting Star’s annual Pimp My Pancake competition. My initial nerves subsided quickly throughout the morning with the help of the friendly faces and easy chit-chat from the team.
Although I have only been here for two short days, I feel I have already learnt so much. I’ve always felt slightly let down by my university education from a practical point of view. Even after I graduated I felt there were still huge gaps in my marketing knowledge which needed filling. I decided to study a Masters in MSc Marketing with Luxury Brands to give me an extra year to fill in these gaps before I began seeking full-time employment. I had some boxes that needed ticking, and work experience was the main one. I hope that at the end of my time here, I’ll be able to put a big tick next to the work experience box!
Already this experience has been truly valuable and I can only imagine the amount I’ll learn the longer I’m here. I am somewhat relieved with how much I’m enjoying working within an agency. My time here has confirmed the career path I want to go down and has assured me that my time studying marketing will not go to waste. Prior to Shooting Star I was anxious about my post-university life, but now I am getting increasingly excited about my prospects and I have Shooting Star to thank!
KT
