Over the coming weeks our Graduate Internships blog will be moving to the new CareerCentral blog. All of our new interns' experiences will become available at http://ueacareercentral.blogspot.co.uk/
Why not check it out now and see what else is on there!
Perhaps you are currently undertaking one of our internships or have recently finished one? Want to be the first to write on our new blog at CareerCentral about your internship experience? If you are interested, do get in touch with us at internship@uea.ac.uk.
Friday, 10 October 2014
Monday, 1 September 2014
Hannah's Digital Archivist Internship with The Parham Airfield Museum -- End of First Week
How did you feel about the internship leading up to the start?
I felt excited about starting the project, especially knowing it would help the museum further develop and improve their ease of access to records. Having records digitised is important not only as a step forward to achieve additional museum accreditation but also in case of a disaster such as a fire. It ensures they are safe for the future. Having a searchable database also allows for names to be put into the search tool if visitors are enquiring about a relative. This allows the particular page of interest to be found quickly and studied in detail.
What was your first day like?
On the first day, I had an induction meeting with David, the Project Manager from Eighth in the East (the organisation involved with funding) and also Tim and Peter who help run the museum. I was a little nervous about knowing where to start off, so it was great to have such clear communication with the team involved in this project. We spoke about the system I would be using for cataloguing the records and also about the general facilities and layout of the area I would be working in so I knew where everything was. I felt supported by everyone which put me at ease. After that I started cataloguing the first folder which detailed the operational history of the 390th group after they first arrived here.
What have you been up to each day in your first week e.g. what tasks have you been doing, have you learnt new skills?
I think this role has really refined the analytical skills which I gained studying for my history degree at UEA. Whilst working in the database I look through each particular record and pick out the key details which people may want to search for, as well as the date if this is mentioned. Before this internship I had worked on Excel before, but I have learnt new skills on this particular programme during this first week.
Has your experience of your first week been what you expected?
It has been what I expected to be doing. I like the fact I can also get involved with other projects which Eighth in the East are part of and also to be involved with the visitors when the museum is open. Although I hadn’t studied this particular area of history in great detail I am finding it interesting learning new terms each day.
What have you enjoyed the most about your first week?
I enjoyed meeting all the volunteers at the museum when it was open on the Wednesday and also seeing visitors. They were all interested in the work I have been doing and it was enjoyable to engage with them about the digitisation process. Everyone here has made me feel really welcome which has contributed to making my week enjoyable. Whilst working on the records, particularly the Daily Bulletins issued during 1943 it is fascinating to read about the social side of day to day life, for example the cinema schedule of movies which were shown!
How do you think the next few weeks will be?
I think the next few weeks will continue to be interesting as I will be working through the operational history folders from the very beginning and then towards the end of the period so it will be interesting to see changes across that time. I will also later be digitising photo albums from the period which adds another dimension to the project.
I felt excited about starting the project, especially knowing it would help the museum further develop and improve their ease of access to records. Having records digitised is important not only as a step forward to achieve additional museum accreditation but also in case of a disaster such as a fire. It ensures they are safe for the future. Having a searchable database also allows for names to be put into the search tool if visitors are enquiring about a relative. This allows the particular page of interest to be found quickly and studied in detail.
What was your first day like?
On the first day, I had an induction meeting with David, the Project Manager from Eighth in the East (the organisation involved with funding) and also Tim and Peter who help run the museum. I was a little nervous about knowing where to start off, so it was great to have such clear communication with the team involved in this project. We spoke about the system I would be using for cataloguing the records and also about the general facilities and layout of the area I would be working in so I knew where everything was. I felt supported by everyone which put me at ease. After that I started cataloguing the first folder which detailed the operational history of the 390th group after they first arrived here.
What have you been up to each day in your first week e.g. what tasks have you been doing, have you learnt new skills?
I think this role has really refined the analytical skills which I gained studying for my history degree at UEA. Whilst working in the database I look through each particular record and pick out the key details which people may want to search for, as well as the date if this is mentioned. Before this internship I had worked on Excel before, but I have learnt new skills on this particular programme during this first week.
Has your experience of your first week been what you expected?
It has been what I expected to be doing. I like the fact I can also get involved with other projects which Eighth in the East are part of and also to be involved with the visitors when the museum is open. Although I hadn’t studied this particular area of history in great detail I am finding it interesting learning new terms each day.
What have you enjoyed the most about your first week?
I enjoyed meeting all the volunteers at the museum when it was open on the Wednesday and also seeing visitors. They were all interested in the work I have been doing and it was enjoyable to engage with them about the digitisation process. Everyone here has made me feel really welcome which has contributed to making my week enjoyable. Whilst working on the records, particularly the Daily Bulletins issued during 1943 it is fascinating to read about the social side of day to day life, for example the cinema schedule of movies which were shown!
How do you think the next few weeks will be?
I think the next few weeks will continue to be interesting as I will be working through the operational history folders from the very beginning and then towards the end of the period so it will be interesting to see changes across that time. I will also later be digitising photo albums from the period which adds another dimension to the project.
Monday, 14 July 2014
Charlie's Outreach Executive/Online PR Internship with Further -- End of First Week
How did you feel about the internship leading up to the start?
