Marketing work experience student Jack SaundersAt Ideal Marketing, we think it’s very important to support the next generation as they prepare for the world of work so we are always happy to consider requests for work experience and accommodate students if we can.

15 year old Jack Saunders spent a week at The Ideal Marketing Company as part of his secondary school’s work experience programme. Here he explains how he found his first taste of working (and marketing).

1st day: Marketing interview and website analysis

When I got into the office all the staff were very friendly and made me feel as if I was just another worker, which made me feel like part of the team and comfortable in that environment. The managing director and head of PR, Helen, showed me around the office and gave a short explanation of what they do at The Ideal Marketing Company, which put my nerves to rest.

My first task was to research the company and find out more about what they did and who worked for them. I then had to compare the website to three competitors using an online tool which analyses different areas of websites and highlights areas where improvements can be made.  Jessica, the head of digital marketing, talked me through how to use this online tool to make what seemed like a tough task at first actually quite simple.

Later on in the day Kerry, who is head of design, took me for an interview where she challenged my marketing knowledge and enquired about what I would like to do in the future. I was nervous as it was my first interview and I didn’t know the procedure of one.

This was a very exciting day as I got an introduction to the company and the experience of an interview.

2nd day: Website recommendations, marketing research & blog writing

Tuesday was a very busy day – which is always good. I used the website comparison tool again to compare a client’s website to their competitors to see how well their website is doing and what to improve on. I put all of the details into a Word document so the client can see how to improve.

I was then introduced to a marketing concept called Mobile First and I had to complete some research on it and find out the pros and cons of it. Later on, I had to write a blog post about Mobile First which I was very excited and nervous about, as it was my first one and I wanted to do a good job.

Before I knew it it was 4 o’clock, and that means home time.

3rd day: Designing my own infographic

On Wednesday I was shown how to design an infographic. Hannah, the head of SEO and digital content, explained the purpose of infographics to me and showed me all the features of the design system used to create these, so I could then explore it for myself and produce my own infographic. My infographic was about Mobile First, so I had to go through my blog and find the advantages and disadvantages of Mobile First that businesses would want to know about most.

4th day: Branding, feedback and social media (and coffee)

On Thursday morning I was very tired as I had stayed up late on Wednesday with my family. After drinking a coffee at the office I soon woke up and began to finish my infographic I had started the day before. Because it was for the company I had to use the specific colours they used for their website, which made me feel as if I was a worker designing an infographic for them.

I then had to design a feedback form for clients to complete to reflect on how well The Ideal Marketing Company did. This included researching other feedback forms and collecting questions and sections to include in my own version.

Later on in the day after a delicious lunch, I had the task of creating example social media posts for a client. Before I made the example posts I had to do research about the client to implement their style and tone into my own posts.  This was to make it seem as if I was controlling their social media as though I worked there, as a marketing company would do.

5th Blackboard with marketing ideas for the futureday: A review of my week at a great marketing agency

Today is the last day of my placement at The Ideal Marketing Company. I have been given the task of completing another set of example social media posts for a potential client which Ideal might do social media work for in the future. I was then given the task of writing my second blog post on my work experience placement at The Ideal Marketing Company, which you are reading now!

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here as it has given me an insight into a marketing company and I have experienced first-hand different aspects of marketing. I have met some lovely people who made me feel comfortable on my first day right to the last and their efforts have been much appreciated.

I have experienced what an interview would be like and the type of questions they will ask which I can now use to my advantage when I am searching for a job in the future. I feel I have matured and learnt some valuable lessons for the world of work and I am very grateful I got the opportunity to do something like this.

 

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