Everyone believes that an internship or an unpaid placement is just to tick a box, especially for students. But it is so much more than that. Employers don’t just look for this ticked box, they want to see the skills and attributes you have gained. Trust me, there’s more than you think. When I applied for a placement, I too thought it would be 6 weeks of a waste of time.
The application process in itself was easy, I found it rewarding to email companies and gain responses back. In Marketing, the more people who you know and the more who know your name, the better. When interviewing with BGN, it felt comfortable and light. I shared experiences in my life that I thought would be helpful within the business. I later learned whilst doing my placement, that even things that I thought were irrelevant to my company, helped massively.
As this was my first experience within a marketing environment, I asked for a lot of guidance and Mark, my employer, was extremely helpful for this. In my training session, I was shown how to use applications but I was also given independence to grow my skills on this too. I love that I can work both from home and in an office provided by BGN. Even when working from home, Mark is contactable at all times and can support me with anything I am struggling with.
For me, the skills I have gained have been both beneficial for my own portfolio but for BGN as a placement provider too. By organising events and inviting people, I have gained a range of communicative qualities which will help me in a number of job fields; as well as spreading BGN nationally. As part of BGN, I feel a part of the company. My placement has been valuable for not only my own growth and development, but for BGN’s too. I feel a sense of friendship and rapport with members which can be handed down to the next intern. I too believe that I have enabled BGN to grow as a company and support further interns to excel, just like I have.
If as a student or as a business seeking for an intern, have the opportunity to do this. Please take it with both hands, it is such a rewarding experience.
Written by Holly Wiles
Event Support and Marketing Intern at BGN.