I was nervous. The whole process moved very quickly. I had the interview with the company on a Thursday, found out I got the job on the Friday, and started the week after. I wasn’t planning on staying in Norwich so I had loads of stuff to do such as finding a place to live, transporting stuff from my home in London, and getting things for work. Before I knew it, it was the night before I started. It suddenly dawned on me I was going into full employment Monday to Friday, 9-5. I had a bit of a freak out but pulled it together in time for the morning.
What was your first day like?
Very different to what I have been used to over the last four years. I felt integrated into the company part of the make-up. We were given a schedule that had been drawn up, a calendar detailing our first 7 days. This included training and master classes from other employees at the company. I felt very welcome.
What have you been up to each day in your first week e.g. what tasks have you been doing, have you learnt new skills?
The first week has consisted of taking in a lot of information. There is a lot to learn for my role, but this has been good. I’m enjoying learning about new ideas and methodology that make up the company. An important task has been to try and integrate into the group already working here. It’s clear that the company want me to feel comfortable as soon as possible, and that this is more important than solitary hard work.
Has your experience of your first week been what you expected?
No. I was worried it might be slightly boring at times: the cliché of the intern who does nothing, but it hasn’t been like that at all. There’s been lots of training, coffee, reading, building relationships, and excessive smiling.
What have you enjoyed the most about your first week?
The coffee van that comes outside the office at 9:15 every morning :-) I have also enjoyed working with and meeting the other intern. We are both doing the same thing, starting from scratch, so we are learning together.
How do you think the next few weeks will be?
As far as I can tell, the next few weeks should be great. It’s going to be a big transition from university to the work place, but this is a challenge I’m excited for. The next few weeks will require me to get used to the working environment while also learning how to do my job. I’m not expecting to be a pro quickly either. I can see leaving university and entering the workplace is a steady journey, I’m just very happy to be given the opportunity to do it.
I was nervous. The whole process moved very quickly. I had the interview with the company on a Thursday, found out I got the job on the Friday, and started the week after. I wasn’t planning on staying in Norwich so I had loads of stuff to do such as finding a place to live, transporting stuff from my home in London, and getting things for work. Before I knew it, it was the night before I started. It suddenly dawned on me I was going into full employment Monday to Friday, 9-5. I had a bit of a freak out but pulled it together in time for the morning.
What was your first day like?
Very different to what I have been used to over the last four years. I felt integrated into the company part of the make-up. We were given a schedule that had been drawn up, a calendar detailing our first 7 days. This included training and master classes from other employees at the company. I felt very welcome.
What have you been up to each day in your first week e.g. what tasks have you been doing, have you learnt new skills?
The first week has consisted of taking in a lot of information. There is a lot to learn for my role, but this has been good. I’m enjoying learning about new ideas and methodology that make up the company. An important task has been to try and integrate into the group already working here. It’s clear that the company want me to feel comfortable as soon as possible, and that this is more important than solitary hard work.
Has your experience of your first week been what you expected?
No. I was worried it might be slightly boring at times: the cliché of the intern who does nothing, but it hasn’t been like that at all. There’s been lots of training, coffee, reading, building relationships, and excessive smiling.
What have you enjoyed the most about your first week?
The coffee van that comes outside the office at 9:15 every morning :-) I have also enjoyed working with and meeting the other intern. We are both doing the same thing, starting from scratch, so we are learning together.
How do you think the next few weeks will be?
As far as I can tell, the next few weeks should be great. It’s going to be a big transition from university to the work place, but this is a challenge I’m excited for. The next few weeks will require me to get used to the working environment while also learning how to do my job. I’m not expecting to be a pro quickly either. I can see leaving university and entering the workplace is a steady journey, I’m just very happy to be given the opportunity to do it.
Wednesday, 21 May 2014
Melissa's Marketing Internship with PolicyBee -- Review
After graduating from UEA last year, I started my internship at PolicyBee in September. They were looking for someone to help with their marketing, and although I started as an intern, I now work here full time. PolicyBee is an online insurance broker specialising in arranging insurance for independent professionals and small consultancies.
After earning my 2:1 in English Literature, I knew I wanted a career involving writing. However, knowing writing jobs can be difficult to find, I decided to broaden my job search to those involving social media and marketing. Even these roles were pretty scarce, especially in Suffolk, so I’d been job hunting for several months before I found my internship advertised on the UEA graduate website.
I actually didn’t get the internship I originally applied for. This was a role working on the company’s email marketing campaigns and I definitely wasn’t well suited to it. However, PolicyBee also needed a lot of content for their new website, and since I had a lot of writing experience, they decided to offer me a different internship. When I applied, I never imagined it could work out so well. My current role is much more relevant to my skills and interests.
As you’d expect, I spend most of my time writing. Each week, I create several posts for the blog and online insurance guide. The blog usually covers small business news and events, such as relevant competitions and tax reforms. I also write copy for the website, emails, guest posts, as well as some social media and design work.
Before I started, I knew nothing about insurance or small businesses. It took me a while to get my head around what the company does, but now I can write about the main products quite easily. Being the most inexperienced member of a team can be daunting. However, you shouldn’t be afraid to attempt new things. Your employers won’t expect you to know everything, but they will appreciate willingness to try.
Copywriting is very different to any writing I’d done for my degree or in my free time. As well as being more concise, everything I write has to be appropriate for the customer who’ll read it, and match our company personality. Since I’ve been here, my writing style has definitely improved; the help provided by the rest of my team has been incredibly valuable.
