Digital Marketing Intern Review

I self-sourced my placement myself and was the first one to ever have a placement at VB. I really enjoyed it throughout - the hardest part was definitely getting used to the routine of commuting, but I enjoyed my time at VB for the most part.

My colleagues all valued me and treated me like a member of the team no matter if I was just an intern. I was given responsibility and was really trusted. I made a lot of friends and my colleagues all made me feel that I can come to talk to them about anything at any time, which was very comforting. They all really made me feel like a family.

When given a task, I was trusted with it however my manager and executives were always there when I needed help or struggled with anything. I didn't feel unqualified, because they were really understanding and told me they were in the same position at the start of their careers. No employee is ever left without support as it is a small company, where managers know all the employees.

The campaigns were launched at Christmas, Valentines, Easter etc so those times were particularly busy. I didn't mind it however as I like staying busy. There were times where I considered taking work home, but was advised otherwise by my managers as they believed I can get it all done in my 8 hour shift.

I was at the web & digital marketing department, so at the start I was doing things under supervision - however once I learned all of the writing style techniques etc, I got given a lot more responsibility and my work didn't have to be checked as much, which made me feel respected and yet again, trusted. I didn't have all the responsibilities an executive had, but I also didn't get paid as much as an executive, so it made sense.

During my placement I realised that you mostly learn on the job, but that the theoretical background of e.g. psychology of marketing has a big impact on how you run social media channels, how you target audiences etc. I developed my time management skills a lot, as during my second and first years I was a little more disorganized with uni work, so my placement really disciplined me in this regard. My placement really helped me perform in my final year (at least in the first semester, as I have just started my second)

It was always extremely fun. We dressed up on some special occasions, had always celebrated and surprised people with birthday cakes, and I was never involved in any 'drama' for that matter. Me and my colleagues were also super excited to see each other and catch up, and we often met outside of work to socialise, which was great. Managers interact with executives etc a lot, which is also extremely refreshing.

I was the first placement student VB had for years, so it wasn't as organised as it could be, but that doesn't mean the team didn't make an active effort in involving me in projects, days out, fam trips etc. I am actually really grateful because I had a chance to learn about all of the departments, so I wasn't left in the dark. Overall, I loved the rotational nature of the time I had at Visit Belfast.

I did not attend any training during my time at VB, but it didn't matter as I was trained by my managers in all the aspects I was required to perform well. If I could, I would love to be able to attend conferences my fellow executives were attending, but I knew the budget was limiting therefore I understand why that wasn't the case.

If I had a chance, I would definitely come back to Visit Belfast for approx 3 years of my career, as it is a good environment to work in and there are some possibilities of promotion in the company. It is a company where you can grow and get to know Belfast on another level, which is a perk. There are many departments so it is easy to find something you will enjoy, however it is small so there aren't countless opportunities.

There were no other placement students at the time I was on a placement, so I can't comment on this question.

I did not live in Belfast for the duration of the placement as I was living at home and commuting from Portadown, so the monthly ticket cost me £130 a month with a yLink Discount card. The train was quick and there were hardly any delays. The cost of food in Belfast is cheap, at about £5 per lunch. However I made my own lunch most times. Average price of a room in Belfast would be approx £250 a month.

It was great! Belfast is perfect for nightlife with countless clubs, quirky pubs and cheap drinks (compared to London).

Not Necessarily, apart from socializing during company events (with free food) and drinks with colleagues on a Friday night.