"It's Set High Expectations!" Katie's Placement Year with Give a Grad a Go

At Give a Grad a Go, we support individuals across the whole university journey, from fresher’s week nerves to the post-graduation job hunt.

And, over the past 9 months, we’ve been lucky enough to be joined by a current University of Leeds student, Katie Martin.

Katie has supported our team as a Junior Digital Marketing Assistant, adding huge amounts of value to every function of our marketing team!

Katie is on her placement year in the middle of her BA History degree. Like many students across the country, this year was her opportunity to gain professional experience amidst her studies.

Helping the team to usher in our new website, fresh branding, and services, Katie added a different and valuable perspective to our existing business outlook.

We asked Katie to reflect on her time at Give a Grad a Go and on the experience of doing a placement year.

How have you found your time at Give a Grad a Go?

I’ve had an amazing time at Give a Grad a Go!

My role was a perfect introduction to what a career in marketing looks like. There was a lot of scope for me to gain experience in parts of marketing that I was particularly keen to explore, and I felt as if I could really make the role my own.

The company culture has set very high expectations for when I graduate. The team is very close-knit, and I always felt comfortable asking questions whenever I was unsure about something!

Before I started my placement I definitely had some anxieties about what my first ‘office role’ would look like.

I was quite hesitant about commuting into London and working a 9-5, but I felt reassured after my first couple of weeks in the office. I got used to being in a new environment and routine, and once I got to know the team I felt a lot more comfortable.

The transition from university to the professional world seems so daunting as a student, but my experience at Give a Grad a Go has helped me feel way more prepared for a graduate job.

Did you learn anything that changed your perspective on recruitment, marketing, or business in general?

My perspective on recruitment has definitely changed whilst working at Give a Grad a Go.

Initially, I definitely had some preconceptions about the industry from stories that friends who had used recruitment agencies had told me about.

But from my first day, it was obvious that Give a Grad a Go is an exception to this, and they actually care about finding graduates jobs they can enjoy.

In terms of my views on marketing, this placement has definitely increased my interest in it.

I don’t think I realised prior to working here how broad the responsibilities of a Digital Marketer are. As there’s something new to get involved in every day, the job is never dull!

What task(s) did you enjoy most?

I really enjoyed running the Student Writing Competition. From start to finish, the process was very rewarding.

I was able to take part in student outreach, keyword research, blog optimising, social media posting, marketing analytics, and more.

Seeing students and grads receive lots of visits to their blogs was a great feeling!

I also really enjoyed being part of our rebrand. I’m very grateful to have joined at a time when I could learn what is involved in a rebrand, and play a significant part in it all coming together.

What was the biggest challenge you overcame?

The biggest challenge I overcame was juggling job posting with my other marketing responsibilities when I first started my placement.

As editing and advertising job descriptions was the main priority, I would spend lots of time optimising the descriptions, and then realise that I didn’t have enough time to finish my other tasks.

Although it took me a couple of weeks to find my feet, I finally got into a routine where I was able to balance my tasks and I could plan my week ahead a lot easier.

Has this experience informed your future career choice in any way?

I would definitely like to explore marketing as a career after doing this placement.

I currently study English and History at university, and I was looking for a career that would allow me to use both the creative and analytical sides of my degree.

My role at Give a Grad a Go has allowed me to do plenty of tasks that use both of these, so I’m open to exploring similar marketing roles after I graduate!

Over the past 9 months, we’ve learnt from Katie as she’s learnt from us.

After getting the hang of her daily responsibilities, Katie had the confidence to make her voice heard and make really valuable contributions.

As well as a nostalgic reminder of all our university adventures, Katie was an ambassador for the student voice.

We are a business built on conversations, and we want students and graduates to both be a part of this!

We love helping students and graduates grow, but in the process, you help us grow too.

If you want the opportunity to work for us, take a look at how we operate, what perks we offer, and who works for us right now.

Otherwise, we have an array of opportunities in marketing, sales, and beyond, for some of the UK’s most exciting companies.

Browse our graduate jobs now, and start planning your career.

“It’s set high expectations!” Katie’s placement year with Give a Grad a Go

How have you found your time at Give a Grad a Go?

Did you learn anything that changed your perspective on recruitment, marketing, or business in general?

What task(s) did you enjoy most?

What was the biggest challenge you overcame?

Has this experience informed your future career choice in any way?

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