I’d advise anyone interested in marketing to familiarise themselves with tools like Hootsuite, Wordpress, and Google+. I use these on a regular basis, so I’m glad I’d at least looked at them before I started. It’s also worth getting a basic knowledge of SEO. Every piece of online content I write is optimised to appear higher in Google’s organic search results. Although there are people here more specialised in that, it’s good to have an idea of what they’re talking about.
Another important thing I’d recommend to graduates looking for jobs and internships is not to overlook positions in a sector you don’t necessarily want to work in. Even un-sexy industries like insurance need people to do their marketing. If you’re part of a helpful team, you’ll be learning the same skills as you would in a specialist media or marketing agency.
I’ve been incredibly lucky as I managed to get an internship that I liked even more than the one I applied for. Not only that, I was offered a permanent position off the back of it. My work has improved noticeably and I’m continuing to learn new things all the time. I’d recommend a UEA internship to anyone looking to gain career experience.
After earning my 2:1 in English Literature, I knew I wanted a career involving writing. However, knowing writing jobs can be difficult to find, I decided to broaden my job search to those involving social media and marketing. Even these roles were pretty scarce, especially in Suffolk, so I’d been job hunting for several months before I found my internship advertised on the UEA graduate website.
I actually didn’t get the internship I originally applied for. This was a role working on the company’s email marketing campaigns and I definitely wasn’t well suited to it. However, PolicyBee also needed a lot of content for their new website, and since I had a lot of writing experience, they decided to offer me a different internship. When I applied, I never imagined it could work out so well. My current role is much more relevant to my skills and interests.
As you’d expect, I spend most of my time writing. Each week, I create several posts for the blog and online insurance guide. The blog usually covers small business news and events, such as relevant competitions and tax reforms. I also write copy for the website, emails, guest posts, as well as some social media and design work.
Before I started, I knew nothing about insurance or small businesses. It took me a while to get my head around what the company does, but now I can write about the main products quite easily. Being the most inexperienced member of a team can be daunting. However, you shouldn’t be afraid to attempt new things. Your employers won’t expect you to know everything, but they will appreciate willingness to try.
Copywriting is very different to any writing I’d done for my degree or in my free time. As well as being more concise, everything I write has to be appropriate for the customer who’ll read it, and match our company personality. Since I’ve been here, my writing style has definitely improved; the help provided by the rest of my team has been incredibly valuable.
I’d advise anyone interested in marketing to familiarise themselves with tools like Hootsuite, Wordpress, and Google+. I use these on a regular basis, so I’m glad I’d at least looked at them before I started. It’s also worth getting a basic knowledge of SEO. Every piece of online content I write is optimised to appear higher in Google’s organic search results. Although there are people here more specialised in that, it’s good to have an idea of what they’re talking about.
Another important thing I’d recommend to graduates looking for jobs and internships is not to overlook positions in a sector you don’t necessarily want to work in. Even un-sexy industries like insurance need people to do their marketing. If you’re part of a helpful team, you’ll be learning the same skills as you would in a specialist media or marketing agency.
I’ve been incredibly lucky as I managed to get an internship that I liked even more than the one I applied for. Not only that, I was offered a permanent position off the back of it. My work has improved noticeably and I’m continuing to learn new things all the time. I’d recommend a UEA internship to anyone looking to gain career experience.
Thursday, 24 April 2014
Karl's Brand and Marketing Internship with LSI Architects -- Not far off the end
I’m not far off the end point of my brand and marketing
internship at LSI Architects, and I am incredibly excited that I will be
staying here when my internship finishes, and will become the brand and
marketing manager here. I don’t think I could have enjoyed this internship any
more than I have. The main reason it has been such an enjoyable and successful time
is because LSI have given me all the support, space and importantly real
responsibility I needed to really show what I can do.
The majority of my time has been spent working on the
rebranding project, where I have been conducting research into the brands that
LSI are up against with a competitor audit, speaking to brand agencies, and
immersing myself in LSI to find out where the brand is coming from. The project
is really starting to take shape, the research and understanding has largely
been built and we’re now moving into the ‘ideas’ stage of the project, where we
can think about how we can attack the opportunities we’ve identified and bring
the new brand to life, which is very exciting.
Not only have I had the chance to put the skills and
knowledge I learned at UEA to the test, I’ve had the chance to learn new things
and broaden my experience. Nobody has expected me to know how to do everything,
but I’ve been given the opportunities to have a go and learn. I was involved in
a really successful exhibition at City College Norwich, with a theme of
sustainability in construction. The event was for construction students at the
college, and they loved our tech filled stand, so I was pleased that my first
go at an exhibition was a big hit.
I’ve also been putting together submissions for various
different Awards. Last week I attended an awards evening where an application I
helped to piece together and submit, for the new residences project at UEA, won
an award for sustainability. Other awards
that I’ve been able to help with are for being a business with a
responsible approach, which LSI have now been shortlisted for, and for the
AJ100 Awards, where the practice has been named in the top 100 Architects in
the UK, and shortlisted for two prestigious national awards.
As I mentioned in my last blog, this wasn’t my first
internship. I’ve learned a lot from previous internships, especially on where I
can improve. The biggest lesson I’ve learned, and my number one piece of advice,
is that you get out what you put in.
If you say yes to, and throw yourself head first into, as many different things
and talk to as many people as possible, not only will you get a lot more
experience, but you’ll make a real impression. If you sit twiddling your thumbs and waiting
for something to happen, you learn nothing and you make it easy for people to
forget you. If things are a bit quiet, and you find yourself without much to
do, you should have the attitude and the confidence to make things happen for
yourself. Maybe this could be by spending time trying to come up with ideas or
potential opportunities that the company hasn’t thought of or identified.
