Paid Search Executive Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my work placement at the7stars. Working within the Digital Specialist team, i was given a lot of training, both through the company and through third-party online platforms to aid my learning of the industry. I was given real responsibilities and tasks, but knew if i was ever stuck, there was someone i could talk to. The culture at the7stars is fantastic, and the people really made my experience. There are plenty of opportunities to socialise with new people from all over the company, and one of the7stars values, 'Respect Each Other and Have Fun' is definitely evident through everything they do.

I felt very valued by my colleagues; as there was only a handful of placement students and graduates, I was treated more like a junior employee than a student. Also due to the high turnaround in the industry, by the end of the year, I felt like a long-term employee. My colleagues genuinely listened to my ideas, aided by weekly catch-up team meetings. By putting in the effort to learn about a particular product update, or subject, people in my team were coming to me for specialist knowledge.

I was given quite a lot of support and guidance by management, with my direct manager being on hand if i had any queries. While i was given a lot of autonomy, i always felt like i could ask my colleagues if i needed to, and i was never being a burden. At the7stars there is a very flat and open structure, and typically no job titles. While this can be confusing at the beginning of a placement, you soon learn who your supervisors or managers are.

I was fairly busy on a daily basis, naturally this depended on client activity. By having my own client accounts, and working with colleagues on larger accounts, my daily tasks were consistent week-on-week. The great thing about the7stars is that they have Leadership Teams which you can voluntarily join e.g. the Events Team, People Team (recruitment) etc.. This mean that if I had a quiet day, I would spend more time on my chosen Leadership Teams.

I was given a lot of responsibilities during my placement. I never felt like i was making the coffees or doing 'intern work' but had actual clients that were my responsibility. I also worked with other colleagues on larger client accounts, allowing me to learn a lot about client relationships. Representing the7stars at industry events, attending and contributing to client meetings, and independently researching new trends were some examples.

I believe the skills developed, both industry-specific and more general skills will definitely help my in my degree studies and in future job applications. I learned a great deal about Digital Marketing and Advertising - both highly relevant to my degree. There was a culture of continual learning at the7stars, e.g. through media owners coming in to pitch their business, or through the more casual lunch-and-learn sessions where anyone in the company could talk about a skill or hobby they were interested in. The wider job-specific skills such as communication, organisation and client relationships will definitely help me in future job applications.

The general atmosphere in the office was a fun and exciting one. Having a table football and pool table helped de-stress at lunchtimes. There was also a bar in the office with beer and prossecco on tap - so you could unwind after a day's work. Hotdesking allowed me to sit next to a variety of colleagues and the ever-changing schedule of motivational speakers, media owner meetings etc. meant no two days felt identical.

The organisation of the work placement wasn't necessarily set in stone before i arrived. I was the first placement student within the team, and i believe they didn't quite know how to train me initially. However when i had completed self-training modules online, i was allowed to shadow and learn through colleagues.

Personal training was offered in line with the Graduate scheme, and while Placement students weren't offered the complete set of training, basic training about the company and the industry was offered. My role-specific training came through online third-party training material such as Google Skillshop and Facebook Blueprints.

Future employment prospects within the7stars are very appealing for myself. I thoroughly enjoyed my placement and would be delighted to return. I have come to the conclusion that i would like to work for media agencies in the future, and so my time at the7stars was very well spent. The7stars offer Graduate schemes, and i will definitely be applying for them in the future.

There was a fantastic social scene amongst colleagues. Due to the bar in the office, Thursday night drinks were a regular occurrence if you wanted to join in. There were also a lot of parties throughout the year, including an amazing birthday party for the7stars. Sports teams, like netball, football and softball were available to join by anyone - no matter how good you are. This gave a greater sense of community within the office and allowed me to socialise with colleagues i wouldn't necessarily work with on a day-to-day basis.

Living and working in London was naturally expensive, with the cost of rent and commuting fairly high. However, through the bar in the office, staying for a drink after work didn't mean breaking the bank. Furthermore, the7stars provided breakfast every morning (a selection of cereal and fruit), and there were healthy snacks in the office. This meant I didn't spend too much at work, and through bringing my own lunch i managed to save money which i could then spend on the weekend. The salary, combined with student loan, meant i could afford to live comfortably for a year.

The nightlife was quite fun in the area. There were a few nice local pubs and bars for after-work drinks which were fairly cheap. We always found new places to go to, including karaoke bars which meant you could stay out as late as you wanted to, or not. Within central london, there are plenty of clubs for more serious nights out, however they didn't come cheap.

Outside of work, there are were a lot of activities to get involved in. As mentioned there was a lot of sports teams offered, volunteering activities and even client-specific events. The7stars kept up with a lot of social activities that were happening in central London so you were always kept in the loop.