It’s a really exciting (and busy) time to be at LSI
Architects and I’m delighted that I will be staying here, and even though the
taste in football teams is quite poor, everybody here has been very friendly
and very helpful.
Wednesday, 12 March 2014
Michael's Events Internship with Careers and Employability at UEA -- Question And Answer
End of Your First Week
How did you feel about the internship leading up to the start?
I was looking forward to working in events. I didn't really know what to expect with an internship so was excited but slightly nervous.
What was your first day like?
The first day was very pleasant, everyone was easy to talk to. I spoke with the events officer and she immediately made me feel relaxed about the upcoming weeks and assured me it was important that I benefited from it so I didn’t think I was just going in to work for someone else. I worked with the current intern and learnt the basic procedures.
What have you enjoyed the most about your first week?
Fitting into an office environment and working out new ways of doing things. I soon realised that while UEA was very professional it also excelled at being a very relaxed environment.
How do you think the next few weeks will be?
I'm really looking forward to them. I have a project that will be completed within my internship whereby I will by the end have managed 2 large events in my control. It seems daunting now with all the work to do, but I think they will be enjoyable.
______________________________
End of Your Internship
How have you found your experience? Was it what you expected? What did you enjoy the most?
The internship has been great and it was over so soon, that I wish I had longer. I think it was better than expected because it had a larger variety of work than I previously thought. I enjoyed being in a small office environment the most and the fact I was doing the proper job and getting to do important stuff, there was none of the "make the coffee" or small jobs, one might associate with internships.
What do you feel you have gained from your internship? Have you developed new skills?
It really gives you an opportunity to develop the skills you learn at university. You learn how to plan, manage time and prioritise during your degree, these were really put into action in the internship and you develop real life skills, that can go straight into interviews and applications for big jobs.
What are you going to be doing after your internship? Have you secured employment? Do you think your internship experience helped you to gain this employment? How?
I was applying for a grad scheme during my internship and I was very fortunate as there is nowhere better to work for during applications than a career centre. Not only was working with the career advisors very useful to get some quick tips but the internship itself gave various examples and case studies to use during the interviews. I have secured employment with the grad scheme I was applying for in London.
How did you feel about the internship leading up to the start?
I was looking forward to working in events. I didn't really know what to expect with an internship so was excited but slightly nervous.
What was your first day like?
The first day was very pleasant, everyone was easy to talk to. I spoke with the events officer and she immediately made me feel relaxed about the upcoming weeks and assured me it was important that I benefited from it so I didn’t think I was just going in to work for someone else. I worked with the current intern and learnt the basic procedures.
What have you enjoyed the most about your first week?
Fitting into an office environment and working out new ways of doing things. I soon realised that while UEA was very professional it also excelled at being a very relaxed environment.
How do you think the next few weeks will be?
I'm really looking forward to them. I have a project that will be completed within my internship whereby I will by the end have managed 2 large events in my control. It seems daunting now with all the work to do, but I think they will be enjoyable.
______________________________
End of Your Internship
How have you found your experience? Was it what you expected? What did you enjoy the most?
The internship has been great and it was over so soon, that I wish I had longer. I think it was better than expected because it had a larger variety of work than I previously thought. I enjoyed being in a small office environment the most and the fact I was doing the proper job and getting to do important stuff, there was none of the "make the coffee" or small jobs, one might associate with internships.
What do you feel you have gained from your internship? Have you developed new skills?
It really gives you an opportunity to develop the skills you learn at university. You learn how to plan, manage time and prioritise during your degree, these were really put into action in the internship and you develop real life skills, that can go straight into interviews and applications for big jobs.
What are you going to be doing after your internship? Have you secured employment? Do you think your internship experience helped you to gain this employment? How?
I was applying for a grad scheme during my internship and I was very fortunate as there is nowhere better to work for during applications than a career centre. Not only was working with the career advisors very useful to get some quick tips but the internship itself gave various examples and case studies to use during the interviews. I have secured employment with the grad scheme I was applying for in London.
Thursday, 6 March 2014
Karl's Brand and Marketing Internship with LSI Architects -- First Two Weeks
My name’s Karl, and I’m a graduate of UEA (twice, I went
back because I loved it so much). To give you a little bit of information on my
background, I graduated from BSc Business Management in 2012, and then went on
to the MSc Brand Leadership course in 2013, a course run in partnership with
world famous brand agency Wolff Olins. I had an unbelievable year on the brand
leadership course, where I learned an incredible amount from experts like Peter
Schmidt-Hansen, Robert Jones and James Cornford, and I have found the thing I
want to spend my career doing. I’m sure many graduates will empathise with me
when I say how difficult it was to decide where I wanted my career to go, so to
have found something I feel passionately about, and enjoy doing so much is a
big thing for me.
After finishing the course I went on to another exciting and
famous brand agency, FITCH, where I got the opportunity to work with branding
experts at the top of their game, on some of the worlds biggest and most
recognised brands. My internship at FITCH came to an end at the end of last
year, and it was time to find my next step. The graduate job hunt can be
frustrating and it was something I found tough, so I’d like to share some
advice on how it might be made a little less painful. I can’t stress enough how important it is to
build up your experience, it helps to show employers that you can walk the walk
as well as talk the talk. If you don’t have a way of picking up experience yet,
and you know what kind of area you might like to find experience in, read about
it, find out what’s going on in that world.
It’s also important to keep the right attitude and be
confident. Knockbacks are not something to be scared of or worried about, I’ve
had more knockbacks from companies than I can remember over the last few months.
If you get knocked back, ask for feedback, work out how you can do better next
time, view it as a positive opportunity to make sure your next submission is
better than the last. You’ve worked hard
to get a good degree and it will pay off, all you need is your chance to shine.
So picking up experience, and a chance to shine, this is where
graduate internships come in. I found out about the internship through UEA, and
a week after I had had two interviews and found myself starting at LSI in
February.
My role here as the brand and marketing intern is to assist
with the rebrand project that LSI has undertaken, working on an audit for the
LSI brand, and a competitor audit as well as various other aspects of LSI’s
communication with the outside world like social media for example. Once again
I am really lucky to be working on the rebrand project with an external
consultant, and someone who owned their own brand agency, and has years of
experience of delivering work of the highest quality.
It’s been a ‘trial by fire’ first couple of weeks for me at
LSI, which although a little daunting, has been exciting. Straight away I have
been able to get involved in a wide variety of tasks, from creating surveys,
writing case studies and award submissions to designing an ad. It’s helped me
to learn a lot about LSI in a short space of time. LSI is clearly a fantastic
place to be, there is a very welcoming, friendly and supportive culture that has made it easy for me to feel at home
and get straight down to work.
After a great start, I’m looking forward to what the next
few weeks have in store.Friday, 7 February 2014
Lucy's internship with Norwich for Jobs Campaign Organisation
Hello! My name is Lucy and I am now reaching the end of my 3 month internship with Norwich For Jobs, a local campaign to halve youth unemployment in Norwich.
Following on from last graduate internship with the University Writers’ Service, I was looking to further develop my relationships with local employers and young people on a broader scale – I’m pleased to say that this internship allowed me to do just that!
My job role holds three sections:
• Employment engagement assistant, which involves me communicating with local employers and encouraging them to consider taking on young people within the workplace.
• Volunteers Team Leader, where I have worked alongside our team of volunteers to organise events, network and promote the project through social media and our website. (www.norwichforjobs.org,uk)
• Marketing Manager, where I have been responsible for the marketing for events, such as the Business Breakfast and ‘One Year On’ celebration, and our welcome packs for prospective employers.
Norwich For Jobs has allowed me to thoroughly immerse myself with its multiple different projects. I’ve been able to regularly contribute at Steering Group meetings, where we’ve discussed the future plans of the project alongside Chloe Smith MP and important Norwich businesses, such as the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce and Norfolk TEN Group. We’ve also held a monthly Young Persons’ panel which has provided me with the opportunity to discuss youth unemployment with fellow job seekers, and employers and providers who are currently employing 16-24 year olds.
In my final month, I’ve been tasked with organising our ‘One Year On’ celebration event within The Forum. It’s been an extensive task which has pushed me beyond my limits and allowed me to gain a lot more confidence in event management and marketing. The tasks have involved me booking guest presenters, providing catering, organising filming sessions and drawing in the contacts I’ve made to encourage a wider promotion of the event - an often challenging task in a non-profit project! I’m really looking forward to seeing it all come together.
The skills which I’ve gained and the relationships that I have made with local Norwich businesses have been invaluable in gaining my confidence in the workplace and I feel privileged to have been allowed such a significant amount of involvement with the campaign over the past three months.
Following on from last graduate internship with the University Writers’ Service, I was looking to further develop my relationships with local employers and young people on a broader scale – I’m pleased to say that this internship allowed me to do just that!
My job role holds three sections:
• Employment engagement assistant, which involves me communicating with local employers and encouraging them to consider taking on young people within the workplace.
• Volunteers Team Leader, where I have worked alongside our team of volunteers to organise events, network and promote the project through social media and our website. (www.norwichforjobs.org,uk)
• Marketing Manager, where I have been responsible for the marketing for events, such as the Business Breakfast and ‘One Year On’ celebration, and our welcome packs for prospective employers.
Norwich For Jobs has allowed me to thoroughly immerse myself with its multiple different projects. I’ve been able to regularly contribute at Steering Group meetings, where we’ve discussed the future plans of the project alongside Chloe Smith MP and important Norwich businesses, such as the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce and Norfolk TEN Group. We’ve also held a monthly Young Persons’ panel which has provided me with the opportunity to discuss youth unemployment with fellow job seekers, and employers and providers who are currently employing 16-24 year olds.
In my final month, I’ve been tasked with organising our ‘One Year On’ celebration event within The Forum. It’s been an extensive task which has pushed me beyond my limits and allowed me to gain a lot more confidence in event management and marketing. The tasks have involved me booking guest presenters, providing catering, organising filming sessions and drawing in the contacts I’ve made to encourage a wider promotion of the event - an often challenging task in a non-profit project! I’m really looking forward to seeing it all come together.
The skills which I’ve gained and the relationships that I have made with local Norwich businesses have been invaluable in gaining my confidence in the workplace and I feel privileged to have been allowed such a significant amount of involvement with the campaign over the past three months.
Friday, 24 January 2014
Shaun's Social Media Internship with the Faculty of Social Sciences at UEA
My name is Shaun and I’ve just completed 10 weeks in my role as the SSF Social Media Intern at the UEA. On Monday, I shall start a new job in the School of International Development – but let’s rewind a few months first.
I’m not a UEA Graduate. Shocking, I know. I graduated in Politics from the University of Nottingham in the summer of 2013 and began seeking opportunities in the Media or Marketing. However, finding graduate employment proved difficult, very difficult. Excessive expectations regarding the working experience of graduates severely restricts the opportunities graduates are deemed ‘capable’ of – sometimes, people just need an opportunity to prove their worth. This is exactly what the UEA Graduate Internships Scheme provided. The best thing (for me, selfishly) was that for many opportunities you didn’t have to be a UEA graduate specifically! And so I grabbed the opportunity to get a fixed term, paid internship.
The role of Social Media Intern was ambiguous, but not in a negative sense. Effectively, the existing social media presence of the various Schools’ across the faculty differed; meaning the work to be done within each individual school varied markedly. The aim of the role was to help improve communications between Careers & Employability, and the students, through their various social media channels. During the internship, I became responsible for 3 Twitter channels and also helped to establish 1 additional channel; 3 Facebook pages; 2 LinkedIn alumni Groups (which both were created from scratch); and 1 WordPress blog. In addition, I also tasked myself with teaching the Employability Officer in the School of Social Work how to use Twitter to the benefit of her and her students. I found further ways to improve the job I was doing, such as designing and creating marketing materials, writing blog entries, and managing web content.
I worked within the Schools of Law, Economics, Social Work, International Development, Education, and Psychology. I thoroughly enjoyed working within each individual school – considering the size, structure and existing social media presence to better develop a social media strategy tailored for each School. The position gave me experience in managing numerous channels of communication, marketing events and services, organising employability strategies, communicating with a variety of people and also gave me responsibility in ensuring the positive online image of the Faculty. It allowed me to solve problems, handle confidential information, and use my imagination to implement better forms of communication. The skills I have developed through the position are both extensive, and vital to my future employability.
I was asked to give a presentation at the SSF Executive meeting, displaying the work I had done and recommendations for going forward. My presentation was well received, which resulted in significant recognition for my efforts during the internship. Speaking in front of the Faculty Executive’s has further increased my confidence, and my ability to present to an audience.
Fast-forward to 10-weeks later and my work within the School of International Development has resulted in the offer of a permanent position. The School have taken into account what I am interested in, what I want to do, and have provided an excellent position for me to gain further experience and learn new skills. 10 weeks was all it took for me to show what I can do, and find permanent employment within a great organisation that has both the development of the School, and the professional development of the employee, in mind.
I recommend the UEA Graduate Internship Scheme to any graduate wanting an opportunity to prove themselves, develop their attributes and gain valuable experience. With all the negativity surrounding the exploitative nature of unpaid internships, this scheme gives you the opportunity of an equally valuable experience, whilst getting paid for your hard work. It’s certainly paid off for me!
I’m not a UEA Graduate. Shocking, I know. I graduated in Politics from the University of Nottingham in the summer of 2013 and began seeking opportunities in the Media or Marketing. However, finding graduate employment proved difficult, very difficult. Excessive expectations regarding the working experience of graduates severely restricts the opportunities graduates are deemed ‘capable’ of – sometimes, people just need an opportunity to prove their worth. This is exactly what the UEA Graduate Internships Scheme provided. The best thing (for me, selfishly) was that for many opportunities you didn’t have to be a UEA graduate specifically! And so I grabbed the opportunity to get a fixed term, paid internship.
The role of Social Media Intern was ambiguous, but not in a negative sense. Effectively, the existing social media presence of the various Schools’ across the faculty differed; meaning the work to be done within each individual school varied markedly. The aim of the role was to help improve communications between Careers & Employability, and the students, through their various social media channels. During the internship, I became responsible for 3 Twitter channels and also helped to establish 1 additional channel; 3 Facebook pages; 2 LinkedIn alumni Groups (which both were created from scratch); and 1 WordPress blog. In addition, I also tasked myself with teaching the Employability Officer in the School of Social Work how to use Twitter to the benefit of her and her students. I found further ways to improve the job I was doing, such as designing and creating marketing materials, writing blog entries, and managing web content.
I worked within the Schools of Law, Economics, Social Work, International Development, Education, and Psychology. I thoroughly enjoyed working within each individual school – considering the size, structure and existing social media presence to better develop a social media strategy tailored for each School. The position gave me experience in managing numerous channels of communication, marketing events and services, organising employability strategies, communicating with a variety of people and also gave me responsibility in ensuring the positive online image of the Faculty. It allowed me to solve problems, handle confidential information, and use my imagination to implement better forms of communication. The skills I have developed through the position are both extensive, and vital to my future employability.
I was asked to give a presentation at the SSF Executive meeting, displaying the work I had done and recommendations for going forward. My presentation was well received, which resulted in significant recognition for my efforts during the internship. Speaking in front of the Faculty Executive’s has further increased my confidence, and my ability to present to an audience.
Fast-forward to 10-weeks later and my work within the School of International Development has resulted in the offer of a permanent position. The School have taken into account what I am interested in, what I want to do, and have provided an excellent position for me to gain further experience and learn new skills. 10 weeks was all it took for me to show what I can do, and find permanent employment within a great organisation that has both the development of the School, and the professional development of the employee, in mind.
I recommend the UEA Graduate Internship Scheme to any graduate wanting an opportunity to prove themselves, develop their attributes and gain valuable experience. With all the negativity surrounding the exploitative nature of unpaid internships, this scheme gives you the opportunity of an equally valuable experience, whilst getting paid for your hard work. It’s certainly paid off for me!
Tuesday, 21 January 2014
Leigh's Customer Service & Marketing Internship with Sale Supply Diary -- Week Two
Having just finished the second week of my internship, I can confidently say I am starting to feel more comfortable working independently. I do believe that the more I have been exposed, the more I have learnt and although this can be a daunting prospect for some, it is far more beneficial.
I am finding that throwing myself into situations that I am unsure of often result in two possible outcomes- right or wrong. The beauty in the learning process is that both teach us something valuable for the next time.
Volunteering for tasks will help you on your way to confidently carry out the tasks needed in your chosen career; it displays your genuine interest in your sector to your manager which in turn can lead to more opportunities and it gives you experience.
In turn, I do feel that it is up to the organisation to assist with the learning process. Sale Supply regularly check that I am comfortable and sure about what I am doing. They have adapted their training process to suit my learning style, something I feel all companies should adopt if they haven’t done so already- after all, you wouldn’t try and fit a square peg into a round hole, so why would you try and train a kinaesthetic learner with an audio style?
For me, the learning by doing element has helped me immensely. Whether it be a case of allowing me to explore software systems or role playing situations I may face throughout the day, this has enabled me to face situations both independently and confidently.
As an intern, it is worth remembering that you’re not expected to know all the answers all of the time. It is OK to say you have no experience in a certain area. You’re there to learn. I can’t advise on the best way to learn, everyone is different, in regards to this I would advise getting to know your style and discussing it with your manager in order to achieve your full potential.
I am finding that throwing myself into situations that I am unsure of often result in two possible outcomes- right or wrong. The beauty in the learning process is that both teach us something valuable for the next time.
Volunteering for tasks will help you on your way to confidently carry out the tasks needed in your chosen career; it displays your genuine interest in your sector to your manager which in turn can lead to more opportunities and it gives you experience.
In turn, I do feel that it is up to the organisation to assist with the learning process. Sale Supply regularly check that I am comfortable and sure about what I am doing. They have adapted their training process to suit my learning style, something I feel all companies should adopt if they haven’t done so already- after all, you wouldn’t try and fit a square peg into a round hole, so why would you try and train a kinaesthetic learner with an audio style?
For me, the learning by doing element has helped me immensely. Whether it be a case of allowing me to explore software systems or role playing situations I may face throughout the day, this has enabled me to face situations both independently and confidently.
As an intern, it is worth remembering that you’re not expected to know all the answers all of the time. It is OK to say you have no experience in a certain area. You’re there to learn. I can’t advise on the best way to learn, everyone is different, in regards to this I would advise getting to know your style and discussing it with your manager in order to achieve your full potential.
Monday, 13 January 2014
Leigh's Customer Service & Marketing Internship with Salesupply Diary -- End of Week One
The Intern Diaries
Why an Internship?
I was one of a generation who was promised that going to university would equal guaranteed employment and a bigger salary. However, after graduating I found this not to be true. If you’ve found yourself struggling to find work in your desired career post-university you are certainly not alone. I, like many others, seem to be hearing the same thing “You have a clear passion for the sector, but not enough experience”.
After a change of heart ¾ of the way through my teacher training course, I found myself at square one again. I knew I wanted to apply my creativity in some way and there are lots of jobs out there that will allow you to do this. I’m quite good with words and social media savvy, so I started to look at jobs in the media. I read hundreds of articles on how to make myself stand out from the crowd and I started to apply all of the advice: I started a blog- which has led to outside writing opportunities, I have grown my social media presence- making sure there was nothing I wouldn’t want a potential employer to see; following the accounts of all the right people in the same industry; tweeting about things that were important to me and generally making myself known, I linked my social media accounts to my CV and I had numerous people look over my CV for feedback. I had no problem getting interviews. I was invited to some pretty impressive ones at that; from a columnist at a local newspaper in Brighton, to an Account Executive at and advertising agency. Many of the interviews seemed to go well, most invited me back for second interviews, all of them replied with the same thing: “We really liked you, but we feel you don’t have enough experience for the position.”
After countless rejections I considered giving up. Being unemployed can have a massive affect on your confidence and self worth. I soon started to avoid answering the phone or the door during the daytime, as I didn’t want anyone to know I didn’t have a job, and I stopped going out because I was scared of the dreaded questions like “How is the job search going”. It was by chance that I came across the UEA’s Internship Programme via twitter (see how following the right people can come in handy?!) You may have noticed that internships around this region are very few and far between, and most of the few offered are unpaid (something which I know I can’t afford to do because I have bills to pay, an overdraft and travelling expenses to cover).
Internships have raised a lot of questions recently; is it fair to allow people to work for free? Are unpaid internships only for a privileged few who can afford to work for free? Will I actually get the experience I need during my internship, instead of being a general dogsbody and tea lady? I know these were all questions that worried me. UEA’s scheme offers a wage and a beneficial opportunity for both host and intern. Acting as a go between, if there were to be any concerns you can rest in the knowledge that you can talk to the UEA complete confidentiality. This means the above concerns are non-existent, which is why an internship through the UEA is worth going for. They offer a range of paid opportunities (so you can get to work on paying that overdraft off and still have a social life) which in turn will offer the much needed experience you need to get your foot on the career ladder. And who knows, some internships even lead to full time employment.
Week 1
Before Christmas I managed to secure a 12 week internship with Sale Supply. A global e-business that allows companies to expand their international growth quickly through a wide range of solutions such as research and strategy, effective localisation of web shops; traffic generation and brand management, and complete operational support. Sale Supply uses a wide range of advance systems such as CMS, VMWare and Google Dropbox- the very systems that had meant I wasn’t offered jobs due to my “lack of experience with them”. I was being instantly exposed to new skills I could add to my CV. I was free to ask as many questions as possible and given the opportunity to explore and get my head around them without the fear of messing up.
One of the best things about the way Sale Supply works with their interns is the open and honest communication they offer and ask for in return. They offer quick and positive feedback with suggestions on how your work can be improved. Upon discussions with the owner I mentioned that I would be interested in assisting with designs of websites and brochures’ which led to me being given the opportunity to translate some work for two website pages for an existing client, and a leaflet with an up and coming one.
I feel for an internship to be the most beneficial that communication is key. The host needs to be open to allowing you to try and discuss what appeals to you, but the intern also needs to be forward in saying what it is they hope to gain from their placement. As I saw within my first week, by showing an interest in things I would like to try I was given opportunities.
I learnt so much in my first week and hope that I can continue to gain more knowledge over the coming months. For anyone starting their internships my only advice would be to ask lots of questions and show an active interest in any project you would like to be involved in- it really does pay off.
Why an Internship?
I was one of a generation who was promised that going to university would equal guaranteed employment and a bigger salary. However, after graduating I found this not to be true. If you’ve found yourself struggling to find work in your desired career post-university you are certainly not alone. I, like many others, seem to be hearing the same thing “You have a clear passion for the sector, but not enough experience”.
After a change of heart ¾ of the way through my teacher training course, I found myself at square one again. I knew I wanted to apply my creativity in some way and there are lots of jobs out there that will allow you to do this. I’m quite good with words and social media savvy, so I started to look at jobs in the media. I read hundreds of articles on how to make myself stand out from the crowd and I started to apply all of the advice: I started a blog- which has led to outside writing opportunities, I have grown my social media presence- making sure there was nothing I wouldn’t want a potential employer to see; following the accounts of all the right people in the same industry; tweeting about things that were important to me and generally making myself known, I linked my social media accounts to my CV and I had numerous people look over my CV for feedback. I had no problem getting interviews. I was invited to some pretty impressive ones at that; from a columnist at a local newspaper in Brighton, to an Account Executive at and advertising agency. Many of the interviews seemed to go well, most invited me back for second interviews, all of them replied with the same thing: “We really liked you, but we feel you don’t have enough experience for the position.”
After countless rejections I considered giving up. Being unemployed can have a massive affect on your confidence and self worth. I soon started to avoid answering the phone or the door during the daytime, as I didn’t want anyone to know I didn’t have a job, and I stopped going out because I was scared of the dreaded questions like “How is the job search going”. It was by chance that I came across the UEA’s Internship Programme via twitter (see how following the right people can come in handy?!) You may have noticed that internships around this region are very few and far between, and most of the few offered are unpaid (something which I know I can’t afford to do because I have bills to pay, an overdraft and travelling expenses to cover).
Internships have raised a lot of questions recently; is it fair to allow people to work for free? Are unpaid internships only for a privileged few who can afford to work for free? Will I actually get the experience I need during my internship, instead of being a general dogsbody and tea lady? I know these were all questions that worried me. UEA’s scheme offers a wage and a beneficial opportunity for both host and intern. Acting as a go between, if there were to be any concerns you can rest in the knowledge that you can talk to the UEA complete confidentiality. This means the above concerns are non-existent, which is why an internship through the UEA is worth going for. They offer a range of paid opportunities (so you can get to work on paying that overdraft off and still have a social life) which in turn will offer the much needed experience you need to get your foot on the career ladder. And who knows, some internships even lead to full time employment.
Week 1
Before Christmas I managed to secure a 12 week internship with Sale Supply. A global e-business that allows companies to expand their international growth quickly through a wide range of solutions such as research and strategy, effective localisation of web shops; traffic generation and brand management, and complete operational support. Sale Supply uses a wide range of advance systems such as CMS, VMWare and Google Dropbox- the very systems that had meant I wasn’t offered jobs due to my “lack of experience with them”. I was being instantly exposed to new skills I could add to my CV. I was free to ask as many questions as possible and given the opportunity to explore and get my head around them without the fear of messing up.
One of the best things about the way Sale Supply works with their interns is the open and honest communication they offer and ask for in return. They offer quick and positive feedback with suggestions on how your work can be improved. Upon discussions with the owner I mentioned that I would be interested in assisting with designs of websites and brochures’ which led to me being given the opportunity to translate some work for two website pages for an existing client, and a leaflet with an up and coming one.
I feel for an internship to be the most beneficial that communication is key. The host needs to be open to allowing you to try and discuss what appeals to you, but the intern also needs to be forward in saying what it is they hope to gain from their placement. As I saw within my first week, by showing an interest in things I would like to try I was given opportunities.
I learnt so much in my first week and hope that I can continue to gain more knowledge over the coming months. For anyone starting their internships my only advice would be to ask lots of questions and show an active interest in any project you would like to be involved in- it really does pay off.
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